10.10am Lightning Talks
Malaki Patterson
Keynote Listener
Malaki Patterson is the Artistic Director and CEO (from January '25) of The Music Works. The Music Works is a Gloucestershire based charity that transforms young lives through music, specialising in working with young people in challenging circumstances to help them reach their full potential in music, learning and in life.
www.themusicworks.org.uk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_QBncv0d6w
Siobhan Farmer
Gloucestershire County Council
Data: All that glitters is not (always) gold….
It has been said that data is not the new oil, it is the new glitter….. but all that glitters is not always gold. This session explored why people are saying this, including why it is so appealing to collect, and what the consequences of this are for organisations and the public.
Siobhan joined Gloucestershire County Council as Deputy Director of Public Health just seven weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. From July 2022, she has been the Director of Public Health for Gloucestershire, taking on the statutory duties required of a DPH and overseeing the delivery of the range of public health responsibilities. She is committed to using data to better tackle Health Inequalities in the county.
Tiziana Alocci
Lightning Talk
From Numbers to Notes: Humanising Data Through Sound
Lightning Talk: Did you know data can sing? Tiziana Alocci shared how she uses sound to mobilise interest and action about data and why she has developed her artistic practice at the intersection between data and art.
Tiziana Alocci is a London-based data artist, international speaker and lecturer working at the intersection of art and technology. Creating data-driven compositions out of invisible phenomena such as sleep patterns, soundscapes, movement of people, and perfumes, she makes the intangible tangible, the invisible visible, interlacing science with poetry. She's the founder of the London-based data design studio NECESSITY.INK.
Adam Cormack
Woodland Trust
Tree Equity Score UK
Lightning Talk
Tree Equity - illuminating inequalities in urban tree cover.
Fascinated by the relationship between people and nature, I've worked in a variety of communications and campaigns roles for two of the UK's largest conservation charities, The Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust. I oversee the Woodland Trust's programme of work on tree equity which aims to tackle inequitable access to the benefits of urban trees which affects millions of people living in UK towns and cities. My two passions in life are music and nature and I stumbled into nature conservation after a music career that didn't quite take off.
Madeline Spinks
Data Orchard CIC
Lightning Talk/Workshop
Lightning talk: What is data maturity? Why is it so important in the context of AI and a 'post-truth' world. What are the headlines from the 'State of the non-profit sector's data maturity?' launched Oct 2024.
Workshop: how to use a data maturity framework to plan for improvement. This workshop was for those who wanted to know how they could use the Data Maturity Framework to shape and inform their data strategy. Suitable for freelancers and organisations. Madeleine Spinks, Co Chief Executive of Data Orchard CIC and Jay Haigh, CG Company Manager ran an interactive session sharing CG learning from using the DM framework to help people decide what their next data steps could be.
Data Orchard CIC is based in Herefordshire and operates across the UK. We're a social enterprise with a mission to enable every nonprofit organisation to use data effectively to achieve their goals. I'm a co-founder, director and Co-Chief Exec with many hats including working with organisations to help them use data well.
11am Morning Workshops
Join an Open Space
"Open Space" is a technique for running meetings where the participants create and manage the agenda themselves. There were open space sessions throughout the day where you could suggest a topic for an open space session or join in with any discussion that interested you.
Tom Beasley
Active Gloucestershire
Workshop: Understanding places, beyond the numerical data.
The session explored how we use numerical data alongside our knowledge, experience and understanding of places in our county.
Active Gloucestershire is an agent of change, uniting individuals and a huge range of national policy makers and organisations around one of the greatest challenges facing our society today: inactivity. We inspire, connect and enable people in Gloucestershire to get active in a way that works for them, and we want to support those who can help others move more, like activity providers, sports clubs and key partners in the county. We do this through we can move, Gloucestershire's social movement that brings people together from across the sports and physical activity sector, public sector and voluntary and community sector. We all work together to help people benefit from a more active lifestyle.
Rose Barraclough & Claire Glasbey
Arts Council England
All the latest news on data from Arts Council England
Workshop: Rose Barraclough and Claire Glasbey from Arts Council England (ACE) shared what was on their minds at ACE regarding data and the insights they had about Gloucestershire from Illuminate, The Participation Survey and more.
Rose and Claire are project managers at Arts Council England, primarily working with the Illuminate platform and the Impact & Insight Toolkit. Their work focuses on partnering with external organisations, with an aim to help the sector unlock the full potential of their data. They are part of the national Insights team at ACE, who deliver insights that deepen understanding, evidence impact, and support decision making. Their work fuels the Let's Create strategy, making arts and culture accessible to every individual and community across England.
Daniel Gale
DAISI project and partnership
Workshop
Explore DAISI's transformative approach to digital accessibility, inclusion, support, and innovation. As Gloucestershire's largest digital partnership, DAISI brings together communities, local organisations, and leaders to champion digital equity across the county.
Workshop: This session highlighted community-led data initiatives and resources to support digital equity, offering practical tools, insights, and organisational support to bridge the digital divide in your local community. Whether you were looking to enhance digital access, learn about community data practices, or discover collaborative strategies, the session showed how DAISI empowers communities through technology, one step at a time.
