Cafe a recipe for success at Wigan well-being hub

Not-for-profit organisation Wellbeing Wigan CIC showed off the new-look facilities at its Gidlow Lane base.

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To mark the bigger space for eating and drinking being unveiled, the team at the hub organised for a community music group to play while visitors enjoyed cakes and free fizz.

Styling itself as “a happiness haven for holistic health” Wellbeing Wigan CIC is now putting on a varied range of community activities alongside its alternative therapies and mindfulness-related activities.

Events to bring the community together planned for the next few weeks include a beer and pie night called Ale and Hearty, a celebration of St Patrick’s Day and a cheese and wine evening, which is being arranged through Wigan’s twinning with Angers and will see the ambassador from the town in the Loire Valley visit.

Wellbeing Wigan CIC is also putting on community social afternoons on Wednesdays with music, bingo, quiz, craft activities, gardening and even a bit of pampering. There is also time allocated for people to chat and meet new friends.

The list of holistic therapies being offered includes acupressure, crystal healing, Indian head massages, laughter yoga, Reiki and meditation.

The community interest company was set up last year by ex-social workers Kim Meehan and Lisa Morley, along with Julie Green and former publican Tracy Branagan.

Having used well-being and mindfulness techniques themselves, they wanted to offer them to worn-down Wiganers.