The Phoenix Way The Phoenix Way The Phoenix Way is a community-led initiative to improve socio-economic outcomes for Black & racially minoritised communities across the UK. Led by The Ubele Initiative and supported by Global Fund for Children, it is a grant-making initiative aimed at transforming Black and racially minoritised communities. It was established in partnership with six Regional Leads (Yorkshire & Humber, South West, North West, North East & Cumbria, Midlands and London & South East) and with the support of several new UK funders, including The Youth Endowment Fund and the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales. Empowering Black and racially minoritised organisations through transformative funding and support The Phoenix Way is a community-led initiative to improve socio-economic outcomes for Black & racially minoritised communities across the UK. Led by The Ubele Initiative and supported by Global Fund for Children, it is a grant-making initiative aimed at transforming Black and racially minoritised communities. It was established in partnership with six Regional Leads: Yorkshire & Humber South West North West North East & Cumbria Midlands London & South East and with the support of several new UK funders, including The Youth Endowment Fund and the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales. At Bridging Change, our intention is to build strong, dynamic and successful Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic groups, communities, organisations, businesses and individuals that are empowered to flourish, free from inequality and discrimination. We do this through the building of strong alliances, connections and networks.  We are working in partnership with The Phoenix Way to offer Black and racially minoritised-led organisations and groups training and support to make them stronger from within and to help them to thrive. Have a look at our free online Infrastructure training programme . For organisations in Kent and Brighton and Hove, we will also be organising networking events in early Summer 2026. Interested? To find out more and join our mailing list, contact: hello@bridgingchange.co.uk projects@bridgingchange.co.uk Find the upcoming Infrastructure training here: The next Infrastructure training date is the 29th of April 2026 Click here to find future dates. For more information contact: development@bridgingchange.co.uk

Other partnerships Introduction Soon to be updated.

Podcasts Talk In Equality (Transcipts down below) Dr Anusree Biswas Sasidharan and Lillian Ndawula (Ethnic Minorities in Canterbury) explore, with guests, the role of research in addressing health inequalities experienced by minoritised ethnic groups. This series is funded by NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex and supported by the Research Design Service Southeast and Clinical Research Network Kent, Surrey and Sussex. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. Episode 1: What do community development organisations think? In this episode, guest host Dr Gary Hickey from Agora Digital Centre at University of Southampton, quizzes Dr Anusree Biswas Sasidharan from Bridging Change, Lillian Ndawula from Ethnic Minorities in Canterbury and Patrick Nyikavaranda from Diversity Resource International. He asks them about their perceptions and experiences of health inequalities experienced by ethnic minority communities and their hopes for increasing the representation of people from ethnic minorities in both the participation and involvement in research. Click below to listen. Episode 3: A perspective from the Health Research Authority In this episode, Anusree and Lillian speak to Dr Matt Westmore, Chief Executive at Health Research Authority. They quiz Matt about the steps taken by the Health Research Authority to increase representation in research and the important role that community organisations can play. Click below to listen. Episode 5: A researcher's perspective In this episode, Anusree and Lillian speak to Dr Ibidun Fakoya, Senior Research Fellow at King’s College London. Ibi shares her experiences of undertaking research with people from ethnic minority communities, emphasizing the importance of developing relationships and the need to take a holistic approach to research rather than focusing on a single illness or condition. Click below to listen. Episode 2: What do funders think? A perspective from the National Institute for Health and Care Research In this episode, Anusree and Lillian speak to Jeremy Taylor OBE, Director of Public Voice at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Jeremy talks about the work the NIHR is doing to increase representation in research from people from ethnic minorities and the importance of engaging with communities and developing trust. Click below to listen. Episode 4: A perspective from the Academy of Medical Sciences In this episode, Anusree and Lillian speak to Simon Denegri OBE, Executive Director at The Academy of Medical Sciences. Simon speaks not only about what The Academy of Medical Sciences is doing to promote the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion agenda, but also developments in other countries. Click below to listen. Episode 6: Reflections In this final episode, Gary Hickey (Agora Digital Centre at University of Southampton) returns as a guest host to ask Anusree, Lillian and Patrick to reflect on their podcast journey, what still concerns them and what positives they can take from the guests they have spoken to. Click below to listen. Transcripts Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 Episode 5 Episode 6

