Community development is not so new

It was refreshing to see the St Paul’s Way transformation project covered in The BMJ.1 But there are several things worth pointing out. I am in no way belittling the great work described in this excellent short article: I’ve not a doubt it is transformative.

Firstly, the concept of community development, or one of the many other phrases used to describe the same thing, has been around for a century or so2 and is undoubtedly an essential part of any robust effort to improve wellbeing.3 Many stakeholders, from a wide variety of backgrounds, have been funding or delivering (or both) this type of work for decades. The Bromley By Bow Centre is pioneering, but similar pioneers exist in every town.

Similarly, social prescribing is a concept not without its ideological problems, and it has a rapidly developing evidence base.4 But it is not a new concept.

With regard to health champions and health trainers, Sheffield and many diverse organisations have been in this space for a long time.5 The health champion work in Sheffield goes back to the early days of Healthy Sheffield, close to 20 years ago.

Finally, assuming it was a direct quote, saying that “liberal Guardian readers writing reports rather than getting things done” is demeaning, factually inaccurate, and insulting to those who have been working in this space for decades. The Annals of the American Academy of Social and Political Science published an article on the function of the social settlement discussing the Hull Settlement in Chicago—a similar model to Bromley by Bow—in 1899.6