Flu Stories: Our Stories. Our Health. Our Protection.
Updated: 13 minutes ago
On 9 November 2026, Hason Raja Centre in Whitechapel, London, hosted the launch of Flu Stories, a creative health campaign that uses Bengali storytelling to start open conversations about flu, winter health, and vaccination in London's Bangladeshi communities.
Flu Stories was organised by the London Bangladeshi Health Partnership, Bangla Housing Association, and Voice4Change England, and funded by NHS England London region.
The event took place during London's Big Week for Flu, an NHS city-wide push to get as many people as possible vaccinated before winter pressures peak. During Big Week, GP practices, pharmacies, hospitals, and community hubs run extra vaccination clinics and outreach events across the capital.
Flu can make anyone seriously ill, and every winter it puts real strain on our hospitals. It is a serious respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses, and it can lead to pneumonia, respiratory failure, and hospital admission. The risk is highest for very young children, older people, pregnant women, and people with long-term health conditions.
The best way to protect yourself and your family is to get the flu jab before winter sets in.
During the Big Week of Vaccination, jabs will be available in places you already go: football grounds, shopping centres, places of worship, libraries, and vaccination buses. Around 1,700 sites will offer walk-in appointments, and a further 2.1 million slots can be booked through the NHS App or by calling 119.
To promote the event, members of the organising team appeared on Community Talk on Ion TV, a Bangladeshi television channel. The show is hosted by Syeda Chowdhury, who is also a Councillor in Redbridge and a trusted voice in the Bangladeshi community in London. The team spoke about winter wellness and why winter vaccinations matter for the groups most vulnerable to flu.
Watch the video here.
The launch was a great success. The room was full of community members, system stakeholders, representatives from local VCSEs, academics, and clinicians. It marked the start of a campaign that promotes vaccination and winter wellbeing through storytelling and cultural methods. The aim is to invite people to be part of the story, rather than simply handing them information.
The event opened with a welcome from Dr Sharmin Shajahan, Deputy Director of Voice4Change England, delivery partner of LBHP. She spoke about how great it was to have so many people into the room and introduced creative health as a new initiative. She explained why it can be so effective for a community with such a rich cultural heritage like the Bangladeshi community in London.
Hason Raja Centre, where this event was held, is named after Hason Raja, the Sylhet poet and mystic songwriter, remembered for his humanitarian beliefs and his songs about love, equality, and shared humanity. His legacy reflects the importance of Bangladeshi cultural celebrations in bringing people together, and it gave the day a strong sense of purpose.
Riyadul Karim, Assistant Director, Community Engagement and Vaccine & Screening Equity, Covid-19 and Influenza Vaccination Programmes, NHS England London Region, spoke next. He presented his 3Ts model of Trusted Leaders, Trusted Voices, and Trusted Places, which was recently celebrated as the 1st prize winner of the APNA NHS Research and Innovation session. This award recognised his submission, 'From Trust to Access: Applying the 3Ts to Vaccine and Health Equity with London's Bangladeshi Community'. He made clear that a one-size-fits-all approach does not work for underserved communities. Creative approaches are needed to bring out the stories and conversations already happening between generations in families.
Dr Nawsheen Alam, GP Partner at Albion Health Centre, Whitechapel, spoke in a mix of English and Bangla, to further champion the need for accessible information, about the importance of winter wellness. She dispelled common myths about vaccines in the community and shared other ways to stay healthy through the winter months.
She focused on small steps to protect mental health as the days get darker quickly. She also stressed the value of healthy eating habits to make up for the nutrients lost when there is less sun.
A panel discussion followed, with:
Riyadul Karim, NHS England London Region
Edith Mahachi, Clinical Director, Infection Prevention and Control, Health NHS Trust
Dr Nawsheen Alam, GP Partner, Albion Health Centre
Sandra Mounier-Jack, Professor of Health Systems and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Dr Sharmin Shajahan, Voice4Change England
Khasruz Zaman, Head of Community Engagement, Barts Health NHS Trust
The panel took questions on common misconceptions about winter vaccines, where those misconceptions come from, and what barriers stop people getting vaccinated. Panelists gave clear, informative answers. This gave community members in the audience a chance to have some of their misconceptions cleared and questions answered in a safe space.
The main part of the event drew on Bangladesh's rich tradition of oral storytelling. Puthi Paat is the rhythmic recitation or singing of puthi, traditional handwritten verse narratives. For generations, puthi performances carried stories, history and moral lessons into villages and homes, and drew crowds who listened, sang and responded together.
Sheikh Nurul Islam performed a Puthi Paat created for the day on winter wellness, vulnerable groups and the importance of winter vaccines. The whole room joined in, clapping along with the performance. It showed how a familiar cultural form can carry a health message in a way that feels warm and relevant.
Read the translated Puthi Paat here.
The event closed with the launch of a 10-minute Bangla drama video. It follows realistic stories about different vulnerable groups, explores common misconceptions, and shows how families can have these conversations at home. The drama is written by Sayem Chowdhury, Playwright and Head of News, ATN Bangla UK.
Watch the drama here.
Talking about vaccines, risk, and health can feel difficult, especially in families where trust, past experiences, and different generations' views all play a part. Stories and performance make these conversations easier because they let people see themselves and their relatives in the story. Questions can come up naturally, without anyone feeling lectured or judged. A song, a rhythm, or a scene can open a conversation that a leaflet cannot.
The Flu Stories event was only the beginning. We will keep sharing stories, building trust, and supporting conversations that help people stay well this winter. Thank you to everyone who came, to our speakers and panelists, to our partners, and to NHS England London region for making the launch possible.
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