This is one of a series of case studies exploring how individuals living in London have used the King's Fund Millennium Awards scheme to make a real difference to the health of others in their communities. While working at a west London community centre, Imo Akpan recognised a reluctance among people to discuss the health issues affecting their communities. He felt that the resulting lack of awareness presented a barrier to efforts to tackling the problems. Consequently, he decided to run a series of workshops focused on specific health issues and targeted at particular groups. His aim was to provide information about prevention and treatment and give people a chance to discuss their concerns. The workshops covered a range of topics, including addiction to khat (a plant-based stimulant), arthritis, dental care, HIV and A.I.D.S., sickle cell disease, lupus and diabetes. [Introduction]