King’s award is the ‘highest accolade’, says Psychotherapy Section chair

The award recognises work to improve 'community cohesion, social harmony and community wellbeing'.

Professor Law said of the award that "it is the highest accolade that a voluntary organisation can receive and an exemplar of culturally sensitive social prescribing (Law, 2023)."

He explained that the award recognises the incredible contribution and impact of CCIP for providing free Tai Chi and exercise classes – mindfulness exercises that involve gentle physical movements with qualified professional practitioners for wider communities (not just the local Chinese community) since the pandemic year.

Professor Law is among those who provides active participation in the Tai Chi training, as well as feedback about the idea of the community of practice – people who share a common interest, engage in collaborative learning, and exchange skills and knowledge – linking it to the NHS social prescribing pathway. He is also helping prepare the formal celebration of receiving the award during the coming Chinese New Year.

However, Professor Law believes the true champion of the project is the coordinator (link worker) Faustina Yang, who started the community action group in 2014 to meet fellow people with the same heritage. But as Faustina said in a BBC Radio interview, "It's a lifelong award. You can keep it forever. It belongs to our group and our dedicated volunteers, as well as all our funders and all the other people in the community here who support us."

The project's impact

During the pandemic lockdown, when people were confined to their homes, Faustina organised online Tai Chi sessions over Zoom with Master Tarry Yip from the Tai Chi Institute. Over a thousand individuals attended the live sessions, and a recorded video garnered over 7,000 views, enabling people to learn Tai Chi at home.

Following eight months of in-person sessions, a one-year free programme is now being offered at the NHS medical centre, benefiting not only Peterborough residents but also wider communities and nationalities. The goal for the next decade is to serve as a positive exemplar, encouraging community engagement and contributing to the wellbeing of individuals.

With current support for 10,000 people, the aim is to reach 50,000 in the next 10 years, emphasising the importance of unity and preservation of cultural heritage, as well as social harmony within the wider community, Faustina Yang said.

For further information about the King's Award for Voluntary Services and other award recipients, see the government website.

To find out more about the Chinese community in Peterborough, go to the Peterborough City Council website or visit the CCIP Facebook page.