Helping people find their way. It's all in a day's work for One You Kent Lifestyle Adviser Penny Heron

My day starts at my host site at the Big Local Centre in Dover. The centre is amazing with so much for the local community, including the Dover Pantry; a social supermarket that means members can get £15 to £20 worth of groceries every week for a monthly £5 membership fee. I really enjoy meeting clients face-to-face and catching up with them at the centre.

The pandemic has left lots of people feeling isolated and anxious, so just getting out for some people is a big step and I always tell them they’ve made a great start. I can talk to people on the phone if that’s more convenient for them as well.

We’ll talk about how they’re feeling, what’s brought them to see me that day. I think of myself as someone who can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them and listen without any judgement. It’s definitely about ‘support from next door’ rather than ‘advice from above’. They might have been told to lose weight or quit smoking before an operation but we all know that people succeed at changing their behaviours when it is something they want to do. So, the trick is to find what and how they want to achieve that. People can refer themselves and we also receive referrals from GPs, foodbanks, job centres and our partners, such as Forward Trust and other local groups and charities. We’ll chat about what’s important to them and what small changes we could work on together. There is always lots to talk about, people might have housing issues, debt problems, or might not be coping well due to loneliness, stress or a bereavement.

Life can be really tough and it’s hard for people to make changes that will help them stay healthy. I always say walk a mile in their shoes and think about what people are really going through. We offer seven sessions with the first one being a health MOT. This gives the person a snapshot of their health at the start. Over the next six sessions we’ll work together on the issues that are important to them. I’ll refer clients for support with their housing if needed, Citizens Advice for advice on debts, their GP surgery for any clinical issues or the Forward Trust for support with drug or alcohol misuse. Not everyone is ready to make those healthy changes, but I always think, a seed has been sown and they’ll get there when they’re ready. Lots of people are worried about the cost of living, struggling with food and heating costs. The Dover Pantry is an amazing place, they’ll support people with basic groceries, sometimes they’ll make up a little bag of essentials
if they’ve got nothing. They are lovely people and I actually volunteer for them collecting food from supermarkets and taking it along on my day off.

I go along to regular events at the centre, including the monthly British Legion Veterans’ coffee morning, which is also a fantastic way to meet people
and spread the news about the service we provide. I’ve been doing this job for 15 years and it’s so rewarding. I’ve learned that everyone needs a bit of support from
time-to-time and love working for One You Kent and other charities that can give that to people when they need it.

Penny Heron, Lifestyle Adviser (right) and Cara Harvey Dover Pantry Manager