2023 ANNUAL REVIEW Belfast WEST BELFAST HIP Aft REGE WF- TING Belfast A World Health Organizallo Healthy City Healthy Cities 21rt Century ## **OUR VISION** Our vision is to be a leader in creating a healthy, equitable and sustainable city. ## **OUR MISSION** Our mission is to promote health and wellbeing, provide inspiration and facilitate innovative collaborative action and good policies through: - Leadership and learning from the WHO European Healthy Cities Network - Supporting research, sharing evidence and building capacity Introducing and piloting innovative concepts and approaches Maximising partners' impact on health and inequalities. ## **BELFAST HEALTHY CITIES** Belfast is at the heart of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network of more than 88 cities and 20 national networks. Belfast Healthy Cities has represented Belfast within the WHO European Healthy Cities Network since 1988, working with partner organisations and stakeholders across the city, to deliver actions that fulfil the goals of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network Phase VII (20192026). We have more than 35 years of experience in challenging health inequalities, improving health and wellbeing for all our citizens and in working in partnership with Government at all levels. ## **CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT** This report covers another successful year for Belfast Heathy Cities and the significant achievements in 2023. We continued to work collaboratively with local and regional sectors across all levels, to deliver our programmes and with colleagues in WHO Europe. This year, we celebrated 35 years of Belfast being a member of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network and we were very pleased so many of our stakeholders were able to join us for the celebration event in the Harbour’s Commissioner’s Office. We were very grateful to Kira Fortune, WHO Regional Adviser for Healthy Cities for participating in the event and to other European and local colleagues. We look forward to continuing to work with WHO on the emerging themes of ‘One Heath’ & the ‘Well-being economy’. I was very pleased to be able to attend the WHO Annual Healthy Cities Conference this year in Utrecht, Netherlands with other Board colleagues and staff, where Belfast’s case studies were prominent in the programme. While our programmes are based within the 6P framework of the WHO European Heathy Cities Phase VII (2019 – 2026), they are very closely aligned with regional and local government policy frameworks and we look forward to continuing to support delivery and some of the challenges during the incoming year. I would like to thank our funders, regional and local government across a number of departments, organisations and the many stakeholders who have contributed to the work of Belfast Healthy Cities during the past year. I would also like to thank my colleagues on the Board of Directors; special thanks to Dr Karen Casson and Nigel McMahon for their untiring commitment and contribution to Belfast Healthy Cities over the past ten years. Thanks also to the small but dedicated staff team, led by our Chief Executive, Joan Devlin, for making this another successful year. **----- Start of picture text -----**
MICHAEL BOYD
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**CHAIRPERSON** ## **CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT** Welcome to our annual review for 2023 that outlines the progress we have made on our key programmes. We continue to work locally on the determinants of health, using an intersectoral approach and within the WHO Healthy Cities framework of People; Place; Prosperity; Planet; Peace and Participation. Our ‘Greening the City’ programme got off to a great start last year and has continued to deliver the agreed action plan. A highlight of the year was the study visit to Cork as part of the networking and sharing learning across the WHO Healthy Cities Network. The development of the Green Maps in east and west Belfast was another key element of the Greening programme and Belfast City council’s ‘grey to green’ programme is one of the key actions the group supports. As follow up to the city health profile, Profiling Health, Well-being and Prosperity, six further chapters were developed using the WHO 6P framework, ‘Has Covid 19 changed our city?’ The chapters outlined some of the positive changes brought about during the pandemic but unfortunately highlighted too the ongoing deep inequality issues in the city. We were delighted the Chief Medical Officer could join us at the launch of the chapters in November. Training continued to be delivered on the Pharmacy Schools Programme resource and is welcomed by primary schools across Northern Ireland. We continue to be a partner in a number of projects with Queen’s University and in doing so, generating new knowledge and exchanging that knowledge with many of our European colleagues. Many thanks to all the stakeholders who work with us in delivering our programmes – the support and investment is mutually beneficial and we look forward to continuing to work with you in the coming year. I would like to thank the Board of Directors for their continuous support, special thanks to the Officers, Michael Boyd, Chair; Karen Casson, Vice Chair; and Ian Montgomery, Treasurer. Sincere thanks to the small but dedicated staff team. We welcomed Gemma Evans and Maeve Brennan to our team this year. It is with the team’s commitment that much progress is made. **----- Start of picture text -----**
