West End Morecambe Big Local

The neighbourhood

The West End of Morecambe has a historically transient population that has now become more settled, with a population of roughly 5,000 residents. It features a mix of working families and a significant number of European residents.

Local assets: The Playhouse, a central hub for events, activities, and workshops that promotes community engagement and collaboration. Additionally, More Music is a music and education charity offering workshops, performances, and events to inspire creativity. West End Impact offer support services, such as a drop-in centre and food bank. Lastly, Promenade Gardens is a public space for recreation and leisure activities.

The context

Integration and collaboration: West End Morecambe Big Local aims to enhance integration between various community services and sectors, including health, social care, and local businesses. Uniting the efforts of these organisations and creating collaboration rather than competition is key to creating a cohesive support system for residents to tackle its complex and interrelated challenges, which contribute to increased mental health issues and a greater need for cohesive support systems.

Socioeconomic deprivation: Morecambe is one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the UK, with significant economic and social deprivation. West End Morecambe Big Local aims to address these challenges through targeted interventions that respond to neighbourhood needs and community-driven projects.

The area faces high levels of poverty, crime, and health issues. Efforts are focused on addressing these through community engagement and targeted support initiatives.

• 33 per cent of children are living in poverty in West End, Morecambe compared with 19 per cent across the North West.
• 10 per cent of households lack central heating in West End, Morecambe compared with 3 per cent across the North West.
• 28 per cent of people have no qualifications in West End. The overall crime rate is higher than the average across the North West.
• There is increasing demand for mental health support, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

The model

Community engagement: The model involves breaking down engagement into various groups. These groups ensure diverse community representation and active participation on specific neighbourhood issues. The groups include:

Youth advisory group: Comprising 45 members aged 12 to 18, this group is supported to administer mental health funding for services and engages in community decision-making. Recently, they used £60,000 of Francis Scott Trust funding to commission children and young people activities that help support mental health.

Residents group: Uses social media and newsletters to consult and inform the community, the consultations have led to extremely high levels of engagement, achieving 3,000 to 4,000 responses per consultation. The focus of these consultations typically revolves around local developments and community issues. The insights gathered from these consultations influence decision making by statutory services. For example, feedback from residents are being used to shape development plans, such as the Frontierland site by Lancaster City Council to guide the planning and development process.

Mental health forum: User-led with a focus on sharing experiences and addressing mental health needs.

Infrastructure and services: A multi-agency hub has been developed, providing services such as adult education, community connectors, and volunteering opportunities. The hub aims to enhance social prescribing activities and address food insecurity through initiatives such as the discounted Local Grocery Shop.

Partnerships and collaborations: Collaboration and integration with primary care networks (PCNs), local businesses, and organisations like the NHS and district council include:

• Social prescribing: Implemented a social prescribing model integrated with the primary care EMIS system. It allows healthcare providers, such as GPs, to seamlessly refer patients to voluntary sector services. It is designed to address non-medical issues that impact health, such as social isolation, mental health, and physical inactivity by linking patients with community resources like fitness activities, gardening clubs, and social groups. It has been especially critical in addressing conditions like respiratory issues and frailty helping to reduce hospital admissions and improve overall wellbeing. Additionally, the two-way communication between healthcare providers and social prescribing link workers ensures that the outcomes of these referrals are monitored and recorded within the patient’s medical history enhancing the continuity of care.
• Connecting to services: Facilitates access to healthcare, debt management, and job training by referring residents to appropriate services and providing holistic support.

What makes this effective and resilient

Governance and leadership: Strong leadership and governance, with diverse input and shared responsibility is provided through a committee led by residents who volunteer their time freely and part-time staff to support day-to-day activities. The leadership has deep roots in the community, contributing to sustained engagement and trust. A significant factor in the success of these initiatives has been the history of community involvement and capacity building, which has provided a strong foundation upon which to build. This underscores the importance of existing community structures and relationships as key enablers for new initiatives.

Examples of effective working:

Strategic property acquisition: Acquiring Stanleys Community Centre for long-term community ownership, enhancing local services and infrastructure. This move has allowed for substantial investments in refurbishing the property.

Mental health initiatives: Significant improvements in mental health support, with collaborative efforts involving various local and district partners. For instance, the mental health forum has been crucial in addressing mental health needs through user-led discussions and initiatives.

Digital inclusion: The West End Online project addresses digital exclusion by providing training and creating a community-focused online directory. This initiative aims to enhance digital skills and reduce social isolation.

Food poverty project: Expanding successful food club initiatives to address broader issues like fuel poverty and home finances. The project engages volunteers and members in exploring needs and offering intensive support.

Local partnerships: Effective collaboration with local organisations and businesses enhances resource mobilisation and service delivery. Key partners include the local NHS, primary care networks, Lancaster City Council and organisations like the Eden Project, which is expected to create employment and apprenticeship opportunities.

Sustainability: Long-term strategies ensure that initiatives are deeply connected to community needs, supported by diverse funding sources. Projects are designed with sustainability in mind, ensuring they can continue beyond the initial funding period.

What makes this challenging

Funding and resources: Securing continuous funding and resources remains a significant challenge.

Engagement and trust: Building and maintaining community engagement and trust requires ongoing effort, particularly in a historically transient and socioeconomically challenged area where volunteering time can be limited. The role of leaders with long standing ties to the community is crucial. Their history and involvement in the area have been instrumental in creating trust and continuity, illustrating the importance of having local champions.

Integration with wider services: Integrating with wider services, such as the county council and public health teams, is challenging due to capacity constraints and differing priorities. Despite these challenges, the focus remains on fostering stronger relationships and mutual understanding among all stakeholders.

Impact and outcomes

Health metrics: Improved health outcomes, such as increased physical activity and reduced hospital visits due to effective social prescribing. For example, the Breathe Easy choir group helps participants improve lung health through singing.

Mental health assessments: Regular assessments show significant improvements in mental health and wellbeing. Feedback from mental health forums indicates a better understanding and management of mental health issues.

Community feedback: Positive feedback and success stories from residents highlight the impact of various initiatives. Landlords have reported better tenant support and fewer issues due to increased access to services.

Surveys and feedback forms: To collect data on participant experiences and outcomes, informing ongoing improvements.

Community engagement: Monitoring engagement levels in various activities and programmes to ensure inclusiveness and reach. This includes tracking participation in social prescribing activities and other community events.

Case studies: Detailed case studies are collated to demonstrate the positive impact on individuals and families, such as improved mental health, increased community connections, and successful job placements.