About Us

West Suffolk Headway is a rehabilitative support service for people with an acquired brain injury and those who care for them.

The charity offers advice, support, rehabilitation and day services to anyone (over the age of 16) who has, during their lifetime, suffered a brain injury through traumatic accident, stroke, virus, tumour or other similar event.

Based in the historic town of Bury St Edmunds, its service supports local people across the regions of west Suffolk and south Norfolk.

Annually, an estimated 135,000 people are admitted to hospital as a consequence of a brain injury and men are two to three times more likely to have a traumatic brain injury than women.  The effects of the condition are often devastating and can include physical disability, memory loss, speech problems and rapid mood changes.

Working to a bespoke care plan and within a rehabilitative framework, members are supported using the (PCP) person-centred-planning approach in individual and group-based activities specifically designed to help relearn skills that may have been lost as a result of the injury.

Such activities include, but not exclusively, art, cookery, exercise/fitness, crafts, physio, gardening, life skills, I.T., discussion groups and other activities to help improve cognitive abilities, including new technology, such as the Nintendo Wii.

Some will return to work, either paid or voluntary.  Others may access further education.  For most, increasing their daily independence and improvement of life will be their goal.

West Suffolk Headway (registered charity no. 1007695) began in 1986 and is among 100 Headway groups across the UK offering support.

West Suffolk Headway is affiliated to Headway UK - The Brain Injury Association

Detailed financial information of our charity is available by going to the Charity Commission website.

President   Stella Jackaman

Patrons   Dr Anne Nicholls MB, FRCP, Lord Iveagh, Bill Treacher