Bright Community

Bright Community funding helps raise awareness of health and wellbeing in Northumberland

Bright Community is helping to raise awareness of health and wellbeing among Northumberland’s LGBT communities.

Health improvement practitioner specialist and equality and diversity ally Tim Holmes successfully applied for funding to create a health, fitness and wellbeing zone at the inaugural Northumberland Pride event in June.

Pride events celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender culture.

Tim says the event in Northumberland was an ideal opportunity to further demonstrate the trust’s commitment to high quality care for all who access its services, and to identify and understand the specific health needs and aspirations of the LGBT community of Northumberland.

Representatives from 14 services took part in the health zone including our Integrated Wellbeing and Integrated Sexual Health Services (pictured), and the Pears Volunteer Programme.

Tim said: “Providing this zone at the Pride event helped us create an informal environment for Northumberland LGBT people to meet representatives from a range of health improvement services and talk about their health needs and how we can support.

“National research has shown that among the LGBT community there can be a fear of experiencing prejudice when accessing healthcare services, so this was a valuable opportunity to dispel negative perceptions and for services to use the opportunity to improve access and service provision for the LGBT communities across Northumberland.

“We estimate that between 500 and 750 people visited the health zone at this year’s event and plans are already underway for a health zone at next year’s event. We believe that delivering a health, fitness and wellbeing zone at events like this will benefit LGBT patients, staff, and the wider communities of Northumberland.”

Bright Community forms part of our trust Bright Charity (Charities Commission Registration number 1083122) and receives 15% of money raised through the Staff Lottery, together with donations made by patients, service users and visitors.

Applications for Bright Community funding are considered by the Staff Lottery Grant Allocation Group.

If you are a member of Northumbria Healthcare staff and you have an idea that can improve our community projects or facilities please complete the bid application form and email it to brightcharity@northumbria.nhs.uk. You will be asked to attend the meeting, to support the bid and answer any questions.

Individual applications will be considered up to a maximum of £1,000. For advice about larger applications please contact the Charity team. If you have any queries please contact claire.finn@northumbria.nhs.uk  tel: 0191 2031511.