Research Ready Communities is a programme designed by the NIHR to build more inclusive health and social care research together with communities. The pilot was implemented by the Humber and North Yorkshire ICB (HNY ICB) in conjunction with the voluntary sector in the region. The Health Gospel was involved as one of three VSCE Lead organisations, supporting grassroot engagement.

The Programme objectives were:

• Building trusting relationships with communities over time;
• Recruiting and training Community Research Champions;
• Listening to and learning from people in the community about what they need from research for it to be more inclusive;
• Co-designing and implementing activities with Community Champions and partners that respond to what’s heard from the community, in order to make research more inclusive.

The Health Gospel community enagagement resulted in 19 research champions being trained and engaged with research initiatives and grassroot research mobilisation, and involvement with local research initiatives like the Academy of Primary Care, Hull.

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