Supporting Voluntary and Community Action
In alphabetical order
Bristol Active Life Project | Changes Bristol | Hartcliffe Health & Environment Action Group (HHEAG) | Home-Start Bristol | Lazyboys Basketball CIC |
Lifeskills - Learning for Living | Mothers for Mothers | Shout out Radio | Trinity Community Arts | Unseen | Walk for Health Bristol
This award will be decided by public vote - to cast your vote click here
"The Bristol Active Life Project (BALP) works in partnership with people who live with a long term mental illness, by providing weekly sporting and physical activity opportunities. Being active promotes healthy lifestyles, benefitting physical and mental health, wellbeing and quality of life. BALP breaks down barriers of stigma and discrimination, enabling people living with mental illness to have equal opportunity, reduce isolation and engage in activities which most of us take for granted, in community leisure facilities.
People with mental illness are often socially excluded and less active than the general population, impacting health and increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other life style illnesses.
BALP also provides opportunities to gain sports qualifications build confidence and restore motivation. Partnership working between key organisations has been effective in engaging this hard to reach population to be more active, and become a ‘Beacon of good practice for Mental Health’" "‘Going to the BALP groups has been good, they are not intimidating and I have made friends. It has been helpful in my recovery’
A positive, socially inclusive environment and appropriate support promotes engagement and attendance at BALP. Those with mental illness, including psychosis (characterised by loss of contact with reality, hallucinations, delusions and reduced social contact), tend to be less active, with increased health risks compared to the general population. Many barriers exist, including low motivation (a symptom of psychosis), financial constraints, transport problems, social anxiety and low self-confidence.
Increased incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity related illnesses are further impacted by antipsychotic medication and life expectancy is reduced up to 25 years. Physical activity improves health and provides social opportunities, reducing isolation and benefitting recovery. Research identifies the urgent need for effective ways to be found to reduce barriers to physical activity for this population." "‘There has been a significant decrease in my anxiety levels since I attended the badminton sessions’
BALP partners include the Mental Health Service, Local Authority, Voluntary sector, Walking for Health, Empire Boxing and other organisations. Weekly groups including walking, boxfit, gym, tennis, badminton and football, delivered by exercise leaders and mental health active life staff, enabling those most disabled by mental health to attend. Participants report, improved physical fitness (78%), mental health (69%), social benefits (44%), new friends (44%), started volunteering/college/work (16%) as a direct result of attending BALP.
The external evaluation reported BALP as extremely well received by people who attend, with real and tangible benefits in their lives. Participants expressed hope that BALP would continue, so many others might benefit.
BALP continues to be proactive in meeting the diverse and changing needs of participants, to successfully address and overcome the many barriers to exercise that exist for them."
Changes Bristol really helps to change lives in Bristol. For the last 12 years they have provided free regular support to on average 86 people per week, many of whom fall between the poles of primary and secondary mental health care or who may have no formal support at all. Its meetings are friendly, safe, inclusive and easily accessible, offering a warm welcome to anyone who feels they need help.
Come rain or shine the meetings run as scheduled, and the volunteers with their own lived experience are sensitive to the needs of their group members. Each group is a vital part of the community in which it is held.
Changes Bristol has persisted in its peer led approach, holding fast to its principles despite the challenges presented by the economic and social climate and places enormous value on the contribution of its members in helping themselves towards recovery." "For the last 12 years Changes Bristol has been providing support groups in the city of Bristol for anyone over 18 years of age who suffers mental distress. These support groups operate at the same time and place each week at community venues around the city. The support groups can be accessed via self-referral and for as long as the support is needed. There are never waiting lists or restrictions on the support people can obtain.
The charity began with one support group, but due to demand has opened more groups and now operates 10 support meetings every week alongside other educational resources, and online support.
The charity is about those with lived experience being involved in the recovery process, helping people help themselves where people can make positive changes in their lives. All the services are provided through the dedicated work of over 40 volunteers." "The majority of the meetings take place in the most deprived areas of the city in different communities around Bristol, making them as accessible as possible. The meetings happen every week of the year so that people can get the support they need when they need it in an empathetic environment with support from others who have also suffered mental distress.
