Last Updated: 2026-01-09 12:44:57
News, Blogs and Events
Latest News...
Introducing the Greater Manchester Live Well Podcast
The trailer for a new home-grown series about public services doing things differently with communities is now live. The GM Live Well Podcast explores public services taking a new approach to ensure everyone gets the everyday support they need. It will discover what happens when our communities are trusted to lead and what systems can do to lend ‘a helping hand, not a hoop to jump through’. The series unpacks this approach to prevention as a better way forward. What we call Live Well in Greater Manchester.
Blogs
Read our latest blogs shared by various system partners, illustrating Fairer Health for All in action
Events ...
LiveWell Frontline Network: Housing & Homelessness Learning Session
This January 2026 Spotlight learning session will explore how housing and homelessness connect to Greater Manchester’s ambition for great everyday support, and what this means for frontline roles across sectors. Bringing together strategic insight and frontline experience from GMCA, local authorities and homelessness services, the session will build shared understanding, strengthen partnership working and support a no wrong door approach for people who need support. Through practical case studies, a frontline role spotlight, and interactive discussion, the session will examine how homelessness and housing insecurity intersect with health and community services, the realities of frontline practice, and how cross-sector collaboration can better support people experiencing homelessness across Greater Manchester.
Time: 13:30-15:30
Training: Welcome to Live Well - CHEADLE
Live Well is centred on communities working together to support one another. This engaging and informative training programme brings people from all sectors together, helping them connect with the heart of their local community. The programme fosters community connection by encouraging participants to share and build on the strengths of their neighbourhoods, highlights everyday opportunities to make a positive difference, and provides practical tools that are simple, quick to use and easy to apply both in work and daily life. Attendees can expect to build relationships across the collective workforce, explore local strengths and assets, gain useful knowledge for their roles, and develop confidence in Making Every Contact Count to better support the people of Stockport. The programme is ideal for anyone working in the Cheadle area, including those in the private, public and VCFSE sectors.
Location: Gatley Hill House, 75 Church Road, Gatley SK8 4EY
Time: 10:00-13:00
Procurement to Partnership: Rethinking Value in People Focused Services
This seminar features Sandra Hamilton, Transforming Public Services Lead at Stone King LLP, who will explore how redefining social value can reshape the future of public services. Drawing on international research and practical experience from the Vancouver 2010 Olympics to innovative UK demonstration projects - she challenges traditional procurement models and advocates for a shift from market purchasing to system stewardship, from procurement to partnership, and from competition to collaboration. With 75% of local authority spend now devoted to people-focused services, Sandra highlights the essential role of VCSE organisations as values-aligned partners whose inherent social value should be recognised. The session will examine how public bodies can evolve from price-takers to market-shapers and ultimately system stewards, attracting the co-investment needed to enhance equity, inclusion, and meaningful social outcomes. Attendance is free for Academy for Social Justice members, with membership available when booking via Eventbrite.
Time: 16:00-17:15
Chapter One Training (Healthcare Professionals)
Chapter One provides a two-hour online training session for healthcare professionals who are increasingly encountering service users experiencing gambling harms but lack the tools to support them effectively. The training helps participants understand the risks and causes of gambling addiction, challenge stigma, build empathy, and gain the confidence to identify when someone needs help. It also equips them with practical skills to have safe conversations about gambling and signpost individuals to appropriate information, specialist treatment and support. Suitable for GPs, primary care nurses, mental health practitioners, community health workers and social prescribing link workers, the session includes content discussing harm, suicide and gambling-related audio/visual material. For further information or additional dates, contact harm.reduction@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
.Time: 14:00-16:00
Stockport Race and Culture Awards 2026
The Race & Culture Awards 2026 will once again celebrate Stockport’s vibrant diversity, honouring individuals and organisations championing race equality. This exciting annual event offers an unforgettable evening of cultural music from around the world, Caribbean cuisine, and the chance for attendees to share, learn and celebrate together. With limited tickets available, guests are encouraged to bring friends, family and colleagues to enjoy a night that recognises outstanding contributions to a progressive Race Equality Agenda.
Time: 18:00-23:00
Welcome to Live Well - BRAMHALL & CHEADLE HULME SOUTH
Live Well is centred on communities working together to support one another. This fun and informative training programme brings people from all sectors together, helping them connect with the heart of their community. It encourages community connection by enabling participants to share and build on the strengths within their neighbourhoods, highlights everyday opportunities to make a positive difference, and offers practical tools that are quick, easy to use and won’t add to the to-do list. Participants can expect to build relationships across the local workforce, explore community strengths and assets, gain useful knowledge for their roles, and develop confidence in Making Every Contact Count to better support the people of Stockport. The programme is ideal for anyone working in the Bramhall and Cheadle Hulme area, including those in the private, public and VCFSE sectors.
