Health & Wellbeing Partnerships

Folkestone Nepalese Community (FNC) works closely with NHS partners and specialist charities to reduce health inequalities and improve the wellbeing of our community. This page highlights our joint work with One You Kent (NHS), the Kent & Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT), NHS cancer screening teams, sensory support organisations, and our ongoing Hypertension Hero partnership with EK360, all delivered through the Folkestone Nepalese Community Centre (FNC Centre) and across the wider Folkestone & Hythe area.

Partnership with One You Kent (NHS)

One You Kent is a county-wide lifestyle and prevention service supporting residents to live healthier, longer lives. Through this partnership, FNC has become a trusted community hub where people can access culturally sensitive health checks, lifestyle advice, and behaviour-change programmes in a familiar, welcoming environment.

Quarterly Health MOT Clinics at FNC Centre

Partners: One You Kent (NHS)
Location: Folkestone Nepalese Community Centre, Baker Road, CT19 4NN

Every three months, One You Kent health advisors deliver free Health MOT checks at the FNC Centre. These clinics are particularly important for older veterans and families facing language, transport or digital barriers when accessing mainstream services.

Health MOTs include:

Blood pressure and cardiovascular risk assessments
Diabetes risk screening and lifestyle advice
Weight, BMI and healthy eating guidance
Brief interventions on alcohol, physical activity and smoking
Referral to specialist services such as weight management or smokefree programmes

Sessions are promoted through FNC’s noticeboards, WhatsApp/Viber groups and community networks to ensure people can access support in English and Nepali.

“Smoke Free” Programme – 7-Week Behaviour-Change Course

Partners: One You Kent Smokefree Team
Format: 7-week group course

FNC hosts One You Kent’s Smoke Free programme, providing structured support for people looking to cut down or quit smoking.

Support includes:

Carbon monoxide monitoring and personalised quit plans
Information on nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)
Peer support in a culturally familiar setting
Nepali interpretation where needed

Holding this programme at the FNC Centre removes barriers and helps people access specialist smokefree support locally.

Weight Management Pilot Programme (Sep–Dec 2022)

Partners: One You Kent
Dates: 15 September – 16 December 2022

FNC partnered with One You Kent to deliver a 12-week Tier 2 behavioural weight management programme, following NICE guidance.

The programme covered:

Nutrition education, portion sizes and food labels
Practical ideas for increasing physical activity
Behaviour-change strategies
Culturally relevant examples tailored to Nepali diets

FNC supported recruitment, provided a familiar venue, and helped participants needing language support to complete the course.

Adult Tier 2 Weight Management Pilot – Evaluation (Sept 2023)

Partners: One You Kent • Funded by OHID
This evaluation report highlights outcomes from the county-wide Tier 2 behavioural weight management pilot, with FNC participating as a delivery site.

The report explores:

Engagement and retention
Weight and lifestyle outcomes
The role of trusted community spaces in reducing health inequalities

Download:
Adult Tier 2 Weight Management Pilot Evaluation (PDF)
https://fncuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Adult-weight-management-pilot-evaluation-OHID-investment-Full-Report-Sept-2023-FINAL.pdf

Hypertension Hero Project – Weekly Blood Pressure Checks

Partners: EK360 & Community Health Volunteers
Location: FNC Centre
Frequency: Weekly – Every Tuesday
More details: https://fncuk.org/hypertension-hero-project/

The Hypertension Hero Project aims to increase awareness and early detection of high blood pressure within the Nepalese and Gurkha community. Working with EK360, FNC delivers free weekly blood pressure checks every Tuesday, providing a simple and accessible way for individuals to monitor their health.

The project helps people:

Understand their blood pressure readings
Recognise when to seek medical advice
Build confidence in self-monitoring
Reduce long-term risks of cardiovascular disease

This ongoing partnership plays a vital role in supporting preventative healthcare and reaching people who may otherwise miss out on essential monitoring.

Download:
EK360 Hypertension Report for Kent (PDF)
https://fncuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/EK360-Hypertension-Report-for-Kent.pdf

Cancer Screening Outreach with NHS Partners

FNC works with NHS teams to promote early diagnosis and improve screening uptake across bowel and lung cancer pathways.

