The University of Winchester and Hampshire County Council reaffirmed their commitment to improving the lives of local communities at the second BRIDGE strategic partnership event, which brought together leaders from local government, higher education, health, research and community organisations to develop a shared vision for the future of public health.
Held at the University of Winchester Business School, Partnerships for Thriving Communities: A Call to Action built on the foundations laid down during the inaugural event in 2025.
Bringing together senior leaders, practitioners, researchers, educators and students, the event focused on one central question: How can organisations work together more effectively to create thriving communities?
Opening the event, leaders from the University, Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council highlighted the increasingly important role of universities and local authorities as anchor institutions, working collectively to respond to changing public services, Local Government Reorganisation, devolution, workforce challenges and the growing need for prevention, innovation and neighbourhood-based approaches.
Throughout the day, delegates explored four interconnected themes:
Attendees heard that over the past year, the partnership which began to strengthen collaboration has evolved into a thriving strategic alliance which is generating collaborative research opportunities, expanding workforce development, creating innovative student placement opportunities, supporting evidence-informed practice and strengthening connections between the University, Hampshire County Council, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and other partners.
Successful collaborative initiatives including the award-winning R.E.A.L. (Research, Evaluation, Audit and Literature) course and other research projects that address real-world challenges (see Notes to the Editor).
A defining feature of this year's event was an emphasis on action. Delegates took part in workshops where they identified shared priorities, developed collaborative solutions and agreed practical actions.
Working across the four themes, participants identified opportunities for joint research, funding bids, teaching collaborations, workforce development, knowledge exchange and community engagement.
Each workshop reported on the collaborative opportunities identified, alongside ways to take them forward. Participants committed to continuing the momentum through ongoing partnership groups, collaborative projects and future funding opportunities.
Elizabeth Davies-Ward, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Winchester, said: "BRIDGE demonstrates what can be achieved when organisations move beyond traditional partnership to develop shared ambitions. The University of Winchester is proud to be an active anchor institution within our region, working with Hampshire County Council, the NIHR and our wider partners to improve the health, wellbeing and prosperity of our communities.
“This partnership is about much more than collaboration. It is about creating lasting relationships, sharing expertise, tackling complex challenges together and ensuring that our collective knowledge translates into positive change for the people we serve."
Johanna Jefferies, Associate Director of Public Health at Hampshire County Council said: “This event built on the foundations established at last year’s workshop and helped strengthen the strategic partnership between Hampshire County Council and the University of Winchester. Together, we identified opportunities for collaboration across research, learning and skills development, and explored how we can work more effectively for the benefit of our residents and wider communities. Participants described the event as energising, positive and motivational, and generated a range of practical ideas that will help shape our work together in the future.”
Dr Rachel Harrison, Senior Lecturer in Health and Social Care at the University of Winchester and NIHR Research Delivery Network Specialty Lead for Social Care, said: "The strength of BRIDGE lies in bringing together people with different expertise but a shared commitment to improving the lives of our communities. What was particularly inspiring was the willingness of everyone to move beyond organisational boundaries and focus on what we can achieve together. This event has strengthened existing relationships, created new collaborations and generated practical actions that will shape our work over the coming year."
BRIDGE (Building Relationships, Inspiring Development, Growing Excellence) is a joint initiative focuses on building stronger, reciprocal connections between academics and health and wellbeing professionals.
This latest event was organised jointly by Elizabeth Davies-Ward, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing at the University; Dr Johanna Jefferies, Associate Director of Public Health at Hampshire County Council; Dr Rachel Harrison and Dr Abolanle Lawal, the event reflected the collaborative leadership that lies at the heart of the BRIDGE partnership.
The event heard about the work of INSPIRE Research Centre (Innovative Science for Public Health and Patient Interventions) at the University of Winchester.
Dr Samuel Nyman outlined recent research in fields including
Pictured top (from left to right): Back row: Elizabeth Davies-Ward and Antonia Perkins (Head of Policy and Public Affairs, HCC), and Dr Rachel Harrison
Third row: Johanna Jefferies (Associate Director of Public Health, HCC), Charlotte Morgan (blue (Corporate Policy Manager HCC), Professor Cathy Bowen (Director, NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Wessex).
Second row: Abolanle Lawal (Local Authority Research Practitioner, HCC), Jazz Bartholomew (Agile Research Delivery Team Manager - Wider Care Settings, NIHR South Central Regional Research Delivery Network), Amanda Pattie (Agile Research Delivery Team Manager - Wider Care Settings, NIHR South Central Regional Research Delivery Network).
Front row: Dr Kate Lippiett (Knowledge Mobilisation Lead, NIHR Applied Research Collaboration, Wessex) and Dr Katherine Cook.
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