In 1993 the Trust recuited a local residents to set up a Community Worker Project for a
particularly disadvantaged and poorly served community of 5,800 people in King's Lynn, Norfolk.

Responding to community needs and with the aid of Community Volunteers, the
postholder began a range of projects to overcome deprivation and social exclusion. A
Community Needs Assessment carried out by local residents highlighted poor health as a
major factor. Statistically the area suffered from the worst health record in North West Anglia,
with an almost double incidence of elective and emergency episodes in every medical discipline,
4000 visits to the A&E in a three year period, and the highest morbidity and mortality rates
in North West Norfolk. The area of North End and North Lynn takes up one quarter
of the town, and yet had no dedicated Primary Care Service/GP.

In 1996 the Trust began its lobbying campaign to highlight the need for a dedicated
Primary Care service for its residents, whilst continuing its other work with local schools,
children and families, education and arts development.

Whilst the Health Authority clearly recognised the need for a Primary Healthcare
service based within the area, they had no means of directing GPs to deliver it. The
capital outlay for such a venture was one of the stumbling blocks, along with the
hestitancy from other GPs in the town to invest time and money into what is a high health
cost community.

In 1997, with the advent of the concept of Healthy Living Centres, the Trust formed a
partnership with the one local GP prepared to consider taking on this community. A
large, vandalised and run down building on the estate was identified as a possibility for
siting Trust activities and a GP service.

In 1998 the Trust began work on the partnerships that were needed to bring about
a combined and holistic approach to health and social welfare, sited under
one roof - a Healthy Living Centre. After a year of negotiation the leasing of the land on
which the origanal building stood was secured, the Health Authority gave commitment to
the Project and the GPs were 'on board'. The HA committed £187,000 of capital, it was
then left to the Trust to raise the balance - £1.4million.

In Febuary 1999 the NENLCT become the first organisation in the country to bid into
the New Opportunities Healthy Living Centre Fund, for just under 1m. The balance was
applied for from the National Lotteries Charities Board. by November 1999 the funding
was secured from both sources.

In March 2001 the building was completed, the community now has, for the first
time in its history, a dedicated Primary Care service, with its own GP, integrated with an
on-line learning centre, arts studio, cafe, childcare centre/nursery, a range of advice
services, and host of other opportunities to enhance health and well-being.

The Trust has become nationally reconised for its work on reducing health inequalities,
and staff are regularly asked to speak at National Conferences about their work on
tackling neighbourhood deprivation from a community led perspective.



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