Healthy Communities Fund
We are determined to create a Fairer Westminster. And we are launching a multi-million Healthy Communities Fund for the next 3 years towards achieving health equality for our residents.
Voluntary sector organisations are invited to apply for funding of between £20k to £40k per year to run free community-led activities designed especially for diverse groups to enable them to live a healthier lifestyle.
Initiatives may include:
- cultural dancing sessions
- group sports
- fitness classes
- mindfulness and wellbeing
- all-nation cooking classes
- gardening and walks,
- one-to-one tailored support and more
Selected organisations must participate in fully-funded training and skills-development opportunities to enhance their capacity and expertise in delivering health and wellbeing outcomes that define and demonstrably improve the quality of life in Westminster for our communities.
We know that increasing physical activity, reducing smoking, improving diets, and reducing harmful alcohol use would significantly impact health inequalities since these are the leading risk factors driving the burden of preventable ill health and premature mortality. However, we also understand that living in stressful situations managing matters like employment, low income, family priorities, housing issues alongside past and present trauma can create barriers to managing good health.
VCS organisations are best placed to provide a whole-person approach that includes referrals to support services such as debt management and housing advice, to empower residents to focus on their health and have a unique understanding of the cultural interests, barriers and needs of residents.
With this fund, we are looking for new and innovative ways to increase healthy behaviours whilst tackling the determinants that underpin them.
Applications to the fund have now closed.
We encourage organisations to work with their communities to co-design and co-produce the nature of the activities so that they align with emerging community needs.