JOAN DEVLIN
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
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## **CITY HEALTH PROFILE** In 2022, Belfast Healthy Cities produced the six profile chapters ‘BELFAST Profiling Health, Wellbeing & Prosperity: The data behind the people and the city’. Following the pandemic, each of the six themes from WHO’s framework - People; Prosperity; Place; Planet; Peace and Participation – were revisited to examine the impact COVID-19 has had on Belfast and its people. A further six ‘COVID-19 chapters’ were produced and these were launched in Autumn 2023. Each chapter had a preface from senior officers in their relevant field. - People - Dr Joanne McClean, PHA - Prosperity – I Sherry & N Brennan, VCSE Advisory Panel - Place - Grainia Long, CEO, NIHE - Planet – Debbie Caldwell, Climate Commissioner - Peace - District Commander Jones, PSNI - Participation – Richard Meade, Direct, Carers UK The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Michael McBride, gave the opening address at the launch and the profile author Erica Ison, Specialist Practitioner in Population and Public Health; presented a summary analysis of the People; Prosperity; Place; Planet; Peace and Participation chapters. Other guest presenters at the launch were Graham Alabaster, Head of Geneva Office, Office of The Executive Director, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, Geneva; and Maude Luherne, Co-ordinator, French National Healthy Cities Network A workshop was held on the Belfast profiles at the WHO Healthy Cities Annual Conference in Utrecht, Netherlands, facilitated by Erica Ison and Karen Casson. The purpose of the workshop was to provide knowledge to Healthy Cities and National Networks on the development of the Belfast profile/s and the rationale for including various types of data. Belfast Healthy Cities continues to work with the Care Zone group in north Belfast, chairing and facilitating the Management Committee and the Membership Group. An Action Planning Day with an independent facilitator took place in September to look at prioritising actions for the next year and the structures for delivery. Positive support from member organisations including Belfast City Council, Reach Out, YEHA, Care Zone Community Champions, Cancer Lifeline; North Belfast Seniors Forum, Public Health Agency, Sacred Heart Primary School, and Belfast Healthy Cities will see the action plan moving forward through 2024. Care Zone Community Champions continue to develop their skills and a number of the Champions have completed an OCN accredited course in Mentoring Skills and Techniques. Other training includes Autism Awareness and Community Event Planning. ## **UK HEALTHY CITIES NETWORK** Belfast continues to be a member of the UK Healthy Cities Network. A development workshop took place earlier this year in Liverpool to agree a limited number of common priorities to develop a network plan for the remainder of Phase VII; identify network infrastructure needs, potential resources across the network, and ways of working; and develop politicians’ role and engagement in the network and the tools/resources they need. ## **TEACHING RESOURCE** The Healthy Places, Healthy Children resource has been designed by Belfast Healthy Cities in collaboration with the Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Education Authority. The resource, which compliments the Northern Ireland National Curriculum, introduces children to the links between the built environment and health and well-being. It provides an opportunity for: children to research their local area; develop proposals for how to make their local environment more child friendly; and provides a mechanism to share their proposals with local decision makers. In June 2023, 19 primary school teachers from across Northern Ireland have completed training with Belfast Healthy Cities. The training will support teachers as they deliver lessons in the Healthy Places, Healthy Children programme to Key Stage 2 children, and pass on to their pupils the important learnings about their local environment and living an active life. Alongside the training, participants heard from