Tony Doherty is Manager of Bogside & Brandywell Health Forum.
Located in Derry in the north of Ireland, the Health Forum achieved Healthy Living Centre recognition in July 2001. Tony was instrumental in establishing the Health Forum in 1999 while working as Project Co-ordinator of a £2m capital project to redevelop a disused gasworks site for community use. Along with a number of other local community workers, he steered the course upon which the Health Forum developed from a cross-sectoral working group to implementing a major community-led health project. Apart from that, Tony has no health development background, but views the combined community and statutory sector approach as the essential synthesis for making a difference to peoples’ lives.
A former republican prisoner (1981-85), Tony has been central to the development of a vibrant community network in the Bogside & Brandywell area since the early 1990’s. He has been involved in developing initiatives on human rights, youth, education and cultural development and has served on the EU District Partnership for Derry City Council Area established to administer ‘Peace Funds’ between 1999 and 2002.
Tony was appointed to manage the Health Forum in April 2002 and now manages a team of seven staff. The project is based in the new Gasyard Centre, Derry within which the Health Forum opened ‘The Gasworks’ - a new community café in November 2002, and from where a major series of health development projects is co-ordinated.
Other interests include: Irish Language revival, keeping reasonably fit, food and reading.
To find out more information on the Bogside & Brandywell Health Forum, please click on the link below:
http://www.bbhealthforum.org/
