Sparking curiosity with Twinkle, Twinkle Arti

Posted by Nicola Aldridge, Research Associate, and Cassey Muir, Research Associate / Co-lead of the Fuse Early Life and Adolescence Research Cluster, both from Newcastle University

We were recently given the exciting opportunity to showcase the Twinkle, Twinkle Arti project at Discover Festival, a free, one-day festival organised by Newcastle University that brings together families, communities, and researchers through interactive activities and inspiring ideas.

Nicola and Cassey

Discover Festival is designed to spark curiosity, build connections, and encourage people of all ages to explore new ideas. Each year, the university creates a packed programme of family-friendly events, and this year, we were delighted to be part of it as members of the Twinkle, Twinkle Arti research team.

Bringing Arti's story to life

Throughout the day, we invited families to step into Arti’s world through the Twinkle, Twinkle Arti storybook. Developed by Fuse researchers at Newcastle University, with funding from the NIHR School for Public Health Research, the book was created and co-produced with families to support the wellbeing of children experiencing challenging family circumstances, such as drug and alcohol use. While these experiences inspired the story, its themes of feelings, belonging, resilience, and hope resonate with all children.

Visitors to our stall in the Great North Museum had the chance to watch a CBeebies Bedtime Stories style video of it being read aloud by the author. They could also explore puppets and original illustrations from the book, and view artwork created by primary school-aged children who had participated in a pilot study of classroom lessons based on the story.

Families were also able to take home a free copy of the storybook, along with a link to the online read-aloud video and a set of simple conversation prompts designed to encourage creativity, emotional expression, and meaningful family time at home. We handed out nearly 80 copies on the day!

Conversations that matter

Beyond engaging with families, it was equally exciting to see the conversations that the project sparked among professionals attending the festival. We spoke with people from a range of sectors, including teaching, school governance, clinical psychology, and general practice with social prescribing links. Their curiosity about the project and enthusiasm for its potential applications highlighted the broad relevance of Twinkle, Twinkle Arti and the importance of creating accessible resources that support children's emotional and social wellbeing.

One particularly rewarding conversation was with a family who shared their personal experience of the impact of alcohol on family life and how they might be able to use the book. Hearing their reflections was both moving and affirming. It served as a powerful reminder of why the project began in the first place and reinforced the continued need for resources that help children navigate difficult experiences. Moments like these bring the research to life, reminding us that behind every study, storybook, and activity are real families whose experiences matter and whose voices continue to shape our work.

Creating a community star mural

Another highlight of the day was our evolving community star mural. We invited children to create their own star by drawing, colouring, or writing ideas about what they or Arti could do when they felt sad or worried, with 114 stars being created on the day. It was wonderful to see children enthusiastically embracing the activity, and even more special to watch parents, carers and grandparents join in too, talking to their children about the messages in the book. The excitement on their faces as they added their stars to the mural was a lovely reminder of the power of creativity to bring people together.

A colourful celebration of hope and resilience

By the end of the day, the mural had grown into a colourful display of hope, kindness, and imagination. It was a privilege to share the Twinkle, Twinkle Arti project with so many families and to see first-hand how children connected with Arti’s story and messages of hope, resilience and belonging. Events like Discover Festival provide a fantastic opportunity to bring research into the community, and we were grateful to be part of such an inspiring day.

Find out more about Twinkle, Twinkle Arti

• Read this Fuse blog about the development of Twinkle, Twinkle Arti
• Read about Twinkle, Twinkle Arti as a NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) case study
• Read about piloting Twinkle, Twinkle Arti in primary schools
• Listen to this Fuse podcast to hear Cassey discussing her research on social and emotional resilience in children and young people affected by parental substance use.
• Download the book for free.
• Watch a video of the book being read aloud.

