From Monday 9 March to Monday 23 March 2026, Greater Manchester came alive with a two‑week celebration of the people, places and partnerships that grow and bring Live Well to life across the 10 GM boroughs.
Across Bury, we celebrated everything that helps us to ‘Live Well’ showcasing the spaces, places and people that make Bury great. It has been a busy few weeks across the borough with some of these events highlig
hted below.
More than 80 local residents joined Bury VCFA for Hands Up Whitefield on the 11th March to discover how Live Well is supporting the community and to help shape plans for the future.
Attendees had the chance to preview early designs for the new building, explore seating and colour options for the café, and share ideas about the types of activities they’d love to see in Whitefield.
We had some fantastic suggestions for possible names for both the café and the wider centre, as well as the helpful feedback on what the café’s food offer should include.
The event was made even more special thanks to the support of our brilliant partners, who provided:
- Chair-based exercise taster sessions with Healthwatch
- Treasure hunt and information from Bury Adult Learning
- “Positive posies” and bracelet-making activities with Social Prescribers
- CPR demonstrations with Community Medics
- Wildflower seed bomb making with Lancashire Wildlife Trust
- Contributions to a collaborative community artwork with Art in Whitefield
GM Live Well Spring Festival. The Community Room was beautifully transformed with flowers, treatment beds, music, and incense. Local Reiki Masters kindly donated their time, including Samantha Whittaker of The Chakra Room, who delivered excellent talks. There was lots of interest in what Reiki is, its benefits, and how to train. The atmosphere was calm and uplifting, and everyone left feeling relaxed. Joey the horse even enjoyed a Reiki treatment between sessions! Healthwatch Bury welcomed around 12 people to a chair-based exercise taster session, with insights shared by Dr. Sarkar and attendees discussing what helps them live well.
Happy Me Community welcomed over 25 people to their Live Well Festival open day, including five new women. It was a sunny day filled with conversations, crafts, wellbeing activities, and discussions around employment skills. The Mayor of Bury attended and praised their work.
Margaret Haes Riding Centre hosted a pop‑up workshop, Harnessing the Healing Power of the Horse. Ceri Lea from Lotus 8 Wellness delivered wonderful sessions in the sunshine in the outdoor arena. The day included a beautiful guided meditation, Qigong practice, and time spent walking with the ponies, followed by lemon and ginger tea. Many participants were interested in continuing their Qigong self‑care. The ponies were calm and relaxed throughout, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and countryside walk.
Community Medics spent the day at Bury Millgate Shopping Centre and the Hands Up Whitefield event, engaging with 223 people and training them in a lifesaving skill.
Sparklife CIC joined Village Greens to celebrate Prestwich Communi‑Tea, where local organisations came together to showcase how they support residents. Ten community organisations attended, and over 50 members of the public dropped in to learn more about activities and opportunities available in the Prestwich area. It was a fun and positive day for all.
Feedback from Sparklifes Live Well event included a resident who had seen their social media posts and popped in with the intention of making plans for her retirement. The resident wants to make sure that she has lots to get involved with and left with a massive smile on her face and hand full of leaflets. The resident quoted “I was beginning to get worried as retirement loomed closer but now I’m excited to start making plans - I think I’ll be busier than when I was working!”.