Changes Bristol’s annual survey of its members shows that 88% report a benefit to their mental health and 86% say Changes has improved their quality of life. 78% feel less socially isolated and 50% have reduced their reliance on statutory health services. Changes has helped 78.8% to cope with work and 53% to progress towards work, thus helping our economy as well as the individuals themselves. Importantly, 78% feel their risk of hospitalisation and 69.7 % of suicide is reduced as a result of going to Changes meetings.
Hartcliffe Health & Environment Action Group (HHEAG)
This year HHEAG is celebrating 25 years of community-led action to improve health and wellbeing in the Dundry View Neighbourhood. Back in 1990 local people were ahead of their time in understanding the links between health and the environment and set up this organisation to start tackling these issues.
Early work, responding to issues identified by residents, included housing quality, dogs, and depression. Over the intervening years HHEAG has taken on new challenges in response to the needs of a changing society and way-of-life. It has expanded activities, developed new services and supported the foundation of new stand-alone projects.
Today HHEAG continues to be led by local people and offers an integrated approach to improving health and wellbeing: from the Positive Minds mental health support service, to food-centred approaches to health (growing, cooking, food access). It also promotes activity through two walking groups and offers a stop smoking service." "HHEAG’s work has evolved in response to a changing social environment. Rubbish, dogs and the proposed South Bristol hospital were all on the agendas of the first meetings. Housing quality and associated illness, were also issues. A little later Mental Health Support groups, a food co-op and a Children’s Saturday Club were established.
As we headed on through the 1990’s most of the early work became the foundation of the services and activities we continue to offer today and nothing stops us helping ourselves here.
Food is grown in our community gardens for the food co-op and healthy eating courses, which we offer daily in our kitchen. “Positive Minds” offers high quality mental health support, two walking groups encourage exercise and enjoyment of the environment; a ‘Stop Smoking’ service is encouraging the last 25% of smokers in this area to give up and volunteers remain at the core of all can achieve. HHEAG could be described as a ‘health hub’ for the Dundry View Neighbourhood. Our services offer nearly 1000 people annually the information, skills and resources to make lifestyle choices that can benefit themselves and their families. That, in turn, positively contributes to the life of this community as a whole.
Local people have:
• Directly addressed their depression or anxiety
• Improved their understanding of healthy-eating through a range of cooking courses.
• Accessed fresh, affordable food through Community Gardening and the Food Cooperative. These projects have helped develop growing and retail skills, whilst offering volunteering
opportunities, which have led to employment for some people.
• Become more active by joining our supportive and friendly walking groups. A wonderful way of reducing isolation, which can also be said of ….
• “Lunch & more…” A weekly group that meets to cook, eat and discover new opportunities.
• And the Stop Smoking service …… has done just that!"
Home-Start Bristol deserves to win because it provides a unique kind of help which has a profound impact on struggling families with young children:
- It is delivered in the home, at the heart of family life, in the vital early years of children’s development.
- It empowers parents; they are befriended by non-judgemental volunteers who have experienced parenting and offer practical and emotional help ‘tailor-made’ to suit family needs.
- It is not time-limited but continues until families are better able to stand alone.
‘Excellent emotional and practical support. Children benefited from the volunteer’s care and advice re play and medical issues and help attending medical appointments, immunisations, the eye hospital. We are so grateful.’ (A Bristol parent.)
Volunteers are expertly trained and supervised, enabled to enjoy the rewarding experience of making a difference for families. They grow in confidence and self-esteem - their own wellbeing is enhanced. For over 30 years Home-Start Bristol has improved the health and wellbeing of families facing isolation, mental ill-health, single parenting, domestic abuse, illness, disability, low income, poor housing, family conflict. Parents in these families were struggling to run the home, budget and manage children’s behaviour, with detrimental effects on children’s health and happiness.
Volunteers are matched with families and make weekly home visits of 2-3 hours for an average of 6-7 months. They listen to parents, supporting their search for solutions. They encourage parenting skills and healthy choices – budgeting, meal planning, taking exercise, attending medical appointments. They source equipment to enable families to cook and eat together.
