PRAN NEWSLETTER ISSUE 10: November 2024
Autumn Edition
Dear PRAN MEMBERS
Before heading to updates about blogs and events from PRAN and our friends, we would like to start this issue with a reflection on the Inequalities and Health Summit: A Call for Action that took place on the 29th of October. The event focused on addressing the rising challenges of health inequality. It brought together over 200 delegates, including policymakers, health professionals, social entrepreneurs, academics, business leaders, and charity representatives, all working towards actionable solutions. PRAN was delighted to collaborate with colleagues from Liverpool John Moores and Liverpool Hope University to make this event a success. The overall message we received during the summit was clear: we need urgent action to address local and regional health inequalities, and this action must be collective, involving stakeholders from diverse organisations and sectors. We are dedicated to sustaining this engagement and ensuring these conversations continue into the future. Below are some testimonials from attendees.
TESTIMONIES
"The summit focused on critical issues like food insecurity, housing-related health challenges, and barriers faced by marginalised communities, all of which align with the common mission of improving health and wellbeing for our most disadvantaged residents."
Prof Matthew Ashton, Director of Public Health, Liverpool City Council
“To spend a day with so many individuals and organisations who are working both on the ground and strategically to really understand the social determinants of health was inspiring; the passion in the room was palpable.”
Cllr Liz Parsons, Councillor for Kensington & Fairfield Ward and Liverpool City Council Cabinet Member for Children’s Social
“The Inequalities and Health Summit hosted by Liverpool Hope University was a fantastic occasion to gain insights into a range of diverse work across Liverpool and beyond.”
Dr Mary Guy, Senior Lecturer in Public and EU Law, Liverpool John Moore University
“The summit highlighted the pressing health inequalities in the Liverpool City Region, exacerbated by high levels of deprivation, life expectancy gaps, and increasing chronic health issues, as well as showcasing good practice examples of tackling poverty locally.”
Sue Jarvis, Co-Director, Heseltine Institute, the University of Liverpool
“Attending the Inequalities and Health Summit at Liverpool Hope University was a powerful experience, bringing together dedicated voices in health, social justice, and poverty alleviation across the Liverpool City Region.”
Elsie E. Hayford, Legal and Policy Director, Impacting Health Hub
“There is strength in solidarity, and this was abundantly self-evident at the Inequalities in Health Summit: Call for Action.”
Mark Swift, Founder CEO, and James Smith,Operations Manager, Wellbeing Enterprises
“This summit gathered experts to confront the harsh realities of poverty, policy failures, and escalating health inequalities across the Northwest. The picture in Liverpool mirrored that of many other regions, revealing stark disparities between neighbourhoods.”
Amina Ismail,Community Mobiliser, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
“Richard Wilkinson spelt out a global picture, based on a wealth of data, of the convergence of threats to the continued existence of our current societies.“
Aidan Jolly, Co-Artistic Director, Collective Encounters
To read full testimonials and learn more about the event, read our latest blog.
OTHER BLOGS
Since our last news update, we have added two new articles to our blog. Do give them a read:
Put Children First Campaign Launch
Alder Hey Children’s Charity launched the "Put Children First" campaign on the 25th of September, urging the government to redesign the NHS for children. The campaign aims to end child health inequality, reduce poverty's impact on health services, and prioritise children in policy.
Working Together to tackle poverty stigma in Wales – Five Key Insights
Over the last 12 months, the Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) has been exploring what poverty stigma is, where it comes from, why it matters, what works to address it and, what we at WCPP can do to enable decision-makers to access evidence that informs their actions to prevent and address poverty stigma, rather than add to it. Here we share five key insights we’ve gained so far, and our plans for this work going forward.
EVENTS
PRAN WORKSHOP: Developing Funding Strategies
When: 3rd of December (Tuesday)
Where: Creative Campus, L6 1HP and Online
Join our free workshop to develop key skills in grant writing, donor engagement, and fundraising strategies. Through best practices and real-world examples shared by experts from national and local funding organisations, participants will develop essential strategies to successfully attract financial support for their projects. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. To learn more about the workshop and to register please click here.
Collective Encounters Community Chronicles Performances
When: 20th, 21st, 22nd of November
Where: Various
This has been devised and produced by our Adult Theatre for Social Change group, around four provocations: Them and Us, Us and Them; the political ideology of divide and rule; the difference between Equity and Equality; and finally, looking at what kind of world we would like to see. It involves performances, audience responses, and our amazing live band, 'The Hip Replacements', featuring collaboratively written songs. To book tickets, please visit:
Knowledge sharing and dissemination are an important part of the fight against poverty. We encourage our members to utilise PRAN’s website for this very purpose and contact us if you wish to write a blog post, join our podcast or advertise your work, activities or events. If you would like to have a more active role in the network (e.g. editing newsletters/blogs, hosting podcasts or organising events and other activities), please get in touch with us at info@pran.org.uk.
Thank you for your support and for joining the network in the collective fight against poverty and injustice! We will be back in touch soon!
"My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together." - Desmond Tutu
In Solidarity,
PRAN Team
