Eating Disorders Health Integration Team appoints Peer Co-director

Bunny James has been appointed as peer co-director for Bristol Health Partners’ Eating Disorders Health Integration Team (EDHIT).

EDHIT aims to improve the lives of people affected by or at risk of developing eating disorders in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. It’s made up of people with lived experience of eating difficulties or disorders, their family, friends and partners, clinicians, researchers and voluntary sector workers.

Bunny is joining EDHIT with three years’ experience as an active participant and contributor to the EDHIT public involvement events, and honed skills in engagement and partnership working. He is currently planning the next interest holder event alongside Hannah Davies, our fantastic EDHIT administrator, which will take place on Tuesday 1 December.

Bunny says:

“When I first came to an EDHIT event over three years ago, ‘Poetry for Eating Disorder Recovery’, I had been struggling with feeling seen as an individual with an eating disorder. I had worked on my recovery alone for a long time which, whilst teaching me a lot, could have been made easier with help in accessing the right support at the right time. I felt, and still do, empowered by my self-discovery and initial recovery journey, because I really knew a lot about my eating disorder. Knowing more helped me feel more powerful over my eating disorder, and EDHIT massively helped with that. I had no idea that I had been doing my very own ‘Poetry for recovery’ for years. I knew there and then that this was an organisation and a community that, when I was ready and able, I wanted to give back to.

“I understand the importance of a strong network and support services that you can see yourself in. I am proud to be a part of EDHIT because they centre the design of their events, strategy and projects on those with lived experience of an eating disorder. I am excited to build on the work of previous peer co-directors through developing our stakeholder activities to deliver more impact and drive the ambition of our wonderful team forward.”