An update on the Faith Research Network (FRN)
Rudi Page - Written as part of Windrush Celebrations 2026
Led by the Academic and Community Research Implementation Programme (ACRIP), the Faith Research Network (FRN) continues to deliver a Health Equity Model that connects community infrastructure, VCFSE systems, community research, and clinical research participation across neighbourhood and regional levels.
Led by the Academic and Community Research Implementation Programme (ACRIP), the Faith Research Network (FRN) continues to deliver a Health Equity Model that connects community infrastructure, VCFSE systems, community research, and clinical research participation across neighbourhood and regional levels.
The Community Research Programme, under the theme "Evidence Begins with Experience", remains the core evidence-generating component of the FRN model, capturing lived experience and community insights to inform action on health equity. Sickle cell and prostate health are the primary long-term condition priorities, providing a focus for community engagement, research participation, knowledge mobilisation, and health improvement.
The ongoing delivery and expansion of the Be Part of Community Research Experience 2026-2027 supports the creation and adoption of new pathways that connect community research with clinical research, trials and treatments.
Faith Research Hubs continue to serve as trusted neighbourhood infrastructure for engagement coordination, co-production, health communication, and research participation.
Through these hubs, communities are supported to engage with research, contribute lived experience, and strengthen local capacity for health improvement.
FRN Connect, aimed at the Health and Social Care Workforce and Public Health Teams, continues to support knowledge mobilisation, dialogue, and collaborative learning between communities, researchers, clinicians, and system partners.
FRN also operates as a regional coordinating hub across West and North London, Bedfordshire, Essex, and Hertfordshire, supporting knowledge mobilisation, community research, clinical research participation, and the sharing of learning and practice to advance health equity.
As part of its evolving operating system, FRN is exploring the potential application of a Community Asset Mapping (CAM) Tool to strengthen system understanding of VCFSE assets, community infrastructure, and neighbourhood resources, and to inform best practice approaches to VCFSE integration within the Neighbourhood Health Service.