Southside wellbeing centre secures lottery funding

The Wee Retreat CIC branched out to provide a new online service during the Covid-19 pandemic, Wellbeing@Work, to help employers provide their staff with physical and mental health resources and retreats to improve wellbeing.

Wellbeing@Work has received an award from the National Lottery Community Fund, made possible by National Lottery players, which will allow The Wee Retreat to expand its outreach and collaborate with more organisations within the community to provide employees with the level of wellbeing they deserve.

The service is a preventative strategy. It aims to help people reach their potential by supporting their physical and mental health at the earliest possible stage, enabling them to perform well at work and home.

Since setting up just over a year ago, membership has increased by 30% and those who joined the service from the start have renewed their membership.

Online engagement has grown by 600%, which is why funding from The National Lottery Community Fund is useful in expanding Wellbeing @ Work so that it can benefit more and more people each month.

The Wee Retreat has learned from looking at the effects of the pandemic and having conversations with individual organisations, that workplace wellbeing is becoming a priority, however few organisations have yet to put a strategy, objectives, or budget in place to effectively target this issue.

The Wee Retreat explained: “Increased funding for Wellbeing @ Work allows The Wee Retreat to provide this service when it is needed the most.

“Sales growth is impacted by hybrid working due to the challenges it presents within organisations. Across the country, there has been more reports of a decrease in staff morale and an increase in reports of employees feeling tired, stressed, and burning out.

“The Wee Retreat’s goal is therefore to firmly establish Wellbeing @ Work in the marketplace so that when organisations are ready to move forward, they choose this service.

“Right now this funding from The National Lottery Community Fund will help The Wee Retreat implement marketing and retention strategies; to work with current members to support wellbeing needs and introduce new offerings to meet the requirements of employees.

“Going forward the funding will allow more collaborations within the Glasgow and online community. The long-term goal is for the service to reach more and more people and to become self-sustaining. The Wee Retreat is also interested in continuing this conversation that employee wellbeing is an issue for every employer.”