A health and wellbeing hub to support residents in and around Haverhill is set to open its doors in January 2026.

The new hub, which will bring together professionals, charities and community groups to support residents’ physical and mental health, is to open its doors within the former Stourview Medical Centre in Crown Passage.

The project, being led by Haverhill Community Trust, Haverhill Town Council and Reach Community Projects is designed to provide early intervention and preventative care that is available to all, tackling health inequalities and barriers to access.

It has been made possible after West Suffolk Council invested both to secure and improve the building.

Services will include coordinated health support, social activities, peer support and advice on housing, employment and finances, particularly for vulnerable and under-resourced residents.

A community wellbeing café will serve as a welcoming, stigma-free entry point for confidential advice and personalised wellbeing plans.

The concept emerged from the Haverhill Mental Health Action Group’s call to action, supported by data from Suffolk Mind, Reach Community Projects and Public Health England. Health professionals gave a presentation to the One Haverhill Partnership which identified a clear need for additional in-person health and wellbeing support.

West Suffolk Council brought partners together to move the project from a concept to a reality.

Haverhill Community Trust, Haverhill Town Council and Reach Community Projects have been working together to bring the project to life.

Haverhill Mayor, Cllr Quinn Cox said: “The hub represents a vital step in prioritising prevention and early intervention in community health and is another great example of partnership working.”

Peter Wightman, Director at NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board, said: “We are pleased to support this new health hub, which will benefit so many people in Haverhill.

“As well as enabling local organisations to reach out to residents, it is set to be a community-focused space which will prioritise the health and wellbeing of people in this vibrant and growing town.

“The hub’s creation is down to the efforts of so many different individuals and groups, all of whom have worked together for the benefit of their community, and I would like to thank everyone who has helped to make this happen.”

Cllr Donna Higgins, Cabinet Member for Families and Communities at West Suffolk Council said: “We are delighted that having stepped in to secure the Stourview Medical Centre for the benefit of the town when we acquired it last year, West Suffolk Council is now able to support the delivery of this important community led initiative. It will benefit the health and wellbeing of residents in Haverhill and supports the council’s own ambitions for a thriving West Suffolk.”

Henry Wilson MBE, Chair of the ONE Haverhill Partnership and CEO of Reach Community Projects said: “I am so excited by the prospect of seeing this vision coming to life.  This is such great news for Haverhill, and it provides immense opportunity to get much needed support into the hands of local people right in the heart of the town.”