A health advocate in conversation with a seasonal worker at a drop-in session in Fort William
Free • Confidential • No Appointment Needed

Health support that fits around your shift

Vibrant Health Advocates - Helix runs free, confidential drop-in health information sessions in Fort William for the seasonal and tourism workers who keep Lochaber moving — no GP registration needed, no appointment, no waiting list.

Get in touch What we offer

Open to everyone working in Fort William

No referral, no forms, no local address required. Walk in and ask anything — our trained advocates are here for you.

540+
Workers helped each year
130+
Sessions annually
22
Employer partners
Who we're here for

The people who power Fort William deserve health support that keeps pace with them

Fort William’s outdoor-tourism economy runs on people: the mountain guides leading groups up Ben Nevis before dawn, the chefs plating venison at midnight, the activity instructors on the water six days a week, the hostel receptionists covering back-to-back seasons from Easter through November.

These workers keep the town alive — and they deserve health support that keeps pace with them. Vibrant Health Advocates - Helix is a Fort William-based Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation that provides free, flexible, walk-in health information to seasonal and tourism workers across Lochaber.

We meet people where they are: at employer premises, in our drop-in space on the High Street, and through one-to-one conversations that respect the reality of twelve-hour shifts, shared accommodation, and contracts that end before a GP registration ever goes through. We cover everything from managing a long-term condition while living away from home, to sexual health, mental wellbeing, medication queries, and knowing when to access emergency care.

No forms, no fuss — just clear, honest health information delivered by trained advocates who understand the world our seasonal workforce lives in.

Our story    What we do
What makes Helix different

Built around the reality of seasonal work

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Built for shift workers

Our drop-in hours span early mornings, evenings, and weekend slots to fit around hospitality and guiding rosters. You don’t need an appointment, a referral, or even a local address to walk through our door.

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Real health information

Our trained health advocates answer questions about medications, symptoms, sexual health, mental wellbeing, and accessing NHS services — clearly and without jargon. We help you understand your options so you can make informed decisions for yourself.

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Confidential and judgment-free

Everything shared with our advocates stays confidential. We know that asking for health information when you’re far from home, living with colleagues, and on a fixed-term contract takes courage — we work hard to make it as straightforward as possible.

540+
Workers supported annually
130+
Drop-in sessions each year
22
Local employer partners
In our own words

This is what Helix looks like on the ground

It means a trained health advocate sitting across a table from a twenty-four-year-old mountain guide who has been managing a recurring knee issue through ibuprofen all season and hasn’t mentioned it to anyone. It means a hostel worker getting clear information about the morning-after pill and where to access it locally without a prescription delay.

It means a head chef who has been quietly struggling with anxiety finding out — for the first time — that free talking therapy options are available to him even though he is only in Fort William until October.

This is not dramatic work. It is the steady, accumulated work of making sure people have the information they need to take care of themselves.

See all our programmes
Helix outreach session at a Highland outdoor activity centre Outreach at a Lochaber activity centre
Come in. Ask anything.

We’re here.

Whether you have a question about a medication, a symptom, your mental health, or how to access NHS services while you’re working away from home — our door is open. No paperwork, no judgment, no waiting weeks for an appointment.

Get in touch    Get involved
From the blog

Stories & information

All posts →
Drop-in health support session in Fort William

No Appointment Needed: How Helix Is Meeting Seasonal Workers Where They Are

For the cooks, guides, and hospitality staff who keep Fort William running, getting health information used to mean waiting weeks for a GP slot you might not even be around for.

Read more →
Seasonal worker resting in shared accommodation

Surviving the Split Shift: A Practical Guide to Sleep and Recovery

When your rota changes week to week and your body clock can’t keep up, small habits make a bigger difference than you’d think.

Read more →
Maria's story - kitchen worker and Helix advocate

‘I Didn’t Think It Was for Me’: How One Kitchen Worker Found Her Way to Helix

Maria had been working in Fort William for four months before she walked through the drop-in door — and she almost didn’t.

Read more →