On Wednesday 31^st August, Barnsley Support Hub was invited to set up a stall for an event operated by the charity Humankind, to commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD). 

The event aimed to raise awareness of the dangers associated with overdose and to introduce the community to the services in Barnsley that can support those in need of support. The event also paid tribute to the 200 people who died from an overdose in Barnsley over the past decade.

Our staff from Barnsley Support Hub set up a stall alongside Recovery Steps, Umbrella and others and spoke openly about how their services can support anyone who needs advice, guidance, or a safe space to go to.

Cara and Sam from Barnsley Support Hub said “It was fantastic to be part of this event, not only to raise awareness of the dangers of an overdose but to speak to members of the public and other professional services and find out what type of support people might need. This will help us to develop our service and to research more into what support people are looking for. We really enjoyed being part of this event and look forward to more opportunities to connect”.

Emma, Area Manager for the North West, added “Being part of events like this shows how services can work together to create a network of support for the community. With our service being new to the South Yorkshire area, networking is key to identifying training and learning opportunities and to ensure we holistically support individuals who may need our services”.  

Barnsley Support Hub opened on 13^th August on a temporary three-evening service. We are looking to host our formal service launch in the coming months. If you would like to be a part of this or find out more about our service, please complete the short survey and one of our team will be in touch.