Today, Wednesday 19th March, is 2025's #SocialPrescribingDay.
At SASP, we believe in the power of movement, community, and support to improve health and wellbeing in our communities – it's in our vision to 'achieve healthier and happier communities in Somerset through physical activity and sport'. Social prescribing plays a key role in this, offering people opportunities to enhance their physical and mental health through tailored support and activity-based programmes.
Internally, we talk about Social Prescribing quite frequently, lauding its benefits and how we see the effects on our community daily, but what is Social Prescribing? We spoke to Claire, our Social Prescribing Manager.
"Our health is affected by many things that we have the power to manage ourselves through the way we live our lives day-to-day. While doctors can prescribe medicine, Social Prescribing is all about connecting people to other support in our communities like activities and groups that support physical and mental wellbeing, for a "whole-person" approach. We integrate social prescribing into numerous SASP-led projects, working closely with healthcare professionals and local communities to try and achieve this."
Which of our projects are considered Social Prescribing?
Health Coaching
SASP's Health Coaching service empowers individuals to take control of their health by setting achievable goals and making positive lifestyle changes. Delivered by trained coaches, this one-to-one support helps individuals manage long-term health conditions, improve their activity levels, and enhance their wellbeing. Health coaching is often accessed through social prescribing referrals, providing a crucial link between healthcare professionals and community-based support. We try to deliver a pathway for our patients through 1-to-1 support, then into our community groups including 'Women's Wellness' or 'Healthier. Happier. More Active.' and then out into the wider community.
Health Walks
Our Health Walks provide a simple yet effective way for individuals to engage in low-impact physical activity while enjoying the outdoors. Led by trained volunteers, these walks cater to all abilities and offer a welcoming space to improve fitness, reduce isolation, and build confidence in being active. Many participants are referred through social prescribing networks, finding the walks beneficial for both their physical and mental health.
Moving Mums
Moving Mums encourages the mums of Somerset to prioritise their health and wellbeing through fun and accessible activity sessions. The programme fosters a sense of community, offering women a safe space to exercise, share experiences, and build friendships. Social prescribing enables more women to discover the benefits of Moving Mums, helping them stay active and connected whether it's through a Monday night walk all-together or circuit classes at North Petherton RFC gym on a Friday morning.
Unbreakable Men
Unbreakable Men focuses on men's mental health and wellbeing, it's all about taking positive action and bringing together a community of like-minded men, who want to make some progress with their mental fitness and feel at their best.
These are just a few ways in which SASP use Social Prescribing to better our community. By integrating social prescribing into our programmes, SASP is helping individuals find sustainable ways to improve their health outside of the traditional settings. Through movement, social connection, and tailored support, we are creating lasting positive changes in people's lives across Somerset as well as tackling health inequalities and taking pressure off our NHS.