BME Infrastructure The report from the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities has been deeply disappointing. This report after reflecting on the impact of education, community, health (including COVID-19), employment, crime and policing on minoritised ethnic people concluded that institutional racism does not exist. Bridging Change strongly disagrees with the validity of the findings, its conclusions and the "changing the narrative" motivation which has sought to undermine the experience of racism of minoritised ethnic people in Britain. Whilst reading the report we have chosen not to make a detailed response at this time, as the problematic framing of issues in the report are too extensive to broach here. However, this response will draw on a few of the report's findings. In every area the Commission examined disparity, they constructed imaginative ways to excuse racial or ethnic disparity, suggesting instead that they were due to factors such as: . . . living in a densely populated inner-city area, socio-demographic characteristics (deprivation and occupation) living in larger and multi-generational households. The report also blames poorer outcomes for Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic people with: poor and/or lone parenting; co-morbidities; counting methods or simply not liking the numbers. The report, for example, describes stop and search figures from Devon (where there are lower numbers of Black and Asian minoritised ethnic people, specifically Black people) as 'skewed' - but the fact remains, not liking the odds does not diminish simple mathematics. Suggesting that the 'national relative rate is not always accurate' at measuring stop and search rates is problematic, it appears in this report 'not always accurate' refers to when facts do not suit the Government's narrative. Whilst the report acknowledges the disparity of maternal deaths for Black (5 times higher) and Asian (2 times higher), it calls for using absolute numbers, as not to do so was 'unfair to expectant mothers everywhere'. Previous commentary have contextualised the figures in terms of per 100,000, in absolute numbers and/or disparity is attempted to diminish the significance and importance of disparity. It does not change the fact the Black women are 5 times more likely to die in childbirth compared to white women; Asian and mixed heritage women are almost 2 times likely more likely to die in childbirth than white women. Further, disparity in maternal health is symptomatic of negative outcomes faced by men, women and children from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic groups, particularly those minoritised ethnic people who are not white. Using the highly divisive stereotype of 'model minority' as if this was an antidote to racism is a privileged and uninformed construction of meritocracy. This 'model minority' construction was pitted against other minoritised ethnic people who were constructed as living with family breakdown, being unprepared and demotivated to succeed, as were 'attitudes to integrate'. Both stereotypes are equally damaging in suggesting that one group of minoritised ethnic people are hapless whilst the other minoritised ethnic group simply floats through British life without barriers or experiencing racism. Outrageous still is the polling by British Future for the Commission who heralded their poll as 'encouraging' around perceptions on anti-Black prejudice, which asked respondents if they 'saw a lot' of prejudice against Black people. They asked people who were not Black if there were increased level of prejudice for Black people. The only people who can credibly pass comment on the Black experience of racism is Black people , how can any other ethnic group assume to know how racism is experienced by another ethnic group? The report is constantly looking for creative adjustments, reframing, excusing and attempting to undermine disparity for Black and Asian minoritised ethnic people. The report is outrageous in its findings, in its bid to 'change the narrative' and to conclude that institutional racism does not exist is astonishingly inaccurate, premised on creative, misleading evidence and lack academic rigour. At Bridging Change we will focus on the reality of instititional and systemic racism and move away from the Commission's misleading conclusion in its attempt to 'change the narrative'. We want to reclaim the narrative which acknowledges the impact of the 'hostile environment' and the disproportionately negative impact and outcomes for Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic people in the the UK.

