Team and Contributors

Feb 4

Over 100 people were involved in the codesign and creation of this toolkit.

Project Team

Our project team gathered community research, facilitated co-design sessions, held reflective practice sessions and contributed resources to the toolkit. The team was supported by colleagues at Bolton CVS and Bolton Council Public Health team.

Kerry Tottingham, co-director of A Brilliant Thing CIC and lead for this project, is a Chartered Management Institute certified (Level 7) leadership coach and mentor with a background in Arts, NHS, public sector and non-profit management. Kerry’s passion is supporting people impacted by trauma and inequality, to become leaders of change.

Daisy Silva is an accomplished and highly skilled professional in the field of training andlife coaching, with a specialization in resilience training and is co-director of Maverick Lab. With a wealth of experience and expertise, Daisy has established herself as a sought-after trainer and coach,empowering individuals and teams to unlock their full potential and navigate challenges with grace and determination. Through her engaging and dynamic training sessions. Daisy combines her deep understanding of human psychology and behavior with practical strategies and tools to help her clients build resilience, overcome obstacles, and thrive in both personal and professional spheres. Her approach is rooted in empathy, compassion, and a genuine desire to see others succeed, making her a trusted mentor and guide for those seeking personal growth and transformation. Daisys professional profile as a trainer and life coach, speaks volumes about her commitment to empowering others and her remarkable ability to inspire lasting positive change.

Mark Whittaker is co-director of Maverick Lab with Daisy he offers personal approach to sustainable employment and training for Apprentices and residents across the Greater Manchester community. Daisy and Mark explain “Our mission at Maverick Lab CIC Coaching and Training is to empower individuals and organisations to challenge conventional thinking, embrace innovation, and cultivate exceptional leadership skills. We are dedicated to fostering a culture of growth, inclusivity, and social impact. Through our dynamic coaching and transformative training programs, we aim to inspire maverick thinking, equip individuals with the tools to navigate complex challenges, and address societal inequities head-on.”

Peter Firth formed Community Help and Information service (CHIS) over five ago following decades of work in charity management, primality in community development and community Centre management. His USP is that it offers a helicopter view and offer for charities, community, and faith groups, where support has included governance, financial planning/cash flow, policies & procedures, coaching, project evaluation, grant funding, governance, strategic awaydays, health checks. Current workshops included ‘Setting up a CIC’ and ‘An introduction to Grant funding’. His MBA with the Open University (Electing for the more in-depth modules of “Financial Strategy” and “Creativity, Innovation and Change”) compliments his experience and knowledge of the sector. He is also a hands-on Director of the arts and heritage group ‘Live from Worktown CIC’ which involves him leading Heritage walks and editing and creating music for radio plays among other things! Which has led to his new offer of Podcast editing!

David Nixon Specialises in creative training, exploration and personal growth. His dual background in the performing arts and occupational therapy is an ideal blend for a person centered, dynamic and activity based approach to transforming both individuals and organisations. David explains “I am a key developer of the Kawa Model - Culturally Responsive Occupational Therapy, and was part of the 2014 Delegation, presenting at the World Federation of Occupational Therapists world congress in Yokohama in 2014. Here I made three presentations on my work around "The Poetic Language of Rivers." This discourse is now being developed into a book.

As a performer and artist I have worked as writer and performer in stage theatre, spoken word, cabaret, street theatre and puppetry. In 2009 I set up an Arts in Health social enterprise with Hebden Bridge based artist Sue Walpole. 'Kawa Creative' delivered arts based projects in adult acute mental health and adult ADHD. Currently I am developing Driftwood Studio; a space for training, creative development and community development. I work with purposeful organisations across all sectors to create health, happiness and achievement. Some of the organisations I am building relationships with are Coffee 4 Craig (Manchester), Lancashire Wildlife Trust (Bolton) and 6G Phygital Bridges (New York). It is my belief that the solutions we seek to the challenges we face can be found in the stories we share.”

Lory Povah is a freelance coach and consultant working across Greater Manchester in the creative health sector which brings health, social care and VCSE sector organisations together to tackle health inequalities through creativity (arts, crafts, heritage, environment, and culture). Lory has a broad knowledge of the public, VCSE and business sectors from working in community and arts development and business support roles in local government for over 25 years, focusing on local priorities in health, education, skills and employment, ageing well etc. She now offers support to organisations who want to develop a creative health offer, through consultation and collaborations, all aspects of partnership and project development and co-design, creative evaluation and she is currently developing workshops and training, all of which can be tailored to the organisation.

Lory is an associate coach with Coaching Inside and Out a charity working in the criminal justice system, she also coaches individuals and small businesses and is a mentor on the GM Proper Good programme. Driving forces for her work have always been compassion and a love of developing exciting, co-designed ideas to make positive change in our world. Specialist areas include health and wellbeing, arts and creative industries and work that intersects with them.

Reflective Practice Facilitators

Our project team and wider partners took part in Reflective Practice sessions to help process the emotional impact of this work and share learning and ideas. Our facilitators included:

Liz Mytton is Creative Director of Theatre In Flow CIC, a cultural organisation that works with marginalised communities in the north of England. Liz has over 25 years experience of social housing, tenant engagement and mental health support, and is a trauma informed coach and facilitator.

Kay Richardson is a dynamic and creative co-design and co-production consultant working across the UK with organisations, funders and local authorities utilising her skills and insight to make positive change. Kay delivers face to face and online training, facilitates workshops and events and is an experienced project manager. Focused on wellbeing, inclusion and mental health, Kay uses collaborative and community-based approaches, utilising her skills to build trust and informing work with the insight from lived experience. Kay is a fellow of ‘The School for Social Entrepreneurs’ and trained in Action Learning, Theory of Change and is Trauma Informed, using collaborative and innovative approaches to drive positive change. Kay was awarded ‘Innovator of the Year’ from Here East for her #StreetLife festivals and workshops based on the New Economic Foundation’s ‘Five to Thrive’ theory of well-being, co-designed and co-produced with young people to address their health needs, funded by Wellcome Trust.

Ginny Allende As a co-founding Director at Headspace Bolton C.I.C Ginny has established a creative environment where people with lived experience of mental illness have access to high quality arts facilitated by people with lived experience, offering opportunities for meaningful and valued engagement in accessible, challenging and stimulating art forms.

Ginny is passionate about people leading change. Raised by a strong mum with mental health issues, Ginny developed a deep understanding of struggle and resilience from a young age. Trained as a Psychologist and Occupational Therapist to postgraduate level Ginny has over 25 years of frontline NHS Mental Health experience ranging from CBT Services, Inpatient, Rehab Units, Forensics and CAMHS-Early Intervention in Psychosis. She established the first cohort Peer support workers in Community Mental Health Services through an innovation award programme and led in establishing IPS evidence-based employment services as well as leading RCOT’s Occupational Therapy Health and Work Training Programme. Ginny has published research with Manchester University on Peer Support for Internalised Stigma in People with Psychosis and has an Inspirational Women’s Award for her work. As well as delivering training that combines therapeutic and creative media approaches, Ginny performs stand-up comedy, improv and spoken word.

Co-writers and contributors

Some resources within the toolkit were co-written by organisations and people working in Bolton, others were inspired by sessions we held with these organisations.

Special thanks to the help and support to co-write resources from

Bolton Social Prescribing and Primary Care Network

Thank you to all the organisations in Bolton and Greater Manchester, that inspired us and contributed to the codesign of this toolkit.

1point

Age UK Bolton

Asian Elders Resource Centre

Backup