º£½ÇÂÒÂ× exhibition celebrates communities and researchers working together to enrich lives
The º£½ÇÂÒÂ× has unveiled a new exhibition on campus, showcasing seven powerful portraits of people from the community who have worked in partnership with the University’s researchers.
The Heart of the Community exhibition shines a light on the people behind º£½ÇÂÒÂ×’s research, highlighting how lived experience, creativity and collaboration are helping to improve everyday lives across the region and beyond. Each portrait is accompanied by a personal story, capturing the difference that can be achieved when communities and researchers work together.
From tackling energy poverty to improving healthcare, supporting vulnerable families and strengthening community connections, the exhibition reflects the breadth of the University’s work at the heart of society.
Professor Simon Green, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange at the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×, said:
“Research is at its most powerful when it is shaped by the people it is designed to support. The people featured in this exhibition are not participants – they are co-creators. Their knowledge, insight and lived experience are essential to informing solutions to some of the most complex challenges facing our communities today.
“This exhibition is a celebration of their contribution and a reminder that by collaborating together, we can achieve lasting, meaningful change and innovate to enrich lives.â€
Among those featured is carer Amina Lorgat, who collaborated with researchers to help shape the Kidney Information Network, an online platform supporting kidney disease patients and carers to share experiences, access information and reduce isolation.
In another portrait, Ian Bocock shares how a previously neglected site has been transformed into the Cleavley Community Forest Garden – a thriving, community-led space for education, wellbeing and environmental learning, supported by º£½ÇÂÒÂ× researchers.
The exhibition also features Anna Webster, who has used her experience as a parent of a child with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) to shape pioneering research led by º£½ÇÂÒÂ× researchers, and improve awareness, support and services for families affected by what is often a hidden condition.
Anna said: “I have an adopted son who was diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum when he was three years old. The team at º£½ÇÂÒÂ× are brilliant at involving people with experience at the forefront of their research. I’ve been involved with a number of projects, including SPECIFiC, a trial on a psychoeducation programme for carers of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
“I’ve felt like I've developed loads through my involvement with º£½ÇÂÒÂ×. And I've been able to be at the heart of this amazing, groundbreaking research team.â€
The portrait of Sri Hollema, founder of Mat Zero, highlights her work with the team at the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×’s Energy House Labs - a unique facility that tested Mat Zero products in extreme weather conditions. The innovative, heated mat is now being used to support vulnerable communities with limited access to reliable energy and heating.
Timothy Isingoma lost his leg in a road traffic accident while he was training to be an orthopaedic technician in Uganda. Pictured in the prosthetics workshop at the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×, Timothy is now fully qualified and providing support to prosthetics users like himself. Researchers at º£½ÇÂÒÂ× work in partnership with Timothy and his team to support the development of sustainable care for people with limb loss in Uganda.
The power of co-creation is evident in a community-led urban food project in Clayton, where residents – including Alicja Golicz who is pictured in one of the portraits - have worked alongside researchers to design and build sustainable growing initiatives that foster wellbeing and a sense of ownership.
And the portrait of Michelle Anderson, CEO of charity OPAL, reflects º£½ÇÂÒÂ×’s long-standing relationship with the organisation, which provides support for people with learning disabilities and autism. The most recent project completed together – a Knowledge Transfer Partnership – helped to drive digital transformation across the entire organisation.
Together, these stories demonstrate how the º£½ÇÂÒÂ× conducts research at the heart of the community – empowering people to shape solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing society.
The exhibition is a perfect example of The Power of Us, the University’s rallying call and shared story of progress, resilience and achievement built on teamwork and collaboration.
The Heart of the Community exhibition is open from Monday 22 June to Thursday 13 August 2026 in the New Adelphi building on the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×’s Peel Park campus. It is open to staff, students and the public, and invites visitors to reflect on the human stories behind research – and the collective impact that can be achieved through collaboration.
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