Members of Knowsley’s Health and Wellbeing Board recently received an update on the wide range of work taking place locally and across Cheshire and Merseyside through the All Together Fairer programme.
The programme aims to improve health outcomes, tackle poverty and give residents the best possible start in life, while recognising that factors such as income, employment, education, housing and access to services all play an important role in determining people’s health and wellbeing.
The report detailed a number of key updates and achievements along with details on future work and commitments.
Supporting residents across Knowsley
Knowsley Council and its partners continue to lead efforts to tackle child and family poverty, building on the borough’s long-established automatic enrolment system for free school meals. This helps families access support they are entitled to while also increasing school funding through the Pupil Premium.
The Council is also developing a new Best Start in Life Strategy, working with families, schools, health services and community organisations to help ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive from the earliest years.
Support for residents facing financial challenges has also expanded. Citizens Advice now works alongside Family Hubs to provide easier access to welfare, debt and housing advice, while the Low Income Family Tracker is helping identify households that may be missing out on benefits and other support.
Investing in communities
More than 5,000 residents have taken part in activities designed to raise aspirations and steer people away from serious and organised crime as part of the Be The Change programme, which is being delivered in partnership by Merseyside Police and Knowsley Council.
Knowsley Council has also increased The Knowsley Community Fund to £730,000 for 2026/27. Voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations can access the fund to support the delivery of activities that reduce the impact of poverty, improve health and wellbeing, increase physical activity and strengthen community assets.
A new partnership between Knowsley Council and FareShare is supporting community organisations to deliver lunches for eligible children during school holidays through venues across the borough.
Supporting healthy lifestyles
Knowsley Council and partners are working to ensure that all residents have access to services to support healthy lifestyles.
Children can access free swimming sessions during school holidays at Volair leisure centres, with additional sessions for children with special educational needs proving particularly popular. Improvements to Volair’s junior gym offer have also led to increased participation among young people.
Mersey Care’s Healthy Knowsley Service continues to expand its neighbourhood-based support, offering weight management programmes, physical activity sessions, specialist support for vulnerable groups and Making Every Contact Count training to promote healthier lifestyles.
Beyond All Together Fairer
The board also received an update on the future plans with the original All Together Fairer programme set to finish in 2027.
The board was assured that the approach and commitment to tackling health inequalities will continue beyond 2027, with the principles of health equity embedded within Knowsley’s developing Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy, the Knowsley Council Plan 2025-2030 and wider NHS priorities.
The full report can be read here.