My Health Matters

Right now, looking after ourselves is more important than ever.

Everyone’s health is unique to them, as are the things that will help improve their wellbeing. There is no right or wrong way, it is simply about finding what is best for you to help you take control of your health.

We hope to use real-life examples of people in local communities across mid and south Essex taking control of their health and wellbeing in different ways.

We’re interested in ways people are connecting with their local areas, or certain tools or resources they are utilising to support their wellbeing.

By doing this, we hope to inspire and empower many others to do the same.

Get involved and tell us how you are staying healthy by using #MyHealthMattersMSE on social.

Resources

The ‘My Health Matters’ digital booklet provides an overview of national and local tools and resources available to support people to live well. It can easily be downloaded and stored on computers and smartphones for quick access or alternatively printed if that’s preferred.

The guide provides information and ideas about what’s available to help people to look after themselves and those they care for. This includes:

Making the most out of digital apps and tools to easily access trusted information and advice from home
Keeping active for better health – with information on local and national resources that can help you to stay physically fit
Looking after your mental health – utilising local and national services such as talking therapies
Support in the local community – including treating minor health conditions and practical and emotional support from specialist professionals such as social prescribers
Local offers across mid and south Essex to help keep people well.

We hope to provide more information about local resources and assets through local people stories. To find out more about this, please take a look at our ‘local people stories’ and ‘getting involved’ sections on this page.

Local people stories

We are raising awareness of local people living or working across mid and south Essex and what matters to them when it comes to their health and wellbeing.

Our first featured case study is of Rochford-based, Billy, who lives with a long-term health condition known as Fibromyalgia.

Case study:
Billy, 26, Rochford, Essex

We talk to Billy about what matters to him when it comes to his health and how he likes to keep on top of his wellbeing. Billy lives with a long-term health condition known as Fibromyalgia, so benefits from staying active with many different forms of exercise. He is a Youth Board Member for Active Essex as well as Coach Core and has a particular interest in helping to push forward the disability and inclusion sport agenda.

“I live with a long-term condition called Fibromyalgia and being active allows me to stay healthy and well, regardless of the fact at times my condition can be hard to manage. I have found various ways to help cope and manage with my daily symptoms and pain.

I like participating in events and campaigns that keep me motivated to stay active, and I also like the influence this has on helping other people to be active too.

I like a bit of spontaneity, and have a particular love and passion for super-hero fancy dress with my three-year old son. This really allows us to channel activity in our lives in a playful way and to be a bit adventurous! Our current goal is to walk 1,000 miles for the NHS Thank You Miles campaign and to fundraise for our local hospital’s charity.

Through-out the years I’ve done lots of work with Active Essex and Coach Core. I started out as an Essex All Together Ambassador for Disability and Inclusion Sport at Active Essex. I did lots of campaigning relating to physical activity, social prescribing and personalised care.

I then began an apprenticeship programme with Coach Core and Active Essex and was very proud to complete it with a triple distinction.

Unfortunately, this was just as the pandemic started and it led to my work being halted last year – but, I’ve not let that stop me from doing what matters. I’ve continued doing what I think is important; such as volunteering and focusing my efforts on sport, inclusion and physical activity as a Youth Board Member. I have remained an active volunteer and continued to support events and to promote inclusion sport and physical activity as much as I can.

I believe everyone should be active, in their own way, with the right support, tools and inclusion in place. Everyone should receive the same opportunities to be active and furthermore spread the benefits that being active can give people. I hope I can continue to promote others to be active and show how this positively impacts people, communities and society.”

Getting involved

We would like to raise awareness of local people across communities in mid and south Essex taking control of their health and wellbeing in different ways.

We’re interested in ways people are connecting with local areas, certain tools or resources to support their wellbeing.

If you have any questions about the campaign, opportunities to share or getting involved, please feel free to contact us.