Health & Wellbeing

Health & Wellbeing Cohort 2025 

This development programme is delivered by Museum Development Adviser Liz Denton and nationally recognised Health and Wellbeing consultant, Jo Ward, with contributions from a range of expert guest speakers.

The cohort is a unique opportunity to develop both knowledge and skills in this increasingly important area. Join a group of museums across the North to develop both your knowledge and confidence, through training and peer support.  As part of the programme you will have the opportunity for an online or telephone meeting with our Health and Wellbeing consultant, who will produce a bespoke reading list for you.  Support will be available throughout the cohort.

By the end of the cohort museums will better understand how to contribute to the health and wellbeing of their community and advocate for their impact.  Please note: the focus will be on the public health and wellbeing agenda.  MD North recognises the importance of workforce wellbeing and will highlight opportunities separately throughout the year.

What the programme offers 
The cohort will be delivered via a mixed programme – including 2 full days in-person workshops and 3 online sessions (July 2025 – Feb 2026) with an expectation of full commitment to attending all the sessions
There will be access to an online resource hub which makes available all resources and tools
We will foster a friendly, confidential and inclusive learning environment with support from the programme manager, lead consultant and your peers!

Why should you apply? 

• Confused about what the terms Health & Wellbeing mean and how they affect museums?
• Have you been approached by a potential partner in the community but are unsure how to develop services?
• Do you have an interest in the subject but lack confidence in leading work?
• Do you want to know about key trends and potential grants and commissioned services,
• Does your museum already offer services, but you would like some peer review and gentle challenge applied to your work?
• Would you really value expert advice and support for FREE.

What are the benefits?  

• A fantastic opportunity to access high quality training
• Learn alongside peers in a supportive environment – we’re all in it together!
• Receive targeted reading lists, research and case studies – specific to your interest

Programme

• Combination of in-person and online workshops
• Mentoring
• Action learning in-between the workshops

Key Dates 

Health and Wellbeing Overview
July 7th, 10am – 4pm, York Castle Museum

Green and Blue Prescription – Using Outdoor Spaces to Enhance Wellbeing
15 September, 10.30am – 12.30pm, online

How Museums can Support the Wellbeing of Children and Young People
10 November, 10.30am – 12.30pm, online

Cohort Meeting
January 2026, 10am – noon, online. Date and subject to be confirmed

Museums as Sanctuary
February 2026, 10am – 4pm. Venue and date to be confirmed

Our Health and Wellbeing Consultant 
Jo Ward started her career in museums as a senior social policy adviser with a focus on audience development, social justice and health.  She has experience of both working in the BBC and directly in a museums service in the NW.  During this time she developed several national projects with leading charities, the British Council and the NHS to address; a prevention agenda.

Jo recently worked with NHS England as a consultant on a national social prescribing programme with a focus on creative health and green and blue prescribing. She has supported NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Women’s Health and Maternity Programme and is part of the Social Prescribing Network Steering Group.  She was the lead consultant for Museum Development Yorkshire’s Health and Wellbeing Cohort 2017 – 2023.  During that time, she worked with 40+ museums to champion and evidence the value of a health creation agenda.

What previous participants said  
‘My confidence has increased and I am now seen as the lead for H&W in my museum’
‘Membership of the well-being cohort gave us access to information, training and support allowing us to identify the correct training for our staff and volunteers’
‘Being involved in the cohort has really demonstrated the importance of the subject to the management team’
‘The experience of being part of the cohort also helped us with our advocacy and funding applications – with the result that we were successful in securing funding!’
‘I really benefitted from working as part of a group and being supported by my colleagues’
‘The perfect excuse to prioritise this area and take time from the working week to really focus’

Who can apply?  
*Accredited or Working Towards Accreditation museums in the North of England
*Staff or volunteers with responsibility or interest in developing programmes focusing on Health and Wellbeing
*Organisations that can commit to the full programme and have support to implement learning

How to apply 

Applications for this cohort are now closed.

If you have any questions about the programme, please contact: Liz Denton Museum Development Adviser - liz.denton@museumdevelopmentnorth.org.uk

Health and Wellbeing in Museums Fund – Advisory support for museums

Are you planning to apply to the Health and Wellbeing in Museums Fund – Museums Association?  MD North is offering a free advice surgery to museums in the North that have passed the eligibility process and are working on an application.

The fund was launched last month and has been made possible by support from the Julia Rausing Trust. The funders are looking for excellent health and wellbeing work that builds on a proven track record; that may be at risk due to financial difficulties in the sector; and where applicants have coherent plans for how they can develop, improve or embed elements of their work. There will be around 10 grants of £50,000 to £75,000 in the first round.  The deadline for final submissions by 26 June 2025. There will be a second round in 2026.

What are we offering?

• Up to 60 minutes advice surgery (either in 1 session or 2 x 30 minutes) with Jo Ward, a recognised expert in Health and Wellbeing
• Meet online or on the phone
• Opportunity to talk through ideas with an experienced Health professional who can act as a critical friend
• Potential of brokered introductions and additional resources

Please note that this opportunity does NOT include compliance checking or application writing

Next steps

Please email liz.denton@museumdevelopmentnorth.org.uk if you would like to book an advice surgery. Slots will be allocated to eligible museums on a first come, first served basis. There is some flexibility in the timing during May and early June.