“This Seminar is an important event in my Presidential year. I am immensely proud to be able to bring together a multi-disciplinary gathering to learn together and share best practice at the forefront of research in the fields of planning, design and mental health and wellbeing. This is an important and urgent area of collaboration between practitioners, communities and researchers working around the edges of current disciplines seeking to make the connections between people, places and wellbeing. As part of a wider programme of webinars within the Healthy Happy Places Programme this seminar is a partnership between the RTPI, Academic Health Science Network and the Integrated Care System. A varied and stimulating programme of talks will be complemented by participatory workshops and collaboration. Join us for what will be a memorable event.”
Tim Crawshaw, RTPI President
This seminar will draw upon expertise from planning, public health, the NHS, architecture and communities to explore the power of places and spaces for wellbeing in the places where we work, live and play. The built and designed environment and the shaping of public spaces contribute to our lived experiences, how we feel, and can promote or stifle wellbeing and recovery, encourage social capital and also, in turn, stimulate economic growth.
But what drivers and enablers need to be in place for this to be truly realised? Research, policy and evidence will be explored along with examining a systems approach for creating and sustaining health and wellbeing through multi-sector expertise and collaboration. New concepts will be explored for developing innovative approaches for mobilising collective action to tackle health inequalities through built environment interventions.
Using a variety of participatory techniques, the day will consist of talks and presentations in the morning with an interactive session in the afternoon where theory and practice will meet followed by a plenary Q&A with a panel drawn from a variety of sectors.
This is an event not to miss.
We are delighted to confirm this event if free of charge although tickets are limited - tickets will be on a first come, first served basis.
Please view programme here.
This seminar is delivered in partnership with the AHSN NENC and ICS NENC.
Speakers
Timothy David Crawshaw
RTPI NE Regional Chair (Past RTPI President)
Timothy David Crawshaw
RTPI NE Regional Chair (Past RTPI President)
Timothy Crawshaw MA MRTPI FRSA is an International Planning and Development Consultant in the areas of urban design, planning, green infrastructure, energy efficiency and sustainable transport. With experience in Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East, alongside an expanding UK practice, he has a specific interest in the role of the nature based approaches to addressing the climate emergency, alongside improving health and wellbeing outcomes and tackling inequality.
Timothy is an experienced lecturer, trainer and facilitator with a passion for community development, and he continues to champion the role of planning as a key part of the solution to the challenges of our times. Timothy is currently the Chair of the Tees Valley Nature Partnership and Chair of the Historic Towns and Villages Forum.
Tim Townshend
Professor of Urban Design for Health - Newcastle University
Tim Townshend
Professor of Urban Design for Health - Newcastle University
Tim Townshend is Professor of Urban Design for Health at the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Newcastle University. Tim has established an international profile in interdisciplinary health/built environment work through a steady output of publications. He is perhaps best known for his work on obesogenic environments and his concept of ‘toxic high streets’, this highlights the inter-related risks of less healthy shops and services that dominate many shopping streets – particularly in poorer communities. His latest publication “Healthy Cities? Design for Well-being” was published as part of the concise guides to planning series by Lund Humphries in February 2022.
Michael Chang FRTPI, HonMFPH
Programme Manager, Office for Health Improvement & Disparities
Michael Chang FRTPI, HonMFPH
Programme Manager, Office for Health Improvement & Disparities
Michael is a strategic leader on place, environment, spatial planning and public health, and is a chartered town planner and honorary public health professional. He has initiated and led programmes on spatial planning and health including at the Town and Country Planning Association and currently at the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (formerly Public Health England) since 2019, which includes writing guidance to support policy development and implementation and working across government departments, agencies and stakeholders. He co-founded the Health and Wellbeing in Planning Network in 2018, is a Visiting Fellow at the University of the West of England WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Urban Environments and Trustee of the Quality of Life Foundation.
Josh Watts
Associate Director with USI
Josh Watts
Associate Director with USI
Josh is an Associate Director with USI, leading the Strategy & Digital Brand team. He is an experienced leader in place based strategies and operations, having worked with local authorities, charities and housing associations in the pursuit of sustainable, people centric transformations that align the needs of the local community with the strategies and resources available. He firmly believes that strategies alone aren’t enough, and has taken organisations from strategy to delivery of sustainable operations that have delivered meaningful benefits to mental health, resilience, and the safety of communities.
USI bio:
Urban Scale Interventions is a Belfast based design consultancy focused on delivering meaningful interventions for the places people live, work, and play in. Formed in 2020, USI uses creative engagement, impactful co-created design, and quality delivery to cut through and help to solve the issues that matter to communities, businesses and governments. We bring together strategists, designers, architects, producers, academics and so many more people in a way that can create a vision, tell the stories that matter, and align them to physical interventions that make a difference. See our projects for more information on what we do
Angela Kennedy
National Trauma Informed Community of Action Lead - NHS
Angela Kennedy
National Trauma Informed Community of Action Lead - NHS
Angela has worked in the NHS since 1990 with particular interests and expertise in the impact of adverse events and abuse on mental health and wellbeing, particularly very debilitating consequences for people. She has more recently set up regional staff wellbeing hub to support the fallout from the pandemic. Angela has a passion for systemic and compassionate leadership and co-production. She also has involvement in cultural ways to facilitate community healing.
Michael Cunliffe
Artistic Co-ordinator - North Tyneside Art Studio
Michael Cunliffe
Artistic Co-ordinator - North Tyneside Art Studio
Michael Cunliffe is the Artistic Coordinator at North Tyneside Art Studio, a dedicated studio in the North East of England which has been supporting people with mental health issues through art and creative activities since 1991. An artist and illustrator specialising in atmospheric genre and surrealist painting, he has been instrumental in developing new ways of working at the Studio, developing partnerships and projects with local universities, galleries and charitable organisations, and delivering art for mental health workshops in a variety of settings.
