Healthy New Town: Barking Riverside

In March 2016, NHS England announced Barking Riverside as one of ten demonstrator Healthy New Towns. Make:good and Studio 3 Arts were jointly commissioned by LBBD, Care City, and NHS England to identify local health priorities as part of the Healthy New Towns project. Working with community groups, leaders, and residents, we gathered priorities, identified challenges, and tested ideas related to health and wellbeing. Over six months and 12 events, we engaged more than 700 local people, collected over 450 pieces of individual feedback, and monitored data from 100 participants. The project culminated in the well-attended ‘Feel Good Friday’ celebration, showcasing both established and emerging local practitioners. This event provided valuable insights and helped lay strong foundations for locally led initiatives supported by the Healthy New Towns project.