Established over 20 years ago, the Edinburgh Community Health Forum (formally Lothian Community Health Initiatives’ Forum (LCHIF) is a membership organisation and registered SCIO (SC023808).
Its primary aim is to be a voice and network for organisations who work to reduce health inequalities and improve long-term health outcomes in Edinburgh.
Our members share a common ideal that it is people in their own communities who are best placed to collectively improve their own health and well being and live better lives.
We support members by providing opportunities to meet, exchange best practice and information and to learn together. We engage with and respond to local and national policies, strategies and consultations. We also work in partnership at strategic levels to reduce health inequalities. We believe that the needs of local people in communities are ultimately what ought to drive agendas at all levels. The forum and its members looks to respond to demographic changes within Edinburgh communities and build the capacity of the voluntary health sector. We seek to facilitate community participation, collective action, and collaborative working between key stakeholders including the Third sector, NHS Lothian and Edinburgh City Council.
Our members
Our membership spreads across the whole city and between us have various resources and skills we can share. Click on each member to find out more.
B Healthy Together
Care4Carers
Caring in Craigmillar
Carr Gomm
Community Renewal
Currie Day Centre
Dr Bell’s Family Centre
Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust (ELGT)
Edinburgh Community Food
Edinburgh Headway Group
Feniks
Four Square
Fresh Start
Harlaw Monday Group
Health All Round
Health in Mind
LGBT Health
Libertus
Lifecare Edinburgh
Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living
Murrayfield Dementia Project
Nari Kallyan Shangho (NKS)
One Parent Family Scotland
Pilmeny Development Project
Pilton Community Health Project
Pilton Equalities Project
Space
Streetfit Scotland
The Beacon Club
The Junction
The Ripple Project
The Welcoming
Thistle Foundation
Upmo
Vintage Vibes
Volunteer Edinburgh
Wester Hailes Health Agency
Forum team
The forum has two part time staff, a voluntary chairperson and trustees from our organisations. Feel free to get in touch if you would like to find out more.
Stephanie-Anne Harris
Strategic Development Manager
Stephanie-Anne has been the manager of the forum since 1st April 2017. This is her first post in the voluntary sector having previously worked in local government for almost 30 years with posts in the former Clydesdale District Council, Dunfermline District Council, Fife Council and the City of Edinburgh Council.
Her career in local government was mainly in sport, leisure and culture, with highlights including responsibility for the £37m refurbishment of the Royal Commonwealth Pool, the awarding of the freedom of the City of Edinburgh to Sir Chris Hoy, the winning of the bid for the National Performance Centre for Sport (Oriam) at Heriot Watt university, and the staging of many sporting and other events including the World Duathlon Championships, the Olympic Torch event at Edinburgh Castle, and the Hogmanay Street party. Stephanie-Anne was a member of the Scottish Government’s Physical Activity Task Force which developed and wrote Scotland’s first Physical Activity Strategy. Stephanie-Anne still remains passionate about getting people active enough for their health and the positive impact being active can have on one’s mental and physical health. Stephanie-Anne believes that everyone must take responsibility for their own health which can be supported through the work of local community led organisations with whom she now works to support and develop.
Daniel Richards
Member and Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator
Daniel has just joined us at the ECHF and looks forward to meeting with all our partners, members and involving himself in
the wider community. In his spare time Daniel is a keen archer, competing with his old university team. He is also an avid
gamer and enjoys video editing and reading.
Daniel has a degree in Psychology from Edinburgh Napier. He has experience in the third sector primarily working with The Turing Trust as an IT technician. He has also volunteered with several organisations in Edinburgh Including Thistle, Carr Gomm and most recently The Rivers Centre.
He is very passionate about health and inequalities and looks forward to collaborating with the organisations involved in the ECHF to help tackle these problems.
Cat Windle
Chairperson
I have been a member of the Forum since 2002 when I became Manager of Health All Round (HAR.) HAR is a Community Health Initiative based in Gorgie Dalry and we provide a range of services to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in our local area.
HAR is the third charity that I have managed and the first one that isn’t specifically for people with severe and enduring mental health issues. I had a lot to learn when I started the job and the Forum was a great help to me. The other managers I met there helped me understand the statutory funding streams for health inequalities, which can be quite confusing, and it is via the Forum that we are able to develop relationships, communicate and work alongside statutory funders. The Forum is also great for peer support which is helpful for me and the HAR Management Committee (if I am supported, they are supported!) I couldn’t do without the Forum, it’s the first option for me if I have any problems relating to the management or funding of HAR. On a personal note – I’ve made some great friends there too!
