Wellbeing courses will launch in Salisbury this autumn

Four Salisbury and Wiltshire-based arts and heritage organisations have been awarded £260,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund to offer wellbeing courses to local residents.

Well-City Salisbury brings together the experience and skills of ArtCare, The Salisbury Museum, Wessex Archaeology and Wiltshire Creative. Over three years, the organisations will deliver twenty-four courses to vulnerable individuals and groups, and to people who have a mental health need.

The project aims to make a positive change to the mental health of all participants; utilise the combined strengths of the organisations; create a legacy of trained artists, facilitators and volunteers; and strengthen the local community to make connections and partnerships to improve local mental health support services.

Louise Dancy, Wiltshire Creative’s Take Part Director, said: “We recognise the significant impact our mental health has on all our lives, with this funding we can continue to make a real and positive impact on the wellbeing of our local community.

“This partnership will provide a range of opportunities to support mental health through creative activities and we can’t wait to start making a difference.”

A successful pilot programme for the Well-City Salisbury project (2020) demonstrated the ability of cultural and creative organisations to support mental health and wellbeing, particularly through building a sense of community.

Well-City Salisbury has been designed to meet the individual needs of participants and to help develop a supportive and sustainable culture around mental health and wellbeing in Salisbury.