Award-winning Eat Well Spend Less

The incredibly successful Eat Well Spend Less roadshows received recognition at the Healthwatch Awards last month. The roadshows were part of a wider ‘Winter Well Events’ programme which received an award for excellence in collaboration.

The roadshows started back in 2022 and bring together a range of partner organisations including frontline NHS staff and Ashford Borough Council (ABC) officers, outreach organisations and charities, in one easy-to-access place.

They provide practical advice, information and support in key areas such as: healthy eating on a budget, health checks and MOTs, benefits advice, support available from food banks and other voluntary sector provisions.

Co-ordinated by ABC, the number of partners from a wide range of support services and charities has increased dramatically since those first few events two years ago, with over 20 different organisations at the most recent event.

Cllr Liz Wright, Cabinet Member for Communities and Health said: “It takes a lot of work to organise the Eat Well Spend Less events, co-ordinating a range of staff from different services and organisations, enabling them to engage with residents and local community all in one place. It’s wonderful to see this collaborative work has now been recognised.

“These roadshows are a great opportunity for people to get advice on how to save money and improve their health. The support they provide to residents, who may not know such assistance is available to them, empowers them to make positive changes to their health and wellbeing.”

Future Eat Well Spend Less events:

(more details, including times will be available on our website and Facebook page nearer to the events)

• Wednesday 12 June at St Mildred’s Church, Church Road, Tenterden, TN30 6AT
• Wednesday 7 August at Singleton Village Hall, Hoxton Close, TN23 5LB
• Thursday 19 September Repton Connect Community Centre, Repton Avenue, TN23 3RX

The Eat Well Spend Less project is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.

For more information, visit www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus