History

Health for All is a World Health Organisation (WHO) initiative founded on three core principles: redressing health inequality, promoting community participation and promoting collaboration.

These founding pillars were designed to address the root causes of poor health and the overall impact of these causes on the health and wellbeing of individuals. Health for All advocates and enables the targeting of resources to those most in need. It recognises that the involvement of communities is essential to solving the health challenges they face. These principles remain key to our work today.

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From WHO to HFA

In 1991 south Leeds Health for All was set up with current CEO Pat McGeever appointed as a worker to engage and learn from the many diverse communities in the local area about the issues affecting their lives and, as a result, their health. This fact-finding mission led to the identification of issues and subsequent research into homelessness, a lack of support for low-income, pre-school families, isolation of older people and bullying of young people.

The publication of the action research reports highlighting needs resulted in funding to address those and other emerging issues. Also highlighted was a lack of provision for people to improve the quality of life for themselves, their children, their families and their neighbourhood. In response, Health for All facilitated the development of community groups and forums across south Leeds which gave local people opportunities to meet together, access peer support and have a voice. Support for small groups and local centres remain central to our work.

Becoming a force for good in south Leeds and beyond

In 1996, Health for All became a charity and grew from our starting base in a small attic office in Beeston into our current headquarters in Tenants Hall and five additional local Community and Family centres.

Year after year, our ability to deliver more support to diverse groups has grown and now, we’re proud to have facilitated the launch and success of over 70 thriving local self help and community groups stretching across south Leeds, into areas of west, east and north Leeds, and Bradford.