M&S Gapton Hall Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth Pathway is a transforming safe space of light, welcome and engagement for the community of Great Yarmouth to support those in need. We operate to address the poverty and social isolation that is so prevalent in the area. Our goal is to be a venue that accommodates a range of services and provision all under one roof. The support offered has four main strands to it: the provision of a hot meal three times a week via our community cafe, a foodbank session once a week to provide emergency food for people in crisis, provision of a warm, safe space where friendships and support can be offered and signposting clients to organisations who can help with their difficult and complex circumstances. In 2025, we served 15,692 hot meals and distributed 4118 food parcels to individuals in our local community.

Free breakfasts on Monday & Thursday mornings Breakfast is served between 8.30am and 10.30am Shepherd's Purse Pantry is open on Monday and Thursday mornings from 9.30am-11am Showers are available to those who need them We have washing facilities available We have various organisations come in and assist any who have problems, such as NHS Wellbeing; Ruth our Parish Nurse who is available usually on a Thursday morning; Samaritans on third Monday of the month; MIND who pop in frequently; and RISE. Clothes are often available. If they are outside, they are free to take, but if they are inside, we ask that you would consider giving pennies towards our costs. Counselling is also available. FOOD outside is freee for anyone who needs to take it. Some food is out of date, but free to anyone who needs it..

Woodworks Art Cafe offers arts and crafts and support groups, including cat-therapy, as social prescribing, to relieve the pressures on the NHS and other services. We are open to the public for coffee/tea, cake, toasted sandwiches, pancakes and tayaki's, but also run dedicated arts and craft sessions and support groups (ADHD, Autism, Neurodiversity, Fybromyalgia, LGBTQ+) and seated exercises. In addition to offer private sessions for groups of 10 or more and private parties all with the aim to address mental health, social isolation etc. Some groups are funded whilst others are self-funded or free. The term 'social prescribing' is mainly used in relation to primary care (general practice). It describes the practice of referring patients to social activities instead of or as complementary to more 'conventional' forms of medicine. The therapeutic value of arts and crafts has long been established. Studies shows that art allows people to forget about their health or mental health condition for a while, allowing them to focus on the positive things in their life. Being wholly focused on a craft project can have an effect similar to meditation, which research suggests can help in the management of anxiety and depression.