Growing strong: the Boscombe community project striving for physical and mental wellness

Ladies start their week in a positive way, with mindfulness Yoga. Image by Fiona Tew

Gav leading his personal training session. Image by Fiona Tew.

“Monday morning, when we do yoga, that is setting you up for the perfect week. It’s kind of incredible. We all have headphones on. You can just hear the music and the instructor. You’re outside in the park, it’s at its quietest point at that time of the morning.” The blissful wellness session that Fiona describes sounds like the closest thing to inner peace someone can achieve. The tranquil mindset that sets you up for a successful week ahead of you.

Boscombe, Bournemouth’s once quaint seaside town, known for being the home of the Cherries, it’s Victorian pier and the Boscombe chine, is unfortunately now notorious for placing in the top 1000 most deprived areas in the UK. Colloquially and comically known as Bos Vegas, the seaside resort has become synonymous with the less fortunate crowd of Bournemouth. But with the 8-year investment plan, Better Boscombe, and community projects now in full swing, the town shows promise of improvement.

ASPIRE was part of the European Regional Development Fund, an Interreg funded project across areas of England and France, commencing in the Summer of 2021. ASPIRE, which stands for Adding to Social capital and individual Potential In disadvantaged Region, received 7 million euros to be spent across Northern France and Southern England’s most deprived areas. Its aim was to support those in need with physical exercise, weight, and healthy eating, with the hope it would help mental health and unemployment.

This goal was hoping to be achieved through sessions such as dance-fit, boxercise, yoga, meditation, group PT, and gardening and cookery workshops. All funded through the EU grant and taught by willing people from these specific walks of life.

When the UK left the EU, many projects had their funding axed. The EU regional development fund pumped over 40 million pounds per year into community projects across the UK. The governments UK Prosperity fund, their replacement, commits only 57 million pounds split over two years – an over 20-million-pound short fall, with many applications for the money being denied, the BBC reports.

Fortunately for the local community, the Boscombe Community Wellbeing Project was created, an evolution from the ASPIRE Project. This new community project is built on the foundations of the former project and is still set on improving the physical and mental wellness of the locals through exercise, healthy eating, nature, and art.

ASPIRE ended in March of 2023, with the fund being severed due Brexit. Fiona Tew, co-owner of the local business, Bournemouth Wellbeing Experience, is a leader and figure head at the Boscombe Community Wellbeing Project and leads and coordinates multiple sessions. Fiona was introduced to the ASPIRE project as it was starting, explaining: “the coordinator that was working on the project contacted us and said ‘we're doing this big project, can you guys do anything to take part and help us out?’ So we got back to them and were like ‘yeah, actually we can do lots of things for you’”

When discussing the project, Fiona added: “We were probably with aspire for maybe a year and a half. Then ASPIRE finished in March and following that, basically all the providers were just like ‘Oh, my God, this is crazy that this is all going to finish. It all came to a stop when this is getting started’ – were just getting some real momentum and great attendance.”

BCP had a firm hand in the distribution of funds and how the EU funding was allocated, but since the abandonment of ASPIRE by BCP, Fiona said: “it's almost nothing really to do with them – completely separate from them now.”

The benefit of this is that the team behind the Community Wellbeing Project are now able lead the project in their own direction, focusing on what they think is important to the project. When asked about the momentum and future of the project Fiona said: “If anything, that momentum is absolutely still there, if not more so! I think because we're driving it now, were in charge, it's great! We've got control of that. We can kind of push that as much as we can.”

Funding was crucial to continuing the project. When it became the Boscombe Community Wellbeing Project, funding was found through Dorset Community Foundation and the National Lottery Community Fund. The National lottery has given over 14,611 grants with a total of 579.8 million pounds given to communities in need across the UK. With the Dorset Community Foundation granting over £800,000 amongst 633 different projects from 2021 to 2022.

Peaceful Ambiance from the Churchill Gardens. Image credit to Alfie Walker.

Fiona Tew, session leader and figurehead at Boscombe Community Wellbeing Project. Image credit to Fiona Tew.

“If you can dedicate some time for yourself, the people around you get a better version of you, you become a better friend, a better parent, better at work – it all has that knock on effect and it can be incredible. I always say “who doesn’t want to feel a little bit better.” Even the happiest person might want to feel a bit happier, get better, feel a little better. All this stuff, it does really, really help!”

- Fiona Tew

"To me it’s been immensely helpful. I've been coming for around 6 months now and mentally I'm stronger, yes, I'm still a big bloke, but I've lost a lot of weight, I'm mentally more alert and sleeping better, my relationship with my girls is better. Even talking to other guys here has helped me understand and build a better relationship with my daughter." - Simon Beyes, regular attendee of multiple of the Boscombe Community Wellbeing Project sessions.

