The Sutton Men in Sheds project has grown significantly over the past few years. It provides a community space for men to connect, engage in conversation, as well as create and pursue new interests. The sessions are designed to help support men’s mental health and well-being. Advice, support, and signposting facilitated by professionals are incorporated into the group sessions.

Men in Sheds will be back in September 2023. Please note that there will be NO Men in Shed's session on 31st August 2023 (Thursday).

We are pleased to confirm the dates for September to December in the attached flyer.

 Follow us on Facebook @SuttonMeninSheds  or on Twitter @st_helier for regular updates.

 Please also share this with anyone you think might be interested.

Sutton Housebound Library Services are calling out to residents who are housebound and wish to access books. To register, please complete the google form questionnaire which will assist in checking if you are eligible for this service. You will be contacted to enquire about the types of books you enjoy reading so an appropriate assortment is brought to your home. Further details are also available on this poster.

LFB has produced an online Home Fire Safety Checker that will work out the level of risk in your home with a few questions and suggest what you could do next. This might be booking a visit from one of their crews or getting some tailored online advice. Check your fire safety today to get the right help.

Just scan the QR code or go to: london-fire.gov.uk/protect

BuddyUp is a new, app-based service available on Google Play and the App Store and the concept is that people who are using drugs alone can download the app and be connected to a Cranstoun member of staff (called a Supporter), with whom they can build a rescue plan, detailing where they are and how to access them in event they require emergency help after using a drug while calling the service. How this works in practice is that BuddyUp ensures that if someone uses a drug alone, a trained Cranstoun team member can remain in contact with them during and after they use drug(s) and enact their overdose rescue plan if the caller becomes unresponsive. If a caller becomes unresponsive, their rescue plan, (location (address), rescue instructions such as where to find naloxone if they have it, where to find the key, security codes, which door to use, and any additional information the caller would like to include) is revealed to the supporter. The supporter would then call the emergency services and provide the details of the rescue plan so that help can be sent to the address provided. BuddyUp is a low threshold, harm reduction service, aiming to ensure that an episode of drug use does not result in fatal overdose. It is not a treatment service or even a signposting to treatment service.

This app is therefore all about preventing avoidable, fatal overdose. In 2021, over 5000 people died in the UK from a drug death – a figure higher than fatalities on the road and knife crime combined – and by far the highest number of deaths in Europe. We believe BuddyUp is just one step towards lowering that number.

BuddyUp has begun its pilot in Sandwell, Worcestershire and the London Borough of Sutton. During the pilot, BuddyUp will run with selective hours with the ambition of having an expanded service across the UK and Republic of Ireland in the near future.

If you have any questions on the service or how it works, please contact us at buddyup@cranstoun.org.uk