London Community Champions Programme: A Legacy of Collaboration and Impact

Between 2020 and 2022, thousands of Londoners stepped up as Community Champions, working alongside local councils, NHS London and voluntary and community sector organisations to protect their communities from the effects of COVID-19 and to support the roll- out of the vaccine. These programmes were instrumental in our response to the pandemic – and have remained so ever since.

In London, a partnership of Public Health England (now the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and UK Health Security Agency), NHS London, London Councils, and the Mayor of London funded a pan-London Community Champion Coordinators programme which gave local leads the chance to learn from and lean on each other. The value of working together at a London-wide level was clear, and the programme continued beyond the pandemic, as did the champions themselves. Local, sub regional and regional leads continued to share learning and spread best practice across the capital.

In September 2022, based on feedback and demand from local places, ADPH London adopted the programme into its portfolio of shared initiatives, establishing a pan-London network to foster continued growth, connection, and collaboration. In addition to on-going sharing and practice development, the programme captured the stories of every single champions programme in the City, and identified themes from across London’s diverse Champion initiatives: Transformations in Community Collaboration: Lessons from COVID-19 champions programmes across London   

Following the success of this second phase, ADPH London funded an extension, relaunching the initiative as the London Community Champions Development Network (CCDN). This phase sustained support for coordinators through monthly meetings, newsletters, briefings, and stakeholder engagement.

Over the past year, CCDN has worked closely with ADPH London’s shared programmes—such as the London Tobacco Alliance and Thrive LDN – and supported wider campaigns like A Million Hearts & Minds and Why We Get Vaccinated, amplifying community voices to improve outcomes and reduce health inequalities.

in addition to the continued collaboration, in May 2025, Transformations in Community Collaboration II, was published. This unique handbook distils lessons from literature, interviews, and practice on community collaboration. It offers practical guidance for anyone involved in or wanting to do community engagement and stands as a testament to the dedication of Community Champions during the pandemic.

As implementation of the 10- year plan begins, and changes take place across the NHS, local government, and our partners, it is appropriate to pause and reflect on what a network might look like going forward. As a result, the decision has been taken to bring the current network to an end. The NHS 10-year plan makes clear that strong community engagement will be central to future health and care delivery and we will continue to consider the best way to support this work across London. As a first step, a regional workshop is being planned to explore how the insights from the handbook can be applied in this evolving landscape.

We remain committed to our shared goals and look forward to continuing this journey of learning and collaboration.

Anne Pordes, Director, Community Champions Development Programme said:

“It has been truly amazing to lead this collaboration from its outset in 2021. The lessons and advice of other Champions co-ordinators, the support of our amazing steering group and senior leaders including Paul Corringan, Kevin Fenton, Martin Machray, Tom Coffey and all the ADPH London team mean that the programme had impact at a local, regional, and national level.

“We should be proud of what we have done together, of the learning we have captured in both documents and the legacy of community collaboration and partnership that Champions programmes have created. It will be exciting to see what we can do together next.”

Janet Djomba, DPH Barnet, ADPH London Lead for Community Collaboration said:

“The Community Champions programme has shown us what’s possible when we place trust in communities and work in true partnership across sectors. From the earliest days of the pandemic, thousands of Londoners stepped forward to protect and support their neighbours.

“The London Community Champions Development Programme and later the Network built on this momentum, creating a space for shared learning, collaboration, and innovation.

“As we navigate a changing health and care landscape, the lessons captured by the programme will be vital. Community engagement isn’t a ‘nice to have’—it’s central to improving health outcomes and tackling inequalities. ADPH London remains committed to championing this work, and I’m looking forward to exploring new ways to embed community participation into the heart of public health.”