Grants awarded to local organisations to reduce health inequalities in Reading
10 organisations in Reading have been awarded funding to help reduce health inequalities across the borough.
The 10 organisations have received funding for a variety of health awareness projects from events to promote healthy living to wellness checks, a women’s conference to workshops designed to understand why HIV testing rates are lower in Reading than the UK national average.
The organisations who have been awarded funding include:
- Green Ways
- Utulivu Women’s Group
- The Jamaica Society and Friends
- Caversham Muslim Association
- Indian Community Association
- Whitley Community Development Association
- GRNCA (Greater Reading Nepalese Community Association)
- New Testament Church of God
- Reading Islamic Cultural Centre
- Thames Valley Positive Support (TVPS)
John Ashton Interim Director of Public Health said: “We were thrilled to receive such a breadth of applications for our Community Health Champion grants.
“The projects outlined by the applicants will support our local communities to live healthier lives and help reduce health inequalities that prevent our most vulnerable residents from accessing the highest quality health and wellbeing care.
The grants have been designed to support community-based organisations working with those at the greatest risk of experiencing poor health outcomes and health inequalities, including those groups who face barriers to vaccination. The funding is being delivered as part of Reading’s Community Health Champions programme, a partnership led by Reading Borough Council and the Alliance for Cohesion and Racial Equality (ACRE).
Organisations from the voluntary and community sector had the opportunity to apply for grants of up to £10,000 to support the infrastructure and/or additional capacity they need to expand an existing service, deliver services in a different way or to develop new services which will help reduce health inequalities.
As part of the funding, the successful organisations will recruit a voluntary Community Health Champion from their organisation to help support the project during and beyond the funding lifecycle.
John Ashton continued: “As part of the grant agreement we have invited recipients to host the Community Wellness Outreach programme which supports NHS health checks in the community.”
Read more about the work of Reading Community Health Champions here: Reading Community Health Champions Projects Grants - Reading Borough Council
Notes to editors
Thames Valley Positive Support
The Thames Valley Positive Support (TVPS) project aims to reduce the late HIV diagnosis rate in Reading by identifying the barriers to accessing early testing and producing and delivering an awareness campaign to combat these barriers.
Sarah Macadam from TVPS said: “Reading has the highest late diagnosis rate in the south east. 78% of those diagnosed with HIV are diagnosed late, compared to a regional average of 47.9%.
“We are thrilled to have received a grant from the Community Health Champion Grants programme. This will allow us to understand the barriers to early testing and support more people to get tested earlier for HIV, hopefully leading to an earlier diagnosis and better long-term health outcomes.”
GRNCA (Greater Reading Nepalese Community Association)
GRNCA will be running a series of education sessions and health wellness checks targeted at communities who traditionally have been seldom heard. Their project will include health education sessions to prevent the rise of chronic health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. In addition, they will also run sessions highlighting the impacts of smoking and alcohol consumption on our bodies to help people live healthier lives.
Chairman Bhimsen Khadka from GRNCA said: “This grant will allow us to run a series of vital health checks and education sessions including some physical activities like Yoga, Zumba and walking for health in different age groups that will reach members of the Reading community who have not been captured through traditional services. These sessions will help Reading residents live healthier lives. Community
“Health champion Mr Krishna Neupane will lead the project with the help of GRNCA Executive committee members and volunteers "
About the Community Wellness Outreach partnership and the Community Health Champions
The Community Wellness Outreach (CWO) partnership project runs in Reading to the end of June 2025.
The partnership is funded by the Buckinghamshire, Oxford and West Berkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) in partnership with the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust MEET PEET team and Reading Voluntary Action. The partnership is piloting outreach activities to reduce health inequalities for our most vulnerable communities. The programme is open to all, but people at risk of developing cardiovascular conditions are a priority.
The partners will run health and wellbeing outreach hubs in community settings across Reading providing NHS Health Checks and holistic support to enable people to take action to improve their health.
Community Health Champions (CHCs) are people who live, work or volunteer in Reading and are passionate about raising awareness within the community about health and wellbeing information.
CHCs connect their community to evidence-based health and wellbeing information, empowering people to access local services to improve their health.
You can find about more about the Community Health Champion’s programme and how to become a Community Health Champion here.