Celebrating the Success of the Research Assembly: Building Age-Friendly Futures Together

As part of the Festival of Social Science, the University of Bath’s Public Engagement Unit hosted a vibrant Research Assembly at Percy Community Centre on 22 October 2025. This event brought together researchers, local organisations, and Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) Council to explore one of the most pressing challenges of our time: how we can create age-friendly cities and communities

Why Age-Friendly Cities?

Originating from a WHO framework and EU directives, the concept of age-friendly cities addresses the realities of an ageing population. Living well and thriving as we age is a vital question for local authorities and communities. It touches every aspect of life, from transport, housing, and social participation to outdoor spaces, respect and inclusion, civic engagement, and communication. For B&NES, these priorities run through all their strategic themes, reflecting a growing community and need in the region.

"Age-friendly communities thrive when research, policy, and local voices come together. By working in partnership, we can turn shared knowledge into practical solutions that help everyone age well with dignity and purpose. The Research Assembly brought together many of the key healthy ageing partners in B&NES. Our next steps are to turn these conversations into action—for example, strengthening partnerships, embedding age-friendly principles into the local plans and strategies, and co-designing solutions with our communities.”

Claire Mock-Muñoz de Luna. Public Health & Prevention. Bath & North East Somerset Council 

A Marketplace of Ideas 

The Research Assembly adopted a market hall-style format, with stalls showcasing research and community initiatives. Attendees could network, discover connections, and spark collaborations. Highlights included: 

• Healthy Later Living Network – interdisciplinary research on healthy ageing. 

• Participate Network – patient and public involvement in health and social care research. 

• Transport and Dementia – exploring public transport as a “third space” for age-friendly communities. 

• Older People’s Voice Group – amplifying the views of residents aged 55+. 

• Dorothy House & Centre for Death and Society – advancing palliative and end-of-life care research. 

• ReMind UK – dementia research and support. 

• Brunel Centre – exploring sustainable economic growth in the region 

• Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation – discussing the options for pre-clinical, clincial and collaborative, community centered health research 

• Exercise and rehabilitation centre – discussing the role of exercise in living and aging well.  

• Bath and North East Somerset Council - local holistic approaches to promote mobility, independence, social participation, and wellbeing through initiatives such as The Active Way, as well as addressing more complex needs through commissioning of Adult Social Care services. 

Our research and community partners found the structure hugely beneficial, especially for creating a space that broke down silos and helped form a growing ecosystem for ageing well. As Laura Steen, Community Connector at the Public Engagement Unit, put it: 

 “There was a real buzz in the air. It was invaluable to see what’s happening across the wider Ageing Well space and to position projects within a broader ecosystem. We witnessed connections being made, contact details exchanged, and plenty of inspiring conversations.” 

Training for Impact 

Alongside the Assembly, we ran the Research, Policy and Practice Masterclass, a collaborative workshop with B&NES and the University of Bath. Participants gained insights into policymaking processes, upcoming engagement opportunities, and strategies for communicating research to influence policy.

Why It Matters 

This event exemplifies the power of collaboration between academia, local government, and community organisations. It aligns with our commitment under the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account to showcase leading social science research and foster partnerships that make a real difference. 

Thank You 

We are deeply thankful to all our collaborators and everyone who attended for sharing and responding with generosity. Special thanks to the Percy Community Centre, whose work and contribution to creating social cohesion is always inspiring. We are excited to see where these conversations and sparks of ideas lead in the coming months and years. 

Want to continue the conversation? 

• If you’re interested in the research elements, please contact Emily Richards at the University of Bath. 

• If you’d like to learn more about local policy and initiatives, reach out to Bath & North East Somerset Council.