Aim and objectives of the report - CLES

project has largely relied on professional networks to promote the service: this is reported to besimple and effective.Host organisationWellspring Healthy Living Centre (WeHLC) opened in 2004; it is a community-led organisation withthe building located at the heart of its catchment area with a good track record of providingstatutory and voluntary sector health related services to meet community needs. Wellspring hasalways worked closely with NHS Bristol and the project’s delivery was in partnership with SeniorHealth Promotion Specialist from the PCT’s Public Health Department; but now they liaise with aCommunity Health Improvement manager. There are approximately 12-15000 users per year whovisit the GPs, PCT clinics and community services. The space in WeHLC for the community kitchenwas originally planned to be a community café. The space had been used for a café since the buildingopened as it was not sustainable as a commercial kitchen or café due to the lack of footfall.However, the resident-led board for the HLC wanted the space to be kept for a food-orientedactivity and therefore the space had remained available. The original Health and Well-Being Strategydeveloped for the area served by Wellspring, and agreed by the Community at Heart Board inOctober 2006, was based on the Primary Care Trust’s (PCT) local needs assessment and localpriorities and it is also in line with local area agreement targets. This helped to inform the project’searly development. Subsequent Joint Strategic Need Assessments (Bristol City Council, NHS Bristoland Bristol Local Involvement Network, 2009) have demonstrated the relevance of the work and theimportance of addressing the needs of the target community identified in this project. The range ofservices offered by the HLC includes a GP practice, practice nurses, counselling and health visitors. Inaddition, activities available include yoga, various keep fit sessions, infant massage, men’s wellbeing,support to lose weight, women’s health and lifestyle, bicycle loan, and various arts-basedsessions.Project areaThe population (30,000 people) of the Easton and Lawrence Hill ward in which WeHLC is locatedexperience significantly poor health and have particular health concerns, including a high incidenceof cancer, coronary heart disease and mental ill-health. In addition, there are high numbers of lowbirth weight babies, high levels of teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and drug andalcohol misuse. The north section of the ward is in the most deprived quintile in England, the wholeward is within the most deprived quintile of Bristol (APHO, 2010) and the life expectancy is nineyears less than that of the most affluent ward in Bristol. There are also high numbers of refugee andasylum seekers, a proportion of whom are from Somalia and which have a high birth rate (BristolCity Council, 2010). Figures for alcohol-related and specific hospital admissions are higher in Bristolthan most core cities but residents living in Lawrence Hill are over‐represented. In fact fewerresidents in Lawrence Weston report that their health has been good in the last 12 months or thatthey are fairly or very happy than anywhere else in Bristol (Bristol City Council, NHS Bristol andBristol Local Involvement Network, 2009. Young people living in Easton are exercising less thanthose living in the majority of areas in Bristol and fewer people participated in creative activities inneighbourhood renewal areas. Lawrence Hill and Easton were highlighted as being two of the fiveareas mentioned.154 SWWB Final Evaluation Report