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History

Orb was established in 2004 by Mark Flood, a Health & Adult Services Mental Health Team Manager on secondment from North Yorkshire County Council. As a former musician and lighting technician, it had both creativity and wellbeing at its core and pioneered the development of Creative Health approaches long before the term became popular. Temporarily based in an old warehouse in Harrogate, Orb initially provided creative, wellbeing, and progression focused activity and support to around 20 people with diagnosed severe and enduring mental ill-health. From the start this involved close collaboration with both the NHS and Health and Adult Services Community Mental Health Teams and a formal contractual relationship with North Yorkshire County Council as an Approved Provider of Day Support Services.

In 2008 the organisation was able to source more permanent premises in a converted 1920’s garage in the heart of Knaresborough, adjacent to the community theatre and local bowling club. This was re-purposed to include office space, an art and performance area, a music studio, and a community garden. Based in this higher profile and more public location, demand for Orb’s services widened, and these were increasingly provided to people experiencing less severe episodes of mental ill-health. This saw the development of close partnership working with local GP practices, and Orb’s development into a true community asset able to support the needs of the whole local population.

Orb is now providing direct support to over 200 people: face-to-face from its base in Knaresborough, via online sessions, and through outreach work in other parts of the district including Harrogate, Ripon, Pateley Bridge, and Boroughbridge. Our services are accessible to anyone experiencing poor mental health from more common conditions such as anxiety and depression through to diagnosed severe mental illness, and in the majority of cases are free at point of access.

Collaboration is key to success with close partnership work maintained with NHS Community Mental Health teams, local authority Health and Adult Services, and Primary Care Network system GP practices. Orb also a lead partner in the local Route One to Wellness VCS Mental Health Delivery Partnership, consisting of itself, Mind in Harrogate District, Claro Enterprises, and Wellspring Therapy & Training. At a community level, Orb is well integrated, enjoying close links with a range of Knaresborough based groups including key ‘anchor’ organisations such as Chain Lane Community Hub.

Finally, as a Creative Health specialist, Orb has developed close links and innovative collaborative activity with a range of cultural organisations and community arts organisations across Yorkshire and beyond. These have included The Royal Horticultural Society at Harlow Carr, The National Trust at Fountains Abbey, Rural Arts Thirsk, Chapel FM Leeds, Ripon Museums Trust, and Converge at York Saint John’s University to name a few. It has also seen a formal partnership developed with sister Creative Health organisation Pioneer Projects, in the Craven District of North Yorkshire, with whom Orb has shared a CEO since 2018. The learning from this Creative Health partnership work is now seeing both Orb and Pioneer working more closely with both North Yorkshire Council’s Culture & Archives, Localities, and Public Health departments and a range of cultural organisations to develop a consistent approach to Creative Health delivery for the whole of North Yorkshire.