“The Green Doctor is an actual lifesaver for me”

In autumn 2022, Nolan from Retford lost his wife after she had bravely battled a terminal illness for some years. He stopped full-time work to care for her, leaving them without any income and fast dwindling savings. After her passing, Nolan found himself in financial dire straits and poor mental health, but with help from charity Groundwork Five Counties, he is now finding his feet again.

Nolan’s wife of 25 years had always taken care of the household’s utility bills and general administration. Suddenly, he had to find a way to tackle the ever-increasing mountain of paperwork, and didn’t know where to start or turn for help.

On top of his grief and hardship, Nolan had no money in the bank, poor physical health, an unmanageable debt repayment plan, bare cupboards, and a cold, empty house. He fell into a deep depression and found himself thinking of ending his own life.

In May 2024 his landlord Bassetlaw District Council set up an appointment with Green Doctor Marie, who quickly realised that Nolan needed much more than energy advice. She instead focused on providing emergency supplies and wellbeing support.

Nolan says: “Marie was the only person who would really listen and help in a meaningful way. “She said to me ‘Your problems are like an elephant in the room, and how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.’ So, we unpicked what I needed as a priority and put together an action plan.

“She immediately got me signed up for food parcels, found out what benefits I was entitled to and helped me apply, and signposted me to mental health support and a social prescriber to reconnect me with people. She rearranged my debt repayment plan to something more manageable and is working hard to have it waived altogether. She also made sure that I tackled the issues that I felt able to, and that helped me increase my confidence.

“Having someone by my side who genuinely cares, has changed everything, I have started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. She checks in often to make sure I’m keeping my head up and am working towards recovery. Marie is an actual lifesaver.”

Cllr, Jonathan Slater, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Estates at Bassetlaw District Council, said: “The support of Marie and the Green Doctor service has been vital for Nolan and I’m delighted that he is in much better health and in greater control of his life than when Marie first knocked on his door.  

“While the Green Doctors primarily look at reducing damp and mould in tenants’ homes and providing energy advice, this story shows how crucial the service can be to uncover other issues that may not always be visible.

“We don’t often know what is going on in people’s lives and the timing of this appointment came at a time when it was most needed by Nolan. This is just one example of the invaluable work that Green Doctors like Marie are doing and shows exactly why the council is investing in this service.”

The Damp & Disrepair service from Groundwork Five Counties helps social housing landlords connect with their tenants and improve their quality of life. This can be achieved through in-home assessments, impartial money-saving and energy-efficiency advice, liaising between the two parties to get repairs coordinated quickly and amicably, and supporting tenants with any further needs.

Social housing landlords can now register their interest for a free trial for this service. More information can be found on the website: https://www.groundwork.org.uk/damp-disrepair