The Trust is proud to be the premier provider of sport/arts/entertainment and health and community programmes throughout Pendle.
Our leadership team comprises of CEO, Management Team and a team of dedicated enthusiastic support staff who are guided by our Volunteer Board of Trustees. This team is responsible for the strategic vision, ensuring the Trust delivers on its mission to improve overall wellbeing, targeting Pendle’s eight wards that are in the top 10% most deprived in the country.
We have a long-term history of delivering community initiatives and over the last year have continued to develop and deliver Pendle’s Creative Health Programme, ie the Good Life Project and Arts for Wellbeing. These projects deliver physical activity and wellbeing through therapeutic horticulture; allotment based family healthy eating/growing sessions; addiction recovery utilising drama workshops and theatre performances and creative art workshops in partnership with the local authority, health professionals and organisations.
Our Creative Health Programme is a vibrant, multi-dimensional initiative designed to nurture healing, connection and personal growth through nature, creativity and community. At its heart is a belief in the power of hands-on, expressive experiences to transform lives.
We offer therapeutic horticulture and family-focused healthy eating and growing sessions on our community allotment, where participants reconnect with nature, grow their own food and share healthy meals. These sessions boost physical wellbeing, family bonding and mental health.
For men in recovery from addiction, our Thread of Hope strand delivers powerful drama workshops and theatre performances. These creative outlets provide a safe space for self-expression, storytelling, physical wellbeing, rebuilding identity and rediscovering confidence and resilience.
We also deliver unique creative art workshops tailored for individuals facing mental health challenges or social isolation. These sessions offer a gentle, supportive environment where participants explore creativity, reduce anxiety and build meaningful connections.
What makes our programme unique is its integrated approach—blending nature, nutrition, performance and visual arts to support overall wellbeing. We don’t just offer activities; we cultivate a community where people feel seen, valued and empowered to grow.
This programme has expanded the range of experiences by placing provision at the heart of people’s lives, especially those facing health inequalities; created connectivity within our community; and supported the creative innovations and skills of professionals in health.
This is more than a health programme—it’s a lifeline, a creative sanctuary and a catalyst for lasting behaviour change, helping pull families and communities back together.
Pendle is the 36th most deprived district in the country, with the highest child food poverty rate at 43%; only 57% of adults are physically active (compared to 67% nationally in 2022/23); 40% are economically inactive; 1 in 5 have a limiting long-term illness or disability; and wellbeing is significantly lower than the UK average—WEMWBS score in December 2023 was 42 (sample size 218), compared to UK of 51.
This programme was developed in response, using public consultations via the Local Authority, Health and Wellbeing Partnership, partners, evaluations, and focus groups:-
Good Life Project – A therapeutic horticulture and creativity initiative for individuals with mental ill-health, isolation and physical inactivity. It offers a holistic programme combining food growing, healthy eating, physical activity, creative expression, and social connection. Set in an established allotment site, it empowers participants to reconnect with nature, nourish their bodies, and explore creativity in a supportive outdoor setting. With 14 years of success, it helps residents build skills and confidence to re-engage with their community and improve wellbeing.
Arts for Wellbeing – A multidisciplinary initiative supporting mental health, social connection, and physical activity through creative engagement. It includes visual arts, music, movement, writing, and drama workshops led by professional artists. Open to all, it focuses on those facing isolation, anxiety, low self-esteem, or addiction. Participants explore self-expression through painting, storytelling, and theatre, fostering resilience and belonging. Emphasising process over product, it promotes mindfulness and growth. In partnership with Elisha House Recovery Community, men in recovery performed The Thread of Hope to 550 people at the Muni Theatre https://youtu.be/xGHUJhrEVLI, helping reduce addiction stigma. “It made me feel part of the community.” “I enrolled in college to pursue my dreams.”
Exhibitions and performances celebrated participants’ journeys and built community pride.
