Health Improvement Team
The BCUHB Health Improvement Team aim to empower the residents of Wrexham and Flint to engage with and embrace the value of health and wellbeing. We are a multi skilled team of health improvement practitioners who provide evidence based and sustainable health promotion/ health improvement initiatives to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities.
We work in partnership with the community and other agencies to reach as many community members as possible. We provide healthy lifestyle resources and advice for professionals and the community, targeting evidenced based health outcomes pertinent to these areas.
The BCUHB Health Improvement Team also offers schools access to free sessions around wellbeing, nutrition and physical activity to support teachers, pupils, parents and guardians.
Information about our groups
We run a number of different sessions and courses to help people improve their health and wellbeing:
Health boost
A 12-week programme to help you create the healthier lifestyle you deserve. The programme brings together nutrition, psychology and physical wellbeing. The course is in partnership with Freedom and gives you access to one gym class a week for £3 a session.
Kick start
A 6-week course to build healthier habits. A more condensed version of the Health Boost programme, which will cover nutrition, emotional wellbeing and physical activity.
Adult resilience
An 9-week course based on cognitive behavioural therapy to help build our resilience and develop positive coping tools. It looks at mindfulness, thoughts, assertiveness, coping with challenges, healthier lifestyles and preparing for future challenges.
Stress less
A 6-week course to learn more about stress; what it is, how it affects us and what we can do to reduce it. We will explore mindfulness, the stress response, communication, stress management, food and mood and positive psychology. Each session will end with a blend of chair Yoga and Tai Chi.
Come and cook
A 6-week practical cookery course which focuses on nutrition in a relaxed and friendly environment. Each week we make a meal together and then eat it at the end. All equipment and ingredients are provided and the meals can be altered to suit any allergies/ intolerances.
Batch cooking
A 3-week practical cookery course which focuses on batch cooking and reducing your food waste and bills in a relaxed and friendly environment. Each week we make a meal suitable for batch cooking together and then eat it at the end. All equipment and ingredients are provided and the meals can be altered to suit any allergies/ intolerances.
Food and mood
A 6-week course looking at how our emotions are closely linked to the foods and drinks we consume. We will explore the Eatwell guide, our stress response and how this links to food, our gut - brain axis and the emotional eating cycle. We will look at how all of this affects the relationship between how we feel and what we eat and drink. The final 2 weeks of the course will include how to make some healthy and low cost snack ideas.
Stretch and Tai Chi
An 8-week course consisting of around 20 minutes of chair/ standing stretching and 20 minutes low impact tai chi and finished off with a short guided relaxation. Each session aims to build core strength and balance, as well as improve mobility.
F.I.T. (Fitness, Inclusive, Together)
A free 8-week exercise programme for all abilities. Improve your mobility, strength, balance and confidence with gentle stretches, resistance work, Tai Chi and we end each session with some guided relaxation and breathing.
Take 5
A weekly space for expecting parents/ carers and those with babies under 1, to take a break. Being pregnant or having a small baby can be quite lonely at times. Come and join us for a free brew and some toast, and chat with other parents/ carers.
Pregnancy yoga
A 6-week course for women in all trimesters, to help ease aches and pains and help you feel more comfortable in your body. Each session will end with a brew and a chat with other mums to be. All props are provided.
Yoga with baby
A 6-week course for babies from 10 weeks until crawling. The sessions aim to reduce aches and stiffness and rebuild your core, while being a great bonding time with your baby. Each session will end with a brew and a chat with other parents.
Introducing solid foods
A one off 1 hour session that will focus on when is the best time to introduce solid food, as well as what to offer, how to introduces the allergen foods and consistency of food.
How to join our groups
If you are interested in joining one of our groups, then please contact us on 03000 859 625 or email bcu.healthimprovementteam@wales.nhs.uk. Names will be held on a waiting list as the programmes will only run when the required numbers of participants is reached.
All programmes are for those aged 18 years and above. There is no charge as they are fully NHS funded. All sessions are approximately 1.5 hours in duration and are delivered in a group setting. There is an expectation that participants will complete the full programme as far as is reasonably possible.
