Mental health charity marks success of Community Wellbeing Challenge on Lancashire Day

On Lancashire Day 2020, charity Lancashire Mind is celebrating the achievements of community groups across the county who, with support from the charity, have created sustainable wellbeing assets to benefit the mental health and wellbeing of hundreds of people living in their local areas.   

38 people in Lancashire took part in the Community Wellbeing Challenge, a pilot programme, which was created by adapting Lancashire Mind’s Wellbeing Challenge- a project that has been successfully delivered in schools across the county for over two years.  

Local, independent charity Lancashire Mind have worked for more than 20 years to change the lives of children and adults in Lancashire to help reduce the number of people who experience a mental health condition. Last year, Lancashire Mind worked directly with over 12,000 children and adults in Lancashire and reached thousands more through phone calls, emails and on social media.  

The Community Wellbeing Challenge pilot involved working in five different areas of Lancashire with people aged 30-50. Lancashire Mind worked with the groups over the course of a year starting in November 2019. The groups created assets by identifying a specific wellbeing need in their community. Wellbeing asset outcomes included the Fleetwood Wellbeing Way, family focused Mindful Boxing sessions, a weekly walking group and a social media page highlighting wellbeing activities available in a local area.  

Holly Mannion, community development lead at Lancashire Mind said: “We felt that Lancashire Day was the perfect time to acknowledge the achievements of all the individuals involved in the Community Wellbeing Challenge over the last year. We have been so pleased with the outcomes for each of the groups and the lasting impact the assets they have created will have on their communities. It’s people like them who, through projects such as the Community Wellbeing Challenge, enable us drive change and work towards our vision of Mental Wellbeing for All in Lancashire.   

“The Wellbeing Challenge has made lasting changes in many schools and so we wanted to be able to deliver it to a wider audience. We adapted the model to work for communities and adults and with the funding we received from the BUPA UK Foundation ,we were able to pilot the project and facilitate the set up of five independent community groups across Lancashire. This initial pilot has been a huge success and has demonstrated improvements in mental wellbeing and skills development across our communities.    

“We want to offer the Community Wellbeing Challenge to more people across the county and empower them to improve mental health and wellbeing in their communities. The people of Lancashire are at the very heart of all we do at Lancashire Mind and we feel this is something to celebrate and be proud of, especially on Lancashire Day.”  

Lancashire Mind rely on support from local people, organisations and businesses who fundraise or donate to help expand the reach of many of their projects and services such as the Community Wellbeing Challenge. The charity has seen a significant reduction in income since March 2020 but an increase in demand for services.  

Lancashire Mind provides vital support for the people of Lancashire, from individual wellbeing coaching, to school's programmes and community development as well as a varied array of training in and for workplaces which has been brought to the fore this year.   

Last year they were also able to signpost over 3,500 people to other services when they were unable to help, ensuring those individuals received the help and support they needed.   

By supporting and empowering Lancashire individuals, groups and communities to embed mental health and wellbeing into their day to day lives to support themselves and others, Lancashire Mind are at the forefront of a mental health and wellbeing revolution.