The UEA medical student helping tackle health inequalities in West Earlham
By: Communications
From foodbanks and free haircuts to crafts and community lunches, a UEA medical student is helping transform lives in one of Norwich's most deprived communities.
Lewis Wardale founded Good Soles as an inclusive walking and running club, before transforming it into a community organisation that supports local families in West Earlham.
Now, the non-profit has been officially established as a Community Interest Company (CIC) – working to improve wellbeing, strengthen community connections and provide practical support for families in the area.
According to The Guardian, West Earlham is among the 10 per cent most deprived areas in England, with many families facing significant health and social challenges.
Now a second-year student on the MBBS Medicine Graduate Entry programme, the roots of Good Soles first began through Lewis' passion for helping people improve their health through movement.
After graduating from UEA with an integrated Master's degree in Natural Sciences in 2022 and publishing a research paper on prostate cancer, his interest in preventative health and wellbeing led him to qualify as a personal trainer.
He said: “I was, and still am, passionate about the benefits of movement for both the mind and body, yet there is often a stigma surrounding exercise and a preconception that you have to 'look' or 'feel' a certain way to move your body.
“I witnessed this barrier to entry almost every day as a personal trainer, so I wanted to create a club that was inclusive of everyone, somewhere people felt safe to move their bodies, clear their heads and socialise with one another.”
That vision led to the creation of Good Soles, an inclusive walking and running club built around the philosophy of ‘Good people, Good Soles’.
Alongside his work as a personal trainer and GP referral instructor, Lewis developed a passion for endurance fundraising challenges. Through events including a 110-mile ultramarathon, he raised more than £4,000 and collected more than half a tonne of food for Norwich Foodbank under the Good Soles name.
Supporting families in West Earlham
Inspired by local resident Annie Jennings, who highlighted the challenges facing families in West Earlham, Lewis began exploring how Good Soles could support the community.
He said: “She shared information with me about the challenges many families in the area were facing, including child malnutrition, and that the area was among the 10 per cent most deprived in the UK. That was all the evidence I needed. Anything I could do to help this area would be worthwhile.”
Last year, the organisation raised more than £8,000 to provide festive Christmas hampers for every child attending a local West Earlham school, while also stocking the school's food bank for the year. The response from local businesses and residents inspired the organisation to build a long-lasting relationship and create real change in the area.
Today, Good Soles is led by five directors from a range of professional backgrounds, including Lewis and Annie.
Since officially becoming a non-profit in May, the organisation has delivered a successful summer project in West Earlham, supporting an average of 15 families each week by providing physical activities, crafts, as well as free meals and haircuts.
For Lewis, one of the most rewarding aspects has been witnessing stronger connections developing within the community: “One of my favourite moments was seeing families from a wide range of backgrounds sitting together, chatting and eating lunch.
“It was such a simple thing, but it meant so much to see that we had created a safe and inclusive space for everyone, strengthening connections within the community.”
Image: Lewis Wardale and Annie Jennings, two of the directors for Good Soles CIC, alongside children's hampers distributed by Good Soles
Closing the health inequality gap
As a current medical student on the first cohort on UEA's MBBS Medicine Graduate Entry programme, who recently received the Foundation Prize for top overall performance in his year group, Lewis says his experiences with Good Soles have reinforced the importance of understanding the wider factors that influence health and wellbeing.
He said: “I want to be a doctor who understands the day-to-day struggles people face, the barriers that can prevent them from accessing support and the realities that impact their health.
“Good Soles has shown me the value of working alongside communities and listening to what people need. Those lessons will stay with me throughout my medical career.
“The end goal is to close the health inequality gap. We know that won't happen overnight, but every project, every event and every relationship we build is a step in the right direction.”
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