Food, Money and Dignity Community Conversations on the Cost of Living

This free, in-person event will take place at Edgbaston Community Centre on Saturday 7 November 2026, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. It will bring parents, carers and community voices together to explore how cost-of-living pressures shape family food choices.

The event will begin with refreshments and an informal welcome from 2:00 pm, followed by a short introduction to research evidence and community perspectives on family food choices. Participants will then take part in approximately 35 minutes of interactive activities exploring how food prices and unexpected household costs combine to shape families’ everyday food choices.

After a short break, a 20-minute “What Would Help?” activity will invite participants to identify what currently supports families, what makes feeding a family more difficult and what changes they would like to see. The event will finish by bringing together participants’ key messages and sharing information about useful Birmingham-based support. Attendees will also receive a gift bag, take-home resource containing practical information and details of relevant local services.

Feeding a family while food and household costs are rising can involve difficult everyday choices. This event will explore how parents and carers manage food alongside pressures such as income, energy and childcare costs, culture, limited time, caring responsibilities and access to affordable food.

Attendees will reflect on the choices families make in real life, hear different perspectives and consider what could help when money and time are stretched. They will explore what options are realistically available to families, what local support exists and where wider action may be needed from services, communities and decision-makers, while learning from other parents and carers.

The event will be led by Adenike Abiodun, PhD Researcher at Aston University, with fellow Aston University PhD researchers including Godwin Ukeje and Mary Folasade Odebiyi, who will support the planning, facilitation and delivery of the event.

Nura Ali, Executive Director of Allies Network CIC, will contribute a community and practitioner perspective on food, household pressures and the cost of living.

This event is designed primarily for families, parents and carers of children aged 0–5 in Birmingham.

The event will be of particular interest to parents, grandparents and other carers of young children who want practical ideas for managing food and money, and the chance to connect with other families making similar choices. Other members of the public with an interest in food, family life and the cost of living are also welcome to attend.

5:00 pm on Friday 6 November 2026, or earlier if the event reaches full capacity.