Volunteers play, talk and read with children, involving parents, helping to foster children’s development and bring the fun back to family life. They provide an extra pair of hands, helping with outings to parks, play spaces, Children’s Centres, libraries and activities, linking families with their communities. In 2014-15, most of Home-Start’s work in Bristol focused on areas of high deprivation, supporting 72 disadvantaged families.
98% of those who finished a period of support reported that their wellbeing had increased. Isolation was reduced for 97% of previously isolated families; 94% were enabled to access other services.
During the last 2 years, a special project has targeted 65 disadvantaged children in deprived areas. Of those, 55 made progress towards a healthier lifestyle and 56 made progress towards being happier.
The following typical feedback comments illustrate the differences made:
‘Having someone to talk to and share with has really helped.’
‘It has helped me on my journey to work on my mental health and towards recovery.’
‘Thanks for helping me to be the mum I wanted to be.’
‘I am in a good place now and feel I can cope and live a normal life.’
From a hairbrain idea into a thriving social enterprise in just 3 years, Lazyboys Basketball CIC makes a totemic statement about a major public health issue and what is needed to overcome it. Inactivity costs the economy £7bn a year, and can lead to complications in later-life such as strokes and heart disease.
With a fun and attention-grabbing name coupled with a serious ethos about combating inactivity, this is a fantastic opportunity to increase awareness. With no funding from Sport England and Basketball England for clubs catering for players over 18, regulators and funders are missing a trick!" Lazyboys Basketball CIC has grown to the point of filling all 55 memberships, employment for 2 coaches, and is oversubscribed with lots more people on the waiting list wanting to join. All proceeds go back into the club, helping change people's lives through regular physical acticity. This is not possible anywhere else...minority sports such as basketball usually require a very demanding training schedule and 3+ times training per week as those that play must do so to an incredibly high standard. Lazyboys is about breaking down the competetive element and maximising fun, health benefits, and social inclusion. "70% of the Lazyboys members were not doing the amount of activity recommended by the NHS. This puts this demographic at serious risk of health complications, leading to negative health pathways. lazyboys uses humour, inclusion and fun to help people overcome these barriers, and engage in sport for health.
Lazyboys has also brought sigificant investment to The Park Community sports centre in Knowle West, one of the mose deprived areas of Bristol. They have also launched a crowdfunding initiative to help refurbish facilities at The Park, benefiting the whole community:
https://www.fundsurfer.com/project/lazyboys-basketball
Lifeskills - Learning for Living
Lifeskills aims to help those most in need to live healthier, happier and more independent lifestyles. Accidents kill about 14,000 people per annum across the UK and seriously injure more than 700,000 per annum in England alone. Since we opened in January 2000, over 146,000 people have received training via one of our programmes, potentially preventing thousands of accidents. Each programme has been designed to target those most at risk of unintentional injury and provide skills that will help them to live as independently as possible. It is a unique facility using interactive methods that cannot be replicated in a classroom setting.
Lifeskills helps reduce the number of unintentional injuries to our target groups by creating an exciting and memorable environment in which to learn. It is a unique facility offering safety and independent living education via a life size, realistic village. The interactive nature of the Centre allows us to teach people how to deal with potentially difficult or dangerous situations by actually letting them experience risk, but in a safe environment. Our programmes are designed to work with year 6 primary school children, People with Learning difficulties, older people and pre-school children. Research shows that there is a clear link between unintentional injury and deprivation so it is our main focus to ensure that those who are most in need are able to attend. We do not allow finance to be a barrier to anyone benefitting from our safety education training.
Over the last 15 years Lifeskills has become a highly valued service to a wide range of people in the community. We have received various letters from children detailing how Lifeskills training has helped in real life situations and our evaluation of the Children’s Programme has show a huge increase in children’s knowledge following their visit. The evaluation of our programmes for people with learning difficulties has been equally positive, “Out of a possible six clients with various life skill challenges, I can say without contradiction that four have made remarkable progress and can actually perceive and recognise dangers around the home that they would not have recognised before.” (Support worker, Milestones Trust). The majority of our programmes are run by volunteers. We have 85 at present, many of whom have been with us for over 10 years and frequently state how much enjoyment they get from working at the Centre.
