In a world where avoidable and unfair differences persist, ReCITE (Building Research by Communities to Address Inequities Through Expression) is driving for change. A groundbreaking initiative funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the project leverages storytelling and creative expression to challenge systemic barriers in healthcare. Led by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), with Writing on the Wall (WoW) as the lead creative partner, ReCITE operates across Liverpool, Knowsley, and Sefton, using community-driven approaches to reshape public health discourse.
What’s Your Story?
At the heart of ReCITE is What’s Your Story? (WYS)—a six-week creative storytelling programme designed to provide a platform for those whose voices are often unheard in healthcare conversations. Participants of groups from Toxteth, Kirkby and Bootle met weekly, working alongside professional writers and creatives to transform personal experiences of health inequities, mistrust in healthcare, and systemic failures into powerful narratives.
The impact has been profound. One participant shared:
“For the first time ever, I have started to believe that my voice is important and has value.”
These stories are not just for personal healing - they are meant to educate, inform, and challenge healthcare professionals and policymakers, shaping a more inclusive and responsive healthcare system.
The Power of Storytelling and the Intersection of Creativity, Healing, and Advocacy
On February 26, 2025, the WYS Celebration Event brought these very personal stories to an audience of friends and family and ReCITE stakeholders. The event showcased a variety of poems, monologues, plays, and testimonies, each illuminating the struggles faced in navigating the healthcare system. Two of the groups worked on collective poems which were transformed into powerful multimedia pieces with the help of filmmaker Wes Storey.
Throughout the event, facilitators and participants reflected on why storytelling is such a powerful tool for health advocacy:
- Claire Beerjeraz (Assistant Facilitator for all three groups):
“When we reflect on healthcare, there is often stigma attached. But there is something about creativity that allows for universal communication.”
- Louise Fazackerley (Kirkby Facilitator):
“Creativity is a space to share righteous anger. It unites people and gives them the power to demand change.”
- Helen Jeffery (Bootle Facilitator):
“Many participants felt they didn’t have a voice. Being heard, validated, and supported has been life changing.”
One of the most moving moments was the final collaborative poem, written by the Bootle group, titled "Manifesto for Change." This collective expression of struggle, resilience, and hope perfectly encapsulated the spirit of What’s Your Story?
What’s Next for ReCITE?
As ReCITE moves forward, the role of Community Innovation Teams (CITs) and advocacy networks will be central in transforming storytelling into sustainable change. CITs, composed of community members, health professionals, and creatives, will continue to co-develop innovative, community-led solutions addressing health inequities. Through ongoing data analysis, creative health interventions, and outreach, CITs will ensure that the lived experiences shared in What’s Your Story? translate into actionable health improvements.
At the same time, advocacy networks will amplify these narratives, tackling misinformation and systemic barriers while engaging policymakers to drive structural change.
By uniting storytelling, community action, and strategic advocacy, ReCITE is forging a new pathway for equitable, responsive healthcare.
As one participant put it: “We have to be the voice for those who are not here.”