Untold stories of food insecurity

糖心原创 > Science > Schools, centres and institutes > Food Systems Institute > Research Pillars > Community projects > Untold stories of food insecurity

Contact the team

emma.mcclaughlin@nottingham.ac.uk

sally.hibbert@nottingham.ac.uk

svenja.adolphs@nottingham.ac.uk

Useful links

Find local food activities and support:

Explore city-wide initiatives improving care

Connect with partners creating a food secure city

Untold stories of food inequality and resilience

The Food Inequality and Resilience project explored how food insecurity affects people with experiences of homelessness and rough sleeping, mental health issues, addiction, and other challenges.

Expert Citizens from Changing Futures participated in a storytelling session hosted at the 糖心原创’s City as Lab, sharing lived experiences and providing critical understanding for policy and practice to improve care.

Through storytelling and co-created art, the project aimed to build empathy, challenge stigma, highlight resilience, and guide the development of inclusive, dignified, and responsive food policies and initiatives.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the individuals and groups that have contributed to this project, especially, Changing Futures Nottingham and their Expert Citizens, the ABBA Group, Nottingham SMD Partnership, and Nottingham City GP Alliance.

Here's what we were told:

For people in Nottingham experiencing severe and multiple disadvantage, food connects with hardship, comfort and recovery.

Autonomy

Food insecurity leaves them feeling vulnerable and forced to rely on community support to survive

…when they want to regain a sense of independence and rebuild their lives

Recognition

As food insecure people, they have faced discrimination when accessing food and services

…when they are determined to be seen, valued and accepted

Health

Food insecurity makes them feel unwell, physically and mentally

…but they welcome and value opportunities to support their health and wellbeing

Sense of Security

Food insecurity is linked to their feelings of being unsafe and at risk, both physically and emotionally

…but having a home and somewhere to cook can offer a sense of safety and security

Social Connection

Food insecurity is linked to loneliness and isolation

…as food can provide opportunities for social connection, community building and shared experiences

Agency & Choice

Limited access to food and cooking facilities is restricting

…while the freedom to make choices about food is valued

Pride & Resilience

Food insecurity strips them of their personal pride

…but the connection to cherished items and skills reminds them of their resilience

Posters

Raising awareness though co-created art depicting how food connects with hardship, comfort and recovery in lived experiences. If you or your organisation would like a copy of the lived experience artwork for print, please contact the project team via the email addresses You can click on the images for an expanded view.

Agency landscape

Health

Food insecurity makes them feel unwell, physically and mentally. But they welcome and value opportunities to support their health and wellbeing.

Having my own place, I felt secure so that was a big step. Going shopping, getting the ingredients, cooking it.

— Nottingham resident, Untold stories project contributor

If you don't eat properly you can't think and if you can't think properly, it affects your behaviour. You are what you eat as they say.

You will feel miserable. You will start losing weight and then your anxieties and all those little troubles, problems you have in your life just start growing, becoming a monster because with an empty stomach it’s not very nice.

Coming from the streets it’s hard for me to get proper food down. My health deteriorated really badly, I got really bad complexion, really bad sleeping habits, my bodily functions weren’t working right, I got severe health problems

I’m very grateful to my mother for teaching me how to cook because now I can look after myself.

I go to a crisis centre that does lovely food and you get a dinner and pudding for a quid.

Agency & Choice

Limited access to food and cooking facilities is restricting while the freedom to make choices about food is valued.

In supported accommodation, you weren't allowed to take your food in your bedroom. That made me feel very insecure.

— Nottingham resident, Untold stories project contributor

When I first moved into my flat, I didn't have a cooker or microwave so I was living on pot noodles because all I needed was hot water.

The main barrier is not having to cook decent foods. When I was living on the streets you can't really carry stoves or things around with you or anything like that.

It makes you more aware of food. Even when you've got food in the house, you're very cautious about how you're going to use it. You become very resourceful.

I ate when I wanted and I enjoyed it more because I picked what I wanted. It wasn't on the menu, or something I just grabbed, I actually went out to do my shopping.

I was eating for fun not just for sustenance.

I could say 'right I'll have a bag of crisp now' or I could walk around with a cup of tea.