“Katerina’s classes give me the opportunity to try different styles and skills, as well as being in a new social setting, it boosted my confidence and meant I have made friends that I will cherish. When ASPIRE ended I was heartbroken, but luckily we’ve been given the chance to continue attending and I’m grateful to all the people that make it happen.” – Gemma Moram, attendee of Katerina’s art session.

“Katerina’s and others sessions enhance my day and have really helped in improving my mental health. And it’s even helped with my physical health, motivating me to walk here every day. The session could be so helpful to many people, and it needs the funding and support to continue” – Phoenix Ford, regular attendee of multiple of the Boscombe Community Wellbeing Project sessions.

Katerina at one of her own personal art exhibitions. Image credit to Katerina Svetlikova.

Katerina at one of her own personal art exhibitions. Image credit to Katerina Svetlikova.

“Just because you can’t draw doesn’t mean that you don’t have a feeling for colour or shape or sculpting or crafting. There’s more to art than just black and white. It is about feeling. Many people just need the motivation to get out, and here we offer a gentle way to start that, we get people to start socialising or communicating.”

– Katerina Svetlikova, session leader at the Boscombe Community Wellbeing Project.

Churchill Gardens Growzone, part of the Boscombe Community Wellbeing Project. Image credit to Alfie Walker

Joy Cafe is the central hub of the whole project. Image credit to Alfie Walker.

Funding from these charities have now started to come to an end and the project requires further funding to keep the wellness flowing through Churchill Gardens. Regarding organisation, Fiona said: “We have regular team meetings to make sure that we're on track, and we're doing everything properly as a team. Luckily a couple of the guys are used to applying for different funds from other projects that they've done. So, from that perspective, it's great that we've got those kinds of people on our team.”

Fiona added: “Really our only obstacle is funding. Ideally it would be great to secure, like a long term, rather than having to work on a 12-week cycle. People like to know what they'll have and for how long. It would be amazing to be able to say to people ‘do you know what? This is going to go on for the next year.’”

Community projects are focused on good people doing good things to help those around them, particularly those less fortunate or with limited access. When asked why she helps run the sessions, Fiona said: “I think fitness and feeling good is so important. Everyone should have access to them, I think regardless of whether you can afford them or not.”

“It sounds really cliché, but just that helping people. We do the kind of the fitness the wellbeing sessions because I know how much it can help. Exercising, getting out, moving about, how much that supports your mental health as well as physical health can’t be understated.”

“We see people from all walks of life, with the fitness and wellbeing sessions or being creative can really help support you as a person – it can help you be healthier and happier.”

Katerina Svetlikova teaches the art sessions. The local artist originally from Czechia has a huge passion for art in her personal life and loves sharing her passion with others who come along to her session. With regards to getting involved Katerina said: “The information came up that ASPIRE were running this project and I was told I should make a proposal because art is good for the community and good for the local people and I was so happy that it got approved.”

Katerina also spoke about the abrupt end of ASPIRE and the funding for it to continue, saying: “It felt really strange to suddenly say to these people ‘okay, that’s it!’ But lucky thanks to the team and different charities we secured funding until the summer.”

Katerina added: “When you create these relationships and bonds, we just can’t finish it. You feel responsible for people. You know how much it means to them, and to us. It becomes more than just for fun.”

Katerina’s sessions focus on multiple mediums, and both acts as structured art classes and a relaxed environment. Katrina said: “When I started, I had a plan on what I want to teach, but I quickly realised that we have some people show, who I can’t push to do a particular thing. It’s better to let them do what they want and advise, encourage them and give them the opportunity to try new stuff. Finishing with: “It’s not about the final masterpiece, it’s about the experimenting with mediums and the journey.”

Churchill Gardens sign, unfortunately vandalized. Image credit to Alfie Walker

Katerina's art session taking place. Image credit to Alfie Walker

Churchill Gardens and the community cafe which sits in the centre is used as the main community hub and base of operations for the Boscombe Community Project. Image by Alfie Walker

The Boscombe Community Wellbeing project is valued greatly by the local community and the hard work of the session leaders can’t go unrecognised. Their hard work, organisation, and dedication to the project is admirable and with further funding on the horizon, the future looks bright for this seaside town. All the sessions are free and anyone is welcome to come along and join in on the wellbeing journey.

The Boscombe Community Wellbeing Project, Boscombe. 615 likes · 66 talking about this · 1 was here. A community hub in Churchill Gardens helping to improve the health and wellbeing of local residents.