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Edition 4 - July 2025

Welcome to the latest edition of the
Blackpool Researching Together newsletter!

In this edition you can find out more about the Spring into Spring events that recently took place across the town, learn about our research capacity and capability programme and meet the newest members of the Blackpool Researching Together team!
Blackpool Researching Together team at an event. Four people gathered around a table containing informative leaflets and images to update on the work of Blackpool Researching Together.
Blackpool Researching Together team at an event. Two people stood behind a table and pop up banner containing informative leaflets and images to update on the work of Blackpool Researching Together.
Blackpool Researching Together team at an event. Two people stood behind a table and pop up banner containing informative leaflets and images to update on the work of Blackpool Researching Together.
Blackpool Researching Together team at an event. Four people gathered around a table containing informative leaflets and images to update on the work of Blackpool Researching Together.
Spring into Spring events
Spring into Spring is organised by Blackpool Place Based Partnership, a group that brings together NHS organisations, local authority and voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector colleagues to deliver Health and Social Care in Blackpool.

This year, six days of free community health and wellbeing events took place at various locations across the town. The events offered free health checks, taster sessions and the chance to discover brilliant local activities, services and support.

We attended sessions at Revoelution Hub, Moor Park Health and Leisure Centre, Claremont Park Community Centre and Blackpool Sports Centre.

It was a great way to meet the community and discuss what help and support is available to our local residents, while also sharing more about the work we're doing to create a better Blackpool!
Read more
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Woman with short brown wavey hair dressed in pink top.
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Welcome to the team!
We're excited to welcome three new members to the Blackpool Researching Together team, each bringing their own expertise and skills to help us become a more research-active town.
  • Research Fellow, Naoimh, started out working in healthcare as a physiotherapist before moving into public health research. 
  • Research Lead for workforce development, Natasha, was born and raised in Blackpool and has first-hand experience of the benefits of community-led research and co-production.
  • Consultant in Public Health, Sarah, trained as a doctor at the University of Birmingham where she worked in clinical medicine before doing public health training in Cumbria and Lancashire.
Meet the team
Woman at the front of the room presenting to people sitting at desks.
Health Inequalities Research Capacity and Capability programme (HIRCC)
We're funding and co-delivering a health inequalities research capacity and capability programme with NHS Research and Development North West and Lancaster University. 

The programme helps support voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE), public health, social care and other local authority professionals to develop their capacity and capability to use and deliver health inequalities research within their roles, with and for local communities. 

This years cohort is currently underway and will run from June 2025 to January 2026. 
Find out more
Supporting Red4Research
The team celebrated #Red4Research day on Friday 20 June, showing our support for everyone taking part in, delivering or behind the scenes to drive health and care research forward.

Colleagues attending our Born into Care data analysis session got on board by dressing in red to show their appreciation for all those participating, undertaking and supporting research!
Community blog
Brightly coloured drawing of Blackpool beach featuring the sand, sea, sun, a boat and seagulls.
Library engagement events
Last month our co-researchers ran sessions at Moor Park Library to discuss our four priority areas. We focused on one area per session and invited local residents to discuss what issues they’re having and what solutions could help. As well the impact research can have in terms of making those solutions happen.

Community co-researcher Matt designed some lovely colouring sheets for children to complete and we were blown away by the masterpieces they created. We're looking forward to displaying these on our office walls!
Read more
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Training
opportunities
Interested in learning more about research? Here's a list of some upcoming NIHR training opportunities you might like:
  • Webinar: An introduction to qualitative data analysis
    📅 Thursday 14 August 
    🕧 12:30 - 1pm
  • Webinar: Ethical practice in public involvement and engagement
    📅 Thursday 4 September
    🕧 10 - 11am
  • Webinar: How do I read a paper?
    📅 Wednesday 10 September
    🕧 10 - 10:30am
  • Webinar: Introduction to Research Inclusion (RI)
    📅 Monday 22 September
    🕧 11 - 11:30am 
Find out more
Keep in touch
Website: www.blackpool.gov.uk/ResearchingTogether
Email: HDRC@blackpool.gov.uk
Don't forget to follow our social media for all the latest news!
Blackpool Council   |   PO Box 4  |   Blackpool   |   FY1 1NA
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The NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Blackpool is part of the NIHR and hosted by Blackpool Council. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaborations enable local authorities to become more research-active, embedding a culture of evidence-based decision making.