Meet the Team
Robin Ranson – Senior Health Improvement Practitioner (healthy lifestyles). Robin has a BSc HONS in Sports and Exercise Science and an MSc HONS in Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing. He started in the team in 2014, and has previous experience as Exercise Referral Professional (qualified Personal Trainer since 2008), and a Sports and Exercise Scientist. He has a specialist interest in childhood obesity and worked on both; the Sportslinx project for Liverpool John Moores University and Liverpool City Council, and the ‘F’ Factor Project, a “Way of Life” project for the Big Lottery Fund with Denbighshire County Council and Glyndwr University between 2009-2012. Robin manages the team alongside Steph, and his remit in the team is to cover physical activity opportunity, and supporting the substance misuse agenda.
Stephanie Owen - Senior Health Improvement Practitioner (weight management). Steph has a Masters Degree in Public Health Nutrition, and is a registered Nutritionist. Steph has been a member of the team since 2014, she has previously worked as a community food worker in Liverpool and as a Nutritionist on ‘GOALS’ a family weight management programme at Liverpool John Moores University. Steph manages the team alongside Robin and helps to deliver the team’s health improvement programmes out in the community.
Sophie Sykes - Health Improvement Practitioner (Weight Management). Sophie has an undergraduate Degree in Community Nutrition, and is a registered associate nutritionist. She enjoys working with various population groups from children, families and older adults. She’s passionate about getting people interested in cooking and nutrition, and delivers our health improvement programmes around food and nutrition, including ‘Come and Cook’, ‘Batch Cooking & ‘Food and Mood’. Sophie has a passion for supporting people with their breastfeeding journey.
Sarah Marriott - Assistant Practitioner. Sarah delivers much of the activity within our team. She works on the weight management and mental health agendas, as well as organising and delivering at all our stand alone events. She also supports the team with all the administration for meetings, minutes etc., and is the organising backbone of our team!
Siân Davies – Health Improvement Practitioner (Mental Health & Wellbeing). SSiân has a Masters Degree in Psychology and a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Approaches and has previously worked within the charity sector within mental health, wellbeing and criminal justice. She delivers our mental health and wellbeing sessions within the community including the Adult Resilience and Stress Less programmes. Siân has completed her Level 2 in Fitness Instructing, Level 3 in Personal Training and is a qualified Yoga Teacher & Pre/Postnatal Yoga Teacher. She also delivers our Pregnancy Yoga & Yoga with Baby sessions.
Ella Jones - Health Improvement Assistant
Ella holds a BSc HONS in Sports and Exercise Science. Ella assists the Health Improvement Practitioners in their delivery of the Healthy lifestyles, Weight Management and Mental Health sessions and carry out administration tasks for the team. With a strong passion for physical activity, Ella particularly enjoys the exercise aspect of her role. Outside of work, she coaches gymnastics at a local club, where she shares her enthusiasm for movement and fitness with young athletes.
Claire Murray - Health Improvement Practitioner (Mental Health & Wellbeing)
Claire has a diploma in therapeutic counselling and experience working for the charity sector within mental health, wellbeing. She delivers our mental health and wellbeing sessions within including the Adult Resilience and Stress Less programmes. Claire has a passion for supporting people and making a positive difference on their wellbeing journey.
Rachel Roberts - Health Improvement Practitioner (Weight Management)
Rachel has an undergraduate Degree in Nutrition and health and delivers our food and nutrition programmes including Food and mood, Batch Cooking and Come and Cook. Rachel has a background in supporting healthier lifestyles through food and education. Rachel has a passion for teaching cooking in schools and helping children, young people and their families to gain confidence in the kitchen and when cooking.
Contact details
To get in touch with the team, you can contact us on the details below during normal office hours (Monday – Friday 8am-4pm) or leave a message:
Phone – 03000 859 625
E-mail - bcu.healthimprovementteam@wales.nhs.uk
BCUHB Health Improvement Team - Caia Park Health Centre, Prince Charles Road, Wrexham, LL13 8TH
BCUHB Health Improvement Team - Flint Health and Wellbeing Centre, Earle Street, Flint, CH6 5ER
For information on current or upcoming events check our BCUHB Health Improvement Team Facebook page.