The Health Mela concept was developed by founder members of the National Forum for Health & Wellbeing. Designed to remove barriers to health information, screening and advice, it envisaged a series of community-focused, multi-partner events, where visitors could enjoy convenient access to health checks and confidential support, all in familiar, trusted surroundings.

Blending health education, entertainment and on-the-spot clinical tests, the first Health Mela took place in 2001. Its inclusive, family-friendly model was an immediate success. Since that time, the model has grown in terms of scale, reach and reputation. It has been adopted by communities across the UK and internationally, with a consistent focus on improving health outcomes and reducing health inequalities.

In this section, we explore the basic formula that has made the Health Mela such a success.

Format

  • Free to attend – ensuring no financial barrier to vital health services
  • One-day events – typically 10am–3pm, designed to be convenient and accessible
  • Normally held at weekends – maximising availability for working people and families
  • Inclusive, all-age, family-friendly design – welcoming the whole community, appealing through a combination of entertainments, activities and information
  • Information and support focused – partner organisations and stallholders explain what support is available in the local community to help with a wide variety of health-related issues
  • Professional engagement – most Health Melas are preceded by an associated ‘breakfast meeting’ conference for health professionals, policy-makers and community representatives. This fosters dialogue and strengthens collaborative health provision by providing an additional forum for feedback, engagement and inclusion.

Venue

Health Melas are held in community spaces to ensure they feel approachable and welcoming, rather than clinical or intimidating. Venues must be local, easy to access, and fully inclusive for all abilities. Suitable locations include:

  • Community and cultural centres
  • University buildings
  • Schools and colleges
  • Sports halls and leisure centres
  • Public halls and exhibition centres
  • Theatres and other accessible performance spaces

Activities

The word ‘mela’ has connotations of festival and celebration. This encapsulates the feeling that the Health Mela concept should create. Although it has a very serious purpose – to help and encourage people to lead healthier lives – it is also very consciously designed to be fun. As a result, the activities on offer should be an entertaining mix of activities, demonstrations and education.

Examples of typical Health Mela activities and attractions include:

  • Dance and musical performances
  • Health-themed activities such as the ‘smoothie bike’
  • Demonstrations of Reiki, Yoga, Tai Chi and other wellbeing practices
  • Healthy cooking / eating lessons for children
  • The Teddy Bear Clinic, where children can to learn to apply bandages
  • Henna painting
  • First Aid and emergency care demonstrations
  • Health and wellbeing workshops and interactive displays
Montage of health mela activities - head massage, football and smoothie bike

Partners & Collaboration

Partnerships are essential to the Health Mela model since they provide many of the events’ most important facilities and resources. Partners brings clinical expertise, community insight and organisational assistance to deliver high-quality, evidence-based health support. They commonly include:

  • University medical schools – providing trained supervision and healthcare students to carry out vital clinical checks
  • NHS hospital trusts – delivering specialist information, guidance, and public health messaging
  • NHS Ambulance Service and other emergency services – providing practical safety and health education
  • Voluntary and community groups – offering dedicated support for conditions including cancer, dementia, stroke, and sensory impairment
  • Health and wellbeing charities – sharing expertise and signposting to ongoing support
  • Patient support groups
  • A chief guest – typically a senior health professional
  • Other senior health professionals, public health leads, and clinical leaders
  • Local dignitaries – mayors, MPs etc.
  • Locally elected representatives and community leaders
  • Local authority and public health teams
  • Local media / journalists – to help share vital health information more widely

Health Checks

Timely screening and early intervention are at the heart of the Health Mela concept. Many people delay or forgo essential health checks due to time constraints, discomfort in clinical environments, language barriers, or cultural differences. Health Melas afford people a great opportunity to get these vital checks on a drop-in basis, in a non-threatening environment that is lively, fun and welcoming. By making confidential screening more accessible, they make it possible to identify risk factors sooner, and to signpost people to appropriate care.

The events also provide invaluable practical training for the next generation of healthcare professionals, enabling students to deliver basic health assessments under qualified supervision and to develop skills in community engagement and culturally sensitive care.

Clinical checks typically cover:

  • Blood glucose (diabetes risk)
  • Blood pressure
  • Cholesterol
  • Eye-health
  • Height, weight and BMI
  • Oral health
A montage showing health checks and medical students

Promotion

Health Melas are promoted widely and well in advance to ensure all sections of the community are aware of the health services available. The following channels can be used to reach diverse audiences:

  • The NFHW website
  • The event host’s venue, website and social platforms
  • Partner organisations’ websites and social platforms
  • Posters in community and faith settings
  • Posters in healthcare settings
  • Press releases to local media – e.g. newspapers, radio and online community hubs

Evaluation

  • Attendance tracking – recommended to help understand reach and impact
  • Visitor feedback — short, simple surveys to gather views on the usefulness of health checks, the information provided, venue accessibility, and areas for improvement
  • Concise and respectful — feedback forms should be simple, clear and quick to complete, to encourage honest, helpful responses
Montage of health checks and stalls

Historic Note: The First Mela

The first Health Mela was held in 2001 at the Gujarat Hindu Society Community Centre in Preston.

Professor Gupta OBE and fellow founder-members identified a critical gap: people from certain ethnic and cultural backgrounds were significantly less likely to engage with mainstream NHS services, often due to language barriers, cultural differences, or a lack of culturally appropriate provision. This led to measurable health inequalities, including higher rates of hypertension, stroke, heart disease, and diabetes among people of South Asian heritage — conditions to which such people are statistically more susceptible, and to which early detection and management can make a profound difference.

The first Mela was designed to address this gap, actively reaching out to communities that were being left behind. The venue was chosen specifically for its cultural familiarity, helping to create a space where people felt comfortable seeking health guidance. This established a principle that remains central today: to deliver equitable health outcomes, services must be accessible, inclusive, and culturally sensitive.