Projects and activities
The planning, design and governance of our urban environments has a profound impact on population health, planetary heath and health equity.
The Supporting Healthy Inclusive Neighbourhood Environments Health Integration Team (SHINE HIT) works in several key areas where characteristics of the neighbourhood environment impact on health and well-being. The team comprises academics and practitioners in public health, transport, city planning, community organisations and public contributors.
Healthy city policies and practice
The work of SHINE for healthier urban place-making at the local level can inform and is informed by developments at national and international level. Marcus Grant, a member of our leadership team, helps connect these agendas and represents SHINE at the regional West of England public health and planning group.
SHINE is also affiliated to the international journal Cities & Health which provides a scholarly platform for spatial planning, urban design and physical city governance perspective. Marcus Grant is Editor-in-Chief of Cities & Health.
Translating the evidence
Evidence from peer reviewed research is often not presented in a format that is easily accessible or useful to people outside of the academic community. SHINE aims to ‘translate’ this evidence, and provide references and sources, to support policy makers, practitioners and the general public in activities that support healthy, inclusive neighbourhood environments.
To support access to the latest findings from research Adrian Davis, co-director of SHINE, is the author of the series Essential Evidence on a Page and Cities & Health publishes a series of ‘City Know-how’ blogs, supported by Bristol Health Partners funding.
Adrian has also written a report on improving road safety in Bristol: Best Practice lessons from cities implementing Vision Zero and Safe Systems Road Safety. He presented this at a Road Safety Week event in November 2022 alongside a trauma clinician from Southmead Hospital and a road safety campaigner. See the presentations:
- Best Practice lessons from cities implementing Vision Zero and Safe Systems Road Safety: Adrian Davis
- Safer Roads: Nicholas Crease, Southmead Major Trauma Centre
- Roadpeace: The National Charity For Road Crash Victims: Kate Uzzell, South West Co-ordinator of Road Peace
Active travel
SHINE’s interest in active travel focuses on the infrastructure and neighbourhood characteristics that support walking, wheeling and cycling as safe, convenient and inclusive modes of transport.
Suzanne Audrey, co-director of SHINE, is co-founder and executive member of Bristol Walking Alliance and leads on the ‘walkability’ workstream including the recent publication of 50 Ways to Better Walking. Adrian Davis is leading on safe systems road safety.
Wildlife friendly
Access to nature, and supporting wildlife, are important aspects of a healthy neighbourhood environment. Ben Barker is the lead activist on this workstream, co-ordinating community groups who maintain green spaces across Bristol, and seeking to improve access to green spaces and sustain wildlife habitats. The work seeks to make people aware of wildlife ‘on their doorstep’.
All-age-friendly
A healthy neighbourhood should be welcoming and accessible for people of all ages. SHINE is supporting the work of Tom Allport, Consultant Paediatrician & Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol, with his work on child development in a high-rise urban environment including improvements to outdoor play space.
SHINE is also collaborating with Age UK Bristol through Bristol Walking Alliance, and the Bladder and Bowel Confidence (BABCON) HIT over the provision of public toilets.
