Did you know we’re partners in Rochdale’s first Social Prescribing Network to improve health and wellbeing in our borough?
Alongside KYP, Link4Life, Action Together, Rochdale Health Alliance’s Social Prescribing team and Public Health, we deliver a range of community activities across four key areas:
- Nature and environment
- Sports and leisure
- Arts and culture
- Finance and advice services
In October 2021, the network launched a dementia support group at Kingsway GP Practice using social prescribing to reduce isolation, support socialising and keep the mind young and active.
This social prescribing project provides a relaxing environment for participants and is run in partnership with Rochdale Mind and Rochdale Health Alliance.
Already we are seeing great benefits for participants and strong friendships being formed between the individuals who come along.
One participant said: “Do you know something, I enjoy coming here as it gets me out of the house as well. It’s good to see something you’ve done. I like doing these things because it occupies my mind.”
In the run up to Christmas, we made wreaths from materials sourced locally and from our PIER allotment here at Petrus, which all participants took away to make their homes festive.
We are working towards creating a community garden for the GP surgery and have been decorating plant pots and planting flowers, vegetables and herbs.
Over the coming months, our dementia support group will be creating more artwork and planters for the garden, and we can’t wait to see them!
To find out more about our social prescribing offer, contact our Service Manager Rachael at Rachael.Bennion@petrus.org.uk