Grants of up to £5,000 are being offered to local residents who come up with ideas to improve the health and wellbeing of the neighbourhood.

Halton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), in conjunction with Wellbeing Enterprises and UnLtd foundation for social entrepreneurs is running a two-year programme to encourage the public to launch their health improvement ideas with the aid of funding.

Past initiatives have included: a music scheme for care homes, a cooking club and car renovations carried out by young people.

A Wellbeing Enterprise spokesperson said three areas have been prioritised by the scheme, keeping people physically active, boosting mental health and wellbeing and reducing loneliness and isolation.

There are three grants available:

  • ‘Try it’, a grant of up to £500 to test an idea,
  • “Do it’, grants between £500 and £2,500 to begin a project,
  • ‘Build It’, a sum up to £5,000 to expand an idea.

The organisers of the project said the project’s long-term goal is to “encourage residents to work together to improve health and wellbeing”.

Chair of Halton CCG, Dr Cliff Richards, said: “We are proud to be empowering residents to drive change in health and wellbeing across the borough.”

Anyone over the age of 16 can apply, with the deadline for applications at 4pm on Friday, February 27 2015.