HEALTH checks and Henna tattoos helped mark the national day for social prescribing in Harwich and Clacton last week.

The aim of the two events on March 14 at both Dovercourt High Street, Harwich, and Rosemary Road, Clacton, was to help the community understand how social prescribing works.

Community Voluntary Services Tendring (CVST) has a team of social prescribers  – people who ‘prescribe’ social support to people to improve their health - working across Tendring in GP surgeries, hospitals, and within hubs.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: Fun - The Henna tattoos given out are temporary and made from natural dyesFun - The Henna tattoos given out are temporary and made from natural dyes (Image: CVST)

Sharon Dixon, head of communities at CVST, said: “It was lovely to open our doors and welcome people in to learn more about what it is we do.

“Social prescribing is such a valuable part of how we can support residents in our community with all sorts of issues that they may not know where to turn to for help with.

Ms Dixon said issues could be loneliness and isolation, depression, low level mental health issues, weight management, and being physically active.

Organisations such as Home Start, Essex Police, Sport for Confidence, Essex Carers Support, Age Well East, Tendring Specialist Stroke Services, and Summit took part in the open days.

To get in touch with a social prescriber or for more information call 01255 425692 or visit cvstendring.org.uk.