A project which encourages older Afro-Caribbean people to get involved in jazzercise and other activities, and a project which trains up young women in the travelling community to become health advisors for their friends and families scooped first prizes in the regional Health and Social Care Awards, held last night in Oxford. Both are led by NHS Buckinghamshire’s Mental Health Community Development Team.

Wellbeing for Travellers – overall winner in ‘Success in Partnership Working’ category The Wellbeing for Travellers scheme improves health for Travellers and Gypsies by training women from these communities to become community health advocates. We anticipate that the project will benefit 60 families in Buckinghamshire, and has the potential to be used as a model for similar projects across the UK.

The pioneering project is one of the first in the country to overcome barriers to training, such as little or no literacy skills, to engage with and teach health and social care skills to the Gypsy community.

The advocates have been trained to pass on first aid skills, deliver advice and information about health services and screening programmes (such as cardiovascular or cancer), and to promote healthy lifestyles. Launched in June 2009, the scheme is playing a crucial role in improving the health of those living on Gypsy and Traveller sites.

The recently trained health advocates have been working with the Health Protection Agency to devise ways of passing on information and advice to local Gypsy and Traveller communities to protect children and families affected by common infections and diseases.

The scheme is the result of a partnership between NHS Buckinghamshire, Buckinghamshire New University, One Voice 4 Travellers Ltd and Uni (South East BME) Network, and has been supported by the Buckinghamshire Community Foundation.

Movers and Shakers project –overall winner in ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing’ category Movers and Shakers groups, set up by NHS Buckinghamshire and partners including Buckinghamshire New University, help older people support each other to stay healthy. The Caribbean-style group provides physical, mental and creative activities for Caribbean elders to support healthy ageing and prevent social isolation. Its success has led to the birth of Chinese and Asian Dosti style groups.

Olga McBarnett, Mental Health Community Development Team Lead with NHS Buckinghamshire, said: “Movers and Shakers provide a fun environment for elder members of the local community to keep healthy and active. Group members say that attending the regular gatherings makes them feel younger and rejuvenated, particularly the Caribbean style jazzercise classes, which take place to music legends like James Brown.

“The groups are open to all and help older people, many of whom have mobility problems and can feel vulnerable or socially excluded, to keep active and social. The classes help towards ageing well and relieve health conditions such as depression, high blood pressure and diabetes.”

NHS Buckinghamshire’s Mental Health Community Development Team fought off stiff competition from NHS, social services and voluntary organisations throughout South Central (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight) to come top in two categories.

Helen Peggs, Director of Communications and Engagement with NHS Buckinghamshire, said: “We are delighted that our Community Health Development Team won two first prizes at the South Central Health and Social Care Awards, which recognise the best and brightest healthcare teams in the region. The awards highlight and celebrate innovation and excellence across health and social care.

“We are continually looking to improve patient care and develop new ways of working with local people. These triumphant projects highlight just some of the excellent work going on in the local NHS.”

Dr Margaret Greenfields, Reader in Social Policy at Bucks New University, said: “Winning two awards is a fantastic endorsement of the ground-breaking work that we have undertaken with communities that are often marginalised. We were delighted to receive awards for both of the programmes that we were involved with. Both projects are fantastic examples of collaborative working, and the awards are testament to the extremely positive outcomes that result from organisations working together in partnership with local people.”

To see Movers and Shakers in action, visit http://www.youtube.com/nhsbuckinghamshire#p/u/15/C5DL8Frj1IA Based on information supplied by Emily MacDonald.