The research work that HDRC Leicestershire is involved in includes:
Project timeline
- Create a plan for research
- Build a HDRC Research team
- Set up a Public Advisory Group to involve residents in shaping research priorities
- Set research guidelines
- Complete the recruitment to the full HDRC Research team
- Involve the community to actively engage in research and decision making
- Set clear rules and measures for overseeing research and evaluating its impact
- Choose research topics and focus on the most important health issues
- Provide education and development opportunities for the research team
- Find funding related to wider health and social issues
- Provide training and skill building opportunities to improve research quality
- Create apprenticeships for new researchers
- Carry out research on key health issues
- Use research findings to improve policies and services
- Carry out funded research
- Share knowledge effectively
- Use evaluation results to improve future work
- Ensure long-term success to keep research efforts going beyond the initial funding
Designing research projects
The first step in designing research is to identify priorities. We do this routinely by reviewing strategic council documents, data and academic literature, as well as engaging with Leicestershire communities to find out what matters most to them.
In 2025, we co-produced research priorities based on desktop review, input from our public advisory group, public assembly and youth workshops.
Our research priorities fall into the following categories:
What is around us?
The importance of the surroundings where we live and work, a built environment, infrastructure and amenities that promote health, for example food outlets, religious spaces, exercise facilities, and substance regulation.
Key words: Planning, legislation, facilities, FRESh – (Food outlets, Religious spaces, Exercise facilities, Substance regulation) to promote health behaviours
Protecting green and blue spaces in urban and rural places so that they can contribute to clean air, provide places to walk and exercise, and habitats for animals and other wildlife. This includes living in the countryside and relationships with farms, allowing healthy, fresh, local food to be available.
Key words: Clean air, walkability, habitats, nature, wildlife, farming, rurality, green space (e.g. fields, parks), blue space (e.g. rivers, lakes)
Access to and affordability of high quality, safe housing with gardens and enough space for those living there.
Key words: Housing, overcrowded housing, gardens, housing costs
Who is around us?
The importance of community and belonging, with ‘fun’ community spaces to come together and engage in recreational activities, share interests, stories, knowledge and make networks. This could include digital networks, spaces to play and watch sports, cinemas, parks, community events, or restaurants. Also, the negative impact of feeling lonely, isolated or excluded and not having community to connect with.
Key words: Loneliness, isolation, exclusion, friendship, family, community, digital access, fun, entertainment, recreation, belongings
Communities and individuals having access to knowledge and information that will support, empower and equip them make informed decisions. This includes knowledge about their health, nutrition and the wider factors that shape health. For example, knowledge about their rights, benefits, and how to access support and services. It also includes the need for advocacy between and within communities.
Key words: Empowerment, knowledge, information, rights, advocacy, community communication platforms, nutrition, health knowledges
Feeling of safety and calm in the local area/neighbourhood, with limited noise and disruption. This includes perceptions and safety needs relating to low-level crime, such as anti-social behaviour, fear and intimidation, noise. It also includes infrastructure such as streetlights, safety precautions, and the presence of supportive communities and reliable neighbourhood policing to ensure community safety. Alongside physical safety, this theme considers online and digital safety.
Key words: Fear, intimidation, anti-social behaviour, noise, crime, police presence, protection, law enforcement, safety, digital safetys
What are our opportunities?
The need for choice and options when it comes to education, employment and volunteering opportunities, and the links between these. This should also include alternative routes to employment, volunteering and skills development.
Key words: Accessible options/choice, education, employment, volunteering, skill development, hobbies
How much money people have coming in, whether that be earnings, family or government financial support or other means, and how much things cost, not just to live but to thrive. This may include cost of services or resources including food, rent, fuel and furnishings, and the barriers experienced to get adequate income.
Key words: Wealth, salary, benefits, disposable income, cost-of-living (e.g. childcare, food, rent, fuel, furnishings)
Both public and personal transport being accessible and inclusive for people of all ages and abilities. This includes planning to facilitate proximity to walking or cycling routes, allowing access to community, green spaces, public transport, and health spaces. It also includes accessibility for those with frailty or disabilities, and access to and affordability of bikes and cars.
Key words: Walkability, cycling, disabled access, timetabling, cost, routes
Applying for funding
Research teams like ours have to apply for money to conduct research. The applications for funding are often complex and require input from all our stakeholders and public contributors. The application process can take 6-12 months or more to put a bid together and longer before a decision is made.
Now that we are in year 1 of HDRC funding, we are starting to write applications for research funding in collaboration with academic colleagues from our partner institutions.
Successful bids
Biomedical Research Centre at University of Leicester – Engagement Fund
We put in a bid to the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and Leicester University through the Institute for Precision Health. Read more about how Leicestershire schools can shape the future of health research
Conducting research
The research topics that we will be pursuing are based on our research prioritisation work, with priorities listed above. Any successful research grants will be listed on this page.
Supporting students' research
PhDs
Our HDRC is currently in the process of designing four PhD projects based on these priorities. One student is due to start in September 2025 and will be focused on the impact of noise pollution linked to the East Midlands Airport. Our other PhDs will start in 2026.
Masters
Two members of the HDRC team have been successful in securing ‘Insight’ career development funding from the NIHR to undertake a Master’s in Public Health programme. They will be undertaking a research project in 2027 as part of their course. Topics and details will be listed on this page when finalised.
Mobilising knowledge
We want to acknowledge and celebrate the change and impact our research creates for the people of Leicestershire.
Sometimes it is hard to evidence the impact that research has, especially when there are lots of contributing factors to change, and when the change takes a long time. However, we still plan to show the impact we are making when we can. We will add case studies of where our work has demonstratable impact.