As we get older, staying healthy isn’t just about hospital appointments or prescriptions. It’s about feeling connected, confident, active and supported in everyday life. That’s exactly what Staying Well in Calderdale is all about.
What is Staying Well?
Staying Well is a community-based health and wellbeing programme designed to help people stay well for longer – and to prevent the need for more intensive NHS or adult social care services wherever possible.
Rather than waiting until someone reaches crisis point, Staying Well focuses on early support. It works within local neighbourhoods, building on the strengths of communities and helping residents access the right support at the right time.
The programme is built around ten outcomes that local partners and residents have identified as key to good wellbeing. These include:
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Feeling connected to family, friends and the local community
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Feeling that you belong
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Having control over your life
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Being as active as you want to be
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Spending time outdoors or in nature
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Having a sense of purpose
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Feeling safe
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Managing financially without constant worry
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Getting support in the way that suits you
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Being as healthy and well as you can be
These aren’t just “nice ideas” – they are proven to reduce loneliness, improve confidence and lower demand on health and care services.
What kind of support is available?
Staying Well offers practical, friendly and neighbourhood-based support. This can include:
Befriending services
Loneliness can affect anyone, especially after retirement, bereavement or illness. Staying Well delivers befriending support to help people feel less isolated and more connected.
Local health and wellbeing activities
Community Anchors develop activities based on what local people actually need. This might include gentle exercise, social groups, learning opportunities or wellbeing sessions.
Connecting you to the right help
If you are living with a health condition, feeling low in confidence, or unsure where to turn, Staying Well can link you to appropriate neighbourhood services.
Building confidence and independence
The approach is about empowerment. Rather than creating dependency, the team helps people build skills, confidence and community links so the benefits last beyond the initial support.
For example, you might be supported to:
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Access income maximisation advice
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Find housing or employment support
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Explore volunteering opportunities
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Join local community groups
A proven track record
Many people will remember the vital role Staying Well played during the pandemic. When lockdowns left many older residents isolated at home, the service set up and ran a telephone befriending programme for those who were shielding or clinically extremely vulnerable.
They also created networks of Community Covid Champions, local volunteers who helped share trusted information about infection prevention and vaccination. It was a powerful example of community working together to protect and support one another.
Who runs Staying Well?
Staying Well is delivered by Calderdale’s Community Anchors in partnership with Calderdale Council and the local NHS. Community Anchors are trusted voluntary and community organisations rooted in their neighbourhoods.
The service is provided locally by:
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North Halifax Partnership – North Halifax and Brighouse
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Halifax Opportunities Trust – Central Halifax
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Hebden Bridge Community Association – Upper Calder Valley and Ryburn areas.
Why this matters for people over 50
If you’re over 50, you may be:
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Adjusting to retirement
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Supporting a partner with health needs
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Living with a long-term condition
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Feeling less confident about getting out and about
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Or simply looking for new connections and purpose
Staying Well recognises that health is about much more than medical care. It’s about belonging, confidence, purpose and practical support.
If you or someone you know could benefit from community-based wellbeing support, Staying Well may be a helpful first step. It’s local, friendly and designed around what matters most to residents.
Because staying well isn’t just about adding years to life – it’s about adding life to years.