Melanie Mulligan, Education Manager, Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment (CCEA), and Ms Maria Tierney, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, St Kevin’s Primary School, Belfast on how the programme supports the Key Stage 2 curriculum and tips on how use the resource to gain support for projects to improve the school area. Find out more about the Healthy Places Healthy Children Teaching Resource ## **EXPLORER BURSARY AWARD** Following a 3 year break due to the pandemic travel restrictions, 2023 saw the Explorer Bursary relaunched. The bursary supports a study visit to a Phase VII World Health Organization (WHO) European Healthy City, where the Explorers will learn from their chosen city and is open to applicants living or working in Belfast from the community, voluntary, public and business sectors. Two applications were successful this year: Clare Flynn, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust visited Stockholm, Sweden to learn from public health approaches addressing alcohol related harm. Jacquline O’Hagan and Caleb Armitage, EastSide Greenways, went to Utrecht, Netherlands to look at how they are best utilising greenspaces and how they are tackling some of the common challenges we face such as climate resilience. ## **POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT** Ahead of the local government elections in May, Belfast Healthy Cities produced a briefing which asked candidates to make health and wellbeing a central part of their policy programme, if elected to Council. Using the City Health Profile developed in 2022, the briefing highlighted some of the data and issues which determine the health and wellbeing of our citizens. The profile is available to inform decision makers and influencers on the changes required to improve the health and well-being of all citizens of Belfast. We asked election candidates to work to make a real difference to citizens by prioritising action under each theme of People, Planet, Place, Peace, Participation & Prosperity. ## **2023 WHO EUROPEAN HEALTHY CITIES ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING AND TECHNICAL CONFERENCE** The 2023 meeting of the Healthy Cities Network took place 21-23 November in Utrecht, Netherlands. The overall theme of the 2023 WHO European Healthy Cities Annual Business Meeting was _Health and Well-being for All_ and also celebrated 35 years of the Network. Over the course of the conference, a wide range of topics around the Healthy City movement were examined, including the latest trends, cutting-edge research, and innovative ideas presented by the cities of Healthy Cities network. Plenary sessions included Paving a way towards health and well-being for all; and _The Future of Cities_ . The sub themes explored in the parallel sessions as well as workshops included; _Fostering resilient cities in the face of emergencies; One health, one future: moving towards planetary well-being;_ and _Urban futures: co-creating sustainable places for all generations_ . The Belfast Healthy Cities staff team, Board Members Michael Boyd, Dr Karen Casson and Linda Armitage; and Councillor Mickey Murray, Chair of the People and Communities Committee attended the meeting. Anne McCusker presented _Health Literacy in a Healthy City_ in the _Thriving together: navigating health in the well-being economy_ case study session. Erica Ison and Karen Casson facilitated a workshop on Profiling health, well-being and prosperity which shared learning from the development of Belfast Healthy Cities’ two most recent healthy city profiles. ## **PARTNERSHIP WITH QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY BELFAST** Belfast Healthy Cities continues to work with QUB on a number of projects: QUB SPACE Project (Supportive Environments for Physical and Social Activity, Healthy-Ageing Cognitive Health). Belfast Healthy Cities have hosted SPACE webinars on _The History Of Our City And Its Influence On Public Health; The Impact Of Microplastics And Other Novel Environmental Exposures On Public Health_ ; and have supported SPACE workshops Groundswell – exploring evidence of green space for health and wellbeing. An evidence training/workshop took place on in June and was delivered by QUB Groundswell colleagues. The aim of the workshop was to support stakeholders to use evidence to improve greening policies and projects and support funding applications for new initiatives. Anne McCusker attended the annual retreat in Edinburgh in November 2023 and participated in a panel discussion on the benefits of partnership working, relationship with Queen’s University and the importance of the GroundsWell consortium to develop evidence and data to shape development of green and blue spaces for health. ## **WALKING BUS** Belfast Healthy Cities has been working in partnership with the Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG), Department