CIC 34

During the reporting period, Revive Staffordshire CIC continued to develop its community-focused yoga and wellbeing studio in Burntwood, providing accessible and affordable opportunities to improve physical, mental and social wellbeing. The studio operated seven days a week, offering a broad programme of yoga, movement and wellbeing classes, alongside workshops and one-to-one provision.

During the year, Revive strengthened its partnerships with Burntwood Town Council and Active Lichfield, working collaboratively to increase access to wellbeing opportunities within the local community. We also developed our wellbeing rooms as a start-up initiative, providing affordable access to small, complementary businesses and practitioners. Businesses using the rooms during the period included a speech and language therapist, counsellor and physiotherapist, helping to broaden the range of health and wellbeing support available within the community while providing affordable space for new and developing practitioners.

Revive also secured funding from Burntwood Town Council and support from multiple corporate sponsors to deliver Burntwood’s first Festival of Wellbeing. The free community event brought together local wellbeing practitioners, organisations and businesses and provided residents with the opportunity to access a range of educational, physical and wellbeing activities. The event was designed to encourage people to explore different approaches to supporting their physical and mental wellbeing, while strengthening connections between local people and community-based wellbeing providers.

Throughout the year, Revive maintained a deliberately accessible price point and continued to develop its programme of workshops and activities. These included beginners’ workshops, Yin Yoga, Reiki, sound healing, relaxation and sound sessions, crystal healing and other wellbeing activities, providing opportunities for people with different interests, abilities and levels of experience to engage with wellbeing practices.

The CIC also continued to develop its one-to-one provision, including tailored support for children and young people with additional needs. This enabled Revive to provide more individualised and accessible wellbeing support alongside its group programme.

Across all of these activities, the CIC’s focus remained on making wellbeing opportunities accessible to the local community, supporting physical and mental wellbeing, reducing barriers to participation, and creating connections between local residents, practitioners and community organisations.

Our key stakeholders include local residents and studio participants; Burntwood Town Council and Active Lichfield (Lichfield District Council); local wellbeing practitioners and teachers; practitioners and small businesses using the CIC’s wellbeing rooms; and local community organisations and other partners.

Stakeholders have been consulted through direct feedback from participants attending classes and workshops, informal conversations and discussions at the studio, social media and email engagement, feedback from practitioners and teachers, and meetings and planning discussions with community and local authority partners. Feedback is considered when reviewing the accessibility, affordability and range of activities provided by the CIC.

Feedback received during the reporting period has resulted in a number of changes and developments. For example:

• Yoga for Men: Feedback from local men indicated that some felt anxious about attending a yoga class for the first time, particularly where they perceived existing classes to be predominantly female. In response, Revive introduced a dedicated Yoga for Men initiative to provide a more welcoming and accessible introduction to yoga for men who may otherwise have been reluctant to participate.
• Programme development: Feedback and participant interest informed the continued development of the workshop programme, including beginners’ sessions, Yin Yoga, Reiki, sound-based relaxation and other wellbeing activities.
• Accessibility: Feedback from participants informed ongoing consideration of class pricing, session times and the range of classes offered, with the aim of keeping activities accessible to people with different levels of experience, ability and financial circumstances.
• Individual provision: Feedback and identified community needs led to the development of one-to-one provision, including more individualised support for children and young people with additional needs.
• Partnership working: Ongoing discussions with community partners and local practitioners have helped Revive to develop complementary services and strengthen the range of wellbeing opportunities available locally, including through the development of the wellbeing rooms.

Revive Staffordshire CIC remains committed to maintaining regular dialogue with its stakeholders and using their feedback and identified community needs to inform the ongoing development of its activities.