Mothers for Mothers are a group of mothers most of whom have suffered depression or distress after the birth of one of more of their babies. They offer support, advice, information and most of all a listening ear for any worries or concerns women may have. Mothers for Mothers offer a national helpline service as well as weekly support calls to local women who request the service. At times when a woman can feel quite desperate the helpline can be a great comfort. It is manned by trained volunteers who have themselves suffered and recovered from post natal depression.
Mothers for Mothers also run three support groups across Bristol to reach as many women as possible. These groups offer an opportunity for women to have face to face contact with a support worker, as well as to gain support from other women experiencing post natal depression. There is a play worker present to help look after children and provide activities. Every few weeks a complementary therapist offers a short therapy session (e.g. massage/reiki). This may be one of the only opportunities for an isolated mother to spend time with others who understand her.
The counselling service provided by Mothers for Mothers is another lifeline for some women. This offers women a safe space to confide and offload their problems and experiences to an unbiased, empathic listener. Whilst counselling cannot change the external pressures it may help individuals to find ways to cope.
""I had 10 sessions of counselling which was totally life-changing for me" Having someone you can speak to that understands what you are going through can be a real relief for many new mothers who are struggling. Mothers for Mothers offers vital support to help reduce the impact of post natal depression on the lives of women. They work to promote a more rapid recovery and aim to reduce stigma associated with the illness.
Mothers for Mothers aims to raise awareness of post natal depression by offering training courses for health visitors, GPs, support workers and counsellors on the symptoms and impact of postnatal illness and how to actively support it.
Women who have used the service and have since recovered from their post natal depression are welcomed to support the charity by becoming a volunteer themselves and support women in the same way they were supported.
For over 5 years week in and week out this group of Volunteers lead by Mary Milton have been running the Shout Out Radio show for the LGBT communities in the Bristol area. This one hour weekly show achieves so much, It connects the LGBT communities with what is going on in the area of interest to them, it raises awareness of LGBT issues to the wider communities, the show is also a vital resource for LGBT people who can lead isolated lives and can help them stay connected to their community.
Shout Out is run by volunteers and has links to all parts of the communities which it serves well. The show does not only help out by connecting the communities as a whole but also on an individual basis by helping volunteers join in. The impact of the work Shout Out does is huge as the LGBT communities of this region are spread out over a wide geographical area and reach people and places many other resources cannot.
Shout Outs work is done via volunteers with interviews in the community, reviews of events, live shows from Pride each year. This Volunteer lead service does an amazing job connecting the communities as a whole and with each other, helping wellbeing in the community and by raising the profile of LGBT issues
The Trinity Garden is a beautiful food growing space, led by a core group of volunteers that have worked hard to bring together local residents in Ashley, Easton and Lawrence Hill wards for the last 7 years. Supported by Trinity Community Arts, the group has responded to the community need to focus on sustainability and nature based education, making significant achievements with very little funding.
With Bristol2015 funding Trinity has been able to employ one of the younger garden volunteers to coordinate the “Grow It Cook it Eat it” project, developed by the community for the community. We have engaged and inspired a wide variety of people to come together to build a resilient, connected and sustainable community. This has been done through teaching life skills and the creation of a space that can nurture the development of every member of the community. Participants learn about growing food, cooking and eating healthy, as well as practical skills like foraging, herbal first aid, wood carving, etc.
Last year over 1500 people visited Trinity's Garden and we engaged around 300 of these in specific projects and activities.
The “Grow it, Cook it, Eat it” project alone has already engaged 436 people this year, including local schools, and we envision finishing the project doubling the number of participants." "Through our current projects, we reach a range of people including participants with mental health issues (50%), seniors (10%), children and young people (25%), BME communities (20%) as well as single parents and people claiming support. Our Garden projects and activities have:
*Brought young, old, in-between and from all different backgrounds together to work on and enjoy the beautiful fruitful garden, increasing community cohesion.
*Continued the development and improvement of a community space which welcomes everybody all year round.
*Brought people closer to the earth which is proven to benefit mental and physical health and furthered an understanding of how organic food can be grown and prepared.
