Creative Health Lead – Summer Roundup

Image Credit: David Shrigley

It’s been a busy summer for Claire as she continues her work as Creative Health & Equity Lead, across Norfolk & Suffolk.

June saw her present at the Broads Heritage Partnership-The Future of Accessible and Inclusive Heritage workshop. The workshop is a vital part of their mission to unlock significant external funding and develop an ambitious bid for Landscape Connections. During the workshop, her presentation aimed to establish equity into the foundation for long-term stewardship of the Broads, exploring how to make the Broads more accessible to visitors and local communities, and ensuring that diverse voices are at the heart of efforts to build a more inclusive heritage landscape.

An invitation to attend continuous professional development (CPD), at West Suffolk Hospital, saw Claire undertake Health Coaching Training. In line with the NHS commitment towards personalised care, Health coaching is used by health and care professionals to support people to take greater responsibility for their own health and care needs. Those trained in health coaching aim to engage in shared decision-making with those they support, actively seeking to give people the knowledge, skills and confidence to set and achieve their own goals for their health and care. Training alongside Health and Social Care professionals, allows for greater knowledge sharing of our respective skills and professional experiences as well as developing a shared understanding of best practice within our sectors.

Claire was also invited to participate in the Norwich Cultural Vitality Lab. The Centre for Cultural Value is launching Cultural Vitality Labs, a new programme designed to test and refine the Cultural Indicator Suite in real-world settings across the UK and internationally.

Image credit – Andi Sapey

Cultural Vitality Labs move cultural vitality research from theory into practice, working directly with local partners to explore how cultural indicators can meaningfully inform policy, planning and community decision-making.

The end of June saw Claire attend the Clinical Learning & Exchange Conference at the James Paget University Hospital. The conference had a number of speakers, from organisations including NHS England and the University of East Anglia, talking about subjects including Interprofessional Education and Collaboration, Workforce Development and Retention, and Supporting Student Wellbeing During Practice Placements. The insights gained from attending will feed into the Region of Creative Health (RoCH) initiative.

Image credit – Claire Atherton

July saw the start of the Norfolk & Suffolk Creative Health Region Place Partnership project (RoCH) with an initial steering group meeting at DanceEast. Funding with a total project value of £1million, including £350,000 investment from Arts Council England has unlocked a further £250,000 in funding and £500,000 in time, capacity, resource, and expertise.

This multi-partner project will work across cultural, creative, health, social care, education and innovation sectors to bring the health and wellbeing benefits of culture and creativity to more people. Click here to read the full Creative Health Region Funding announcement.

For the first time ever, the Norfolk and Suffolk Healthcare Expo featured a Creative Health Zone, showcasing the work being undertaken across the regions, to a Health and Social Care audience. Keynote speaker and T.V Presenter Michaela Strachan spent time in the Creative Health zone, exploring the fantastic work being delivered across Norfolk and Suffolk, from non-clinical interventions such as Dance East’s, Dance for Parkinson’s programme, to Suffolk Artlink’s, Re<Charge social prescribing wellbeing programme, and Suffolk Community Libraries Creative Health Associate Artists exploring the potential of community health interventions that connect with and are inspired by environmental advocacy.

Image credit – Claire Atherton

During July, Claire also paid a visit to Derby, to attend a Culture Health & Wellbeing Alliance, Community of practice. Communities of practice (CoPs) are networks of professionals that share common goals or interests. CoPs can be sources of knowledge, learning and support (NHS England). Together insight from each of the Creative Health Leads working practices and specialities of place was shared, whilst also discussing the upcoming Common Ground conference, which will run from 7-9 October 2026 at Barnsley Civic.

July also provided a much-needed period of annual leave, a valuable opportunity to step away from work, rest, and reflect on what had been achieved during the first year. This break came ahead of what Claire anticipates will be a busy period of growth as RoCH work begins.

You can read the Creative Health Lead – May RoundUp here.

For ways to add your voice to the Creative Health ecosystem, join the new Creative Health Interest Meetings (CHIMe) and/or sign up to the Norfolk & Suffolk Creative Health Mailing List to be kept informed of developments happening across the regions.