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Abilities Together CIC has proudly collaborated with the *Bradford Institute for Health Research* (BIHR), working alongside the renowned *Born in Bradford (BiB)* research programme, to deliver peer-led research through the innovative *CoPPer Project—Co-Production with Peer Researchers*.
The CoPPer project offered an exciting opportunity for *five community peer researchers, supported by Abilities Together, to play a key role in shaping how research is conducted, understood, and acted upon. This initiative placed lived experience at the centre of health and social research, ensuring the voices of residents in **Bradford’s built-up and often underrepresented areas* were not only heard, but actively embedded into service planning and policy conversations.
Through a series of community engagement activities and guided research conversations, the peer researchers explored *local issues that matter most to Bradford residents*—from housing and green spaces to air quality, safety, and access to healthcare. The project empowered community members to speak candidly about what affects their everyday lives and offered a safe space for sharing ideas, concerns, and hopes for the future.
This model of co-production—where researchers and community members work as equal partners—helped build trust and transparency between institutions and local people. Abilities Together played a crucial role in recruiting, mentoring, and supporting the peer researchers throughout the process.
In parallel with the CoPPer project, Abilities Together also supported community involvement in discussions around the *Secure Data Environment (SDE). This work focused on one of the most important and evolving issues in public health research today: **data sharing and data ownership*.
Community peer researchers were invited to take part in *deliberative conversations* about who should have access to health and social data, how data should be stored and protected, and how it can be used ethically to improve health services. These conversations revealed a high level of interest in the *balance between privacy and public good*—and reinforced the need for transparency and community consent in research practices.
By opening the door to these important discussions, the project helped demystify the role of data in research and policymaking, while giving ordinary citizens a voice in shaping the future of data governance.
For the five peer researchers involved, the experience was not only meaningful—it was transformative. They developed practical research skills, grew in confidence, and gained valuable insights into how large institutions operate and make decisions. Most importantly, they contributed to research that truly reflects the *real-world experiences and priorities* of Bradford residents.
### *Part of the Growing CoPPer Network*
As a result of this successful collaboration, *Abilities Together CIC is now a proud member of the CoPPer Network*—a growing national collective of organisations and individuals committed to co-production, peer research, and inclusive practice. The network was born out of the original CoPPer project and represents an exciting step forward in embedding community-led research across the UK.
Abilities Together CIC’s involvement in the CoPPer project, the Secure Data Environment work, and now the wider CoPPer Network illustrates its deep commitment to *inclusive, community-led approaches* in health and social care. By collaborating with respected research institutions like BIHR and BiB, and placing local voices at the forefront, Abilities Together continues to shape a future where *research is done not to communities, but with them*.
As the landscape of health and social research continues to evolve, projects like these demonstrate the power of *co-production and trust-building* to deliver better outcomes for all.