FUNDING SECURED FOR HEALTH & GREEN SPACES PROJECT

The Healthier Fleetwood partnership has been successful in securing £50,000 funding from the DONG Energy Community Fund. The funding will form part of a bigger project totalling over £100,000 over the next two years.

The project – Health Creation; Improving the health and wellbeing of Fleetwood’s residents – will be used to fund a Health Creation Officer who will play a key role in helping to identify six open spaces across Fleetwood which will be transformed to support and promote healthy lifestyles. The officer will work with over 30 volunteers to be identified through a social prescribing model. The volunteers will play an active role in the design and management of the open spaces.

The spaces, their design and location, will all be determined by the residents and partners of Fleetwood. They will be designed to specifically meet health and wellbeing needs of the residents of Fleetwood, supporting them on their journey to wellness and healthier lives.

The project will support the Healthier Fleetwood initiative which was set up in Summer 2016 to positively address growing issues affecting the long-term health and wellbeing of those living in the Town. The aim is to bring together residents, health and care providers, emergency services, charities and voluntary groups, sports and community based projects and local businesses to make a real difference to people's lives. Healthier Fleetwood is planning to canvass the opinion of residents who will themselves suggest and take a lead in the projects and activities to make a positive impact on their quality of life.

Dr Mark Spencer of the Mount View Practice said, “We’re really pleased to have received this funding which will certainly help to accelerate what we’re all trying to achieve. Healthier Fleetwood focusses on “what makes me well”, rather than “what’s made you ill”. We talk about wellness and not illness. It’s about people having a sense of purpose, increasing self-confidence, connecting with others and being in control of your own life. All of this creates good health. The whole point is to put residents in control, so that they become the ‘doers’ and are no longer the ‘done to’.”

Partners in the Healthier Fleetwood initiative have added their support. Mark Broadhurst, Service Director Health and Wellbeing, Wyre Council commented, “Parks and open spaces contribute to positive health and wellbeing in so many different ways. This funding offers an exciting opportunity to transform some of Fleetwood’s open spaces and introduce new participants to healthy, community based outdoor activities.”

Chris Standish, Regeneration Manager, Regenda Homes added, “We are delighted to have secured the funding for this exciting, transformational project. As a local, growing business we care passionately about improving people’s lives, and this project will make a big difference”