An innovative centre for health which will empower and inspire people towards healthier and happier lives has been created in Middlesbrough.
The Live Well Centre will be based across five floors of Dundas House and will be a one-stop shop for dealing with a full spectrum of life issues to help create a springboard for change.
It has been made possible by an £800,000 refit of the previously disused space further helping the town’s ongoing regeneration.
The hub will offer a new and diverse range of hireable facilities, including a community gym and fitness studio, training kitchen, clinics and consultation rooms, event space and much more.
The development is being assisted through grant funding from Public Health England and Big Lottery Fund.
Middlesbrough has a high level of need for preventative services due to the level of deprivation across the town and the variation in health inequalities.
Evidence suggests that individuals often present with multiple issues, creating a need for integrated services.
Cllr Mick Thompson, Executive Member for Supporting Communities and Public Health said: “Bringing all of these services together under one roof in one town centre location will allow people improved access to the help that is already on offer and potentially help that would not ordinarily be sought.
“It will also allow health professionals to deal with many of the issues they see in a proactive and preventative way by being based together with experts in other associated fields, leading onto savings due to a reduction in duplication of work.
“An added bonus to this is that this brings back to life five floors of a commercial building that had fallen into disuse. Dundas House is a great location for this service I am delighted that all of the services have come together to offer a one-stop hub to support people with a wide range of health requirements.”
Access to the Live Well Centre will be via a reception area in the middle of the Dundas Arcade.
The refurbishment will create a wide range of mixed-use space, including community gym and fitness studio; training kitchen; eight full-spec clinics; 10 private consultation rooms; an open IT facility; café area; group, craft, training and event rooms and hireable office space.
The centre will also house a self-contained family unit, enabling families to access services together, rather than navigate separate adult, children, and young people’s services for a multitude of support services.
The building also has scope for expansion on to other floors.
