Project title: AfroVital Hearts
Region: London, England South
Award amount: £14,500
Date: December 2025 – June 2026
This Healthy Heart Grant project has now finished, read on for the project highlights.
Newham has the UK’s highest rate of Type 2 Diabetes and Black African adults are 3 times more likely to develop hypertension before the age of 55. These individuals often follow traditional diets which are commonly high in salt, red meat, processed foods and oil. Local community surveys revealed that 78% of people consume processed foods daily for convenience, and 85% of people rarely exercise.
There were no local existing projects that addressed these cultural and economic barriers, highlighting the need for Resilient Wellness UK to deliver AfroVital Hearts.
AfroVital Hearts was a 6 month community-led initiative for West African adults living with or at risk of hypertension. The activities they delivered blended tradition with practical health science, prioritizing communal learning and incremental progress. They ran regular nutrition workshops, culturally tailored to adapt West African staples for heart health, combining education with hands on cooking. As well as afrobeat dance sessions for all ability levels, neighbourhood walks in local green spaces, wellness circles for stress reduction and one to one coaching.
This project engaged 49 people through in-person and online sessions, supporting them to live healthier, longer lives. Due to high demand, AfroVital Hearts were able to recruit participants from a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds and age groups, with high levels of engagement throughout the project. The project’s impact has continued beyond its completion, with peer-led wellness groups remaining active, with members continuing to meet for walks and exercise.
Post programme survey results showed positive outcomes across a range of health indicators. 80% of participants reported feeling more confident in preparing healthy meals and understanding food labels. 70% of participants reported being more physically active in their daily lives, incorporating walking and simple exercises into their routines. Participants also reported significant reductions in stress levels through peer-led wellness circles and mindfulness techniques learnt from the sessions. The project had a strong impact on social wellbeing, with 85% of participants reporting feeling more connected, less isolated, and part of a supportive network, and 90% described increased confidence and motivation to maintain healthy habits.
The project also measured its success through physical health indicators. 67% saw improvements in their blood pressure, 55% had reductions in their weight and 63% saw improvements in BMI.
Quotes from participants “‘I really enjoyed these sessions which has encouraged me a lot, made me more active, making new friends. I will highly recommend this to anyone’” “Being part of Afrovital Hearts has been awesome! I am so excited about my health journey!” “I feel I’m not out of breath all the time and fitness level has improved”
“‘I really enjoyed these sessions which has encouraged me a lot, made me more active, making new friends. I will highly recommend this to anyone’”
“Being part of Afrovital Hearts has been awesome! I am so excited about my health journey!”
“I feel I’m not out of breath all the time and fitness level has improved”