Behind hungry children there are hungry parents.

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Behind hungry children are hungry parents. We know that typically parents feed their children before they feed themselves in the UK. We also know that households that are most likely to be food insecure tend to live in areas where others are also struggling. While enough money to purchase food is important, it isn’t enough. We need solutions that address the immediate need but also solutions that work toward a longer term, socially just resilience.

I was recently invited to participate in a webinar on children’s food insecurity. It was attended by more than 300 people from across industry, policy, community, health, and academic sectors. It was organised by Bernadette Moore and Charlotte Evans of the N8 Food Systems Policy Hub.

Using food systems to address children’s food insecurity.

Methods for change

Video

I am part of a project with a group of women who are thinking through our research methods and how they can help create change. This has been a really useful exercise for me, as my methods are often so intertwined with my research that taking them apart can be difficult. I’ve created a short video where I talk through my approach. This was part of a Festival of Social Sciences Methods for change event held by Manchester University and Aspect. The event was not recorded, but I am making my short presentation available here.

Methods for change – Co-producing for social change

APPG Hearings on Loneliness and Isolation–Oral evidence

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In August of 2020, I was invited to provide oral evidence to an All Party Parliamentary Group hearing. The focus of the group is to address issues of loneliness and isolation, an issue that has become more pronounced during the COVID crisis.

The APPG’s independent inquiry seeks to:

  1. Hold government to account and secure a renewed cross-Government commitment to tackling loneliness and its underlying causes
  2. Build on progress made to date, by recommending tangible and ambitious next steps for government, at the end of the inquiry in December 202
  3. Explore solutions to crucial but complex policy areas identified by the Loneliness Action Group as outlined within the Shadow report, A connected Society? which assesses progress in tackling loneliness

I participated in the hearing on funding. My contribution starts at about minute 33.

Beanstalk Global Podcast for Healthy and Sustainable Food

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Last week I participated in a webinar for a group of people who are concerned about healthy and sustainable food. The podcast focused on food insecurity. Participants in the webinar included Barbara Bray, Mark Driscoll and Jacqui Green, who have founded the group, as well as Tom Amery, MD of The Watercress Company and Ben Thomas, Environment Manager from Waitrose & Partners, and me.

You can watch the facebook live recording of the webinar below, but it was also broadcast live on Linked In and will be available from the Beanstalk Global web page soon. There is a bit of natter at the start of the broadcast which is not really related to the webinar, which starts at about 2 minutes in.

Webinar hosted on Beanstalk Global re: Food insecurity.