CONTEXT 183 : MARCH 2025 27 WELLBEING and HERITAGE and serenity to all who enter. While originally a place of religious devotion, the former church and friary was closed in 1989, deconsecrated by the church and sold to property developers for conversion into flats. After that scheme failed, the site was abandoned and subsequently vandalised and left derelict. It was on the buildings-at-risk register for many years and placed on the watch list of 100 most endangered sites in the world by the World Monuments Fund in New York. The Monastery of St Francis and Gorton Trust, formed in 1996 to find a sustainable new use for the building, led a decade-long campaign before restoration could begin. Today the monastery is still owned and operated by that charity, and it remains a sacred centre for community support and healing. There is something deeply powerful about the atmosphere in heritage spaces like the monastery: people often describe feeling a sense of calm and reflection that is hard to find elsewhere. Our work at Gorton Monastery harnesses that serenity to support mental, physical and emotional wellbeing through a wide range of integrative health activities. Following the pandemic, we invited likeminded charities, cultural partners and health professionals to share the monastery with us so that we could achieve even more by working together. With local health partners such as the Active Health Group, Big Life Group and Healthy Me Healthy Communities, we can provide targeted health coaching and social prescribing services, ensuring that people can access the right resources for their individual needs. At the heart of our work is the Sanctuary of Peace and Healing, which offers free listening and counselling services five days a week. This service is led by trained volunteers and professional counsellors, many of whom have lived experiences of trauma. It provides a safe, nurturing space for community members to express their emotions, work through difficulties, and find pathways to healing. Grounded in trauma-informed care, our listening sessions have helped many people overcome feelings of isolation and build stronger connections to their inner selves and their community. In addition to emotional support, we offer a range of physical and holistic health services. Yoga, Tai Chi and somatic sessions take place weekly within the monastery walls, helping participants to align their bodies and minds through movement and meditation. Our specialised healing sessions, including reiki, bioresonance and sound baths, offer alternative therapies to those seeking deeper relaxation and healing. One of our most powerful innovative partnerships is with Manchester Camerata Orchestra, whose Music in Mind programme is making a real difference in the lives of people living with dementia. We host dementia Music Cafes, where music becomes a tool for The Monastery of St Francis and Gorton Trust masterminded the building’s restoration.
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