Social Prescribing in the East Midlands

Social prescribing involves helping people to improve their health, wellbeing and social welfare by connecting them to community services and activities like gardening, health walks and volunteering opportunities. GPs, link workers or other health and wellbeing professionals can refer people to activities that are appropriate to them.

Our social prescribing projects in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire are designed to make use of local waterways as a focal point to help people tackle mental and physical health problems.

Waterways Wellbeing in Nottingham

Thanks to funding from the Greenspace social prescribing programme in Nottingham we're holding regular canoeing and paddleboarding on the Nottingham & Beeston Canal at Castle Wharf and Beeston, as well as at Holme Pierrepoint National Water Sport Centre.

This programme is open to everyone living in Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County and aims to support people who struggle with their mental wellbeing or social isolation. If you would like to find out more about how to either refer people you work with, or if you would like to discuss how our Waterways Wellbeing sessions could support your own mental wellbeing, contact our Community Wellbeing Coordinator Carol Burrell at [email protected].

Social prescribing in South Leicestershire

In Leicestershire we offer socially prescribed activities on the county's waterways for the first time. We're working in partnership with Active Together, Blaby District Council, Harborough District Council and Oadby & Wigston Borough Council to hold socially prescribed canoeing and paddleboarding sessions in South Leicestershire**.** The project has also been supported by Market Harborough Building Society who have funded the purchase of new paddleboards. For more information contact Community Wellbeing Coordinator, Sean Payne, at [email protected].

To access our Waterways Wellbeing programme contact a Social Prescribing Link Worker who is based at your medical practice. You do not have to book in with your GP to talk to a link worker. If you have a support worker or community connector they can also refer you. Speak to whoever supports you within an organisation and other medical practitioners.