We therefore raised significant amounts of money through fund-raising, obtained a lottery grant and managed to create a service which now has a real effect on the lives of both clients and their families. We started by opening a Headway House in Bridgwater in 1997 and we now have three Headway houses, at Bridgwater, Yeovil and Henton, near Wells. Details of these can be found on our Headway Houses page. All three houses are open on Tuesdays and Fridays and on each day they can cater for up to 15 clients.

In 2005 we also started an Outreach Service, which is designed to give much more intensive one-to-one support to clients who need help to work towards some degree of independence.  This might include developing social networks in their local community, providing them with domestic skills, helping them access employment or education or helping their families to deal with the stress that brain injury can bring to a family.  We are currently able to cover most of Somerset, using our 3 permanent staff, several sessional workers and our band of trusty volunteers. 

Partnership with statutory authorities is an important element of the work we do. Since our inception we have worked hard to develop links with local authorities and health organisations, and as a result we have managed to achieve "approved supplier status" with Somerset Social Services to provide day care support for brain-injured clients.

We have developed particularly good links with the brain injury rehabilitation unit on Triscombe Ward at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, and have recently developed links with the Head Injuries Unit at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath. Both of these units deal with patients who have newly acquired head injuries. We have regular meetings with clinicians and through them can provide support to families who are suffering the trauma of having to come to terms with a significant life change.

Another important part of our work is to raise awareness of brain injury. We achieve this in two different ways. The first is to influence policy making within the County Council, District Councils and health organisations. Through our excellent relationships with Social Services Departments and the Primary Care Trust we have managed to influence policy in relation to the treatment and rehabilitation of people with brain injury, for example through our membership of the committee implementing the National Service Framework on Long Term Neurological Conditions and the Somerset Accident Prevention committee, and having input into the Health Improvement Programmes and the Community Care Plan for Somerset.

The second method is through publicity of the issues connected with brain injury. We aim to have items and articles published regularly in the local newspapers and have occasionally undertaken interviews on local radio. The purpose of this programme is to enlighten people about the dangers of failing to take adequate precautions, such as using seat belts in cars and wearing cycle helmets. The consequences of an acquired brain injury can be quite devastating, not only to the individual concerned, but also to their family, who often need to become full time carers, so we view this aspect of our work as being of considerable importance.

Headway Somerset enjoys charitable status and we receive most of our funding through Social Services referrals, fund raising and donations. We have acquired limited company status and are managed by a Board of Trustees, which includes healthcare professionals, lawyers, experts in social care, senior managers and carers.

Whilst we employ a number of staff we could not function without the excellent work undertaken by volunteers. They assist by using their skills to provide activities, talking to clients, helping them with their problems, accompanying them on outings and even cooking dinners. We are always keen to recruit new volunteers, whether they have specific skills or just want to help out, and if you might be interested we would be delighted to hear from you. You can contact us through our contacts page.

Click Here to hear the
 personal stories of some
 of our clients!
Client-Case-Studies.htm