CEILIDH & CARAMEL WAFERS: How Moray brought CHIME to Manchester
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Samara Shah, Earthtime for All Ltd, shares her reflection from the most recent national gathering of the nine Community Research Networks funded by UK Research & Innovation (delivered by the Young Foundation).
The Community Research Network Away Days took place at the inspiring People's History Museum, Manchester, on 15 and 16 April 2026. All 9 of the networks had sent a group of their core members to connect, build relationships and share experiences. From Durham to Newham, Belfast to the Isles of Scilly, Grimsby to Staffordshire, the Moray group found itself in the good company of around 50 people from other research networks, the Young Foundation and UK Research and Innovation.
There were opportunities for informal networking and connection throughout the 2 days during self-guided museum tours, a visit to the Labour Party archives, a marketplace of display stands and during the lunchbreaks. Time was set aside for each network to come together too to carry out their own reflections. Day 2 had more of a conference feel with each of the groups having a 10 minute presenting slot to share stories of their projects and achievements.
The Young Foundation had asked us to be bold in our approach to the presentation, and we were keen to oblige. We included a moment for reflection to a soundtrack of Lewis Hou (Science Ceilidh) on the fiddle, showcased our ethics framework, shared our Community Research Safari experience, and explained how we use CHIME in all that we do. We also previewed the Collective Voice Data Visualisation data visualisation tool, which gave other networks hope for the future, showing them that its potential applicability for community data infrastructure goes far beyond Moray. We then danced everyone into lunch with a traditional Scottish reel. Over lunch, our display stand, laden with leaflets, shortbread and caramel wafers was a top attraction. Never underestimate the connections to be made through a shared love of Scottish biscuits and confectionary! One participant was overjoyed to be gifted a packet of caramel wafers to take home to London after she shared that they had been a favourite of her and her brothers when they had grown up in Scotland. We were also really pleased to chat about the CHIME framework with the Chief Executive of the Young Foundation, who planned to try CHIME ins at her meetings.
We all agreed we had a better understanding of the bigger picture of community research as a result of the away days. We’re all at different stages and that’s okay. Some networks, like Collaboration for Mental Wealth in Moray, have spent more time on infrastructure, and others are already sharing research findings in incredibly creative ways. Every network has taken a different approach and that is something to celebrate.
Everyone was awed by the woven carpet featuring quotes and stories of research participants! It’s not just data visualisation that can mean a carpet or an online tool, we learned that terminology, like ‘steering group’, means different things to different groups too. Connecting in with what other networks are doing is so important and the value of what we can learn from others should not be underestimated.
The Young Foundation and UK Research and Innovation were keen throughout the away days to hear our stories and experiences. Some of the parting words in the concluding panel session were for the research networks to think of ourselves as the nucleus of community research which, we hope, will grow and grow. We’ve certainly grown from our experience at this event. Not only do we know more about the Community Research Networks programme, we also know each other better. This is already making a difference in the way we now work together. Those of us who joined would highly recommend attending other events run by the Young Foundation for all research networks...just remember to pack the biscuits!
Part of the Collaboration for Mental Wealth in Moray (CMWM), funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and The Young Foundation.
Hosted by Moray Wellbeing Hub CIC, the Collaboration for Mental Wealth in Moray is a network of partners who are researching what works for creating mental wealth in Moray through the co-creation of solutions and community-driven action. Partners in the network
are the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI), tsiMORAY, Science Ceilidh, Arrows (A Quarriers Service), Earthtime for All, and Grampian Regional Equalities Council (GREC).
