Tower Hamlets Council are aware of the value and importance of engaging with all faith groups in the borough, as the pandemic has highlighted the vast amount of work that has been done by faith communities for years, in addition to new services and initiatives in more recent times. Both projects built on the work of the Faith COVID Assistance Partnership, which provided support and free COVID-19 infection prevention supplies to many places of worship throughout the pandemic.
Tower Hamlets Faith Health Action Partnership
An innovative faith and health project
In 2022, FaithAction ran a project to look at how faith settings support the health needs of their communities. Funded by Tower Hamlets Public Health, working with East London Mosque and supported by Tower Hamlets Inter Faith Forum, we supported eight local faith settings and faith based organsiations to deliver vital health focused projects to the local community.
We worked with some fantastic local faith settings and faith based groups to deliver health focused activities to their local communities. We were very pleased to fund Cycle Sisters, Christ Apostolic Church, Shahporan Masjid & Islamic Centre Trust, Globe Community Project, Dorset Community Association, Newark Youth London, East London Mosque and Wapping Noorani Masjid & Cultural Centre.
These groups are embedded in the local community, and offered a range of health based projects, including activities for young people, healthy eating guidance, fitness sessions, blood pressure checks and much more.
If you would like more information please email [email protected]t
Churches Health Action Partnership
We were funded by Tower Hamlets Public Health to work with Black African churches in the borough to provide support for local communities during the cost of living crisis and the recovery from the pandemic.
We worked with Christ Apostolic Church, Pilgrim’s Tabernacle, RCCG Jubilee Hall and Newham African Caribbean Centre. These groups provided a friendly warm space that is open to whole community, alongside health awareness sessions, fitness, trips, refreshments and activities.
The project is supported by the Tower Hamlets Inter Faith Forum. Our engagement coordinators worked closely with the faith leaders to help start, maintain and evaluate the work of the projects, which are providing vital benefits to local people.
For more information, contact [email protected].
COVID-19 has worsened the health of many people – from exacerbating pre-existing issues such as mental health, causing new problems such as social isolation, and hindering access to GP appointments.
Faith groups support the health of people in so many ways, ranging from organised groups on bereavement to informal groups such as lunch clubs or befriending.
The first phase of the FHAP project discovered the types of activities that faith settings offer locally – we produced an action plan with recommendations to the council, and held a series of focus groups to get to the heart of the experiences and aims of local faith groups.
We then co-produced health action plans with leaders, and supported them throughout their projects.
The Faith Health Action Partnership was externally evaluated, which highlighted the vaulable role of faith settings providing a trusted space for health and wellbeing support.
- Highlighting the important work of faith groups
- Working to tackle health inequalities
- Building relationships between faith and public health
- Helping the borough to recover from Covid-19
Our engagement team
Charlie Murrell-Edwards
Community Engagement Coordinator
Mohammed Muhith
Community Engagement Coordinator
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Tower Hamlets Faith Health Action Partnership
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