News and views

Go back

Living Well helps launch Rochdale’s first pop-up vaccination clinic

Living Well recently joined forces with the Rochdale Council of Mosques to set up the borough’s first pop-up vaccination clinic at Castlemere Community Centre.

Living Well’s Community Champions, volunteers and staff were out in force to dispel myths and improve access to COVID-19 vaccination amongst Rochdale’s BAME communities. In just two-hours, 77 people over the age of 70, or over 65 with diabetes and heart concerns got their life-saving vaccination.

Living Well Service Manager, Michelle Duffy said: “The take up of the vaccine has been lower among our BAME communities in Rochdale. The idea of a pop-up clinic was to give people a way to talk through any fears and anxieties and be able to offer them a jab that’s on their doorstep. It’s been a massive success and we’ll now be supporting pop-up clinics in other parts of the borough where people feel wary of the vaccine.”

Dobir Miah, spokesperson for the Rochdale Council of Mosques, added: ​​​​​​​“in consultation with our scholars and medical professionals, we firmly believe that vaccination is the best way to combat the pandemic and return to our normal way of life. In Islam, preservation of life is of the utmost importance, so we want to do our part to reassure those who are hesitant about vaccination.”

Local councillors and community leaders also volunteered to help people at the centre. Living Well is part of the Rochdale Health Alliance partnership working on the borough-wide response to COVID-19.

Find out more about Living Well at www.livingwellrochdale.com