Food poverty projects delivers powerful performance.

Dr Emma Surman of CASIC is part of a research project with colleagues at the Liverpool Management School (ULMS), Royal Holloway Management School and New Vic Borderlines to explore food poverty.

The project called Hungry for Change is funded by the Heseltine Foundation for Public Policy and Practice at the University of Liverpool

The research team have worked with staff, volunteers and users of existing community groups and social enterprises to share experiences and develop best practice across the two cities. The aim is to use the principles of cultural animation to communicate ideas and co-produce knowledge with communities so that the participants will set the agenda for learning based on their own needs and experiences.

The team from New Vic Borderlines, under the direction of Sue Moffat, used the research completed to date to develop a documentary drama. The debut performance was held at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme in front of an audience that included community groups, NGO’s, charities, policy makers and members of the public.  It was performed by community members and included the voices of research participants along with a dramatisation of the stories told.  In a debate afterwards members of the audience shared their own experiences and discussed how the issue of food poverty could be addressed in the future. The next performance of the show is at the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool at the end of June.