Location: Ladybridge Connect, Off Meadway Road, Cheadle Hulme SK8 5NZ
Time: 10:00-13:00
NHS GM Leadership for Inclusion Session: Positive Action in Practice
Join our free Leadership for Inclusion session to gain clear, practical insight into positive action under the Equality Act 2010 - a lawful, evidence-based approach to removing barriers, tackling disadvantage, and boosting participation for underrepresented groups. Designed for health and care colleagues across Greater Manchester, this session will unpack what positive action is (and isn’t), offer leadership strategies for embedding inclusion, share community partnership examples that drive sustainable change, and provide practical tools to support confident, compliant implementation. Register now or contact Tazeem Shah (Tazeem.shah2@nhs.net)
Time: 12:00-13:30
Welcome to Live Well - WERNETH
Live Well is centred on communities working together to support one another. This fun and informative training programme brings people from all sectors together, helping them connect with the heart of their community. It encourages community connection by enabling participants to share and build on the strengths of their neighbourhoods, highlights everyday opportunities to make a positive difference, and provides practical tools that are quick, easy to use and won’t add to the to-do list. Attendees can expect to build relationships across the local workforce, explore community strengths and assets, gain useful knowledge for their roles, and develop confidence in Making Every Contact Count to better support the people of Stockport. The programme is ideal for anyone working in the Werneth area, including those in the private, public and VCFSE sectors.
Location: St Barnabas Parish Church, Osborne Street, Bredbury SK6 2DA
Time: 10:00-13:00
Welcome to Live Well - HEATONS & REDDISH
Live Well is centred on communities working together to support one another. This fun and informative training programme brings people from all sectors together, helping them connect with the heart of their community. It promotes community connection by enabling participants to share and build on the strengths within their neighbourhoods, highlights everyday opportunities to make a positive difference, and provides practical tools that are quick, easy to use and won’t add to the to-do list. Attendees can expect to build relationships across the local workforce, explore community strengths and assets, gain useful knowledge for their roles, and develop confidence in Making Every Contact Count to better support the people of Stockport. The programme is ideal for anyone working in the Heatons & Reddish area, including those in the private, public and VCFSE sectors.
Location: Family Hub - Reddish, Abingdon Road, Stockport SK5 7EU
Time: 10:00-13:00
W/c 9 March 2026
GM Live Well Festival
We’re excited to share an early heads-up - during the week commencing 9 March 2026, we’ll be hosting the GM Live Well Festival.
As always, this event will be co-designed with you - communities, partners and colleagues across Greater Manchester.
Building on the success of our March 2025 event ‘Growing Great Everyday Support in Every Neighbourhood’, which brought energy, connection and system-wide movement building, the 2026 Festival will be a space to learn, reflect, connect and celebrate the impact of Live Well across our communities.
What’s next:
- Open space co-design session in November – open to anyone who wants to help shape the Festival.
- Smaller co-design sessions from November at Live Well events, in teams and across GM.
Main ask for now:
Please keep the week free of major events so we can come together to showcase, celebrate and strengthen the Live Well movement.
Resolve Poverty Annual Conference 2026
Join Resolve Poverty’s 2026 Annual Conference to explore how hope, aspirations and practical action can help build good lives for all. Bringing together policymakers and practitioners from across the UK, this two-day event examines how local and regional initiatives can drive meaningful change within the context of national policy developments, including the new Child Poverty Strategy. Through keynote sessions and focused breakouts on health, welfare, housing, income maximisation and community-led support, the conference showcases how localities can strengthen household finances, raise expectations for children and young people, and unlock the potential of people and places. Book one or both days and be part of shaping a fairer future.
Location: Central Manchester
Conference: Northwest Healthy Cities and Towns Conference 2026
This online conference, jointly hosted by OHID North West and the UK Healthy Cities and Towns Network, will bring together public health leaders, partners and academics to reflect on 40 years of the World Health Organization’s Healthy Cities movement, mark the launch of Phase VIII of the UK Healthy Cities and Towns Network, and showcase practical examples of how places across the North West are embedding health, equity and sustainability into local decision-making. The session will include a keynote address from the Chief Medical Officer for England, alongside regional case studies and a panel discussion focused on collective learning and next steps for the North West.
Time: 10:00 - 13:00
Stronger Things 2026 Conference
Registration is now open for New Local's 2026 Stronger Things conference - the UK’s leading event on community power.
Do you have an event related to Fairer Health for All that you want to share? Email nhsgm.fhfa@nhs.net