*Better physical health and fitness being outside all day and being involved in physical activities which have a clear purpose and bring a sense of achievement."
Founded in 2008, Unseen works towards a world without slavery. We combine a micro to macro approach; supporting exploited individuals and tackling the systemic issues of slavery. We focus on three areas;
1. Supporting survivors and potential victims of modern slavery. We run the South West’s only safe-house for female survivors of human trafficking with high-level, complex needs plus a dedicated Resettlement Service (RIO) to help women continue their recovery in a local community.
2. Equipping stakeholders including frontline staff by providing training, advice and resources to facilitate the identification and support of potential victims.
3. Influencing systemic change; by using our experience to inspire transformation across legislation, policy and society.
In 2012 we established the Anti-Slavery Partnership (ASP) in conjunction with Avon & Somerset Constabulary and Bristol City Council, to work with a range of agencies to tackle slavery strategically and operationally. Since June 2011, we have provided over 7,000 nights of safe accommodation and supported over 100 extremely vulnerable women from 29 different countries at our safe-house. Many have suffered sexual exploitation, domestic abuse or forced labour - often all three. Our safe-house acts as the first stage on the long and difficult journey to restore survivors’ self-esteem, build their confidence and enhance their future independence. Experienced, specialist staff are on-hand 24 hours a day and help survivors with anxiety issues, flashbacks, symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, lack of self-esteem and choices about their future. This work is continued by the RIO team in the community. The ASP, chaired by Unseen, supports a range of agencies that might come into contact with victims – such as the police, council, churches, hospitals and NGOs. The Partnership provides local groups with resources, advice, training and helps increase knowledge of this crime to keep Bristol safer. Our specialist staff help women cope with emotional and psychological issues as well as physical injuries sustained as a result of their exploitative situation – such as internal/head injuries, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. In addition, we help with a range of health conditions such as TB, HIV, dental and optical problems as well as women who have learning difficulties and physical disabilities. Our RIO Service supports survivors with practicalities of opening a bank account, budgeting or understanding the benefits system, rebuilding self-esteem and confidence, preparing for job opportunities, advising on relationship issues or accessing sexual health services, asylum support, or a place to worship. For a survivor without friends or family, these issues can seem overwhelming and lead to isolation and helplessness. RIO provides regular contact, advocacy and a structure to help survivors continue their recovery so they can become independent members of society.
A friend and I wanted to start a local walking group to help both the physical and mental health of local people, reduce isolation and increase confidence. Walk for Health Bristol (WfHB) arranged training and insurance and gave us a great deal of support in starting the St George Strollers, which 4 years later is still going strong and has celebrated its 100th walk. WfHB continues to support us with publicity, training, insurance, helpful suggestions, keeping us in the loop at what is happening at both the Bristol and national levels of the Walking for Health organisation and is an excellent point of contact for any advice that we need. The St George Strollers, now have 6 volunteer walk leaders running 2 walks a month attracting anything up to 36 walkers at a time. We are just 1 of at least 35 groups supported by WfHB. There are over 70 active volunteers supporting those groups. "The Walk for Health Bristol partnership recruits and trains 48 new walk leaders per year. They support at least 35 walking groups of different abilities and with different issues, ranged from mental health to social needs. Literally 1,000s of Bristolians have been involved in the health activities provided by Walk for Health Bristol walking groups.
Walk for Health Bristol has now organised 3 Bristol Walking Festivals offering a wide range of walks and attracting people to walking, a healthy activity proven to help both physical and mental health. The choice of walks in the Walking Festival exceeded 100 this year and was an outstanding success." The walks provided range across 3 categories, 30 minutes, 1 hour or 90 minute walks, covering distance of 1 mile to 3 miles. People recovering their health or increasing their fitness can pick the level that suits them and increase their fitness, those needing social interaction can find friends and like minded company, those who have fears preventing them walking on their own feel safe walking in these groups. Thousands of people across the city have been on Walking for Health walks. Walking in one of the safest, most beneficial and certainly cheapest forms of exercise, it helps with fitness and mental health.
This award will be decided by public vote - to cast your vote click here