New £250,000 funding boost to support children and young people’s health and wellbeing in North Somerset
Around 300 children and young people in North Somerset are set to benefit from a range of health and wellbeing activities thanks to a £250,000 funding boost from local health and care partners, including the local NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB), North Somerset Council and Sirona care & health.
Seven voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations have each received funding to deliver tailored programmes aimed at supporting healthy eating and improving mental wellbeing among children and young people across the area.
Starting this month (May), Creative Shift, Active Being, Wanted not Wasted, Jack Hazeldine Foundation, Brown Rock, Brandon Trust and Mothers for Mothers will all provide a range of bespoke activities including nature-based therapy, creative arts, physical activity, mentoring and counselling.
Schools, GPs, community organisations and other groups will be able to refer children and young people into these programmes.
David Moss, Locality Director for North Somerset at Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board ICB, said:
Supporting the health and wellbeing of children and young people is one of our top priorities, and this funding is a vital step to helping us achieve this in North Somerset.
It means we can work closely with local VCSE organisations who really understand the needs of their communities, enabling them to deliver programmes that will make a real difference to young people’s lives.
Seven grants totalling £150,000 for the 2025/26 financial year have been awarded to the seven VCSE organisations. An additional £100,000 has been earmarked for 2026/27, bringing the total investment to £250,000.
The funding was pooled from Sirona care & health, North Somerset Council and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB in response to needs identified by the local health and care system.
The programmes are designed to strengthen prevention and early intervention, and to support local goals around mental health and healthy eating.
The funding decisions were made through the new VCSE Brokerage Framework, which has been co-designed by the ICB and VCSE Alliance and piloted during 2024/2025. Two market engagement events attracted 22 proposals, with seven programmes selected for funding. This innovative framework provides a robust and inclusive way to get more funding to community organisations that deliver health and wellbeing activities.
ActiveBeing is one of the organisations that has received a grant for its ‘Team’ programme. The programme will give children and young people the opportunity to engage in therapeutic, creative, and nature-based activities that boost wellbeing.
Through these experiences, participants will build confidence, form social connections, and explore personal challenges while developing long-term tools for positive mental health.
Charlie Hartley-Hodge, Founder and Director of ActiveBeing, said:
We are extremely excited to have received funding through the VCSE Brokerage to deliver our ActiveTeam programme of activities to young people in the Clevedon area.
This funding means that we can enhance the community mental health offer for young people and provide therapeutic programmes of support to engage those who are most vulnerable in the area, and those who may be disconnected from schools or the local community due to their mental health.
This funding is part of a broader commitment by the NHS to reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes for children and young people, particularly those facing disadvantage or who are at greater risk of poor health.
The programmes also link to priorities in North Somerset’s Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-2029, including mental health and wellbeing and physical activity, alongside a shared ambition to reduce health inequalities.
Councillor Jenna Ho Marris, North Somerset Council’s Executive Member for Health, Homes and Equalities and Chair of North Somerset’s Health and Wellbeing Board, said:
Children and young people’s health and wellbeing is everyone’s business. Parents, carers and teachers have told us that more support is needed and at an earlier stage.
These programmes will provide a real boost, enabling young people to get help earlier while also investing in community organisations, which we hope will have a ripple effect. This is part of our plan for creating resilient and healthy neighbourhoods. Working together, we can go further to reduce inequalities.
The Health and Wellbeing Board are delighted to support these community programmes and we believe they will have an immediate impact.
David Moss added:
We are looking forward to the organisations starting their programmes of work and are confident we will see some really positive impacts for children and young people across North Somerset.