About
Us
What is the Head Forward
Centre?
The Head Forward Centre is administered by a management committee
and is a Registered charity (No.1089450) and Company (No.03958445).
The management committee is responsible for all fund raising and consists of representative members from
the Head Forward Centre in Manchester, the Headway South Manchester and Stockport Branch and members of the former North Manchester Headway Group with the support of professional
and legal volunteers who donate their time and expertise to further
the objectives of this independent charity.
Why is there a need for
the Head Forward Centre?
- National
Health Service statistics indicate that approximately one million people
suffer some form of head injury every year. It is estimated that a small
percentage (250-300 per 100,000 population) will sustain severe traumatic
brain injury which will leave them needing long-term help and support.
The majority of those who suffer severe TBI are young males between the ages of 15 and 28 years of age.
- Although
the majority of those with TBI make
a good physical recovery, a significant number of the injured are left
with neurological and cognitive difficulties
which can totally disrupt their lives, education, previous employment
and family responsibilities.
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Where
are we at present?
- With the continuing help and support that Head Forward Centre receives from the Manchester Primary Care Trust
we are based in part of the Withington Methodist Church, 439 Wilmslow
Road, Withington, Manchester M20 4AN (see our How To Find Us page).
When
are we open?
The Head Forward Centre is open for contact 5 days a week (excluding public
and annual holidays). Activities take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Fridays between 10 am and 3-30 pm. All of our activities are supervised by our Assistants and volunteers, and every
effort is made to
support the Attendees at their own pace and in their own time. We have
a weekly outreach on Wednesdays with the Headway South Manchester and Stockport Branch (see
Newsletter for activities).
- The Head Forward Centre activity programme is theoretically based on a non-interventional
model. In
other words the staff and volunteers at Head Forward Centre do not have as their primary objective the elimination or reduction of the attendee's underlying
neurological,
functional or cognitive impairments.
- We aim to provide a
friendly environment for those who may have become socially isolated
as a consequence of their acquired brain injury and a point of contact
and information for their caring relatives and community support helpers.
What
facilities are available?
- A woodwork shop – with an experienced carpenter in charge.
- An
arts and craft room – with a Handicraft specialist available to assist.
- Computers to learn or brush up on basic skills – with
help and advice.
- Two
free pool tables providing a chance to make new friends.
- A
weekly range of board games and quizzes – tests word power and memory.
- Group Relaxation – helps to unwind during the
week.
- Individual psychological guidance and family
counselling.
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Who can attend the Head Forward Centre?
- Attendance numbers are limited to twelve places each
day the Centre is operative.
- Preference will be given to those between the ages of 18 and 50 who have
sustained a TBI within the previous 7 years, although consideration
is always given to individual needs and our philosophy is ‘long-term,
slow track’.
Attendees must be:
1. medically stable
2. able to understand and communicate in English
3. able to take responsibility for their own catering and
transport arrangements to and from the Centre.
Where assistance or interpretation is necessary, Attendees must
be accompanied by a carer or community support worker who is
expected to remain with the Attendee whilst he/she is at the Centre.
Assessment
Interviews.
- Those wishing to attend Head Forward Centre (and their relative or Social Worker) can
visit the Centre by prior arrangement to look around. If the head injured person wishes
to become an ‘Attendee’ he/she is then invited for an assessment interview
with
our Centre Manager (Maggie
Cottam) and volunteer Programme Director (Desmond Flanagan). If the assessment interview proves mutually
satisfactory a Head Forward Centre Service Agreement can then be negotiated between
the Head Forward Centre and the referring person or agency.
- Our attendance charge per person is
£30.00 per day (plus a £1 daily contribution from
each attendee for coffee/tea).
We are aware that
this daily charge is still well below the current costs of
providing Day Centre resources for the head injured in the North West,
but members of the Head Forward Centre management committee and our part-time staff and voluntary
assistants all wish to make the services of Head Forward Centre economically available to people in the area who
would benefit from our resources - and we know that the Head Forward Centre provides a welcome respite break for
caring relatives. Although this daily charge
will help the Head Forward Centre to maintain a more stable financial position, the long-term
survival of this voluntary service will continue to be mainly reliant
on voluntary donations and Statutory and charitable Grants.
- Please phone in advance for an
appointment to visit or for an interview on 0161 434 2150.
Exclusions.
Although we wish to encourage attendance
from a wide range of people with TBI living in the Greater Manchester area the Head Forward Centre is a voluntary social rehabilitation
resource rather than a clinical unit or Social Services facility and
it is not appropriate for those:
- who have progressive brain conditions;
- who are unable to toilet themselves
(unless accompanied by a Carer);
- who are unable to communicate
in English;
- who have significant behavioural problems;
- who are currently under Court Order;
- who are on Alcohol or Drug withdrawal
programmes.
Information Service.
As part of our contribution to
the national aims of Headway UK and the Greater Manchester Neurological
Alliance (see our Links page) we can arrange access to advice
on a wide range of welfare rights and legal and social services. We
also stock a range of publications for sale all written by experts who
provide guidance for carers living at home with someone with a head injury
(see Publications page for details).
- Because many attendees find it helpful
to discuss
and share their personal, psychological or communication problems with
others, the Head Forward Centre has the voluntary services of our Programme
Director and Psychologist, Desmond A.J. Flanagan BA MSc MPhil (the
founder of the first Headway group in the North West in 1979 and an
expert in Brain Injury Case Management) who usually leads weekly
group discussions. We also arrange occasional talks by specialist therapists
and educational and employment organisations appropriate to the ongoing
needs of our attendees.