Talk for Change employees paint a smile on the offices of Headway Milton Keynes

Painting for change! Headway benefited from a charity makeover

As part of their corporate social responsibility drive, the Talk for Change team of 12 volunteers got busy with the paintbrushes, and slapped on 35.5 litres of paint donated by the Dulux Decorating Centre in Bletchley.

The paint covered 500 square metres of Headway’s meeting rooms, relaxation areas, offices, and art, exercise and therapy rooms.

“Brain injury is often an unexpected incident and our visitors have a variety of challenges,” said Sam Booth, service manager at Headway.

“Some may have been involved in a road traffic accident, had a stroke, or had a fall downstairs and hit their head, for example.

“Our premises before the makeover consisted of claustrophobic dull grey walls. This was a brilliant idea by Talk for Change to refresh our environment and create a brighter and more positive space. The warm new colour scheme will enable our clients to be more engaged and more motivated to undertake their treatment plans and achieve their goals,” she added.

The Talk for Change team provide talking therapies for people suffering with depression, anxiety, insomnia, phobias and PTSD.

“We know that the environment you are in plays a big part in how you respond to therapies, so we wanted to assist Headway in revamping their space to help people who are adjusting to life following a brain injury,” said Lorna Lennon, a senior therapist, at Talk for Change.

“Volunteering some of our time to this charity has been a simple but effective way of helping them improve their surroundings. We believe that the inviting new look will help clients open up and communicate what they are going through more successfully. Our ethos is all about talking things through in a safe and confidence-building environment.”

“Due to advancements in technology, clinical expertise and modern medicines – many more people are likely to survive a brain injury than a decade ago,” added Sam Booth, service manager at Headway Milton Keynes.

“For every 100,000 people in the UK, 1,200 will be living with the long-term effects of a brain injury. Thanks to Talk for Change, we now have a fresh, new look to our offices, and we can continue to provide effective practical support, group sessions and guidance to people - reducing impairment on their lives.”