CHP’s Buildings at the Heart of the Community initiative continues to flourish, fostering strong connections between our centres, our tenants, and the communities we serve.
This past year saw a significant increase in community-based events with an incredible 45k events taking place across our estate, more than double the amount seen in the previous year, demonstrating the vibrant community engagement within our buildings as we work to help build stronger, more resilient communities.
The Social Value generated by these community initiatives rose from £1.3m to an incredible £2.9m.
We have continued to measure our Social Value using the National TOMs Framework and in our 3rd year we saw our Social and Local Economic Value rise by 32%, from £38.5m last year to £50.8m as we continue to reach beyond the walls of our buildings and into the communities we serve.
CHP’s social value projects aim to keep wellbeing and good health, such as loneliness, preventative checks such as regular blood pressure checking, social prescribing and economic advice and support in the heart of the neighbourhoods we serve.
Local employment
£6m
Staff Support
£68k
Local Employment
Unlocked
£45m
Sustainability
Initiatives
£287k
CO2 Reductions
£400k
AccessAble
£112k
Buildings at the Heart of the Community
£2.9m
Donations
£10k
Vounteering
£10k
Healthier
Communities
£400k
Total Social Value
£50.8m
The figures have been independently verified by Social Value Portal and some of the activities that contributed to this total are:-
- Buildings at the Heart of the Community: This program contributed £2.9 million in social value through activities like health awareness days, community events, gardens, and artwork installations.
- Volunteering Program: In its inaugural year, the program generated £10,000 in social value. 49 CHP colleagues volunteered over 500 hours in their communities.
- AccessAble: £112,000 in social value was delivered through accessibility improvements at our sites, making them more inclusive for all.
- Local Employment: A significant contributor to social value (£44 million), local employment fosters community growth, reduces poverty, and strengthens social cohesion – all important aspects in putting our buildings at the heart of the community.
- Healthier Communities: The creation of a dental school in Kenworthy to address the shortage of NHS Dentistry in North East London generated £3.2m in social value.
Below are some fantastic examples of our Buildings at the Heart of the Community Events:
Tai Chi /Qi Gong Group Sessions Biddulph Medical Centre
The Primary Care Network Occupational Therapy Team has been running Tai Chi / Qi Gong Sessions at Biddulph Medical Centre for patients who have been referred to Occupational Therapy for a variety of conditions that have started to impact on their daily activities and quality of life.
Tai Chi/Qi Gong, a mind-body exercise therapy, is typically used to manage chronic pain conditions.
During the exercises, the slow motion and weight shifting may improve musculoskeletal strength and joint stability. Concentration and mindfulness meditation may modulate multiple aspects of health including mood, functions of the immune & autonomic nervous systems.
Liverpool Uni Law Department Starts New Pop up Advice Stand at St Chads
Students from the Law Department at Liverpool University have been running ‘pop up’ advice sessions at St Chads for all those using the centre.
Final year law students are available to provide “work and welfare” advice sessions every Wednesday afternoon from 1pm to 5pm and Friday mornings from 9am to 1pm.
Sessions have been very well received in the local community and this project is a fantastic example of what our buildings can be used for.
Social Prescribing Event at Thornbury Medical Centre
A team of social prescribers connected to Thornbury Medical Centre, Hillside Bridge and Undercliffe Health Centres in Bradford held an event at Thornbury centre to celebrate international women’s day and social prescribing day in March.
The event was held to support the community of Thornbury and surrounding areas and covered a range of issues such as, ways to improving health and wellbeing, making healthy lifestyle choices as well as advice on employment, training and volunteering.
Volunteering activities at CHP
June 2023 saw the launch of CHPs first ever volunteering programme and throughout the year, 20% of CHP’s workforce rolled up their sleeves to help a number of community groups and charities. CHP colleagues spent over 500 hours volunteering, and the following are just a selection of the events that took place this year.
AccessAble Site Enhancements
Our Property and Operations team, in collaboration with LIFTCos, prioritised accessibility enhancements throughout the year. Guided by the AccessAble Best Practice Guides, improvements valued at £112k were implemented, bringing the total investment in accessibility to £400,000 since 2021. These enhancements range from automatic doors and lowered hooks in accessible toilets, to contrasting toilet seats, ensuring a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all visitors.
As part of our continuous improvement to our CHP sites, we continue to work to ensure our sites cater for everyone, especially those who have a disability and we work hard to make sure less able visitors are aware of the additional material and support that is available ahead of a visit.
CHP remains committed to ensuring our buildings serve as central hubs within the communities they occupy, fostering inclusivity and accessibility for everyone. We will continue to develop and implement initiatives that strengthen these vital connections.
You can find out more on our ‘in communities’ page.
If you would like to contact us, please email us at this address communityspaces@communityhealthpartnerships.co.uk to start the conversation.
Read our updated CSR strategy: Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy (September 2024)
Find out more about Buildings at the Heart of the Community
CHP’s Buildings at the Heart of the Community initiative aims to encourage local community groups and charities to make the most of our buildings by enabling the use of space in our centres to host health and wellbeing related events.