Why safer spaces matter for young people’s physical activity

Posted by Caroline Dodd-Reynolds, Professor of Physical Activity, Durham University

Fuse Associate Professor Caroline Dodd-Reynolds explores what can be done to create environments in which LGBTQ+ young people feel safe to enjoy physical activity. Fuse blog in Pride Month.

This work forms part of the Joyful and Safe Physical Activity (JASPA) project, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). This project, and the funding that supports it, are only possible through Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, and its membership of the NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR).

The 2026 Commonwealth Games come to Scotland this summer, showcasing elite athletes at the top of their game. But for most of us, physical activity looks much more ordinary: walking to school, joining a PE lesson, dancing in the kitchen or going to the gym.

Now think about how that kind of movement feels. Easy? Enjoyable? Safe?

For many LGBTQ+ young people living in disadvantaged areas, the answer to those questions is no.

In our creative joyful and safe physical activity project, young people aged 14-21 showed us how adults can make physical activity feel more fun, safe and inclusive. They did this by reimagining what it means to be active, and by bringing colour, creativity and vibrancy into traditional sport and exercise spaces.

Around 80% of adolescents globally do not do enough physical activity, and global physical inactivity has remained largely unchanged for the past two decades. This affects growth, development, mental health and physical health. We also know that some young people face greater barriers than others, including those living in poorer areas, disabled and neurodivergent young people, and those with questions around their gender or sexuality.

Every child and young person should be able to take part in movement and physical activity without feeling disengaged, excluded or unsafe. Physical activity can, and should, bring joy. But this is not only about competitive sport, PE or joining a gym. Movement can also mean walking, dancing, playing active games, skating in the park, or simply feeling able to move through a space without fear.

In our earlier research, young people often knew exactly where they could be active: outdoors, at school or college, or in a local leisure centre if one was available. But knowing where to go was not the same as feeling able to take part. They described feeling harassed, worried, unsafe or excluded from physical activity.

We call this “physical activity insecurity”: when a young person’s ability to be active is limited because a space feels uncomfortable, exposing or unsafe. This can be especially acute for young people whose experiences of poverty, disability, neurodiversity, gender or sexuality overlap. Some transgender and non-binary young people in our research described harassment, exclusion and gender discrimination that made ordinary movement feel difficult or risky.

We worked with young people to explore what safer, more joyful physical activity spaces could look like.

Creating inclusive spaces

So what can adults, schools, youth workers, leisure centres and other community organisations do?

First, the language we use matters. Terms such as sport, gym or exercise can be immediately off-putting for some young people, especially if they already associate these words with embarrassment, exclusion or previous bad experiences.

Thinking about physical activity more holistically and using the term “movement” instead can help. Physical activity can be something as simple as walking.

Second, adults need to have honest conversations with young people about how they relate to physical activity. This might include talking about stereotypes around sport, PE or exercise, and how these make young people feel. It might also mean recognising that some young people have many other pressures in their lives, making physical activity feel like one more difficult or exposing thing.

Young people are most likely to engage with someone they already know and trust, in a calm and welcoming space. From there, adults can help reimagine physical activity as movement that might be enjoyable, informal and part of everyday life. This could mean dancing in the kitchen, roller-skating in the park, going for a walk, or simply feeling able to enter a room without bracing for judgement. More traditional sporting examples may work too, but they should not be the only starting point.

Third, adults can ask what might help organised and formal physical activity spaces feel more like the spaces young people imagine for themselves. That means listening to young people’s ideas, being open to challenge and rethinking what counts as a good physical activity space. For example, a good space may not be the one with the best equipment. It may be the one where young people can choose whether to join in, wear clothes they feel comfortable in, see signs that they are welcome, and leave for a quieter area if they need to.

Welcoming and safe

On a practical level, most physical activity spaces, whether indoor or outdoor, can be made to feel more inclusive and safe. Small changes can make a big difference. These might include using more vibrant colours, displaying friendly messages and avoiding long lists of rules and instructions.

It can also help to make participation optional rather than compulsory, provide a quiet space where young people can step away when needed, and reconsider clothing rules, which can be a major barrier for some.

