What would it take for Wincanton to thrive?
What actually helps you feel hopeful or connected here? What gets in the way? And what could make life in this town feel more supportive in the future?
The Balsam Centre is inviting people from Wincanton and the surrounding area to help shape what comes next.
You can join us in person for a relaxed, hosted conversation (with cake), fill in a short online survey, or do both. This is a chance to say what really matters.
Why we're asking
The Balsam Centre exists to support wellbeing in this community. As we look ahead to the next phase of our work, we don’t want to guess what people need. We want to listen.
Over the years, we’ve seen what works well. We’ve also seen the pressures rural life can bring. Now we want to pause and ask: What genuinely supports your wellbeing here? What feels missing? What could be different?
We can’t promise to act on everything we hear. We are a small charity with limited resources. But we can promise to listen carefully, be honest about what’s possible, and use what we learn to shape our future work and funding responsibly.
Join the conversation (with cake)
You can fill out an online survey (without cake), spend an hour with us exploring the question (with cake), or even better, do both!
Join our in-person Imaginarium
There are three timeslots to choose from, plus a drop-in session for young people. Each session will cover the same core questions, so choose the time that works best for you:
03 Mar 2026, 11:00 – 12:30The Balsam Centre, Balsam Park, Wincanton BA9 9HB, UK- 03 Mar 2026, 13:30 – 15:00The Balsam Centre, Balsam Park, Wincanton BA9 9HB, UK
- 03 Mar 2026, 16:00 – 17:30The Balsam Centre, Balsam Park, Wincanton BA9 9HB, UK
- 03 Mar 2026, 18:00 – 19:30The Balsam Centre, Balsam Park, Wincanton BA9 9HB, UK
What is the Imaginarium?
The Imaginarium is a relaxed, welcoming space to think and talk together.
Rather than a formal meeting, it’s a hosted fun conversation with prompts, paper on tables, and time to reflect, doodle, write, or chat things through. You can stay for the whole session or dip in for part of it.
There will be cake, hot drinks, and friendly faces to welcome you!
On the day, we’ll be exploring questions like:
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What really supports your wellbeing day to day?
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What gets in the way of your wellbeing?
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What people, places or organisations help to enhance your wellbeing, or feel missing?
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How does The Balsam Centre currently fit into your life, if at all?
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What could be different in the future?
Nothing needs to be prepared in advance. There are no right answers. This is a great opportunity to have your say and meet others locally!
Prefer to take part online?
Alongside the Imaginarium, we’re running a short online survey asking similar questions about your view on wellbeing locally.
You can take part in the survey whether or not you come to the Imaginarium.
If you know someone who has valuable insight but might not fill in a survey themselves, you’re very welcome to share the link with them, or even sit down together and complete it with them.
What happens next?
Everything shared through the Imaginarium and survey will be brought together to help:
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shape The Balsam Centre’s future work,
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inform funding applications,
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and guide decisions about what to focus on, test or develop next.
All responses are anonymous.
Who is this for?
This is for anyone who:
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lives in Wincanton or nearby,
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uses The Balsam Centre, used to, or has never been before,
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cares about the wellbeing of this place,
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or simply wants to share what life here feels like right now.
You don’t need to be an 'expert'. Your lived experience matters.