As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, a diverse group of over 120 participants including village hall committees, social prescribers, NHS staff and voluntary sector providers, gathered to explore the vital role of community in health creation and illness prevention. Professor Lisa Stansbie, (Pro Vice Chancellor for the University of Worcester), opened the event with a welcome address highlighting the intrinsic link between our mental health and our surroundings, emphasising the need for innovation, creativity, and collaboration.
The event, chaired by Gary Woodman (Worcestershire LEP CEO), was focused around a fireside chat between Dr Simon Leanne, (GP and author), and Professor Richard Humphries, who discussed how simple neighbourly actions, like checking in on others, can help protect health, reduce NHS and social care spending.
. “…if the fridge is well stocked, someone is looking in on this person and they are well cared for.” (Dr Simon Lennane)
Key challenges raised during the fireside chat included health inequalities, ageing populations, long-term conditions, digital disadvantages, and funding limitations, while solutions focused on included social prescribing, initiatives like “Men in Sheds,” digital skills training, and creative approaches to reducing loneliness. The message was clear: communities, not just governments, must drive change.
Lively table discussions by the audience followed on from the fireside chat, generating questions for the speaker panel addressing leadership, employer needs, community strengths, and personal ownership of change. Professor Humphries shared his personal realisation that real change starts within communities; we cannot wait for external decisions.
An illustration of what the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Wellbeing and Recovery College offers was shared as the audience were guided through “My Perfectly Wonky Life,” emphasising a less transactional and more relational approach to health and well-being.
The event concluded with a pledge wall of personal actions, networking, and exploring valuable resources shared by stall holders. We wish to extend our heartfelt Thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of the day and for those who missed it, a repeat event is planned for September in Herefordshire to continue the conversation and actions.
We were so overjoyed with the feedback received including: “This is the best event I have been to” and when asked on Facebook to be kept up to date on future events one comment read “They are doing another event in September. It was really worth going to”.