The point is not to make every young person love sport. It is to ask why some spaces make movement feel exposing, difficult or risky. If adults want young people to be more active, the first step is not another rule, target or campaign. It is creating places where they do not have to brace themselves before joining in.

Find out more

• Access practical guidance for adults working with children and young people disengaged from physical activity.
• Find out more about this work, including a Moving Spaces 'zine' co-produced with young people.

Adapted with thanks to The Conversation

This time the hare might win: dark kitchens and the regulatory race

Posted by Helen Moore, Associate Professor (Research) & Fuse Associate, Teesside University 

Do you remember the fable of the tortoise and the hare? The one where the overconfident hare sprints ahead, but takes a nap, and lets the slow but steady tortoise win the race? Well, in today’s digital economy, that story’s getting a reboot, but this time, the hare isn’t napping.

In the world of food delivery and online ordering, the hare (the digital entrepreneurs) is wide awake and developing food purchasing opportunities at an incredible speed. Online delivery outlets, often functioning as dark kitchens, are agile, tech-savvy, and unburdened by the red tape of traditional business models. They’re using popular, well-known apps to reach huge numbers of people, launching new brands overnight, flooding menus with similar, but subtly different options and delivering meals faster than regulators can say “planning permission.” Low overheads, high levels of flexibility and choice have meant that rates of online food ordering are increasing, with the covid-19 pandemic accelerating this phenomenon.

Meanwhile, the tortoise (well-meaning but less agile local and national government) is still trying to understand the race in which it has been entered. Regulators are struggling to keep pace with a food industry that’s evolving in real time while the professionals working in local authorities hit ‘speed bumps’ which include outdated planning laws and limited evidence. For example, there is no clear use classification for dark kitchens, and some councils treat them as “industrial”, others as “sui generis” (unique), and there is inconsistent enforcement between local authorities. While some local authorities have implemented restrictions on takeaways opening close to schools, online food ordering apps mean that food can be delivered from places outside of the restricted areas. In addition, due to limitations with the recording of food outlet data, policymakers also find it hard to track spread or assess impact of dark kitchens which contribute significantly to this industry.

While innovation races ahead, regulation is not keeping pace, raising questions about public health, urban planning, and fairness. This isn’t just a story of speed, it’s also a story of systems, and unless the tortoise finds ways to modernise the traditional policy cycles to become proactive rather than reactive, and to reduce potential loopholes, the hare might just win this one, particularly as consumers like convenience and variety, which online ordering offers in abundance.

So, what can be done?

National and local authorities need to rethink how they engage with fast-moving digital industries - not to stifle innovation, but to ensure it serves the public good. We need clear national guidance on planning classifications, and health-focused planning laws that include digital-only food outlets. It isn’t all bad news though, there are some signs of progress with local authorities beginning to enforce planning permission requirements and with funded research projects examining various aspects of dark kitchens.

Free online training

To support local authorities and communities in using the planning system to promote healthier diets and reduce obesity, we have launched a new, free e-learning course called Planning for a Healthier Food Environment. The course was developed through a collaborative effort between Fuse (the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health), academic experts from Teesside University and Newcastle University, and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).

This one-hour online Fuse Research Event, held on 23 September, introduced the wider policy and planning context for the course, provided insights into its cross-disciplinary development, and outlined how the resource can be applied in practice to support healthier, more equitable environments.

Photo by Roman on Unsplash

Battle planning to reduce childhood obesity

Michael Chang, Co-founder, Health and Wellbeing in Planning Network

Latest statistics show that obesity prevalence is highest in London, the West Midlands and the North East and there is a significant gap in children living in the most and least deprived areas. So I am supportive of Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) using relevant planning powers at their disposal to promote a healthier food environment to help reduce childhood obesity levels and close the inequalities health gap.

