The Netherton Feelgood Factory is a community-led healthy living centre. The organisation operates in a recognised area of deprivation and uses a community development approach to enable local people to improve their health, well being and quality of life. The Feelgood Factory objectives are to reduce health inequalities by:
Improving access to services and information,
Developing and providing activities and services to encourage healthier lifestyles, improve health and well being and prevent illness,
Developing initiatives to meet local needs.
The Feelgood Factory is based in a purpose-built facility that was opened in 2004 after planning and fundraising by the local community. The centre acts as a one-stop shop for advice services and also provides a range of health-related activities for all ages.
The Feelgood factory’s main areas of work are within the more deprived areas in South Sefton and our main aim is to improve health and quality of life in these area. For instance in our local ward a third of children are living in low-income families, 25% of the population are living on benefits, and people on average live five years less than the average in England. The challenges are considerable but we work with the community to develop flexible and innovative programmes to meet them.
The Feelgood Factory provides services for the whole community, from childhood to old age in order to promote health and well-being in the most holistic way possible. Our programmes of activities are delivered both in the centre and, through outreach work, elsewhere in the area. The normal range of activities includes:
Advice and Information services..
Healthy Living activities for the whole community that concentrate on physical exercises, weight management and food and nutrition.
Breast Start which provides a comprehensive service to support and encourage breast feeding.
The Young People’s Project which links in with local schools and youth clubs and provides health programmes and volunteering opportunities.
Mental health activities including a drop-in to support people with more severe and enduring mental health issues and programmes to promote good mental health.
Older Person’s Project which provides a range of practical services to help older people stay safe and well both by providing support in their own home and through activities in the centre.
Social Isolation Programmes which aim to help combat loneliness in the area through befriending and supporting group activities.
