Projects/Partners

Following the successful development of the Library Of Lived Experience in 2023 , Community Roots in partnership with Lancaster University, are developing a Library of Lived Experience (LLE) for LSCft.

A Living Library is a space where people come together to talk openly about things that are important to them. This usually involves people, called Books, putting themselves forward to talk about their personal experience in a short discussion with people visiting the event, called Readers.

Our commitment to our Books will ensure individuals feel supported and their stories valued, building connections across our community to feel heard. You will be supported to educate others in ‘human’ language, sharing hope and finding common ground in what can often feel marginalised experiences, whilst challenging mental health and diversity stigma.

If you would like to know more about training as a Book or Librarian, please email us or complete the Expression of Interest form

Our partnership alongside Citizens has allowed us to better listen to the communities that we serve. Citizen’s community organising methodology works on the principles of building power within communities and developing leaders. The aim of this is to build relationships and empower people to tackle the issues that matter to them. Through this partnership, we are better able to understand the issues faced by our communities and to work alongside them to build power and take action to change things for the better. Our recent actions have included a community walk in which we walked some of the local area with 40 residents to help us better understand the issues facing them every day. We have also held meetings with local MP’s and councillors as well as an assembly to gain their commitment to working towards Preston becoming a real living wage city.

A partnership with NHS Charities Together will support the recovery college to improve the lives of patients, and build healthier communities. NHS charities reach every corner of the UK, so by partnering with them can help us to reach to those that need it most, in Lancashire and South Cumbria, every day of the year. NHS Charities Together are an independent charity helping the NHS go further by listening to local teams and investing in great ideas that mean better health and care for NHS staff, volunteers and patients.

The funding will support the health and wellbeing of people in the community, to ease the pressures off our hospitals. Whether it’s through exercise, diet, or by bringing people together – we can help prevent people from getting seriously ill or needing long term support. This project will focus on continued engagement, consultation and co-production of our approach, ensuring the services delivered are consistently responding to the needs of our staff, and service users as we recover from the impacts of Covid-19.

This partnership drives us to be the best we can be so we can help the NHS in Lancashire and South Cumbria go further for the benefit of staff and patients at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust and the local community. LSCft are one of the Trusts who have since applied for and received grants from NHS Charities together to help us provide the extra support needed to care for our NHS staff, patients and community across Lancashire and South Cumbria

Thanks to the incredible grants received from NHS Charities Together, further staff health and wellbeing projects and initiatives will be undertaken over the coming year.