Here I want to reflect on efforts by councils to introduce planning policies and guidance to manage unhealthy food environments around schools and other educational settings. It follows on from a previous blog on whether councils have what they need to help tackle obesity?

The context of this blog is the recent session from the draft New London Plan examination on draft Policy E9 C which seeks to control proposals containing hot food takeaway uses (A5 class use in planning terminology) within 400 metres walking distance of an existing or proposed primary or secondary school. Many other local authorities are proposing similar policies and undergoing similar stages of the local plan in the North East and other parts of the country.

The London Plan is the Mayor of London's strategic planning document and sits above individual borough Local Plans. It sets out 'issues of strategic importance' (note terminology used) for all of London while individual borough issues are dealt with at borough level. It is a powerful and influential planning document for borough level planning policies and planning decisions across the 32 London Boroughs and the City of London. It is as upstream as you can get in terms of policy influence. Other areas with Combined Authorities or joint planning units will also be developing these strategic planning documents.

London Plan examination held at London City Hall

What is an examination?

Draft policies need to be tested through an ‘examination’ before they can be adopted by councils. Don't let the terminology put you off - essentially an independently qualified person(s) from the Planning Inspectorate carries out an inquisitorial process on whether to accept, suggest revisions or reject the proposed policies. Often policies on takeaways fall at this hurdle and are subsequently watered-down or deleted altogether.

Policy approaches to managing fast food takeaways

Fast food takeaways, in planning terms in England (Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will have their own variations of the use class classification), is a specific use class - A5 - for selling food to be consumed off the premises. Planning permission is needed for change of use to A5 from other uses such as a hairdressers. There are many 'planning' approaches to managing fast food takeaways and only recently have the approaches been influenced by a need to tackle public health issues such as obesity. Latest research by Keeble at al. found 50.5% of LPAs had a policy specifically targeting takeaways with 34.1% focused on health. Planning Practice Guidance, Health and Wellbeing Paragraph 6 sets out examples of approaches for consideration including over-concentration and proximity to certain activities.

Opposing arguments

There are opponents to takeaway policies who believe them to be overly restrictive. Their arguments have some merit, particularly against economic reasons in areas desperate for economic activity. I would suggest policies can be justified as part of a package of policies to tackle unhealthy environments as well as prosperous diverse local economies. Common themes from those opposing include:

• "The policy does not meet National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) soundness tests"
• "There is no objective evidence for any link between the incidence of obesity and the proximity of hot food takeaways to schools" 
• “Obesity is complex and you can’t narrow it down to just takeaways”. 
• "The local area has the lowest percentage of overweight or obese children" 
• "There are unintended consequences for local jobs and employment" 
• "The policy would limit consumer choice and access to retail" 
• "The policy would also ban healthy takeaways and does not address unhealthy food sold in other non-A5 outlets".

Hold your ground: defending a 'sound' takeaways policy

This singular policy issue or public health intervention of managing takeaways is deceptively complex, and battles are taking place up and down the country as councils defend the soundness of policies against objectors as well as the probing questions from inspectors. When defending a takeaway policy, there should be a combination of the following:

• Valid consideration: Be confident that efforts to tackle obesity through the environment can be a material planning consideration.
• Planning basis for obesity: Recognise that the NPPF requires planning to consider all three social, economic and environmental factors equally. But make sure there are priorities on tackling obesity through the environment in local health strategies. 
• Local evidence: Do your research and build up a local evidence base, including the use of up to date data and mapping to demonstrate the scale and location of the problem. This should also include knowing the background of those who operate local businesses – independent or chain. 
• Whole systems approach: Take a corporate approach by referring to programmes such as promoting healthier catering, food growing and education to demonstrate the action is part of a cross-council initiative. Also demonstrate you are planning for a healthy weight environment, and that the takeaways policy is an important part of the jigsaw. 

Researchers, local government and national agencies are aware of these practical challenges hindering local action to make it less easy for kids to become overweight. Concerted efforts and peer support are needed so let’s keep the conversations going.

