May 28, 2026

One of our Community Co-researchers, Laura, explains about her role, her research topic and her CCR journey so far in her first Blog Post.

Why does all the research tell us that exercise can benefit our mental and physical health, yet this still rarely happens?

We are at a critical time for health and as a Community Co-Researcher (CCR) it is lovely to see that real people with real opinions are being heard. We, as community members, often see and hear what’s happening (or not happening) first and it’s uplifting to know our voices are being heard. That is ultimately what I’m trying to do, I want the communities’ voices to be heard and for action to be taken.

We work together with Cumbria CVS and Cumberland Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) to design and carry out research that is focused on tackling health inequalities in our communities across Cumberland. I am in the Border, Fellside and North Cumbria panel and I originally became a CCR because of its flexibility. I am a mum to four small children so this role needed to fit around school drops offs and clubs the best it could. I was also diagnosed with a benign brain tumour in 2024 and the surgery to remove it has left me with mobility issues and extreme neurofatigue so this role really takes this into consideration.

The research I have chosen is around the benefits of exercise to the disabled community and how the potential lack of welcoming sports clubs might hinder participation in sports. I chose this topic because, being incredibly active before my brain tumour, I am painfully aware just how difficult it can be to be active now that I have differing needs. I am incredibly interested in the topic of how being active can help the disabled community both physically and mentally. I know without exercise my recovery would have been very different and is this the same for others?

My experience of my new job role as a CCR, so far, has been very positive and supportive. It has been flexible and informative and I’m eager to really get started. The next steps for me are to lock in the research proposal then, further down the line, get ethical approval and begin gathering together my participants. This both excites and scares me but I’m ready to see if my research can really make a positive difference in the disabled community.

Overall, this opportunity has been very valuable to me and I hope it can also be beneficial to others too. I am excited to see where my research can go and to apply this to the wider public. This role has given me a true sense of purpose, just when I needed it most. My life changed dramatically, and suddenly, in 2024 and it is wonderful to know all is not lost – I can make a real difference to a community that really needs it. Watch this space!

 

Community Co-Researchers (CCRs) are hosted by Cumbria CVS and work as part of Cumberland Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) to design and deliver research focused on tackling health inequalities in Cumberland. Cumberland HDRC is part of the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) and hosted by Cumberland Council