When Nickie Thorley was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2020, the constant pain and impact on her mental health left her feeling withdrawn and struggling with everyday life. Four years after joining Derby County Community Trust’s (DCCT) Health and Wellbeing programme, she has rebuilt her confidence, formed lifelong friendships and found a supportive community.

“In 2020 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and I became really depressed. The anxiety was horrendous, the pain was horrendous,” Nickie explained.

“Before I joined the programme it was just such a big lifestyle change having pain 24-7 and then all the other horrible things that come with it. I sort of went into myself and didn’t really go out, I was really down and it wasn’t good.”

After being referred by her GP to a social prescriber, Nickie was connected with Denise at DCCT. Having seen the positive impact another Trust programme had on her son, she decided to give it a go.

“There’s no harm in trying,” she said. “I thought I’ll go and try it out and I’ve been here every week since.”

Since joining the programme, Nickie has experienced a significant change in her outlook and wellbeing. She said: “It’s been amazing, I’ve come out of myself, my depression’s gone, I’ve lost over 4 stone and I’ve made some really good friends. It’ been really good for me.”

For Nickie, the sense of community has been one of the most valuable aspects of the programme, giving her the opportunity to talk openly with people who understand the challenges of living with a long-term health condition.

“It’s like a little family and we can all talk about things very openly. Everyone understands because they’ve got the same issues and you can relate to each other,” she said.

The friendships she has made extend beyond the sessions, with two fellow participants becoming particularly close friends. They regularly meet outside the group and are now planning a weekend away to celebrate Nickie’s 50th birthday.

The programme has also given Nickie the confidence to share her own interests. Since the group have started taking part in craft activities, she has been teaching other participants needlecraft and needle felting. The activities have proved popular with other participants.

Alongside these activities, Nickie values the physical support available through the programme, particularly the muscle-release sessions, which she says help her manage her condition. She also enjoys the Wednesday group’s health-focused discussions and visits from guest speakers, which give participants the opportunity to learn more about their wellbeing.

“The muscle release is fantastic as well because that really does help,” she explained.

As Nickie’s confidence has grown, she has also felt more motivated to focus on her physical health. “The staff have said to me that the change since I joined the programme is unbelievable. I came in very withdrawn and down and and I wouldn’t really speak up much, I was quite quiet,” she said.

“Since then my confidence has sort grown and health wise, because I’ve got my confidence back, I thought do you know what, I need to do something about my health now.”

Nickie says she has now lost four and a half stone. She has also received additional support for her mental wellbeing, including a therapy session arranged through DCCT, which she said “has really helped.”

Now keen to continue attending sessions and supporting others, Nickie believes the encouragement participants give one another is what makes the group so special.

“It’s good to support the other members of the group, if somebody’s feeling a bit down we all try and lift them up,” she said. “It’s like a little family and we all look after each other.”

Having experienced the difference for herself, Nickie has a clear message for anyone considering joining the programme: “Do it. It’s one of the best things that I’ve done, it really is.”

She added: “It’s been life changing really. I feel so much better about myself and my confidence has improved massively.”

Delivered by DCCT in partnership with Derby City South Primary Care Networks, the Health and Wellbeing programme supports eligible patients living with long-term health conditions to lead more active lifestyles through tailored physical activity and support from qualified staff. Eligible patients registered with participating Derby City South PCN surgeries can access six months of support free of charge, through GP referral or self-referral. For more information on the programme, click here.