Catalyst Black Thrive Assembly, 2025 - Celebrating its 10th Anniversary

Site Admin • 8 November 2025

Catalyst 3rd Annual BT Assembly audience

published : 8 November 2025

In October Catalyst 4 Change celebrated a dual anniversary – its 10th year of driving change and its 5th as a Black Thrive partner in Birmingham. This wasn't just an event; it was a powerful assembly brimming with inspiration and hope, drawing an audience from Catalyst’s diverse partners and stakeholders: statutory and voluntary sectors, faith communities, businesses, service users and carers.

The gathering highlighted Catalyst’s unwavering journey in confronting and dismantling mental health inequalities and co-developing culturally appropriate community services within African and Caribbean communities across the West Midlands.

Directors Tippa Naphtali, Beverley Stephens, and Sandra Griffiths shared that the organisation was born from the anger and pain of losing Tippa’s cousin, Mikey Powell, who died after being detained and restrained in West Midlands Police custody following a severe psychotic episode. This lived experience and its devastating consequences was the driving force behind Catalyst’s mission; ensuring access to the right care, at the right time, and in the right place.

The assembly featured a lineup of powerful speakers who underscored the urgent need for systemic change.

Professor Patrick Vernon, Community Ambassador for the Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSol ICB), delivered a compelling keynote address on the critical importance of Black systems leadership. His words offered a deeply reflective yet forward-looking roadmap for achieving equity, justice, and structural transformation within the health system.

Dr. Jacqui Dyer, NHS England National Mental Health Equality Adviser, provided vital insights into the NHS England's groundbreaking Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF). She emphasised its role as a mandatory anti-racism initiative, set to revolutionize mental health provision across all providers. Jacqui is also a Founder and Director of the Black Thrive Programme and shared its vision to tackle systemic inequalities impacting the mental health and wellbeing of Black communities.

Alethea Fuller, Deputy Chief Executive of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner's Office, detailed ambitious efforts to improve policing for Black communities. Her vision outlined a commitment to building an anti-racist police service, one that earns the trust of the Black community through transparency and action. Alethea was at the forefront of the development of the Mental Health Street Triage Initiative in 2013, a groundbreaking and hugely successful initiative.

Patrick Nyarumbu, Deputy CEO at Birmingham Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust, reaffirmed his organisation's steadfast commitment to being an anti-racist organisation and shared a number of programmes and partnership to illustrate that commitment. The Trust have embedded anti-racism training and trauma-informed care in mandatory programmes, Invested in Race Equality Leadership and Governance Structures, aligned with the Trust’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy

Beverley Stephens, Catalyst Director and PCREF Lead, highlighted Catalyst’s Black Thrive initiative in Birmingham, which engaged over 200 African and Caribbean service users and carers. Insights from these dialogues are being used to collaborate directly with BSMHFT to advance the Patient Carers Race Equality Framework.

The Knowledge Exchange Sessions were a unique opportunity for Catalyst to:

Champion partnership initiatives like the Pathway to Independence Programme, which has facilitated community organisations and Mental Health Trusts to collaboratively support service users' reintegration into the community.
Promote its Community Development programmes that aims to reinstate and develop community led services such as the LEx Leaders Development Programme, and to provide a dedicated mental health & wellbeing centre, and much needed supported housing scheme
Encourage greater collaboration between the business sector and Black voluntary sector to address the mental health support needs of Black communities
Explore the importance of Black communities determining their research priorities

From networking opportunities to peer learning and a renewed sense of unity, the atmosphere was electric, enhanced by the dynamic hosting of Nathan Dennis and music supplied by DJ Ezekiel Marley. The grand finale, a moving performance by the Sweet Sensations Choir, perfectly capped off Catalyst’s 10th anniversary.

Ash Field, Programmes and Partnership Manager for Thriving Futures, encapsulated the sentiment, calling the assembly; "nothing less than uplifting and was really powerful."

Saida Chowdury, Poet and Mental Health Advocate, said; “I was honoured to be invited to hear how Catalyst is working to ensure better outcomes for African and Caribbean people.”

As Catalyst 4 Change charts its course for the next decade, its dedication remains unwavering.

The organisation stands firm in its mission to tackle mental health racial inequalities and supporting the development of community run and culturally appropriate services, ensuring that Black Communities not only survive but truly thrive.

To all the visionary speakers, dedicated facilitators, invaluable partners, engaged attendees, our dynamic host, entertaining DJ, soulful Choir and dedicated Catalyst team - A big thank you for making this inspiring event a resounding success.

A full report of the Catalyst’s Assembly will be published in early 2026.

Assembly PowerPoint Presentations:

See 'Catalyst 4 Change: 2025 marks 10 years into the journey' here >

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