OUR FIRST MEETING INTRODUCING BRIDING CHANGE Bridging Change hosted their introductory meeting on Zoom, which was well attended with 58 attendants. If you missed our session you can have a look at our presentation below to give you a flavour of what we spoke about. Please contact us if you would like to know more at BridgingChange@outlook.com

Community Voices Group What is CVG? What is CVG? What is CVG? What is CVG? Community Voices Group Do you identify as Black, brown, Asian or from another language, ethnic or migrant community? Do you want to improve how public services are delivered locally? Do you want the chance to speak directly to representatives from the Council and NHS and get your voice heard? Members of the group attend meetings as individuals or as representatives of a community group they belong to. We meet monthly, either online or in-person, to discuss issues that matter to us and to talk to representatives from Brighton and Hove Council and NHS Sussex about how they can be delivered. Past meetings Past meetings Past meetings Past meetings Reports Reports Reports Reports Community Voices (October, 2024) Read the October 2024 report on CVG, which outlines our achievements, feedback from our members and the next steps. Read the report here. Bridging Change NHS Workshop (November, 2023) Bridging Change was awarded a grant by NHS Sussex to deliver a face-to-face, 2.5-hour workshop in November 2023 with racialised minority communities based in Brighton and Hove. The event's aims were two-fold: to close the community engagement loop by feeding back to communities and to engage with the local communities. Read the report here. Become a CVG member Become a CVG member Become a CVG member Become a CVG member Interested in joining us? Contact Beth Harrison at Bridging Change, email: hello@bridgingchange.co.uk If you do not speak English and would like to be involved, email: laura@sussexinterpreting.org.uk or call 01273 234016 and leave a message in your language

Podcasts Talk In Equality Dr Anusree Biswas Sasidharan and Lillian Ndawula (Ethnic Minorities in Canterbury) explore, with guests, the role of research in addressing health inequalities experienced by minoritised ethnic groups. This series is funded by NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex and supported by the Research Design Service Southeast and Clinical Research Network Kent, Surrey and Sussex. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. Episode 1: What do community development organisations think? In this episode, guest host Dr Gary Hickey from Agora Digital Centre at University of Southampton, quizzes Dr Anusree Biswas Sasidharan from Bridging Change, Lillian Ndawula from Ethnic Minorities in Canterbury and Patrick Nyikavaranda from Diversity Resource International. He asks them about their perceptions and experiences of health inequalities experienced by ethnic minority communities and their hopes for increasing the representation of people from ethnic minorities in both the participation and involvement in research. Click below to listen. Episode 3: A perspective from the Health Research Authority In this episode, Anusree and Lillian speak to Dr Matt Westmore, Chief Executive at Health Research Authority. They quiz Matt about the steps taken by the Health Research Authority to increase representation in research and the important role that community organisations can play. Click below to listen. Episode 5: A researcher's perspective In this episode, Anusree and Lillian speak to Dr Ibidun Fakoya, Senior Research Fellow at King’s College London. Ibi shares her experiences of undertaking research with people from ethnic minority communities, emphasizing the importance of developing relationships and the need to take a holistic approach to research rather than focusing on a single illness or condition. Click below to listen. Episode 2: What do funders think? A perspective from the National Institute for Health and Care Research In this episode, Anusree and Lillian speak to Jeremy Taylor OBE, Director of Public Voice at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Jeremy talks about the work the NIHR is doing to increase representation in research from people from ethnic minorities and the importance of engaging with communities and developing trust. Click below to listen. Episode 4: A perspective from the Academy of Medical Sciences In this episode, Anusree and Lillian speak to Simon Denegri OBE, Executive Director at The Academy of Medical Sciences. Simon speaks not only about what The Academy of Medical Sciences is doing to promote the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion agenda, but also developments in other countries. Click below to listen. Episode 6: Reflections In this final episode, Gary Hickey (Agora Digital Centre at University of Southampton) returns as a guest host to ask Anusree, Lillian and Patrick to reflect on their podcast journey, what still concerns them and what positives they can take from the guests they have spoken to. Click below to listen.

Infrastructure Past newsletters Discover our August 2026 newsletter here ! More can be found about May's newsletter here ! More can be found about March's newsletter here. More can be found about December's newsletter here. More can be found about May's newsletter here. More can be found about July's newsletter here . Please see more about the BRM Network Newsletter for October 2025 here .

