RKE Festival Day 3 - Health and Wellbeing

Healthy communities are a cornerstone for social cohesion, workplace wellbeing, and driving sustainable economic growth.

The University works extensively with a range of community, public sector and business partners to improve health and wellbeing outcomes, operating at a regional, national and global scale.

This activity supports workforce development and empowers civil society and the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise sectors.

Meet our experts and their collaboration partners from across a range of health disciplines, and explore the interconnections between human, animal and environmental health.

About the RKE Festival

The RKE Festival runs across 5 days: Monday 18th to Friday 22nd May 2026. There are over 65 events taking place and all are free of charge.

Our programme includes:

• Themed events for a particular industrial sector

• General events on research and knowledge exchange

• Exhibitions – drop in at a time that suits you

• Media – podcasts and short online films

The festival is open to the general public, businesses, and university staff and students.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Info: FOR CENTRE FOR SME MEMBERS AND BUSINESSES: We aim to connect all types of business with the University of Lancashire, fostering collaboration and access to expertise. Centre Members are invited to join us for an inspiring breakfast event designed to empower SMEs with practical tools, insights, and opportunities to grow and innovate. Further details to follow. We are delighted to welcome Celia Gaze, founder of The Wellbeing Farm as our guest speaker. Join the Centre for SME & Enterprise Development, membership is free! And as always, at our events, you'll hear about the latest business support available from the University. have an opportunity to promote your business in a 60 second pitch. We do hope you are able to join us and 50+ SME Centre members, as we aim to pave the way for a brighter future for you and your business.

Info: FOR ALL:

Posters, Experiments, Art & Ideas Come Alive
Dive into a whirlwind of creativity at this year’s Research Showcase. Explore everything from eye catching posters and short research films to sculpture, fashion, digital art, and science experiments. This interactive event invites colleagues from across the university to discover research in surprising formats, spark new ideas, and connect with the inspiring researchers behind the work.
Drop in anytime 09:00 - 17:00

Info: FOR ALL:

This photo exhibition highlights the amazing research going on across the University, with colleagues and students showcasing the essence, complexity, impact, and excitement of their research and knowledge exchange activity through compelling images. Attendees will have the opportunity to vote on their favourite images, with the winners being awarded on Thursday 21st May. The categories being awarded are:
• Colleagues
• Post-graduate Research Students
• Research Groups
• People’s Choice Award. Awarded to the image receiving the most votes from colleagues and students

Drop in any time between 09:00 and 17:00 to see the fantastic images and learn a little more about the work we do at the University of Lancashire!

Info: FOR ALL:

We have two full days of stimulating presentations and a poster exhibition to showcase and celebrate the breadth, depth, and impact of the work of our postgraduate research community. Our Postgraduate Research Students will be showcasing their research through stimulating presentations and a poster exhibition, highlighting and celebrating the breadth, depth, and impact of their work. As well as being a valuable opportunity to explore the wide range of research activities being undertaken, it is also an excellent space in which to network and gain new insights.

The prize-giving for the conference will take place during the final plenary session of the RKE Festival, hosted by the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research & Enterprise, from 14.00 on Friday 22nd May 2026.

Info: FOR ALL:

Have an interest in clinical trials? We will be showcasing an exciting range of ground-breaking trials and innovative studies.

Hear from leading researchers from the Lancashire Clinical Trials Unit and the LIFE RKE Institute as they present groundbreaking clinical trials and innovative studies driving the future of research. You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about:

• Symptoms, Trajectory, Inequalities and Management: Understanding Long-COVID to Address and Transform Existing Integrated Care Pathways (STIMULATE) Trial
• Integrating Studies Within A Trial (SWATs) to the Trial Portfolio of the CTU
• Bipolar At Risk Trial (BART II) & inclusivity SWAT
• Stroke Patient Concerns Inventory in Stroke Outpatients Clinics: a feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial (SPaCIS)

Info: FOR ALL:

Want to know more about the BEST Health Research Institute and the excellent transdisciplinary - basic and translational investigations to patient focused research being carried out, then come along to the BEST Health Research institute session at the RKE Festival to learn more.

