Heritage Lottery funds wellbeing centre project

A Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) development grant has been announced, enabling the medieval church St Mary at the Quay in Ipswich to be transformed into a mental health wellbeing centre.

The development funding enables the charity East Suffolk Mind (ESM), and the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT), to develop plans to save this Grade II building.

The shared vision of the ESM and CCT is to bring St Mary at the Quay back into the heart the community as a wellbeing centre that everyone can use.

The transformation of the historic church will allow ESM to use the therapeutic value of heritage, arts and creativity and the environment and histories of this building to improve wellbeing.

The transformed St Mary at the Quay will provide a space for all the community including a workshop, performance and exhibition area for heritage and arts activity and learning as well as areas for alternative therapies.

The CCT and ESM will also be partnering with New Economics Foundation - an independent think-and-do tank that inspires and demonstrates real economic well-being.

The organisations will develop an academic study that explores the links between beautiful buildings and the positive effect they have on wellbeing.

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