Bowel Cancer Screening Programme – Community Outreach

Partners: NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
Example Event: Bowel Cancer Screening Workshop – 18 May 2023 (FNCC)

This outreach session supported eligible Nepalese and Gurkha residents to understand and complete the FIT home test kit, increasing confidence and awareness around bowel cancer screening.

Support included:

Clear explanations of screening
FIT kit demonstrations
Myth-busting discussions
English and Nepali explanation

A joint report identified barriers and highlighted the value of trusted community venues like FNC.

Download:
FNC & NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme – Report (PDF)
https://fncuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Report-on-FNC-NHS-Bowel-Cancer-sreening-Programme-16-June-2023.pdf

Lung Cancer Screening & Smokefree Outreach at FNCC

Partners: East Kent Hospitals Lung Cancer Screening Team, Kent & Medway Cancer Alliance
Example Event: 6 February 2025 – Lung Cancer Screening & Smokefree Outreach

These sessions supported people aged 55–74 who smoke or previously smoked to understand and access low-dose CT scans through the Targeted Lung Health Check programme.

Support included:

Information on eligibility and the screening pathway
Guidance on what to expect during scans
Combined smoking cessation support
A friendly, welcoming venue to reduce stigma and fear

Download:
Lung Cancer Screening Programme – National Webinar Slides (PDF)
https://fncuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/National-webinar-outreach-slides-KMCA.pdf

Sight & Hearing Support at FNC Centre

Many older community members experience sight or hearing loss, which can affect daily life and increase isolation. FNC partners with sensory support services to bring help directly into the community.

Kent Blind Association – Regular Outreach Clinics

Partners: Kent Blind Association
Frequency: Every three months at FNCC

The team provides:

Information on eye conditions
Support with low-vision aids and home adaptations
Advice on benefits, registration and support groups
One-to-one conversations with individuals and carers

These clinics ensure that people can ask questions in a familiar environment with informal Nepali language support available.

Kent Hearing – Hearing Checks & Communication Support

Partners: Kent Hearing Service
Location: FNC Centre

Support includes:

Basic hearing checks
Hearing aid troubleshooting
Communication advice for families
Information on audiology and local services

Hosting these clinics at FNCC encourages early help-seeking and reduces barriers to accessing hearing support.

Partnership with Kent & Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT)

KMPT is the specialist mental health provider for Kent and Medway. FNC works closely with KMPT to improve mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and make support more accessible for the Nepalese and Gurkha community.

“The Art of Mental Health” – Co-Hosted Event (22 February 2024)

Partners: KMPT & FNC
Venue: FNC Centre

The event included:

Talks and Q&A with KMPT clinicians
Artwork and stories reflecting lived experience
Information stalls and signposting
Informal conversations over Nepali food and refreshments

It strengthened community understanding of mental health and built trust between FNC, KMPT and local services.

Download:
KMPT & FNC – Art of Mental Health Event Summary (PDF)
https://fncuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/FNC-Event-Write-Up.pdf

KMPT Community Research Champions (Feb 2024 – Feb 2025)

FNC is a partner in this initiative, helping ensure diverse communities shape mental health services.

Activities include:

Engaging residents in conversations about mental health
Gathering feedback on support needs
Sharing insights to improve outreach and crisis pathways

Kent & Medway Listens – Community Voices on Mental Health

Partners: Kent County Council, KMPT, NHS Kent & Medway, and VCS organisations including FNC

Through local discussions at FNCC, community members shared:

Experiences of accessing or not accessing mental health support
Pressures affecting Nepalese families
Suggestions for improving inclusivity and access

Download:
Kent & Medway Listens – Final Report (PDF)
https://fncuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Kent-Medway-Listens-Report-FINAL.pdf

Our Joint Impact

Working with One You Kent, EK360, KMPT, cancer screening teams and sensory support partners has enabled FNC to bring essential health services into the heart of the community. Together, we are:

Increasing access to preventative health checks
Supporting lifestyle change around smoking and weight management
Improving participation in bowel and lung cancer screening
Providing regular sight and hearing support
Reducing stigma around mental health
Ensuring community voices influence service design across Kent & Medway

Contact Us

For more information about these partnerships or to explore new joint projects, please contact:

Folkestone Nepalese Community Centre
Baker Road, CT19 4NN
Email: communitycentre@fncuk.org
Phone: 01303 398055
Website: fncuk.org