Abstract

This insightful debate, ‘Community voices, barriers and enablers’, highlighted how and why communities of all sorts – whether place-based or communities of belonging – are so important for our health and wellbeing.

The webinar demonstrated that as well providing relationships, meaning and purpose, communities can help us take more control of our lives. Facilitated by C2 Connecting Communities, the webinar discussion centred around the work of two local groups that have made major contributions to their communities over several years. Speakers from the two groups described some of the barriers and enablers that they’ve faced.

The panel included:

Chair:

Jennifer Dixon, CEO, The Health Foundation

Panel:

Hazel Stuteley, Founder, C2 Connecting Communities

David Aynsley, Founder, TR14ers

Tia Fanelli, Trustee, TR14ers

Charlotte Holdsworth, Community connector, Livewest Housing / TQ6 partner

Alisa Kefford-Parker, Local Dartmouth resident; vice-chair, TQ6 Community Partnership

Dawn Shepherd, Local Dartmouth resident and local town councillor; founder, Dartmouth Community Chest; co-ordinator/connector, TQ6 Community Partnership

Lord Nigel Crisp, Independent crossbench member, House of Lords; former CEO of the NHS in England, 2000-2006

The webinar series follows on from the launch of Health is made at home, hospitals are for repairs, a new book authored by Lord Nigel Crisp, former chief executive of the NHS, in which he tells the stories of the ‘health creators’. These are the people all over the UK who are tackling the causes of today’s major health problems – loneliness, stress, obesity, poverty and addictions – in their homes, workplaces and communities.