Respond Tenants invited to Community Health Promotion Day in Baltinglass

Tenants of Respond’s Rathcoran Estate and residents of the wider Baltinglass area are invited to attend a free Community Health Promotion Day at Rathcoran Estate on Friday, June 5, from 10 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.

The event will bring together a range of health and wellbeing supports in an accessible community setting beside the Baltinglass Primary Care Centre, including the Irish Heart Foundation mobile unit and The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s information bus.

Members of the public will be able to access free blood pressure and pulse checks, information on smoking cessation services, and advice and support relating to dementia and cognitive health.

The event is being organised through collaboration between Respond, the Health Service Executive (HSE) and local community stakeholders as part of ongoing efforts to support health, wellbeing and community connection within Rathcoran and the wider Baltinglass area.

Respond’s unique Baltinglass Brain Health Village Project

This event reflects the wider vision behind Respond’s Brain Health Village initiative at Rathcoran Estate, a project that is the first of its kind in Ireland.

The Brain Health Village places brain health, wellbeing and community connection at the centre of housing and community development. The initiative aims to support the long-term cognitive health and overall wellbeing of tenants through accessible services, community engagement and health-focused supports.

In hosting initiatives such as the Community Health Promotion Day, Respond and its partners are helping to create opportunities for people to access health information and supports directly within their own community.

 

A connected community

Rathcoran is a mixed-use development comprising 56 homes, including a restored convent building

modern homes and apartments, alongside a primary healthcare centre. Community engagement played an important role in shaping the development and continues to inform initiatives aimed at supporting tenants and strengthening local connections.

Health and Wellbeing Support

Staff from the Irish Heart Foundation will provide free health checks throughout the day, while Edwina Dreegan, Baltinglass Health Promotion and Improvement Officer and Stop Smoking Advisor, will host an information stand on the HSE’s free stop smoking supports. The Baltinglass stop smoking clinic operates by appointment every Tuesday at the Primary Care Centre.

Representativesfrom The Alzheimer Society of Ireland will also be onsite to provide information and guidance for people living with dementia, family carers, and anyone concerned about their own or a loved one’s cognitive health.

“This Health Promotion Day is a wonderful opportunity for Respond tenants and residents of the Baltinglass area to access important health information and supports within their own community. Events like this help raise awareness around heart health, smoking cessation and dementia supports, while also creating opportunities for people to connect with local services in an informal and welcoming environment. Respond is delighted to work alongside our partners to bring these valuable services to Rathcoran and the wider Baltinglass community.”

Community information

• No appointment is necessary.
• All local residents are welcome to attend.
• Visitors are asked to use designated visitor parking areas, where spaces may be limited.

Respond in Wicklow 

Respond currently provides homes for over 20,000 people in more than 9,000 homes across Ireland. This includes 214 homes across Wicklow, with 491 tenants living in Respond accommodation.

About Respond

Respond, a construction-led Approved Housing Body and service provider, has been working all around Ireland for over 40 years. Our vision is that every family and individual in Ireland will have high‐quality housing as part of a vibrant and caring community. Housing and decent accommodation, in the areas where people want to live, are central to improving people’s lives and enhancing the health and well‐being of society.

20,000 tenants live in 9,000 properties across the 26 counties that we either own or manage. Respond also provide a range of services for families and individuals within our communities. This includes emergency accommodation with 24/7 support for families who are homeless in six Family Homeless Services, three Day Care Services for Older People, 17 Early Childhood Care and Education, Family Support and Refugee Resettlement services. Our aim is to provide person centred services to support people to achieve their goals and reach their full potential.

Respond is a member of the Housing Alliance, the collaboration of seven of Ireland’s largest Approved Housing bodies (AHBs). The Housing Alliance’s purpose is to work with Government and Local Authorities to promote the delivery of social and affordable homes, address barriers to delivery and advocate strongly for responsible, professional housing management. More than 50,000 quality affordable homes are owned or managed by Housing Alliance members.