Students explore food, wellbeing and social connection through community arts project

The workshops formed part of the Food Practices and Social Integration research project, delivered in collaboration with Theatre Porto in Ellesmere Port and led by Dr Isabel Ellingford, which is supported by the University’s Culture and Society RKEI Breaking Boundaries Community Engagement Grant. The project examines how everyday food practices can support social integration, inclusivity and stronger community connections. 

During the sessions, students engaged in creative, discussion-based activities designed to prompt reflection on their own relationships with food, alongside consideration of how shared food experiences can bring people together across cultures and communities. Through these research activities, students explored the social and cultural meanings of food and its potential as a tool for fostering inclusion, health and wellbeing. 

The initiative also provided students with the opportunity to engage directly with a local community arts organisation. As part of the visit, participants toured Theatre Porto and learned about its Home Cooked with Love initiative, a project that brings people together through shared meals and creative engagement. More information about the initiative can be found at: https://theatreporto.org/home-cooked-with-love/ 

The workshops were organised in collaboration between academics from Chester Business School and artists from Theatre Porto, including Temitope Bello, Athalia Dangerfield, Joseph McArdle, Isabel Ellingford, Natasha Chapman and Phil Cross and contribute to a wider programme of community-based research exploring innovative approaches to health, wellbeing and social inclusion. 

Student feedback from the first and second workshop highlighted the value of the hands-on, reflective approach, with participants noting increased awareness of creative methods, cultural diversity, the social importance of food, new approaches to health, and the benefits of working collaboratively in real-world community settings. This collaboration demonstrates the impact of connecting academic research with community practice, offering students meaningful experiential learning while contributing to ongoing research into health services, wellbeing and social integration. 

Athalia Dangerfield, Course Leader for the MSc Health Services Management programme, said: “Opportunities like this are incredibly valuable for our students. I am always keen to encourage learning beyond the classroom, where students can engage with real communities, build their social capital, and develop practical skills that are essential for their future careers. This workshop was also a fantastic way to celebrate the diverse cultures and backgrounds within our cohort, using food as a shared experience to bring people together. It was inspiring to see students reflect on their own perspectives while learning from others in such an open and collaborative environment.” 

Toyosi Samuel Oyebanji, a student on the MSc Health Services Management course, said: “As both an artist and a healthcare professional, this experience has been particularly meaningful for me. It has reinforced how art can serve as a powerful tool in understanding and influencing society, especially within healthcare contexts. The use of food as a creative medium challenged me to think beyond traditional clinical approaches and consider the social, cultural, and emotional dimensions that shape wellbeing and human connection.” 

Shanti Shrestha, also a student on the MSc Health Services Management course, added: “As someone interested in health service management, this experience has been particularly valuable. It helped me see the importance of empathy, human connection, and creativity in healthcare.  The project encouraged me to think more holistically about care, and how creative approaches can improve engagement, wellbeing, and the overall quality of services.” 

Natasha Chapman, Sanctuary Lead at Theatre Porto, said: “Here at Theatre Porto it is so important to us to celebrate our local community, we believe creativity is there to be accessed by all - we aim to work in inclusive, collaborative and experimental ways. It is wonderful to be collaborating with the University of Chester. As a Theatre of Sanctuary, we aim to celebrate cultural diversity and bring together those who may experience isolation due to their experiences - we believe that food can play a big part in bringing a community together. Therefore, exploring this in creative ways: group discussions, imaginative presentations, drawing, chatting, acting means supports understanding two-fold.  

“I have really enjoyed getting to know the group so far and welcoming them into our venue here in Ellesmere Port. We hope the relationships build and the invitation to be creative and to play remain long term for those involved. We look forward to also having the students come along to our regular Home Cooked with Love event later this summer” 

Dr Isabel Ellingford, Principal Investigator, Food Practices and Social Integration research, said: “We believe that impactful scholarship is embedded in working with our communities to build a better society, and our University plays a vital civic role in developing collaborations in the region. The Food Practices project enables us to engage with our local community, building new ways of thinking and developing partnerships among the arts, health and social sciences, which altogether enrich innovative research.  

“In this project, we have had the opportunity to work together as partners: students, artists and academics, to explore methodological innovations in applied research and how these methods can also be practised in everyday life. We wanted to understand how food practices develop social connections and how these connections contribute to wellbeing, diversity and inclusion.  

“Personally, I am happy to engage in interdisciplinary research with my colleagues, artists and our students with the local community. We have had a lot of enjoyment exploring the way in which creative methods enable us to explore complex issues. We will continue to develop impactful research in Ellesmere Port and foster our partnership with Theatre Porto.”