Info: FOR ALL:

Our current food systems are complex, bound up in global webs of production, distribution, and consumption. In the current climate crisis, we can no longer take for granted local food security as agricultural growing conditions change, energy costs soar, distribution patterns alter, and nutritional values of food diminish. Yet new technological approaches may be able to help.

We invite you to join University of Lancashire researchers and their organisational partners to explore some emerging food technologies that offer hope for food security and resilient food systems. Join us to discuss how these technologies work, what implications they have, and how they might be rolled out for maximum social, environmental and economic benefit.

The session will include short research presentations followed by an open discussion. All are welcome to attend. The event is suitable for everyone with an interest in food security and sustainability and requires no prior technical knowledge.

Info: FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND STAFF:

Hear from Dr Jackie Day-Garner, recipient of a large Government grant, on how she successfully secured the funding.

Project name: "Contract For The Provision Of Tri-Service Medical Personnel Training To Health And Care Professionals Council Paramedic Standard – Level 6"
Insights will include:
• How the collaboration and partnerships were secured.
• The development of the proposal
• The operating of the contract
• The subject matter of the research/ activity

Info: FOR ALL:

The Institute for Area and Migration Studies (AMIS) warmly invites you to ‘Film and Digital Storytelling in Research’, where we will be exploring how the use of film and digital storytelling - such as social media - can have a positive impact, not only on the communities affected by our research, but on our own research practice.
We will kick off this afternoon's session with a plenary by Dr. Jolynna Sinanan, Department of Social Anthropology and the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology, University of Manchester. Jolynna will be talking about her research on the use of social media by Sherpas in the Solu Khumbu region of Nepal and reflecting on her own use of film in her research.
If you have ever wondered how to go about incorporating film and digital storytelling into your research practice, this is the session for you!

Info: FOR ALL:

The Institute for Area and Migration Studies (AMIS) warmly invites you to ‘Film and Digital Storytelling in Research’, where we will be exploring how the use of film and digital storytelling - such as social media - can have a positive impact, not only on the communities affected by our research, but on our own research practice.
In the second part of the afternoon, we will be hosting a roundtable discussion with academics from the University of Lancashire and chaired by Dr Jonathan Westaway of the University's School of Psychology and Humanities. Here, the panellists will share their experiences of incorporating film into their research practice
If you have ever wondered how to go about incorporating film and digital storytelling into your research practice, this is the session for you!

Info: FOR UNIVERSITY STAFF:

We are planning a Schwartz Rounds session for staff, giving people a chance to listen, reflect and share experiences in a supportive environment. The event will explore the human side of our work and encourage understanding across roles and teams. More information on the structure of the session will be shared as plans progress.

Info: FOR ALL:

Hosted at The Harris Museum, Preston.

Common Ground is an afternoon event bringing together people from across the arts and sciences. We will explore how we might work together to address significant health challenges.

The event focuses on One Health, an approach that recognises the deep connections between human, animal and planetary health.

Through short talks, demonstrations and conversations, we will explore how researchers and practitioners are responding to issues such as microbial threats, biodiversity loss and food security, as well as the development of targeted treatments and stratified care, and we will discuss opportunities for collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches.

Info: FOR ALL:

The Institute for Area and Migration Studies (AMIS) warmly invites you to ‘Film and Digital Storytelling in Research’, where we will be exploring how the use of film and digital storytelling - such as social media - can have a positive impact, not only on the communities affected by our research, but on our own research practice.
In the third and final part of this afternoon's session, we invite you to come to our Secret Cinema! Here, you will be able to see the effects of using film in research as our University of Lancashire colleagues present some of the research films they have made.
If you have ever wondered how to go about incorporating film and digital storytelling into your research practice, this is the session for you!

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

University of Lancashire, Fylde Road, Preston, United Kingdom

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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