Great news! The Black-E Arts Centre, in the heart of Liverpool, has been shortlisted in the prestigious Community Initiative of the Year category by the National BAME Health & Care Awards 2022.
The ceremony is organised by not-for-profit Colourful and DiversityQ, which promotes initiatives that help build a more inclusive work environment for diverse communities.
The Black-E was recognised for the difference it made through its innovative work with local families in Toxteth and Liverpool. Like many local communities, the pandemic has presented them with new challenges over the last two years.
“During COVID-19, we knew we had to work differently, to engage and support our very diverse community. We also know that health outcomes and life expectancy for Black and Asian people in our region are not good,” explains Seelan Manoharan, speaking on behalf of The Black-E.
Make a real difference
The question was how to help people stay healthy and have fun. To have more impact, The Black-E brought families together with a recipe and a box of ingredients to create a bond and challenge isolation. They also had the brilliant idea of using artists and youth workers to create an online family cooking channel.
“When artists and communities work together, we know we are making a real difference to the mental health of all our communities, including children and families,” said Dr Rebecca Amissah MD, Joint Director of Culture, who welcomed the news.
The black-E team proudly took on the challenge of keeping the community connected and entertained. They used a culturally competent approach to health and cooking and asked members of the BAME community to share their ideas and recipes for healthy eating. “It’s wonderful to have been selected, but it’s really a great recognition for all the families who participated and cooked together,” says Manoharan.
Behind promoting healthy eating, the project was also a unique opportunity to support young leaders in the black community, enabling Black, Asian and marginalised youth and their families to have culturally informed conversations about better health outcomes.
Collective win
This victory is a collective effort. “Here at Black-E, we have been able to do great projects on health and wellness. We have passionate volunteers from the health and care sector who, like us, know that it takes a village to raise a child,” adds Dr Rebecca.
“This project was also made possible with the help of FareShare Merseyside, Merseyside Play Action Council and the friendly advice of local health and NHS workers.”
About The National BAME Health & Care Awards
This ceremony recognises individuals, networks, and community groups in the UK health and social care sector who are making significant improvements in supporting equality, inclusion, and better health care initiatives for BAME communities.
This year’s winners will be chosen by an independent panel of expert judges and announced at a special ceremony on 9 June 2022. The event will be held at the Royal College of Physicians, 11 St Andrews Place, London.
Join us in celebrating the exceptional work of the shortlisted nominees by registering here.
