Funding to help combat low-level anxiety in the Moorlands

Funding of £300,000 has been awarded to a coalition of agencies in the Staffordshire Moorlands for a three-year Locality Improvement Framework (LIF) project to help them support people struggling with low-level anxiety.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is working alongside the Moorlands Rural and Leek and Biddulph Primary Care Networks, Support Staffordshire, Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, the County Council, MyActive, and other partners to deliver the project to improve the health of Moorlands residents.

The confirmation of funding follows the submission of a proposal for a project focused on targeted support for low-level anxiety to the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (the ICB). The project will focus on people from disadvantaged areas of the District to help them get early support to combat their anxiety.

Councillor Matt Swindlehurst, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Tourism, said: "We're delighted to receive this funding which will help us to collectively offer real support to people with low-level anxiety.

"The next steps are to plan how, as a coalition, we will offer this important support. This is likely to be via a range of opportunities including guidance, self help and physical activity aimed at helping people to reduce their symptoms and boost their health and wellbeing.

"This work starts now and we'll be sharing more details about how people who will benefit from this project can access that support in the coming months so look out for more details coming soon."

The ICB funding will also include a micro-grants allocation, coordinated by Support Staffordshire, to support new mental health projects run by small grass roots organisations across the District. More details about the grants and how to apply will be available soon.

Lynn Millar, Director of the Improving Population Health portfolio for the ICB, added: "We are delighted to award this funding to the Staffordshire Moorlands-based partnership, and look forward to hearing about the impact of this investment in the community.

"The ICB is committed to investing in communities and supporting partnerships to establish and grow, to help deliver even more services in the community and support people's health and wellbeing."

Published on 22 January 2026