The Coalfields Regeneration Trust, the only organisation dedicated to supporting the 5.7 million people living in former mining communities throughout the UK, has announced a trio of appointments to support a new partnership with Five Towns Primary Care Network.
Bringing together a group of general practices and local providers, including community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary services, the Five Towns Primary Care Network has partnered with the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to improve the health and wellbeing of residents across the five towns area of Wakefield.
Matt Foster, Ella Oldroyd and Philippa Priestley have all been appointed as Health and Wellbeing Activators to the Coalfield Regeneration Trust’s recently established Communities Active team, joining Lindsey Best-Fryer who joined last month. Supporting the Wakefield communities of Normanton, Knottingley, Airedale and Castleford, the Activators will provide Five Towns Primary Care Network GP surgeries patients with dedicated guidance and advice to help improve their mental health and physical wellbeing.
As well as delivering 121 bespoke sessions to residents, the Activators will also support existing community programmes and introduce new health and wellbeing activities that are available to those that need them most.
Kat Clarke, Development Manager – Game On England, comments: “As we are all navigating through these challenging times, we know that many former coalfield communities are mong the hardest hit. As such, having the capacity to deliver a dedicated health and wellbeing provision means we can help the immediate needs of our residents.
“By not only forming but growing the Communities Active team in such a short space of time, we have been able to expand and quicken the delivery of our critical support services to some of Wakefield’s most deprived areas.
“Welcoming Matt, Ella and Philippa enhances our ability to help as many people as possible. With a growing team, we can also capitalise on further opportunities to form more strategic partnerships such as the one with Primary Care Networks.
“To be able to inspire residents of all ages to become more physically active, improve their mental health and ultimately achieve huge lifestyle changes, will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on these communities now and in the future.”
The GP surgeries involved with the Five Towns Primary Care Network are Patience Lane Surgery, Kings Medical Practice, Health Care First Partnership and Castleford Medical Practice. Christine Sanderson, (Business Manager, Five Towns Primary Care Network) at the Primary Care Network, comments: “The Five Towns Primary Care Network is committed to working with the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to develop and support the Communities Active team.
“As the fight against the pandemic continues, we need to ensure that the health and wellbeing of our residents is not compromised further. We understand just how critical this work is, which is why the Five Towns Primary Care Network has also invested in Care Co-Ordinators.
“By supporting the work of the Health and Wellbeing Activators, which have a real enthusiasm to make things happen, the resource available can extend across all of these communities to make long-lasting and significant improvements to those who need it most.”