People Power – Creating a Manifesto that Matters 14 November 2025 Why Manifestos Matter A manifesto is one of the single most important documents a charity can produce. This is the moment where, before an election, we start to shout about what we think matters most. We ask political parties to agree to our asks – to step up, and take action when they return to Parliament. It’s the start of a campaign to influence the incoming Government. How Charities Influence Future Governments You’ve probably never given much thought to how manifestos are developed. Why would you? But this is how charities influence future politicians, the next government and the official opposition, how we try and gain major policy commitments even before the election is over. These asks matter, and it matters how we decide what to ask for. Of course, solutions must be built on evidence, but they need heart as well as head, and that means they should be shaped by the real experiences and needs of the people they’re about. Putting Lived Experience at the Heart CHSS has spent the last few years growing our participation work to ensure that the people we support also shape our work, and that they have more opportunities to do that. When we campaign for equitable access to treatment or better access to rehab, it is with people with chest heart and stroke conditions, not just for them. So when we started to develop our manifesto, we knew that we needed to speak to the people who mattered most – people with chest, heart and stroke conditions and Long Covid. Listening to What Really Matters Our policy team started by surveying people using CHSS services to ask them about their priorities – what mattered most to them? People with long term conditions are voters too, with opinions on lots of things – not just healthcare. How did they rank the big issues of the day? Diving Deeper Through Peer Groups Supported by our amazing Participation Team, we met with partnered peer groups to dive into these issues a bit more. When they said they wanted more rehab, what did they need most? What was missing in their experience of living with a long term condition? We also got some surprising insights – almost every group spoke about the experiences of carers, and highlighted how a lack of support impacted their spouses and partners who. This wouldn’t have been such a key ask for us without their input. Turning Insight Into Practical Policy Our policy team got to work, trying to create proposals that were workable, and improved the problems they experienced. We needed to create solutions, not just ideas. These needed to be deliverable for politicians, and affordable to implement. We also spoke to clinicians for their input – after all, they would be working with the changes we suggested. Testing the Ideas With Lived Experience Finally, we went back to focus group our ideas with peer groups – who we asked for, and who provided, total honesty. At least one of our policy solutions we shelved – not because it wasn’t a good proposal, but because it wasn’t the solution to the problem they were facing. Why Lived Experience Is the Best Test Explaining your solution to someone with lived experience is a fantastic test of your policy proposal. They will tell you if they think it’s a good idea. They’ll tell you their concerns, and whether it will make things better for them. And it will test you to put your proposal in plain English – if you can’t explain it clearly, it’s too complex. Launching the Manifesto When we launched our manifesto in September 2025, it was people with lived experience who were at the centre of the day. Our CEO, Jane Claire Judson, spoke about the asks we’re making of the next Scottish Government – but it was hearing from Michael, a stroke survivor in his thirties, and Su, who is an advocate for pulmonary rehab, who really brought the message home. Their stories show what needs to change, and the human impact of high-quality support. Michael, a stroke survivor in his thirties, shared his experiences of life after stroke. A Manifesto Built With – and Belonging To – You We’re so grateful to everyone who helped shape this manifesto. We hope you hear your voice in it, and that it reflects what you need. It belongs to you, as much as to us. And as we head towards the Scottish Parliament elections, we hope you’ll campaign with us – for no life half lived. Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s 2026 Scottish Parliament Manifesto: Our Voice, Our Votes, Our Asks is built on the voices, experiences and solutions of the 1 in 5 people in Scotland affected by chest, heart, stroke conditions or Long Covid. Learn more and back the Manifesto Campaign: Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s 2026 Scottish Parliament Manifesto