GMMH Research Lead recognised in Black History Month Magazine
Professor Dawn Edge, Director of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Research Unit (EDI-RU) at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH), has been recognised in this year’s edition of Black History Month Magazine for challenging inequalities in mental health care through her research and teaching.
Black History Month (BHM) Magazine is published every year in October, bringing together BHM celebrations, events and opportunities. The theme for 2026 is ‘Honouring our Communities’, sharing inspiring stories of Black Britons, their lives and achievements.
The Magazine selected Dawn for her important work to uncover why African and Caribbean communities can experience poorer access, treatment and outcomes within mental health services.
An example of her most recent projects was the Culturally-adapted Family Intervention (known as CaFI) study, created for people of African and Caribbean descent who have experienced psychosis or schizophrenia. In the UK, people of African and Caribbean heritage are more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia and sectioned under the Mental Health Act than any other ethnic group.
The talking therapy brings the service user together with their family to share their experiences, and reduce stress and conflict. It highlighted the importance of culturally-informed care - taking into account a person’s culture, faith, relationships, and previous experiences. You can watch the CaFI findings webinar here.
CaFI was designed together with Black communities, service users and their families, putting lived experience at the centre of the project. On her recognition in BHM Magazine, Professor Dawn Edge said:
I strongly believe that research should be undertaken with or by communities instead of to, for, or about them. The concept of co-production is therefore central to my work. That is why I was delighted that Black History Month Magazine recognised me as part of their Honouring our Communities campaign. This award is for all of us.
Alongside her research role at GMMH, Dawn is a Professor of Mental Health & Inclusivity at The University of Manchester, the first Black female professor at the university. She is also the Mental Health Theme lead for the National Institute of Health and Care Research Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR BRC) in Manchester.
You can read the Black History Month Magazine 2026 edition online for free at their website here. For more information about the EDI Research Unit at GMMH, please visit www.gmmh.nhs.uk/edi-ru. Professor Dawn Edge has also recently been featured in an article in Keep the Faith Magazine looking at leaders in Higher Education, and a photography exhibition at Aviva Studios, Portrait of Black Britain. Congratulations, Dawn!
