The Ghanaian Healthcare Community Leeds (GHCL) Gala 2026 was more than a celebration, it was a powerful call to save lives and strengthen healthcare in Ghana. While the evening raised vital funds to purchase essential medical equipment for hospitals back in Ghana, GHCL also used the occasion to recognise the extraordinary individuals and teams in Leeds who have transformed community health through outreach, partnership and early detection.
As the awards organisers noted, “This year’s honours highlighted the dedication of those working tirelessly to make health accessible to local communities.”
GHCL presented the Public Health Partnership Award to Carol Williams Powell for her outstanding peer support work and her commitment to improving liver health awareness across Leeds.
The Community Health Excellence Award honoured the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) Viral Hepatitis Liver Team, whose collaboration with GHCL has brought vital liver checks, education and early detection directly into neighbourhoods.
The Health Outreach Excellence Award recognised Jo Hitchings, Hannah White, Tracey Stirrup, Rosa Maunganidze and Ngozi Allotey for their frontline delivery of the Community Liver Health Checks providing free liver scans, liver health advice, Hepatitis C testing and compassionate community engagement throughout the city.
These awards reflect GHCL’s mission to care, support and empower. Together with partners including the Viral Hepatitis Service at LTHT, the West Yorkshire Liver Care Operational Delivery Network, which manages the Community Liver Health Checks initiative, and The Hepatitis C Trust’s West Yorkshire peer team, GHCL continues to build bridges, improve early detection and create healthier, stronger communities in Leeds.
Peer support within this partnership is provided by Ngozi Allotey and Carol Williams Powell, both of whom hold Honorary Contracts with LTHT, enabling them to support individuals more closely and strengthen the link between community and clinical care.
The 2026 honours celebrate not only excellence, but the collective impact of collaboration and community-driven healthcare across Leeds.