Keeping the {heartsuit} Beat in Grampian--a case study in community participation and ownership

In the Grampian Region of Scotland, a new 10 year heart healthinitiative, ‘Keeping the Beat in Grampian’ waslaunched in October 1991. Although this programme is based ona number of well-tested health promotion principles it is uniquein a number of aspects. The concepts of community ownership,corporate identity and people empowerment have been extendedto a much greater degree. The programme is registered as a privatecompany with charitable status so that management, decision-makingand budgetary control are vested totally in the community.