Making Mindfulness Count: Our Social Value

£5.76 returned for every £1 invested

Independent research shows that every £1 invested in Breathworks courses generates £5.76 in social value through reduced healthcare costs, improved workplace productivity, and enhanced community wellbeing.

Our Journey of Impact

Founded in 2001 by Vidyamala Burch, Breathworks began with a simple advertisement for mindfulness classes in the Manchester Evening News, targeting people living with chronic pain. The overwhelming response led to expansion in 2003 when co-founders Sona Fricker and Gary Hennessey joined, broadening our focus to include illness, long-term health conditions, and stress management.

Measuring Our Impact

The Social Value Business conducted rigorous independent research to evaluate our societal contribution. Their comprehensive analysis earned us the prestigious Social Value Quality Mark (Level 3) and revealed significant impacts:

Healthcare Benefits

• Reduced distress from pain and depression
• Fewer ambulance calls and A&E visits
• Decreased demands on GP and Community Nursing Teams

Workplace Improvements

• Lower rates of workplace absenteeism
• Reduced need for stress-related medical interventions
• Decreased drug and alcohol misuse

Training Reach

In just 12 months:

• Over 800 people completed Mindfulness for Health training
• More than 1,000 participated in Mindfulness for Stress programmes
• 50 new UK practitioners qualified to deliver mindfulness training

Supporting Documents

• Breathworks Mindfulness Social Value Mark Infographic.pdf

• Breathworks Mindfulness Social Value Full Report - 2016.pdf

Public Sector Value

"This research confirms that Breathworks delivers exceptional social value, with every £1 invested generating £5.76 in public savings. For public service commissioners working under the Social Value Act 2013, this demonstrates clear evidence of social impact through mindfulness training." - Colin Duff, CFO

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