Newcastle University Medical School and Rise have won the prestigious Educate North Award for Community Engagement in the University Sector for their Community Physical Activity Clinical Champions (C-PACC) initiative.

The award recognises an innovative partnership that delivers inclusive, community-led physical activity programmes while helping medical students develop confidence in preventative, people-centred healthcare.

Judges described the initiative as a “superb, well-evidenced partnership” with strong social impact. They praised its scale and integration, highlighting how it combines academic learning with meaningful community engagement to support marginalised groups. They also commended its outstanding reach and reciprocity, recognising that the programme has trained more than 1,100 students and strengthened future clinicians’ understanding of preventative, people-centred care.

'Good Citizens, as well as Good Doctors'

The Community Physical Activity Clinical Champions initiative brings together Newcastle University Medical School and Rise to embed physical activity advocacy into undergraduate medical education. Students complete evidence-based training before undertaking structured community shadowing opportunities across Rise programmes, including those supporting older adults, people living with chronic pain, weight management, women’s health, menopause, neuro-health and stroke recovery.

Reflecting on the award, Dr Scott Walker, MBBS Rise Project Lead and Head of Year 1 Medicine at Newcastle University Medical School, said: “Community-PACC is about developing 'Good Citizens, as well as Good Doctors'. This recognition reflects the passion of our students, colleagues, and community partners who are working together to strengthen lifestyle medicine education and contribute to a healthier future for our region.

“By allowing pre-clinical students to see patients as people in their social context and understand the communities in which they serve, we are driving long-term progress for health outcomes across the North East.”

To date, the programme has trained more than 1,100 medical students in physical activity advocacy and supported more than 400 community shadowing opportunities across the North East. The award submission described the project as a scalable, curriculum-linked partnership model that delivers measurable benefits for students, community participants and regional health priorities.

Rise is a leading health and wellbeing charity working across the North East to transform lives, communities and places through the power of movement and physical activity.

Adam Brougham, Rise Strategic Director said: “We are absolutely thrilled to receive this recognition alongside our partners at Newcastle University. This project was codesigned on the belief that physical activity should be inclusive and community-led, bridging the gap between clinical expertise and community patient engagement. This award reflects the strength of the partnership between Rise and Newcastle University and demonstrates what can be achieved through meaningful collaborative working.”

The civic purpose of the initiative was also highlighted by Inga Andrew, Director of Citizenship for Medicine at Newcastle University, who said: “This award is a powerful validation of our mission to be a truly civic university and medical school. At Newcastle, we believe our responsibility extends far beyond the campus walls. It is about providing authentic opportunities for our students to experience the transformative power of community engagement and social accountability, helping them to understand patients as real people, the social contexts in which they live and their place within society as a whole.”

Professor Paul Paes, Head of Newcastle University School of Medicine, said: “As Head of School, I am immensely proud of this recognition. This award reflects our commitment to producing clinicians who are not only clinically skilled, but socially conscious and are able to give something back to the community while learning.”

The initiative reflects Newcastle University Medical School’s commitment to civic engagement and socially accountable medical education, preparing future clinicians to understand patients as people within their wider social and community contexts.

The Award-Winning MBBS Rise Citizenship Team is a multi-disciplinary collaboration involving Dr Scott Walker – Rise Project Lead and Head of Year 1 Medicine; Inga Andrew – Director of Citizenship Medicine; Dr Bas Olthof – Head of Year 2 Medicine; Dr Emma Haagensen – Deputy Head of Year 1 Medicine; Dr Alison Graham – Senior Lecturer in the School of Medicine; Michael Connor – Education Administrator; Liam Isaac – Sport Partnerships & Development Manager, Newcastle University Sports Services; Maddy Wood – Community Sports Development Officer, Newcastle University Sports Services and, Dr Rebecca Hancock – FMS Director of Interprofessional Education (IPE). 

Find out more about Rise