Shipston aims to become a ‘Healthy Town’

The Town Council has endorsed proposals to seek ‘Healthy Town’ status for Shipston.

According to Healthy Bicester, ‘healthy towns’ “involve individual residents, workplaces and employers, schools and nurseries, clubs, associations, volunteers and health and care services who are all working together to enable and support people to live healthier lives and to promote their wellbeing”.

While national efforts to create healthy new towns are focusing on ten ‘demonstrator sites’ Bryan Stoten, Chair of the Ellen Badger League of Friends has challenged Shipston to attain the status of a ‘healthy town’ with the expansion of the hospital, including a wellness hub, and location of the new medical centre on the site being at the heart of the initiative.

A number of community groups and associations have already come together to set up the Stour Partnership Against Social Isolation and Loneliness (SPASIL), including Rotary, the Lions, SCAN, the League of Friends, Shipston Medical Centre as well as Warwickshire County Council and Stratford District Council.

The next step is to expand SPASIL into a Health and Wellbeing Partnership (HWP), which will allow a wide range of community groups to get involved. The new HWP will develop a health and wellbeing strategy, taking into account the emerging priorities arising from current plans and consultations.

Shipston Town Council has nominated two representatives to join the partnership. For more information about this initiative, please contact Trevor Russel on 01608 662514/ 07771 855214 or t.w.russel@hotmail.com

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