£1million awarded to Oxfordshire community groups to tackle health inequalities 

Over 130 activities in ten priority areas across Oxfordshire have received a boost after being awarded Well Together funding.  

The Well Together programme offers grassroot groups financial and community development support to strengthen the work they are doing in helping people to make healthier choices for themselves and their families. A wide range of activities are taking place across the county that will benefit children, young people and adults.  

A small team of Community Capacity Builders (CCBs) have been raising awareness of Well Together over the last year and supporting groups through the application process. The team are building on their strong community connections to help groups monitor and measure the impact of the work as well as providing infrastructure support. 

Well Together funding has been distributed on a rolling basis, so all groups are at different stages of offering their activities. For some who received a grant earlier in 2024, their activities are now well underway. Some of these include: 

• Rose Hill Junior Youth Club who are delivering sessions for ages 5-16 focused on improving wellbeing and building friendships through nature, cooking and art activities.  

• South Oxford Community Centre hosts seated exercise classes with the opportunity to make friends in the community café afterwards. 

• Oxford Wood Recycling are holding Community Shed sessions, encouraging residents from nearby Caldecott to meet their neighbours while making, creating or dabbling with wood. 

• Banbury Young Homeless Project have been running sessions for 16–25-year-olds to promote mental wellbeing.  

• UCARE are providing expert advice on urological cancers to other groups funded through the programme.  

• SOFEA’s ‘pop-up’ community larders continue to run and expand to new locations. One visitor to Barton Community Larder said: “The staff are friendly and supportive and there are always fresh and tinned healthy vegetables and other food. I often use it to make soups and stir fry and other healthy recipes which I can enjoy throughout the week.” 

• PEEP baby group is running in Littlemore and one parent said: “Prior to attending this group, I didn’t know anyone in our local community. Now I feel a part of the community and regularly see other individuals from the group out and about. This has had a very positive impact on my mental health as I adjusted to becoming a mum.” 

 Well Together is delivered in partnership by OCVA and Community First Oxfordshire. The Programme is funded by the NHS BOB Integrated Care Board.

How does our work contribute to health and wellbeing across the county?

Health is more than just ‘not being ill’. As the WHO explains: “health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being” and staying well in daily life can help prevent illness.

There are lots of things which impact health, much more than just medical care (though this is crucial). Whether it’s a community dance class or a footpath to a nature reserve, our social and physical surroundings influence our wellbeing. If we are connected to people, encouraged to exercise, comfortable in our homes, and able to access healthcare, we are generally happier and healthier.

Here’s an infographic explaining how our work links to health:

Community First Oxfordshire, supporting healthy communities