Hannah Farr

Tell us a bit about your background

Hello, I’m Hannah. I grew up in Derbyshire but since then I have lived in Cardiff and Newcastle. I did my BSc Human and Social Sciences degree at Cardiff University. Cardiff is a such a fun place to be a student. I then did my MSc in Clinical Psychology at Newcastle University. My Masters year was the most challenging year of my life, living in a totally new city during Covid, and feeling very isolated but the North East feels like home now. I currently work as a Support Worker at Gateshead Council but will shortly be starting a new role in Engagement at Healthwatch and I am so excited to get started!

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

When I am not working, I like to keep myself busy doing a variety of hobbies including running, going to the gym, playing tennis, going on bike rides and hiking. My favourite kind of weekend would be camping, staying away from screens and breathing in the fresh air up a mountain. My partner has been helping me learn how to climb and belay and I am learning to play the guitar. If there is any time left, I like to read, bake cakes and do arts and crafts.

How did you get involved in the Fuse Public Partner network?

I originally heard about Fuse after I attended the NIHR School for Public Health Research Annual Scientific Meeting 2022. I was looking for a way to better understand up to date public health issues, policy and research and to see how I could get involved/start my career in public health so this seemed like a perfect event to attend. I was really inspired by some of the talks and someone mentioned Fuse so I looked it up straight away and decided to enquire about getting involved. I had a great introductory chat with Eleanor Anderson (Fuse Public Involvement and Engagement Manager) and I am so excited to get involved in more projects in the future.

What areas of public health research are you particularly interested in?

My main areas of interest in public health are the social determinants of health, barriers to accessing health and social care, health improvement, social prescribing and community link work. I am looking forward to getting a better understanding of the scope of public health research.

Have you been involved in research before?

I have done my own research through my BSc and MSc university courses and I spend some of my free time reading research on public health from organisations such as The Health Foundation or The Kings Fund. This is the first time I have been involved in research as a public involvement member.

Why is having your voice heard in public health research important to you?

I believe that everyone has value to add from their own experiences and I hope I am able to contribute in this way. People may not always agree on something but by speaking up with your own knowledge, experience and values, it allows others to see something in another way/from a different perspective. You never know when that is going to happen and bring about influence or change. Therefore, it is so important to contribute where you can on something that interests you. You could be part of some interesting new findings that could bring benefit to others.

What one piece of advice would you share with someone curious about public involvement and engagement?

Definitely get involved, it is a great way to make connections with people and hear about all the up-to-date work being done that you may not be aware of otherwise.

Last modified: Wed, 31 Aug 2022 13:57:51 BST