Northern Lincolnshire Business Awards

A striking new mural has appeared in Grimsby as part of the Turn The Corner smokefree campaign, created by local street artist Stakes Ink. Known for his bold and detailed street art, Stakes Ink delivered the large-scale mural in a very short timeframe while maintaining the high-quality finish he has become known for locally. The artwork was completed in time to become the visual backdrop for a regional television campaign encouraging people to stop smoking. The project began when advert producers Supersonic, working via ChiefTV, approached Creative Start Arts in Health because of our local experience delivering murals and working with artists across North East Lincolnshire. Supersonic developed the concept for the mural as part of the advert, while Creative Start supported the local delivery of the project and worked with Stakes Ink to bring the artwork to life. Art With a Message The mural visually tells a story of transformation. One side represents the negative impacts of smoking, while the other reflects the positive outcomes of stopping and the support available to help people turn the corner toward a healthier, smokefree future. The artwork will also feature as the backdrop to a television advert sharing the story of a local woman who successfully became smokefree. The advert is due to air across ITV and on demand channels from April 8. The campaign has been funded by 15 local authorities across Humber and North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire and is coordinated by the Centre for Excellence, a programme focused on tackling the region’s biggest preventable health harms. Celebrating Local Talent Creative Start Arts in Health helped support the delivery of the mural by connecting the campaign with a local artist and coordinating the installation. We were proud to work with Stakes Ink on the project. His ability to take a concept and translate it into a powerful piece of street art in such a short timeframe was key to making the project possible. Delivering a mural of this scale and quality under tight deadlines is no small task, and the finished piece stands as a testament to his skill and professionalism. Creative Start regularly works with artists to deliver public artwork across the area through initiatives such as Paint The Town Proud, helping bring creativity into public spaces while supporting local talent. A Possible Lasting Legacy While the mural was originally intended to be temporary, it has been very well received locally. Conversations may now take place with the building owner and the community about refreshing the “negative” section of the wall in the future, potentially creating another uplifting public artwork for the town. The campaign is supported locally by North East Lincolnshire Council, which offers free support for people who want to stop smoking.

Thank you to everyone involved in the North Lincolnshire Drug and Alcohol Strategy Launch at The Bath Halls, Scunthorpe. It was genuinely uplifting to be in a room full of people who care about change. A day full of recovery, hope, honesty and a shared commitment to working differently as a system. As part of the day, we shared this film publicly for the first time, and the response in the room meant a lot to everyone involved. Now that the film has been shown for the first time, we can finally share it more widely. This film means a huge amount to us. This isn’t just a campaign video. It’s lived experience on screen. Every main actor in this film has been through addiction and is now in recovery. The story you’re watching is rooted in real lives, real struggle, real change, and real hope. The film follows three people finding a way out of addiction and into recovery, and it challenges a lot of the assumptions people hold about who addiction affects. The truth is, it reaches far wider than most of us realise. One of the biggest barriers we see isn’t the absence of support, it’s fear. Fear of being judged. Fear of being seen. Fear of speaking up. And that silence keeps people stuck. Recovery Town exists to lower that barrier. Our website www.recoverytown.co.uk is intentionally simple. It shows what support is available in the area and what meetings are on which day. We’re also placing QR codes across the town so that access to help is as simple and immediate as possible, in the moments it’s most needed. Huge thanks to Tommy Turgoose for giving his time to record the voiceover and for the respect he showed to the people whose stories are reflected in this film and of course to Archie Fox who created this with us, a brilliant filmmaker and someone we genuinely love working with. If you’re watching this and it resonates with you, or with someone you care about, please know that support exists and recovery is real. If this film makes you feel something, please share it. You never know who might need to see it today.

We’re proud to share some amazing news! Creative Start has won the inaugural 2025 Investors in People Award for Excellence in Building Purpose Driven Impact. This award recognises organisations that put purpose before profit, something that’s always been at the heart of what we do. A huge thank you to Sarah Lumley, Public Health Programme Manager at @nelcouncil , for nominating us and joining us in London for the event. Your belief in our work and continued support means a lot. We’re proud to represent North East Lincolnshire, showing that recovery, creativity and community can lead the way in changing lives and challenging stigma. Here’s to everyone who believes in chances, hope, and purpose.

What an incredible night! We are genuinely delighted and immensely proud to announce that we have won the Community Group award at the @bbchumberside Make a Difference Awards. While we don't do this work for accolades, receiving this recognition is deeply meaningful. For many in the recovery community, the journey is a matter of life and death, and our focus will always remain on providing vital support. To be celebrated amongst a room full of inspiring people doing such fantastic work across our region is a true honour. This award is a testament to the amazing support we receive from so many people. It reinforces our commitment to making it easier for everyone to talk about addiction and recovery without fear of stigma or shame, ensuring that when support is needed, guidance and a space for meaningful change are readily available. Recognition like this shows that the landscape is changing. Important conversations are happening, and minds are opening. Led by our incredible and committed community, we will continue to drive this vital work forward.