After Christmas and New Year indulgences, many of us will be thinking about getting fitter and healthier going in to 2015. This week, an innovative approach to helping people manage their own health and improve their well-being has been launched in the local area – the first of its kind in the UK, bringing together organisations across B&NES that can help – and many for free.

The Well-Being College provides courses to help people manage their physical and mental health, through partners such as Sirona Care and Health, Bath Mind, the Stroke Association and local charities, such as the Carers' Centre and Creativity Works, both based in Radstock.

A dedicated website will be the hub of the college, with Well-Being Advisers available to offer one-to-one, face-to-face or telephone advice and help with enrolment on courses in Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Bath and Keynsham.

Sarah Prendergast, Co-Manager of the college with Julia Collett, said: "It will provide opportunities and resources in Bath and North East Somerset to help people manage their health and quality of life.

"Well-being is about the person as a whole – physical, mental and spiritual health and their relationships with their community and environment. Well-being affects our happiness. To be able to manage your well-being, you need to be able to access information when you need it and to be able to talk to people you trust.

"The Well-Being College is a social prescription, rather than a medical prescription."

The website, http://www.wellbeingcollegebanes.co.uk">www.wellbeingcollegebanes.co.uk – describes courses on offer across the district by a range of organisations, from Bath Mind to Sirona's Healthy Lifestyle Service and from Julian House to Southside. There are also lots of opportunities to get involved as Well-Being College Volunteers.

Sarah said: "The idea is to give people the opportunity to take control of their life through education, so they can manage their own health and well-being.

"This will give participants the chance to meet others in the same situation and gain knowledge, skills and confidence. The courses and activities on offer are aimed at helping people feel positive and more in control of their lives. We want to help people live as independently as possible for as long as possible with a good quality of life.

"The Well-Being College is a pilot project which will try to determine whether people manage their health and well-being better by doing a course or activity. Everyone taking part will be asked about their well-being at the start and again six months later. If we can show that people feel better after attending the college, there could be funding for a permanent college in the future."

Courses and activities range from juggling life and caring, healthy eating, exercise and stopping smoking, to more specific things like Living Well with Dementia (for carers), Mindfulness and Alcohol Awareness, Dependency and Addiction.

Enrolment is free for most courses and there may be a small fee for others. The two-year pilot project is funded by Bath and North East Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (B&NES CCG) and B&NES Council.

Dr Ian Orpen, Clinical Chair of B&NES CCG, said: "The CCG is funding the Well-Being College pilot because we want to ensure that local people have the support and opportunities they need to live healthy, independent lives.

"By supporting people to manage their own health and well-being better, we can prevent them from falling ill or developing long-term conditions in the future."

Cllr Simon Allen, Bath and North East Somerset Council's Cabinet Member for Well-Being, said: "We are really fortunate in Bath and North East Somerset in having so much to offer people who want to find greater health, happiness and contentment. However, we also know how difficult it can be to work through masses of information to find just what you need and then take the plunge and actually get involved.

"The Well-Being College is an innovative approach, which has been set up to be a friendly and easy access master-key that will help you unlock the doors by discussing your individual needs, informing, motivating and supporting you to take the first important steps on the road to a better life."To contact the new Well-Being College, call: 01225 831820 or email: enquiries@wellbeingcollege banes.co.uk