Funding awarded to help marginalised communities take part in health research

Twelve organisations in Bristol and Weston-Super-Mare have secured NHS England funding for community-led activities that could lead to more meaningful participation in research.

Including people from different backgrounds in research  is essential to improve health outcomes across the population. When research doesn’t include everyone, health and care services don’t work as well for all the people who need them. Evidence from our region shows that people from racially minoritised communities are under-represented in research.

Grassroots organisations are key to building relationships and trust between researchers and communities – particularly those experiencing the greatest inequity.

To support relationship-building, our local diverse Research Engagement Network launched its first Small Grants Awards this summer – and more than 40 organisations applied.

Each application was assessed by a diverse panel of people with experience in health and care research. Research Engagement Network Small Grants were awarded to:

• Accure Health CIC
• Black Mothers Matter CIC
• Borderlands
• Bristol Community FM (BCfm Radio)
• Bristol Somali Resource Centre
• Cabot PTFA on behalf of St Paul’s Partners
• Friday Lunch Club
• Lush Greens Bristol CIC
• Redcliffe Community Voice
• The Roma Group Bristol
• Together We Shine
• Voice4Her

(‘CIC’ stands for ‘Community Interest Company’).

Awards will support a range of engagement activities planned over the next six months. These will include events with a research focus, creative ways to share research and ways to get people involved in shaping research proposals. While each organisation will work differently, together their efforts will move the dial towards more inclusive health and care research in our region.

We will share news, outcomes and impacts from these projects throughout 2027.

Panel member Aaliyah Adams, Equality & Inclusion Team, Bristol City Council​, said:

“The strong response to these awards demonstrates the commitment and expertise that already exist within our communities, and their appetite to shape and influence research when opportunities are accessible and meaningful. It also challenges the idea of so-called ‘hard-to-reach’ groups – when in reality trusted community organisations are already engaging and supporting these groups every day.

“These grants create opportunities for communities to lead the direction of work that matters to them, helping to ensure research is shaped by lived experience and local priorities. We hope the learning from these projects will allow for future opportunities, and will encourage more organisations and researchers to adopt community-led approaches and build more inclusive, equitable research partnerships with organisations who are already doing brilliant work.”

What is the Research Engagement Network?

NHS England has set up Research Engagement Networks across the country to encourage people who haven’t been involved in research before to take part.

In Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, our goal is to increase participation in research among people who are racially minoritised or from Global Majority communities.

Each successful organisation has been awarded up to £5,000. These awards are funded by NHS England through our Research Engagement Network.