just imagine if_ Greater Manchester was the healthiest place in the world
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just imagine if_
in partnership with Manchester Museum and Healthier Futures
〰️ just imagine if_ in partnership with Manchester Museum and Healthier Futures
Visual recording of the event
The Manchester Museum offered the perfect backdrop for a day alive with imagination, curiosity, and collaboration. Recently named European Museum of the Year 2025, the Museum champions a mission to be the most inclusive, imaginative, and caring museum you’ll ever visit—values that resonate powerfully with the work of Just Imagine If.
Together with Healthier Futures at the University of Manchester, whose focus is addressing health inequalities across communities and populations, the synergy across partners created a vibrant space for collective visioning and meaningful dialogue.
About the event
Stepping into the future
More than 40 participants came together to imagine new possibilities for the future of Health and Care in Greater Manchester. Through deep listening and creative collaboration, leaders from the ICB, healthcare trusts, charities, academia, frontline services, the arts, and service-user communities shared their perspectives.
Together, they co‑created inspiring visions and constructed models that expressed the future they wish to bring to life. The energy in the room was one of shared purpose and bold imagination—a genuine testament to what can emerge when many voices are welcomed into the conversation.
Acknowledging the present
Participants reflected on their lived experiences within the current health and care landscape. They identified barriers standing between today’s realities and tomorrow’s aspirations—while also uncovering opportunities for progress.
New relationships formed quickly, sparking innovative ideas and strengthening the foundations for continued collaboration. The room buzzed with optimism, honesty, and a powerful readiness for change.
Taking ideas into action
As the day drew to a close, participants committed to practical first steps toward turning their shared visions into reality. Working together made the path ahead feel more achievable and far less daunting.
From reimagining education to better equip future generations, to exploring more flexible financial systems that could reduce pressure on hospital beds, participants identified real opportunities to drive change across Greater Manchester’s health and care ecosystem.
Voices
““Coming together to really make a difference to the lives of the people of Greater Manchester… how can you not be inspired by that.””
“I’m really enjoying the variety of voices and meeting people from sectors I’ve never connected with before.”
“I hope this leads to better ideas and innovative action - tangible, concrete things that people can actually act on, not just abstract thinking.”
“We haven’t had a space like this before. It’s been fantastic to share ideas, find solutions, build networks—and we’ve had a really, really great day!”
“Bringing together so many people from different backgrounds changes the way you see common problems entirely.”