for Communities and schools in east Belfast to pilot ‘walking buses’. Braniel Primary School pioneered the walking bus model during early March where the children were delighted to be joined by the Chronicles of Narnia characters. The walking bus supported over 500 individual walking trips throughout the week, with the busiest morning involving approximately 150 children. The project involves a group of children walking together in the morning, supported by an adult at the front and at the back of the group, acting as the ‘driver, and ‘conductor’ of the walking bus. Braniel Primary School hope that by providing the safe Walking Bus model, more pupils are encouraged to get out of the family car and walk to school. The initiative builds on the success of walking buses in north Belfast and is supported by the Community Active Travel programme funded by the Public Health Agency. ## **PHARMACY SCHOOLS PROGRAMME** The Pharmacy Schools Programme developed by Belfast Healthy Cities, in partnership with the Department of Health continues to be utilised in primary schools right across Northern Ireland. The aim of the Programme is to promote self-care as the best choice to treat minor illnesses and to equip children with the knowledge and skills they need to use medicines safely throughout their lives. It also aims to highlight the role of community pharmacy services to treat common childhood ailments such as colds, head lice and hay fever. The Pharmacy Schools Programme was developed to support the delivery of the Department of Health’s Medicines Optimisation Quality Framework as well as the Department’s “Transforming medication safety in Northern Ireland” strategy which aims to reduce severe avoidable harm from the use of medicines by aligning Northern Ireland’s medication safety priorities to the WHO Third Global Patient Safety Challenge, “Medication without Harm” Pharmacy Schools Programme training sessions were held with 45 teachers in Dungannon, Belfast and Derry in November, supported by STEM. Further promotion of the programme was issued to all Primary Schools in Northern Ireland, resulting in an additional 60 schools registering to deliver the programme, during 2023/2024. Find out more about the Pharmacy Schools Programme ## **CELEBRATING 35 YEARS AS A WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION HEALTHY CITY** Throughout the year, Belfast celebrated 35 years as a designated WHO Healthy City. This culminated in December with a celebration event at Belfast Harbour Office. The event saw 80 people register to hear from a number of high level speakers including Jayne Brady, Head of Civil Service in Northern Ireland; Evelyne de Leeuw, University of Montreal; Kira Fortune, WHO Europe; Geoff Green, WHO Expert Advisor; and Erica Ison, Specialist Practitioner in Population and Public Health. Belfast Health & Social Care Trust Chief Executive, Cathy Jack, chaired the opening session which also had a panel discussion with the speakers. Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr Ryan Murphy addressed the delegates to open the second part of the programme which was chaired by Belfast Healthy Cities CEO, Joan Devlin. Michael Boyd, Chair of Belfast Healthy Cities gave the closing remarks. ## **HEALTH LITERACY** Belfast Health Cities continues to be a partner in the UK Health Literacy Group. During Health Literacy Month in October, Vicki Rodulson presented the Embedding Health Literacy into Frontline Healthcare Practice webinar. A delegation from the Department of Health NI attended the UK Health Literacy Policy Sub-group where representatives from Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales agreed actions to raise the profile of health literacy in each area. ## **GREENING THE CITY** ## **Health Maps** The Greening the City Advisory Group, chaired by Ruth Hunter and Carol Ramsey, worked with EastSide Partnership and West Belfast Partnership Board to develop ‘Green Health Maps’ for each area. The East Belfast Green Map was launched in July and the event included a presentation from John Tully from Belfast City Council and a guided walk on the Connswater Community Greenway. The West Belfast Green Map launched in October including presentations from West Belfast Partnership making links to the availability of green space and inequalities in the area. ## **Cork Study Visit** A study visit to Cork, hosted by Cork Healthy Cities took place 13 – 15 June. The two day trip was a chance for 25 representatives from Belfast, Cork and Limerick to come together to look at a range of innovative projects and share experiences in delivering impactful programmes. The Belfast delegation was made up of the Greening the City Advisory Group, which included representatives from Belfast City Council, Queen’s University Belfast, and EastSide Greenways. The visit showcased