Havens Hospices welcomed members of the Multicultural Essex Women Association Community Interest Company (MEWA CIC) to Fair Havens Hospice last month, as part of ongoing work to build relationships with communities across Essex and raise awareness of hospice care.

The visit built on connections established through Havens Hospices’ Compassionate Communities work, which aims to embed understanding of palliative and end of life care within local underrepresented communities.

MEWA CIC is a Southend-on-Sea-based community interest company that provides drop-in sessions, advice, wellbeing activities, and events for multicultural women, aiming to create safe and inclusive opportunities for women from disadvantaged and ethnically diverse backgrounds.

During the visit, the group met with Havens Hospices’ Wellbeing and Learning & Development teams to learn more about the hospice and the care it provides, including the emotional, spiritual and psychological support the Wellbeing team offers patients and their families. They also toured the hospice, including the Sanctuary, its space for quiet reflection.

Members of MEWA CIC shared insight into the spiritual care needs of the Muslim community, helping the hospice team to better understand how to support patients and families from Muslim backgrounds. The group also brought home-made food to share with them during their visit.

Lauren Draycott, Wellbeing Service Manager at Havens Hospices, said: “Hospice care is for the whole community, whatever your beliefs, religion or culture. This visit gave our team a deeper understanding of the customs and needs of the Muslim community and gave MEWA CIC a clearer picture of what hospice care really means. That shared learning is at the heart of our Compassionate Communities work.”

Shelly, a director of MEWA CIC, said: “We felt incredibly welcome during our visit, and the ladies found it extremely beneficial. We gained valuable insight and learned a great deal about the exceptional services and support provided by Havens Hospices.”

Havens Hospices continues to work with community groups across Essex to ensure hospice care is understood, accessible, and responsive to the needs of people from all backgrounds.

Find out more information about Fair Havens and the care it provides.

Published 3rd August 2026