Voluntary & Faith Sector Rochdale Diversity Awards 2026
Proud to be this year's runners-up
Recognising the dedication of Rochdale’s community organisations and volunteers at the Rochdale Diversity Awards 2026, held at Rochdale Town Hall.
Institutional Influence and grassroots integrity
At Awakening Minds, true community leadership means ensuring our people are never just "researched on". They are active co-designers of regional health strategy.
We are immensely proud to have played a core role alongside the GM REN team, NHS Integrated Care Partnership, NIHR ARC-GM, and regional partners in co-developing the Greater Manchester Respectful Research Charter.
Why This Matters
For too long, underrepresented communities have faced barriers to equitable involvement in healthcare research. The Respectful Research Charter sets five foundational principles to ensure future research across Greater Manchester is:
Fair & Transparent: Grounded in equal partnerships between researchers and VCFSE community organizations.
Culturally Safe: Driven by real lived experience, dignity, and mutual respect.
Sustainable & Impactful: Designed to build long-term trust and real health policy change, not just one-off data extraction.
If you look closely at the official charter launch materials and regional webinar series, you will see the proud faces of our very own Rochdale community members representing this landmark initiative. We don't just speak for our community; we bring them directly to the table.