a range of inspirational projects, including Togher Community Gardens, where community led regeneration, growing and learning is having a positive impact on people’s lives and the wider environment. Among the other stops on the tour of the city were The People’s Parklet on Douglas Street, Beehives at St John’s College, Marina Park Greenway, and the Seed Library at Hollyhill. ## **Greening for Health Workshop** The Greening for Health Training Workshop: Using Evidence in Practice saw participants who work to address greening, health, and inequalities in Belfast come together to consider how to formulate the right questions when searching for evidence, and how to identify, find, and appraise the evidence needed. The training was facilitated by Belfast Healthy Cities and UKPRP GroundsWell Consortium, Queen’s University Belfast. 10..4Q 11..304 It BelFast loalthy Cliy Bellasl ILWt PEACE REGI TIIIG Phw wi12019- Z0241 F05terfnR heolth and wÈll-beln81 and reduclnq health Inequlth r￿12 Leadln8 by example IcKally.na¢k¥ re8lonalty and qk*ally ## **PARTICIPATION** Belfast Healthy Cities is a member of and participate in the following groups: Care Zone _Management Committee Membership Committee_ Community Planning Belfast Agenda _Voluntary Community Social Enterprise Panel City Development Board Health Inequalities Strategic Reference Group Connectivity Active & Sustainable Travel (CAST) Active Belfast Participatory Budgeting Design Team_ - Climate Change and Health - Healthy Ageing Strategic Partnership Strategic Design Group Queen’s University Belfast GroundsWell Consortium - Queen’s University Belfast Reducing Car Dependency Study - Queen’s University Belfast Supportive Environment for Physical and Social Activity, Healthy Ageing and Cognitive Health (SPACE) - Ulster University, MSc Public Health & Health Promotion Course Committee UK Health Literacy Group - WHO Healthy Cities Network Co-ordinators - WHO Healthy Cities Network Advisory Committee WHO Environment & Health Working Group - WHO Healthy Ageing Task Force ## **BELFAST HEALTHY CITIES INFORMATION SERVICE** The Belfast Healthy Cities Information Service continues to provides quick and direct links to Departmental press releases, relevant research findings as well as selected other information, particularly from other Healthy Cities and Belfast Healthy Cities’ partners. It aims to provide individual and organisations with direct access to up to date news and information. To become a subscriber, sign up here. ## **BOARD AND STAFF** ## **Board of Directors** Linda Armitage, East Belfast Community Development Agency Alistair Beggs, Department for Infrastructure Michael Boyd, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission - Chair Karen Casson - Vice Chair Ruth Hunter, Queen’s University Belfast Nigel McMahon, Department of Health Daniel McQuillan, Start 360 Elizabeth Mitchell, Independent Ian Montgomery, Ulster University - Treasurer Maureen Mawhinney, Northern Ireland Housing Executive Lizzy Pinkerton, Northern Ireland Environmental Link Carol Ramsey, Independent John Tully, Belfast City Council ## **Staff** Joan Devlin, Chief Executive Anne McCusker, Programme Manager Caroline Scott, Office Manager Gemma Evans, Programme Officer – joined August 2023 Maeve Brennan, Programme Officer – joined November 2023 FINANCIAL STATEMENT Belfast Healthy Cities Project Limited IA company Ilmlted by guarantw, not havlng • shar• upltall Company Numbor: N1031042 BALANCE SHEET as al 31 March 2023 2023 2022 Notes Flxèd A$￿t* Tangible assets 11 388 Curr8nt A••el• Debtors Cash al bank and in hand 12 113,507 21)0,022 51.936 300,766 313,529 352,702 Cr•dltorn.' Amounts fallSng wlthln on• year 13 {29,3661 166,751} Net Current A••et• 284,163 285,951 Total A8•et• le•• Current Llabllltle• 284,163 286,339 Total Net A•set• 284,163 286,339 Fund• Designated Fund8 Unreslficted Funds 238,885 45,278 226,733 59,5e6 Totsl fund• 14 284.163 286,339 These financial slatemenls have been prepared in accordance wrth the special provisions relaling lo small c4)mpanies within Part 15 of the Companies Aca 20[￿. 08-Dec-23 1 14:43 GN and 8lgned on It8 Approved by the Board of Dlro¢tor8 and authorlwd for18oue on behalf by Docu14Jn•d by". bL814EIE66E0428 FINANCIAL STATEMENT INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT to the Members of Belfast Healthy Cities Project Limited IA ¢omp•ny Imlied ty sMwa+*••. i)01 havlng a •h•t• ¢iWlall R•wt on th• audit of th• financid slal•m•ni• Oplnlc We have aLwJiled the COMp￿Y f￿￿cIal stalwnwrts ol eelfasl He4thy Cth$ Prqect Linmtsd nhe C(Ynpar￿ for the fmanoal yèar •nd•d 31 Maith 2023 wh￿h cOm￿ls￿ Iho Staten*nl ol Fnancja ACIMt￿ IincoiFKJr8tlr¥J ￿ Incom• arxl Expenditu￿ Ac￿￿ni1, the Bala￿ Sheel and rbDles lo the finarKid stalements, induthT¥ the $LKnmary of sonlflcani acC￿￿tsn9 pc4clos in nolo 2. 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