How Community Connectors, Social Prescriber Link Workers, and primary care are working together with village and church halls in rural areas around Grantham.

To celebrate Village Halls Week (16 - 22 March) and Social Prescribing Day (26 March), Jo Taylor (Community Connector), Anna Chapman (Community Coordinator), and Stephen Frankland (Social Prescriber Link Worker) talk to Caty about the importance of listening to people and working together to help shape preventative healthcare.

By working with people, village halls, and other community partners, they've developed a thriving network of easily accessible wellbeing groups, particularly in rural areas.

Their story is an example of the power of collaboration at neighbourhood and village level, enabling each partner to do what they’re good at to achieve health outcomes that no-one could do alone.

It’s also Our Shared Agreement in action - a demonstration of what can happen when we ‘work together for the wellbeing of everyone’ and ‘make the most of what’s available to us’!

As Jo says, “Without the village halls and church halls, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do!”.

Listen to our other podcasts exploring Social Prescribing:

Ep 9. Social Prescribing and Care Coordination

Ep 77. Apex PCN - What difference does social prescribing really make?

In this episode we explore neurodiversity through the lens of lived experience. Hosts Ela and Ed spoke with parents Dan and Ela about their journey raising their son Dexter, who has a diagnosis of autism. Together they share an honest and powerful conversation about family life, the realities of navigating education and support systems, and the joys and challenges of parenting a neurodivergent child.

Through their story, you’ll gain insight into resilience, advocacy, and the importance of understanding and embracing individual differences in children and families.

In the closing section of the episode, Ela reflects on how Dan and Ela’s experiences align with the Our Shared Agreement Five Foundations, highlighting the importance of being prepared to do things differently, understanding what matters to individuals, and working together to support wellbeing. Ela emphasises how professionals can learn from families’ lived experiences, ensuring support is built with people, not just for them.

Have a listen to our conversation with Gina, Paul, and Lola, who helped create engaging, practical resources designed to build dementia prevention knowledge and awareness, not only for health and care professionals, but also people, from young children to students to those in midlife.

Their message is clear: what’s good for your heart is good for your brain - at every age.

Discover practical steps you can take to reduce your risk, and hear how the team worked closely together, taking time, care and feedback, to shape resources that truly meet people’s needs and make a real difference.

Gina Thompson is Dementia Transformation Programme Lead at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Paul Johnson is a Public Health Officer at Lincolnshire County Council

Lola Peel is an Occupational Therapist at Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust