After a fantastic year of delivering projects impacting health inequalities within communities in Barking and Dagenham, the Barking and Dagenham Faith Leaders Network, which is administered by our FaithAction team, is delighted to have received another round of funding from Barking and Dagenham Council’s Public Health team.
The issue of health inequalities within communities in Barking and Dagenham is a large one. Barking and Dagenham is both one of the most deprived boroughs in London and has one of the lowest life expectancies for its residents in the country. Cancer and cardiovascular disease are some of the biggest causes of early mortality, often being linked back to lifestyle choices including smoking and obesity for which the borough has some of the worst rates in the country. The borough is also one of the most diverse, which presents additional challenges in providing culturally appropriate care and navigating issues and concerns held by communities that often felt let down by the health system.
Last year, projects focused on topics such as improving maternity care for Black African women, encouraging young people to make healthy food choices after school, and improving mental health and wellbeing for people feeling lonely and isolated. Each of these projects used the special link faith groups have with their local communities to make a significant difference.
This year, we are hoping more fantastic projects will be able to help even more people within the borough, supporting them through such important issues.
