The Health Forum has been established to foster and oversee the development of a community health development strategy both within the Gasyard Centre and at several other centres in the local area.

Membership of the group is drawn from a range of local organisations and from the Health Promotion Department WHSSB; Foyle Health Trust and local general practices. The Health Forum has been established for the following purposes:

• To establish a Community Cafe as an important social focus promoting healthy eating, dietary education and offering practical programmes for domestic food preparation etc.
• To establish a Food Cooperative to provide fresh fruit and vegetables to the local community at reasonable prices.
• To establish permanent health and social care expertise within the Gasyard Centre, which will act as a base for outreach services for local statutory organisation geared towards tackling specific health issues relative to the Bogside and Brandywell community. These services will correspond to the major areas of concern identified by the Foyle Trust's Needs Assessment Research Project (NARP 1996), and the findings of its more recent 'Planning for Real' event of 1998 in the Brandywell Ward e.g.. mental health and well-being, drugs and alcohol issues, counseling and support groups and teenage pregnancies.
• To establish a prgramme of health promotion focusing on health issues as identified by local research (NARP 1996), while reflecting the Regional Strategy for Northern Ireland, 'Well Into 2000', and the Western Health & Social Services Board's service and financial framework 1999-2000. The programme will include, for example, Smoking Cessation Groups, Activate Training, Stress Management and a Personal and Lifeskills Programme for young adults.
• To create and consolidate a vibrant community-based health forum aimed at identifying and addressing long-term health and social care needs in an holistic manner through the involvement of community, statutory and general practice groups and individuals.

In June 2000 the Health Forum produced and published 'Health in our Hands', a report and recommendations from a Community Health Survey carried out over the previous four month period.