Enterprise makes waves with wellbeing support

A Sunderland social enterprise is expanding its creative wellbeing support to help more people build confidence, reduce isolation and strengthen community connections.

WAVES NE CIC was founded in August 2025 by former headteacher Nadine Lucas, following a 32-year career spanning school leadership and community regeneration.

The organisation uses creative activities, peer support and structured conversations to work with people facing loneliness, low confidence, neurodivergence, bereavement, trauma and chronic health conditions.

It also provides creative professional development, reflective sessions and team wellbeing activities for organisations and employees experiencing workplace stress and burnout.

Nadine developed the idea after relocating from Essex to Sunderland following her own experience of professional burnout and reconnecting with her background in art.

A six-week peer-supported art therapy pilot for neurodivergent people encouraged her to develop the concept further.

Nadine said: “I had spent 32 years in school leadership and suddenly had to completely redefine myself and reinvent myself, as well as moving 300 miles and starting again.

“But the pilot showed me that this really matters and it really works. 

“People might think it's just about coming together and doing a bit of art, but actually it's about the structured conversations, creating a safe environment and building relationships that really matter.

“For me, creativity is a really useful tool. 

“It’s not about teaching art skills or necessarily producing a beautiful piece of work. 

“It’s about community connection, bringing people together and helping people find their voice.”

Nadine subsequently received support from the North East BIC through Wear Together, including market research, business guidance, workshops and networking.

She added: “The BIC has been hugely important because they helped me with the self-belief as well as the practical side. 

“They helped me with the market research to understand that there really was a need, and having somebody as a sounding board for ideas and concepts, but also to give me structure and deadlines, has been really valuable.

“The workshops and masterclasses are always invigorating, and the connections are really important too. 

“Having somebody at the end of the line who can say, ‘I was thinking about this, what do you reckon?’ and to get that creative dialogue is incredibly powerful.”

WAVES has since secured two weekly group sessions at Betsy Jenny’s Cafe and will deliver its ‘Together We Feast’ project in primary schools around Houghton, using creative activities to explore connection and wellbeing.

The organisation has also delivered activities at Sunderland’s Radio 1 Big Weekend alongside community art projects and events for different age groups.

Wear Together forms part of Sunderland City Council’s Business Support Programme and is funded by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority through its Integrated Settlement.

Anneline Dowell, business adviser at the BIC, added: “Nadine is a fantastic example of how experience, passion and a strong social purpose can be turned into a sustainable social enterprise.

“WAVES is addressing an important need within our communities by creating accessible opportunities for people to connect, express themselves and build confidence, while also recognising the pressure faced by professionals working in demanding environments.

“It has been fantastic to support Nadine as she has developed her idea and grown in confidence as a social entrepreneur. 

“Seeing WAVES move from an idea into delivering regular sessions in the community and developing projects such as ‘Together We Feast’ demonstrated the real potential of the organisation and the impact it can have.

“Her vision for WAVES is ambitious, but it is rooted in a genuine understanding of the communities she wants to support, and we’re excited to see how the organisation continues to develop.”

Learn more about the BIC’s social enterprise support here.

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