Fostering community wellbeing with Josh Deegan

A warm Mancunian welcome to all my listeners. In the second episode of Season 9 of the Meet the Mancunian Podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe chats with Josh Deegan, a volunteer at Happy Somedays and Spirit of Manchester Award winner for Community Cohesion. Josh shares his inspiring journey of supporting the Wythenshawe community, discussing the inception and evolution of Happy Some Days from a lockdown initiative into a multifaceted community group offering free fitness sessions, sports, walks, and community events.   Happy Some Days addresses local challenges like high obesity rates, while fostering inclusivity and friendships. Josh highlights their inclusive approach, collaboration with local entities, and plans for a forthcoming festival. He also shares his personal journey of weight loss and fitness, the importance of self-care, and advice on networking to create awareness for similar initiatives across the world.   #community #sports #wellbeing #GM #manchester #SocialImpact #NonProfit   Did you know:   ·      Sports and physical activity can have a positive impact on both mental and physical well-being. ·      Physical activity can improve mood, reduce anxiety and depression, and increase self-esteem and confidence.  ·      Physical activity can reduce the risk of developing a number of medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cancer, dementia, strokes, and heart disease. It can also help to maintain a healthy body weight, improve strength, balance, and movement, and improve sleep quality.  ·      Physical activity can be done at any level of skill and can include sports, cycling, walking, wheeling, active recreation, and play.  Key resource: Happy Somedays   Time stamps of key moments in the podcast episode & transcript:   (01:06) Episode 2: Meet Josh Deegan (02:30) The Birth of Happy Somedays (04:52) Expanding Beyond Football (11:14) The Spirit of Manchester Award (12:37) Advice for Starting Similar Movements (14:27) Signature Questions (15:44) Life Lessons and Personal Journey (16:48) Connecting with Happy Somedays (17:52) Final Thoughts and Community Impact (19:19) Gratitude and Community (19:58) Inspiring Positive Change   Listen to the episode and read the transcript on www.meetthemancunian.co.uk