Northampton health care provider General Practice Alliance is set to join forces with Delapré Abbey’s new Wellbeing Hub in Spring 2025, when it will move into a renovated stable block within the grounds of the Abbey.
General Practice Alliance, which provides health care professional support for registered patients at 21 GP practices across Northampton, has been announced as a new partner for the hub.
Dan Kane, CEO of General Practice Alliance, said: “It’s a great fit, collaborating ‘in situ’ with Delapré’s Wellbeing Hub from 2025, as GPA promotes and endorses a bio-psycho-social approach to health care.
“This approach, put simply, is all about helping and encouraging people to become more aware of their own psychological, behavioural, social and cultural beliefs and attitudes, and draw upon these to develop a healthier, more active, potentially happier lifestyle. Research proves this can lead to a longer, more fulfilled, life.”
Richard Clinton, CEO of Delapré Abbey, commented: “Our wellbeing hub will be occupied by organisations and people dedicated to supporting and working with our local communities. This will be a space of positivity and support and we are delighted to unveil General Practice Alliance as one of our new partners.”
GPA’s Social Prescribers, who are located at GP practices across Northampton, will play a key role in the organisation’s move into the Abbey.
Dan added: “Social prescribing means referring patients to support in their own community, to improve their health and wellbeing. Working with our social prescribers, our collaboration with the Wellbeing Hub means that the people of Northampton can benefit from the many opportunities offered through Delapré’s cultural and artistic activities, programmes and pursuits.
“In turn, we are confident that GPA’s own links with healthcare providers, local authorities, community groups, voluntary sector organisations and leisure providers amongst others, will result in even more people experiencing improved health and wellbeing outcomes. It’s a win-win for our organisations, and even more so for the people of Northampton.”
£477,000 of development funding was awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2022 to help Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust progress their plans, and to further engage members of the community and partners.
This project aims to carry out essential restoration work on a number of buildings that are at risk, all of which sit within the grounds of the historic 12th century Abbey. Once complete, the project aims to improve the mental and physical health of local residents through green social prescribing, building on programmes to date such as Delapré Wellbeing and complementing the existing visitor attraction.
The project will also aim to create 42 jobs and support a thriving visitor economy. The development of the site will allow investment through a social return in creative, physical and mindful wellbeing programmes, working with numerous partners and cementing Delapré Abbey as a key community asset in improving wellbeing.
Early work to develop the feasibility plans and options appraisals for the project has been funded by Architectural Heritage Fund through their Project Development Grant Cultural Recovery Programme.