The Trust is recognised for its inclusive approach in supporting diverse community services, especially traditionally hard-to-reach and vulnerable groups in deprived wards. With our fantastic partners and PCNs, we promoted the programme (via online campaigns, accessible materials, and flyers in key areas) and delivered it across Pendle to ensure inclusivity.
Referrals came through self-referral, frontline, and primary care workers, with sessions delivered in both East and West PCNs (1937 participants). The Good Life also supported future GPs/Doctors through hands-on, community-based placements that benefited students and the wider community.
A mixed-method evaluation (surveys, interviews, focus groups, staff/artists’ reflections) showed positive outcomes across wellbeing measures (Warwick Edinburgh scale and GPAQ). Wellbeing scores rose by 10 points, with improvements in life satisfaction, physical activity, social connection, and happiness. 68% of participants were disabled, and 66% lived in the UK’s most deprived areas. Sessions were accessible and welcoming. The Thread of Hope performance had a powerful impact, sparking further performances, community dialogue, and future school-based work.
The evaluation concluded the programme significantly improved mental health, confidence, and social connection, while increasing physical activity by ‘stealth.’
“My son loves attending. It sets the foundation for a healthy and meaningful relationship with food; from soil to plate.”
“The memory of this will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
“A natural high and therapeutic experience to share my story.”
The evaluation shows that beneficiaries value the safe, secure, non-judgmental, non-medical and unpressured space at Good Life as well as growing over two tonnes of food for the local food banks. It’s no surprise that it has full support from local Mental Health Teams and complements their services.
We’ve established the programme’s value in terms of public health benefit and health economics.
With 1937 participants, wellbeing scores rose by 10 points, with improvements in life satisfaction, physical activity, social connection, and happiness.
Feedback from participants
“I had problems with my heart. Before that I used to go to the gym every day, climb Pendle Hill. Luckily, I came here and that’s how I survived.”
“I love it here. It gets me out of the house and off my bum. You can’t sit on your bum and drink tea all day.”
“I feel a healthier since I’ve been coming here; it keeps my heart ticking. When you have an illness the best thing for you is diet and exercise.”
“I don’t use my inhaler as much. He’s noticed I’m a more energised person. I’m more confident to go out to places too.”
“Thread of Hope allowed me to witness the struggles of others, and share my own in a safe and creative way, allowed me to accept that “being an addict is part of who I am, but I am not this scumbag, this worthless piece of whatever, it does not have to define who I am.”
“I can be sensitive, I can be vulnerable, I can push myself…It has been graft at times, especially when there’s like a lot of big fellas around, and I was very vulnerable at the time, and really scared.”
“I just encourage anyone to challenge themselves…to actually take a leap of faith…at first it starts out as blind faith…then you start to grow into it.”
“That for once, finally, I can be proud of what I have achieved. That for the first time in my life, I was doing something that was so powerful and good…I felt proud of the guys out there…and I felt proud to be me.”
Our evaluation concluded that the programme has made a significant impact on participants’ mental health, confidence, connection to others, increased physical activity and improved overall wellbeing. To build on this success and bring our work to the wider community, we are expanding partnerships with schools, family hubs, care homes and health services; improving referral pathways (particularly with health professionals); and continuing to develop innovative, accessible activities that support those most in need.
We are reaching out to schools with the Thread of Hope, a powerful tool to educate and address current drug trends among young people. Since June 25 we have delivered three pioneering theatre performances enabling men from Elisha House Recovery Community, together with the audience, to explore addiction. Key focuses include the experiences of parents of young people who are addicts or at risk. We aim to bring these to schools across the district so children can see the impact of drugs and alcohol first hand.
Good Life is collaborating with local organisations to increase activities and develop the extensive allotment site. An enlarged outdoor classroom has been built by volunteers and community donations to enable larger group activities and hire by companies/organisations for team building and wellness days. This will aid sustainability and allow cross-sector collaboration to help us reach the wider community and beyond.
Long-term funding is being sourced through the Trust’s Grant Funding Manager from various sources, including the health sector. We are also further developing our established volunteer programme and increasing their skills set to support our futures plans.