References:

• Keeble et al., 2019, How does local government use the planning system to regulate hot food takeaway outlets? A census of current practice in England using document review, Health & Place, Volume 57, May 2019, Pages 171-178
• Mayor of London, December 2017, Draft New London Plan: consultation version
• Public Health England, NCMP and Child Obesity Profile
• Public Health England, 2014, Healthy people, healthy places briefing Obesity and the environment: regulating the growth of fast food outlets 
• TCPA and Public Health England, 2014, Planning healthy weight environments

Image:

"20170211-stirchley-lidl-protest-bournville-labour-4" by Francis Clarke Photography is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 

Could collective community power direct future public health research?

Guest post by Liam Spencer, Research Assistant, Institute of Health & Society, Newcastle University

The Tyne & Wear Citizens are a local division of Citizens UK, a community organising group, which comprises of schools, universities, faith groups and charities. The group launched a ‘Commission on Mental Health’, which aimed to map problems, and identify solutions around mental health services in the region. In early 2018, The Tyne & Wear Citizens approached AskFuse [Ed – Fuse’s responsive research and evaluation service] in order to identify researchers to contribute to the analysis and production of their final report, ‘Living Well: Mental Health and Public Life in the North East’.

Through Professor Eileen Kaner (Newcastle University/Fuse), I had previously been involved in another AskFuse-supported project called ‘PROMOTE:NE’, which looked at young people’s mental health across the North East, and we met with Dr Peter van der Graaf and Lesley Haley from AskFuse to discuss this piece of work. Following this, I met with Revd Dr Simon Mason and Dr Joe Barton from the Tyne & Wear Citizens, and they were very happy to have me working with them, with supervisory support from Eileen.

The Commission had collected over 300 individual written ‘testimonies’ from people across the region, who articulated what was good, and what was not so good about mental health services in the region. It was these testimonies, which formed the basis of the Living Well report, and helped shape what the Citizens were asking local politicians and organisations to commit to. Prior to being involved in this piece of work, I had no understanding of what community organising was, and initially it was a challenge to grasp the concept of what the Commission were aiming to achieve, and how I could best contribute to this. In order to gain a better insight, I attended one of the Mental Health Commission Public Hearings in Durham, where key themes were discussed in front of a public audience, and a meeting of the Mental Health Action Team, where the group refined the ‘asks’ of the report.

Due to my interest in mental health, and experience in this area of research, I wrote the ‘Context’ section of the report, which aimed to set the tone, and provide the audience with relevant information about mental health in the region, and further afield. I was also able to provide relevant literature for, and make comments on the themed sections of the report, which were written by the editor.

Coming from a qualitative research background, it was interesting to learn about the methodologies employed by the Citizens for this piece of work. Community organising is a process where people who live locally come together into an organisation that acts in their shared self-interests. This method was used in order to best capture the voices of those who may not engage with traditional methods of research. This was one of the most fascinating insights I gained from the process, and I believe this method of collective power from the community, could be utilised in directing future public health research, and that groups such as these may well be a starting point for meaningful patient and public involvement work. 

The Citizens had a small pot of money to support our involvement, and seven working days were costed for me to undertake the work. The biggest challenge I faced was the tight timescale. I was working full-time across other projects, and was in the process of writing my MSc dissertation, so the work had to fit around these existing commitments, which meant working outside of normal work hours.

The final report was launched in November 2018, at an event attended by over 500 people at Newcastle’s Civic Centre. Eileen and I were delighted to attend and speak at the event, and it was fantastic to see so many individuals interested in finding out about the work. Although the timescale was tight, I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to be involved in this important and innovative piece of work. I had a great working relationship with Simon and Joe, and was well supported by Eileen and Lesley. 

I am passionate about mental health research, and I am proud to have played a part in the production of a report, which aims to improve the lives of those in my home region.

Find out more about the work on the Citizens UK website.