I visited the REST Community Wellbeing Hub in Norwich for one of their regular coffee mornings and I was impressed by just how vital spaces like this are to the life and welfare of our city.

Located in the heart of Norwich, REST (which stands for Recover, Eat, Support, Talk) is a walk-in hub offering mental health and wellbeing support in a non-clinical setting. It brings together a partnership between Norfolk and Waveney Mind, the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, and social enterprise café The Feed.

The hub was alive with conversation, warmth, and an unmistakable sense of ease. There were people dropping in for a coffee and a chat, others receiving quiet one-to-one support from staff, and many simply enjoying a space where they could feel safe and not judged.

For anyone facing challenges whether that is loneliness, stress, low mood, or more complex difficulties, REST offers an open door.

As I left the hub, I was reminded how important it is that we invest in spaces like this that treat mental health as something that affects us all, and community as something that can truly heal.

Find out about REST’s services here.