Written by Charlie Daw
- Amount Funded: £20,000
- Contact: [email protected]
- Areas: Leigh
Wigan Borough Community First (WBCF) is pleased to announce that Leigh Youth and Community Development Trust has been awarded funding through the Thrive in Five programme.
Leigh Youth and Community Development Trust is a community charity supporting residents of Leigh and the surrounding area, with a focus on disadvantaged communities and families facing multiple barriers. The organisation promotes physical and mental wellbeing and social inclusion through sport, community engagement and targeted support.
The Trust’s specialist Children’s Centre provides a safe and welcoming space for neurodiverse children and young people, including those with autism, ADHD, sensory processing differences or those awaiting diagnosis. It also provides holistic, family-centred support including emotional wellbeing programmes, parent guidance, sibling support, SEND family sessions, peer support and training around neurodiversity, behaviour, anxiety and emotional regulation.
What is Thrive In Five?
Thrive in Five was created to support new, creative and community-led approaches to improving mental wellbeing across Wigan Borough. WBCF is working closely with Public Health at Wigan Council, who commissioned the programme, and Edge Hill University, who will support the evaluation of its impact.
The programme provides awards of £20,000 to voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations to deliver wellbeing-focused activity for people of all ages and backgrounds. Alongside the funded projects, successful organisations will take part in a Wellbeing Circle, creating an opportunity to share insight, learn from one another and strengthen collaboration across the sector.
Through this approach, Thrive in Five aims to support local wellbeing activity while building the relationships, knowledge and capacity needed to develop sustainable, community-led support across the Borough.
About Leigh Youth and Community Development Trust
Through its Thrive in Five-funded project, the Trust will deliver a community-led mental wellbeing programme for parents and carers of neurodivergent children across Wigan Borough. The programme has been shaped by the experiences and feedback of local families and recognises the stress, anxiety, exhaustion, isolation and burnout that parents and carers can experience.
Four 12-week cohorts will take part in weekly two-hour wellbeing sessions, facilitated by an in-house counsellor with lived experience as a parent of neurodivergent children. A free on-site crèche will also be available to help remove barriers to participation.
Sessions will include social time, peer support and signposting, alongside a choice of creative, mindful and movement-based activities such as journalling, arts and crafts, mindfulness walks, yoga, dance, table tennis and boxing fitness. The programme aims to help participants build confidence, resilience, coping skills, social networks and emotional wellbeing, while creating longer-term connections through The A Team Hub.
The Trust will work with established local partners, including the Parent Carer Forum, Leigh Family Hub, Inclusive Delivery Partnership organisations and local schools, to promote the programme and support referrals.
For more information about the project, contact Lisa at [email protected] or visit www.leighcommunitytrust.co.uk.
Get Involved
You can see more Thrive In Five work through the button below…