Wednesday 11 March 2015

Mary Hastings, Community Health Navigator

Hi, I'm Mary, Community Health Navigator for the Out and About Project and I’ve been in post for just over a year now.  Yes it’s a BIG title.  Essentially, it’s about helping people living with long term conditions who are feeling isolated to get out and about more and enjoy themselves.

I was the new girl until fairly recently and must thank everyone within Healthy Valleys for their patience with me and the never ending questions I asked.  Now that I am no longer the new person, I hope that I can now return the favour.

What I really enjoy about this job is getting out and about, meeting new people and hearing their stories.  It's about getting to know the person, finding out what they like doing or discovering something new for them to enjoy. 

Out & About is a small project that makes a big impact on people’s lives. There is nothing better than seeing someone grow in confidence and having fun. Some people have rekindled old hobbies and others have tried new activities but no matter what they have done, they have all gained new friends, feel more confident and no longer feel alone.

Despite having lived in South Lanarkshire all of my life, I really had no idea of what was going on around me.  Whether it’s a village or a town there’s a whole host of activities to be found.  So no matter what the person’s interest, there’s always something that I can find for them.   It's also given me lots of ideas for new hobbies - if only I had the time!


If you know of anyone who would benefit from this project or you would like to help please don't hesitate to contact me.

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