20/08/2026
Ruth Elumilade
PhD Education Researcher | Student-Centred Learning & Teacher Practice | Qualitative & Community Research | Health Inequalities
Two weeks after I shared our research poster on LinkedIn, Paul Bibby commented underneath it: “You should come to us, Ruth.”
I took him up on the invitation.
This week, I visited HSP Leigh and met with Paul, Trustee & Founder, and Lynn, the charity's Founder.
One of the first things they asked me was:
“What can we do for you?”
That immediately opened the conversation.
I explained the community research we are undertaking across Wigan and Leigh, and our interest in hearing directly from people who have experienced homelessness or housing insecurity about their experiences accessing healthcare and staying connected to care.
Paul and Lynn then shared more about HSP’s work, including feeding people experiencing homelessness, the practical support they provide, and, importantly, the trust they have built with people over time.
That part stayed with me.
People do not simply walk through the door because a service exists. They return because they know the people behind it.
By the end of the meeting, HSP had not only expressed an interest in the research; they had invited us back and offered to support our engagement with people who may wish to participate.
And I kept thinking about how this particular connection began.
Not through a formal introduction.
Not through a referral.
Not through a cold email.
It began because Paul saw the research on LinkedIn and recognised a connection with the work HSP is already doing in the community.
This visit forms part of the community research I am contributing to across Wigan and Leigh through my volunteer role with Wigan Borough Community First, alongside Healthwatch Wigan & Leigh
A sincere thank you to Paul, Lynn and the wider team for the time, openness and warm welcome.
Paul, thank you for writing, “You should come to us.”
I’m very glad I did. 🙏🏽
📍 Wigan & Leigh
