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Heart & Soul 20-21

Waymarking C.I.C. worked in close collaboration with MCRactive to develop the Heart & Soul programme. A small co-design group was formed in Spring 2020, and worked online throughout the first few months of the pandemic to develop the programme together (Janice Wilson of Tone & Trim Community Gym and Emma Farrell from Buzz). A trial phase of participatory, engaging workshops was launched in 2020 with 15 participants a series of indoor workshops exploring the research question ‘What could a healthier Woodhouse Park look like?’, taking place at Main Hall, The Forum, Civic Centre, Wythenshawe.

 

Following the lock-down of Autumn 2020/Spring 2021 – the workshops we relaunched in a dedicated Heart & Soul workshop space, in The Forum. 23 participants took part in 11 workshops from June to August 2021, exploring what health means to them, having conversations about issues in Woodhouse Park including themes such as community, healthy food, nature & environment and high street & jobs. The participants began to look for evidence by going for walks in the area, they analysed their evidence and devised a series of ideas forming a Vision for Healthier Woodhouse Park.

In September a dedicated group of eight participants shared the Vision with 155 local residents, by holding a stall at four local venues, and capturing feedback on the Vision. In October we held a celebratory event for 40 people and following this, this committed group agreed to continue on as the Heart & Soul Community Research Team.

 

‘It’s changing our lives. And opening our eyes to our local area’.

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‘Being a resident I have identified several things lacking in the area and surrounding areas; and felt heard and valued.’

 

‘It’s given me multiple ways to share my thoughts and opinions, develop my ideas and produce something tangible with them. It’s facilitated different ways to talk about the things I’m passionate about.’

Workshop Participants

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Image credits: Sarah Spanton

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