Many of us at Prospect have been involved with the Well North programme as advisors and associates since it was founded in 2015. Donna Bradshaw, who has been the Leadership Advisor since the offset, was involved in very early conversations with the founder, Professor Aidan Halligan, who sadly passed away in the first year.
At the end of March 2019, the first three years of the programme, funded by Public Health England and the ten Pathfinder areas, is upon us. This, however, doesn’t mean that it’s coming to an end; we always knew that Well North would be about long-term change over 10, 15 or 20 years. Executive Chair Lord Andrew Mawson has said, “We have now raised three-year-olds – they know their own mind, are asking difficult questions, and need to grow and find their own way”. The Celebration Event presented the artistic representations of the pathfinder regions, drawn by Matt Worden, and premiered “Well North: the Movie” made by Chris Mills, one of Well Halton’s rising stars. The achievements of the Pathfinders have been absolutely stunning, showing us that health and wellbeing takes many forms: growing, sewing, art, music, sports, singing, re-using, creating work, backing people, being entrepreneurial… our Pathfinders have done it all.
What’s next for Well North?
The leadership programme will continue to be delivered and the legacy organisation has been created – Well North Enterprises CIC www.wellnorthenterprises.co.uk. We will be carrying on our collaboration with the Pathfinder areas and are welcoming new clients in every day.
As Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of Public Health England, put it: “We all need a home, a purpose, and a friend”.
