The Wellbeing High Street

Summary

The Wellbeing High Street is a project dedicated to promoting healthy, active and self-sufficient communities in Ellesmere Port. Bubble sparked the spirit for social enterprise in ‘Founder’ Steve Horbaczewski, who went on to secure £500,000 of Lottery funding, enabling the Wellbeing High Street to deliver health and wellbeing services over a four-year period.

Challenges

With relatively high unemployment rates, pockets of deprivation and issues around health, education and skills training, Ellesmere Port is an area ripe for regeneration. 

Working with Bubble Enterprises, businessman and social entrepreneur Steve was able to partner with a number of organisations and create social venture the Wellbeing High Street, which is steadily improving community wellbeing while breaking down prejudicial behaviors and negative perceptions of Ellesmere Port.  

The Wellbeing High Street was established with the following objectives:

• Build strong working relationships across the public, private and third sectors
• Increase footfall and change the way individuals use the high street area
• Help community members build personal confidence and capacity and achieve their goals
• Create a replicable learning and project framework tailored to the community

The process

Connecting over a shared passion for social enterprise, Bubble worked alongside Steve to offer encouragement, support and knowledge sharing sessions. Using the Bubble model, Steve was then able to set up similar enterprise Seed in Ellesmere Port, going on to found the Wellbeing High Street.

Based quite literally on the high street in Ellesmere Port, the Wellbeing High Street offers a series of programmes in line with elements identified as promoting wellbeing: Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give.

Delivered in non-threatening, nurturing environments within community centres, churches and empty spaces in other buildings, programmes include relaxation sessions, nutrition and oral health training, fitness activities, crafts, cookery skills and more, with the overarching aim of supporting vulnerable community members in reaching their full potential through training, volunteering, employment or enterprise.

Outcomes

The Wellbeing High Street fosters positive change within communities, delivering programmes that bring people together, build confidence and help individuals make progress in line with their personal goals. 

Previously anticipated benefits associated with the programmes offered by the Wellbeing High Street are now translating to real-world change: 75 per cent of asylum seekers signed up to programmes reported improved wellbeing and confidence following their courses, while almost all participants on their Confidence Building programme reported feeling healthier and happier by the end of the course.

Through a passion for social enterprise, the Wellbeing High Street is having a tangible and positive impact on the communities in Ellesmere Port. Now, having secured substantial Lottery funding, the organisation will continue to promote community health and Wellbeing over the next three years, with a plan to replicate the model in other areas earmarked for regeneration. 

If you want to understand more about the ‘The Wellbeing High Street’ project, or want to plan one of your own contact our associate Steve Horbaczewski who can be contacted directly on 07712 528808.