Project title: Putting the Heart Back into Knowsley
Region: Knowsley, England North
Award amount: £9,462.50
Date: October 2025 – April 2026
Knowsley ranks 27th highest in England for premature cardiovascular disease mortality, with life expectancy rates below the national average. Residence face significant health inequalities linked to heart disease risks. Focus groups in the area revealed high levels of social isolation, particularly among people living alone, as well as an over reliance on processed foods due to poor nutrition literacy.
This community-based project in Knowsley helped residents make realistic, sustainable lifestyle changes to protect and improve their heart health.
Putting the Heart Back into Knowsley was a 6 month community led intervention that was delivered to vulnerable adults aged 31 – 75 years who were at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. They delivered structured weekly group sessions including physical activity, nutrition education and behaviour change.By working with people at the heart of the community, they fostered a sense of belonging and trust, essential ingredients for motivating sustained lifestyle changes.
Each participant benefited from two personalised one to one coaching sessions throughout the programme, providing tailored support to set achievable goals, overcome individual challenges, and maintain motivation. This personalised approach ensured that behaviour change strategies are relevant, realistic, and sensitive to each person’s circumstances. This project adopted a hybrid delivery model, allowing participants to engage in a way that suited them best, either at home or in person. This reduced barriers to participation an supported sustained engagement.
This project measured its success through measuring health indicators such as blood pressure, weight, and mental wellbeing. Results found that 60% of people improved their BMI and 83% experienced weight loss. Additionally, 91% saw improvements in blood pressure and 75% improved their mental health scores. Anyone identified from the testing as requiring further medical support was signposted appropriately.
Other benefits of the project were also found. Participants increased their consistency with physical activity, engaging in resistance training, building strength and confidence through progressive increases in weight. Other lifestyle changes adopted included establishing regular eating patterns, improving portion awareness and increasing fibre and protein intake.