Our Community Connector Coordinator works to build on “Connector” training, helping community members get training on a certain topic so they are able to pass this information along to their friends, families and neighbours if needed – an integral part to the “whole community approach to social prescribing”. The Coordinator identifies where this training already exists, and works to fill any gaps.

Since June 2021, and in partnership with Take Art and Somerset Wildlife Trust, we have been delivering the Thriving Communities Somerset project to strengthen and expand the range of social prescribing activities available across the county.

Key to the success of this project was the Social Prescribing Roadshow; four district events which took place between October 2021 and January 2022 and brought together over 150 staff and volunteers from 90+ VCSE and statutory organisations to collaborate and share learning.

Through these events, we have been able to create the foundations for future work by tackling the disconnect between services; networks have developed and individual organisations are now having active conversations about Social Prescribing.

We have also commissioned a number of Social Prescribing activities across the county to support people most impacted by Covid-19. One these social prescribing activities was the Nature Connections Art project with Mind in Somerset’s Wellington Art Group, Somerset Art Works and Somerset Wildlife Trust.

This wonderful film showcases how it supported people with a range of long term physical and mental health conditions to enjoy weekly nature-based art sessions including a visit to the Wellington Monument.

Other activities supported by the project include:

• ‘Building Raised Beds and Growing Edible Plants’ – therapeutic horticulture sessions, delibered by Eco Food Creations
• ‘Thriving Voices’ – singing groups to improve respiratory health, delivered by Bluebirds Theatre Company
• ‘Earn a Bike + Digital Filming Skills’ workshops, delivered by On Your Bike and Somerset Film
• ‘Meads and Marshes’ – natured-based art and mindfulness group, delivered by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and Somerset Recovery College
• ‘Word/Play’ – creative wellbeing sessions for people with respiratory and other long term health conditions, delivered by Take Art
• ‘Postcards for Recovery’ – creative, art, and nature-based activity prompts for discharge patients, delivered by artist Caroline Barnes and Yeovil District Hospital

Read the report

This report, researched and produced by registered Health Promotion Practitioner, Victoria Sullivan, provides a synopsis of the Thriving Communities project and captures the experiences of the organisations engaged in this vital work. In addition, it explores the social prescribing landscape in Somerset and the opportunities, challenges, benefits and potential barriers of embedding social prescribing activity in Somerset.