Charlie Cumming
Treasurer
Charlie became the Chief Executive of the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust in August 2014, following 11 years as the Trust’s Projects Manager. Charlie leads a committed and dynamic team at a strategic level to help the Trust focus on its core principles of delivering environmental and landscape improvements and of promoting outdoor activities for good mental and physical health that address both social and health inequalities.
ELGT lead initiatives such as the delivery of green active travel routes, community gardening and finding new ways to engage with local communities to get the most out of their local woodlands and greenspaces. ELGT is a key delivery body for the implementation of the Central Scotland Green Network in the East of Scotland. The CSGN is a national development aiming to transform Central Scotland into a place where the environment adds value to the economy and where people’s lives are enriched by its quality. As part of the Forum, Charlie values the space to share his organisation’s experience in engaging local communities and for the collaborative working opportunites and funding it provides.
Marion Findlay
Marion Findlay has been a member of the Forum for many years and in 2019 we were delighted to welcome her onto the board of trustees help guide the strategic vision of the Forum. Marion is a leader at Volunteer Edinburgh and is an inspiring member of the forum!
Director of Services at Volunteer Edinburgh, Marion brings a wealth of experience to the role; particularly in the areas of volunteering, employability, adult protection and work and health.
Brenda Black
Trustee
I have been a member of the forum since 2019 when I became the CEO of
Edinburgh Community Food (ECF).
Our work at Edinburgh Community Food is all about tackling health inequalities,
helping people enjoy delicious, fresh, healthy food and making sure everyone in our
city has access to an affordable, appropriate, and nourishing diet. We work in
partnership with many of ECHF members to reach and support the most
disadvantaged and fragile communities.
As Chair of the Edible Edinburgh Health Group, a founding director of Glasgow
Community Food Network and a state Registered Dietitian I am fully immersed in all
aspects of food. I sit on Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh council Food
Networks and advisory boards to develop new equitable sustainable food systems.
My experience and knowledge of supporting nutritionally vulnerable groups includes
working with those experiencing homelessness, poverty, and inequality, and those
with issues around substance misuse. Prior to this I worked in the commercial sector
for 25 years and am a member of Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Becoming a member of ECHF has allowed the growth of strong connections and
partnerships to tackle health inequalities across Edinburgh. The openness and
support from the partnership is a source of strength and energy especially when the
complexities of the COVID pandemic hit in early 2020. There is a real wealth of
experience and willingness to support each other that makes me feel proud to be
part of the Edinburgh Community Health Forum.
John Haliday
Trustee
John was an active forum member for several years before becoming a Trustee in 2023.
He is CEO of Community Renewal Trust which is a charity group seeking to rethink how Scotland can end persistent poverty and inequity. In two Edinburgh neighbourhoods this is demonstrated combining community development with holistic one-to-one support. Another place-based programme he leads has now become the national community development trust for Roma in Scotland: Community Renewal Rom Romeha. John is Chair and Co-Founder of Caledonia Funeral Aid as well as a trustee with Senscot and startup social enterprise Bottles For Good. He also delivers consultancy in community engagement, visioning, system-change and action learning. Within campaigning to end poverty, John has particular interest in system-change in early-intervention, commissioning in complexity and unlocking strategic added value in network/partnership development.
Ryan Lytwyn
Trustee
I have worked at the Pilton Equalities Project (PEP) since 2016 in a variety of roles
including Community Navigator, Daycare and Mental Health Development Worker,
Health and Safety Officer, and Operations Coordinator. PEP is a charity based in
North Edinburgh, providing essential services for older and other vulnerable adults
such as older people's lunch clubs and mental health support groups. We are also
the community transport provider for North-West Edinburgh.
I joined the Forum in 2021 as part of my role as PEP’s Operations Coordinator. The
Forum was instrumental in providing support and guidance with a wide range of
issues, including funding applications, collaborative working, and connecting with
statutory partners. The Forum has been a safe and supportive space in which to hear
from third sector leaders, keep up to date with changes to health and social care in
Edinburgh, and get advice from colleagues who have a huge wealth of experience.
I have a keen interest in health inequalities and have worked with older and other
vulnerable adults for the last 7 years throughout North Edinburgh. I’m looking
forward to bringing this background to the Forum as a new Trustee.
Vacancy – Trustees
In late 2018 we updated our constitution to allow for additional trustees to join our board. We currently have up to two spaces. Please contact stephanie-anne@echf.org.uk in the first instance if you are interested.
