Get Ready for a Healthier Summer: Free Wellbeing Festivals Across Cornwall

A new campaign aimed at promoting health and wellbeing, called ‘Healthier Together’, is set to launch this summer in Cornwall. To celebrate the launch, eight free summer wellbeing festivals are being organised across various locations, offering a blend of fun and informative activities for local residents.

Festival Locations and Dates

The family-friendly festivals, supported by NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, Healthy Cornwall, community hubs, town councils, and other partners, are scheduled as follows:

• Redruth Rugby Club and CN4C at The Elms: Saturday 3rd August
• Park House Centre, Bude: Saturday 3rd August
• Humphry Davy School and Trelya, Penzance: Friday 9th August
• Poltair Park and CN4C at The One and All Bank, St Austell: Saturday 17th August
• Town Hall, Launceston: Saturday 17th August
• Hayle Recreation Ground: Saturday 14th September
• Basset Centre, Camborne: Saturday 14th September
• Newquay Orchard: Saturday 21st September

What to Expect at the Festivals

The festivals are designed to engage the community with five key themes:

1. Get Checked: Offering health checks and advice from the NHS.
2. Eat Well: Providing information about balanced diets.
3. Move More: Featuring taster sessions and advice from Healthy Cornwall and friends.
4. Try New Things: Opportunities to learn new skills and volunteer with Volunteer Cornwall.
5. Be Kind: Focusing on mental health with support from NHS Talking Therapies and local groups.

Ruth Goldstein, Assistant Director of Public Health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, emphasised the importance of the campaign, stating, “The healthier we become, the better we feel both physically and mentally. We hope through this campaign and our summer wellbeing festival events that we will inspire more local people to start looking after their own wellbeing and living the best lives they can.”

Local Organisers Share Their Excitement

Each location has unique activities planned, promising a wide range of entertainment and health-focused experiences:

• Redruth and St Austell: Emma Lankford, Centre Manager at Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change, is enthusiastic about the events, highlighting the variety of fun activities planned, including games, storytelling, and live entertainment.
• Bude: Lorraine Corrigan-Turner, local councillor, and organiser, noted the diverse activities such as chair-based fitness, dancing, mini beauty treatments, and magic, along with essential health checks and advice.
• Penzance: Organisers are excited to offer a mix of demonstrations, hands-on activities, and exhibitors showcasing ways to improve wellbeing at Humphry Davy School and Trelya, close to the seafront.
• Launceston: Mayor Helen Bailey looks forward to welcoming people to a day filled with activities like Lego building, art sessions, face painting, virtual reality, and mental health resources, among others.
• Hayle: Julie Baldwin, Projects and Events Officer, announced new additions like a vegan and vegetarian Ready Steady Cook challenge, and various activities highlighting local health and wellbeing resources.
• Newquay: Charlotte Hill, Chief Executive of Newquay Community Orchard, invites the community to engage in activities like creating seed bombs, bug hunts, kids’ activities, and enjoying food made from locally grown vegetables.

Susan Bracefield, Chief Nursing Officer of NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board, encouraged everyone to participate, saying, “Preventing illness and looking after your future health is so important, as it benefits you and your family. That’s why we want people to get involved in our Healthier Together campaign and come along to a summer wellbeing festival event happening near them.”

For more details about the Healthier Together campaign and the summer wellbeing festivals, visit the official website.