Wellbeing Map of Bourne produced by Art Pop-up and Don't Lose Hope
A map showing all the different places to go for fun and company in the community has been created by an artist.
Sam Roddan has designed the Wellbeing Map of Bourne in conjunction with the town’s mental health, wellbeing and counselling charity, Don’t Lose Hope.
Sam, director of Art Pop-up, produced a similar map for Stamford last year, which was in partnership with the charity MindSpace Stamford.
She said feedback had been “incredibly positive” and that the people involved in talking about the places and people highlighted by the map had enjoyed having the opportunity to discuss their passions in the town.
The pandemic, Sam realises, had a really negative impact on people’s wellbeing and took away the opportunity to connect with others. She hopes the map she has designed will be able to help mend this.
A launch event with about 60 people attending took place in the Don’t Lose Hope’s community garden.
Nicola Brister, the founder of Don’t Lose Hope and research lead, said: “I think people are quite impressed.
“It was good that all of the organisations in Bourne could work together on this project.”
Research started in January, with residents being asked what their favourite places to go in Bourne were, that have a positive impact on their mental health.
Online forms asked people where they spent their free time, and where they had met new people in the town.
Places on the map include the Old Town Hall on North Street, the Wellhead Park and Memorial Gardens, Bourne Wood and the Elsea Park Community Centre.
“The map is really made by local people for local people,” Sam said.
“It is signposting where people can go to make connections, which is really important for positive mental health.”
A number of free guided walks have taken place this week with the aim of exploring places on the new map.
Led by Dom Brister, the emphasis was on talking, rather than walking a distance or at speed, and letting people know what is out there in Bourne.
Sam said: “It was incredibly important to partner with Don’t Lose Hope so we could tailor the map to the area.
“A lot of people didn’t realise that they needed this and so far so good. Everyone is saying that this is just what the town needed.”
The map will be distributed around the town and through various hubs as a leaflet and it is free for anyone to pick up and take away.
Nicola said: “It is all about wellbeing and signposting all of the organisations that are available in Bourne.”
The project, which was started in December, was funded by the Mental Health Promotion Fund, a collaboration between Lincolnshire County Council, NHS Lincolnshire and Shine Lincolnshire.
