Could being your own boss improve your health? That’s what a new project in Salford aims to find out.

Salford has been chosen by the Health Foundation, an independent charity, to be part of its new programme Economies for Healthier Lives aimed at strengthening relationships between economic development and health.

Public, private and voluntary sector partners in Salford, led by social enterprise Unlimited Potential will help people to set up their own social enterprises to supply goods and services to major organisations in the city. The project will also encourage those organisations to trade with and support the new enterprises to keep money in the local economy and build community wealth.

Chris Dabbs, Chief Executive at Unlimited Potential, said, “Salford wants to move together towards a more inclusive economy, where wealth is shared more fairly across all communities. There is active commitment to the Economies for Healthier Lives project from key agencies and anchor institutions across the private, public and VCSE sectors in the city.”

Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor, Deputy Mayor for Greater Manchester and portfolio holder for Homelessness, Healthy Lives and Quality Care welcomed news of the funding.

“It is important that we support people to set up their own social enterprise business and encourage local anchor institutions to trade with those businesses so we can lift people out of poverty and improve their health and wellbeing. I wish the project every success,” he said.

The Economies for Healthier Lives programme is supporting five partnerships from across the UK with funding of between £300,000 and £500,000 for up to three years to integrate economic development activity with work to improve health and/or reduce health inequalities.

Sharlene McGee, Policy Manager at the Health Foundation said: “As we seek to rebuild the economy post-pandemic and ‘level up’ UK regions, there is an opportunity to create more inclusive economies geared towards reducing inequalities and improving health. These innovative projects will show how joint action across economics and health can help our communities to thrive. Economies for Healthier Lives will provide valuable evidence for local authorities and central government, to help inform how local areas across the UK can take steps to ‘level up’ their health and economies.”