Ageing Well Gather and Grow A warm, welcoming multicultural space for those over 50, promoting healthy and informed ageing. We are have Gather and Grow drop-in sessions, a place to: Build friendships and strengthen networks a safe and positive multicultural space to connect Learn about ageing well and ask questions about what is available locally A welcoming space Get support with issues the effect you A safe space to meet racially minoritised people in Brighton and Hove Dates for Gather and Grow fall on the first Tuesday of the month: 2nd June 2026 7th July 2026 4th August 2026 1st September 6th October 3rd November 2026 1st December 2026 Interested in Ageing Well? For more information about Ageing Well contact: community@bridgingchange.co.uk

Careers Bridging Change currently has no open roles, but we're always looking for passionate volunteers to support our work, If you're interested in getting involved, please reach out to us at: bridgingchange@outlook.com

Latest news 2026 news 2026 news 2026 news 2026 news CVG Meeting Update Following our meetings on Men's Health with our CVG members, we are in If you are from a Black and Racialised Minority group living in Brighton and Hove, Community Voices Group is for YOU. Our March meeting is focussing on the work we have been doing in 2025 and beyond, come and hear about what has happened with everything you have shared with us. To join - contact Beth Harrison at hello@bridgingchange.co.uk We look forward to seeing you there Launch of our new Gather & Grow Programme Our NEW Gather & Grow programme is a welcoming, multicultural space aimed at people aged 50+ from racially minoritised backgrounds. This space is an opportunity to make new connections, share experiences, ask questions about what is available locally and access local support. Launch of our new Rooted in Wellbeing Project On the 8th of January we will be showcasing our new project, where you can learn more about Bridging Change and meet with the team and other community members If you are interested, please contact: riw@bridgingchange.co.uk / 01273 234808 Men's Health Meeting Speak with decision makers form UOK, NHS Sussex Mental Health services, Brighton and Hove City Council and Act on Cancer Infrastructure Training Update Gain free, interactive training sessions led by Terry Adams. Gain practical skills and broaden your understanding for Board Members. Tuesday 20th January 2026- 10:30am to 13:30pm 2025 news 2025 news 2025 news 2025 news Men's Health A CVG event with Bridging Change Over the next three meetings, we will be covering a range of men's health-related topics (in October and November 2025 and January 2026) Our November meeting is on Wednesday 19th November 2025, 6pm-7:30 If you know of someone; partners, husbands, friends, who would be interested in attending, please pass on the flyer and contact: hello@bridgingchange.co.uk Souk it and See An Ageing Well event with Bridging Change Join our 'Souk' style day with stalls, celebrating health, wellbeing and culture. For more information contact: projects@bridgingchange.co.uk 01273 234808 Community Voices Group Older People's Health and Wellbeing Bridging Change, in partnership with the Hangleton and Knoll Project, Sussex Interpreting Services and the Trust for Developing Communities, invites you be part of the Community Voices Group, please click here for more information. We also have this information in different languages, please contact us directly about this. Previous news Previous news Previous news Previous news VCSE Alliance Newsletter Older People's Health and Wellbeing Bridging Change's very own Dr Anusree Biswas Sasidharan features in the July 2024 issue of the VCSE Alliance Newsletter. Read the newsletter here. Sewell Report Runnymede Responds Runnymede hosted a snap event to discuss the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities' findings and why it has failed to address structural and institutional racism in the UK. Read Bridging Change's response to the Sewell Report here. Brighton and Hove becoming an anti-racist city The council has pledged to be an anti-racist council. Brighton and Hove City Council has said that they will work in partnership with Black and Minority Ethnic people including council staff, residents and community groups to directly shape our anti-racism strategy through their lived experiences and diverse perspectives. You can find out more from their website .

Meet the team What We Offer 01 Service Name This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to edit the content and make sure to add any relevant information that you want to share with your visitors. 03 Service Name This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to edit the content and make sure to add any relevant information that you want to share with your visitors. 05 Service Name This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to edit the content and make sure to add any relevant information that you want to share with your visitors. 02 Service Name This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to edit the content and make sure to add any relevant information that you want to share with your visitors. 04 Service Name This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to edit the content and make sure to add any relevant information that you want to share with your visitors. 06 Service Name This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to edit the content and make sure to add any relevant information that you want to share with your visitors.