Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has scooped a silver award at the International CSR Awards in London for its Wellbeing 23 initiative.

The project, which took place in 2023, saw the trust working with Northumberland Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) to offer staff free sessions centred on various wellbeing aspects.

Throughout the year, close to 500 employees partook in activities covering mental, physical and financial wellness.

Some of the diverse offerings included surfing, beauty therapy, boxing, arts and crafts, and gong bathing.

Sessions were sourced from charities and organisations including BoxingWell, a charity boxing gym in Blyth.

One staff member described coming away 'feeling energetic and empowered'.

Jill Harland, consultant in public health and head of the trust’s public health programme, said: "At Northumbria Healthcare, we have a relentless focus on people, both our patients and the communities we serve, but also our staff.

"Not only are they part of our communities, we also know that best patient care can only be provided when we have a healthy and engaged workforce.

“We have a well-established and ongoing commitment to staff wellbeing, but it is fantastic that this project has been recognised with this award.”

Northumbria Healthcare’s commitment to the wider impact and benefits it can deliver was formalised in its 'Our Community Promise', launched in 2021.

This is the trust’s pledge to focus on the ways it can improve people’s lives.

It focuses on five key pillars: employment, education, economy, environment and inequalities.