Daniel Gale is the pioneering force behind the DAISI Project, a flagship initiative under the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) aimed at tackling digital exclusion and fostering digital equity across Gloucestershire. As the Digital Equity Manager, Daniel leads efforts to provide inclusive access to technology, essential devices, and digital skills to those most in need. Based in Gloucestershire, GRCC's DAISI Project represents a comprehensive approach to bridging the digital divide, focusing on empowering communities through digital access, open-source solutions, and skill-building initiatives. Under Daniel's leadership, DAISI has transformed lives by distributing thousands of devices and SIM cards and electrical safety equipment, establishing databanks, repair cafes and device banks in partnership with organisations and groups across Gloucestershire. Daniel's vision for DAISI is grounded in his commitment to social justice, inclusivity, and community-driven solutions. His work at GRCC continues to champion digital equity, enabling people to connect, learn, and thrive in an increasingly digital world.
Jacqui Stearn
Create Gloucestershire's Voice of Nature on the Board
Workshop: Creative writing inspired by data
A flash exploration of Professor Miles Richardson's Biodiversity Stripes as a writing prompt. Based on national and international data, the Biodiversity and Climate stripes graphically convey the extent of the emergencies we are living with. With a sense of playfulness, fourteen people crafted a collective poem of fourteen lines.
Kari Gerstheimer
Access Social Care
Workshop: Data Collaboration between a charity and the Local Authority in Gloucestershire
This workshop with Kari Gerstheimer from Access Social Care explored how data-driven insights from Gloucestershire's Social Care Legal Advice Hub is fostering growth between the charity and the local authority to enable impactful and community centred change, despite complexities in this cross-sector partnership.
Access Social Care (ASC) is a tech enabled legal rights organisation that works across England to make sure older people, disabled people and carers get the social care they have a right to. Kari Gerstheimer is the CEO and Founder.
12.15pm Afternoon Workshops
Join an Open Space
"Open Space" is a technique for running meetings where the participants create and manage the agenda themselves. There were open space sessions throughout the day where you could suggest a topic for an open space session or join in with any discussion that interested you.
Richard Gibson
Cheltenham Borough Council
No Child Left Behind
Workshop: The more eyes on the data the better, No Child Left Behind's collective approach to understanding and responding to data.
Richard Gibson and Tracy Brown from Cheltenham BC shared how data continues to be a key driver for the No Child Left Behind project that aims to help all young people to thrive. No Child Left Behind started with a children and young people's needs analysis that painted a picture of what it was like to be growing up in poverty. More recently, NCLB commissioned a survey of local children and young people that was the catalyst for a proposed year of youth action to take place in 2025. In this workshop the team shared data with participants and asked them "how would you respond?"
Tiziana Alocci
Workshop: From Numbers to Notes: Humanising Data Through Sound
This workshop taught practical techniques for turning data into sound through free and open-source tools. Using data about school absences and exclusions as the source material, participants had a chance to combine instructional teaching with hands-on exercises and signposting to numerous free resources.
Dan Jacques, Joanna Hall, Hannah Chesters
Can data change policy to improve opportunity?
Workshop: This workshop shared how Barnwood Trust, Gloucestershire Children's Services and Gloucestershire VCS Alliance came together in an exciting new partnership aimed at testing ways of improving opportunities for disabled children and young people in Gloucestershire, in which research and evaluation is key.
Cawan Andre and Tina Bouttle
Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and Gloucestershire Centre for Environmental Records (GCER)
Workshop: The data gatherers.
HabiMap is a citizen science initiative led by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (GWT) that aims to ground-truth all habitats across the county. Using the UKHab Classification System, our volunteers, also known as HabiMappers, classify habitats by conducting surveys to gather data on the plant communities present in different areas. The HabiMap Programme plays a crucial role in both conservation and community engagement. Species records across the county are compiled by Gloucestershire Centre for Environmental Records. They have a network of county recorders and experts to ensure all the records are verified before being added to the county database. The records come from organised surveys, naturalists' societies, commercial ecologists and members of the public; these data gatherers are the backbone of species monitoring within Gloucestershire. GCER and GWT offer opportunities for the public to upskill their identification and species recording skills. These results are used to enable landholders to make informed decisions about land management to support wildlife recovery and biodiversity as well as addressing challenges posed by climate change.
Madeline Spinks & Jay Haigh
How to use the Data Maturity Framework to plan for improvement.
Workshop: how to use a data maturity framework to plan for improvement (45 mins). This workshop was for those who wanted to know how they could use the Data Maturity Framework to shape and inform their data strategy. Suitable for freelancers and organisations. Madeleine Spinks, Co Chief Executive of Data Orchard CIC and Jay Haigh, CG Company Manager ran an interactive session sharing CG learning from using the DM framework to help people decide what their next data steps could be.
2.05pm Afternoon Workshops
Join an Open Space
"Open Space" is a technique for running meetings where the participants create and manage the agenda themselves. There were open space sessions throughout the day where you could suggest a topic for an open space session or join in with any discussion that interested you.
Tim Davies
Connected by Data
Workshop: Develop your Community Campaign on Data
Communities campaign all the time: for new road crossings, to protect community venues, or to fund new services. But how can communities campaign to have more control over the ways in which data is changing our world? This practical workshop explored a new resource on Community Campaigns on Data and helped participants develop their own plans to address data power in 2025.
Connected by Data is the campaign for communities to have a powerful say in the governance of data and AI. Over the last year we've been running a Community Campaigns on Data learning cohort, working with campaigners from across the country to explore practical approaches to change how data is collected, managed, shared and used so that it serves community needs. Tim Davies is Connected by Data's Director of Research and Practice and a member of the Create Gloucestershire Board. Tim has spent the last 20 years exploring the intersection of participation, power and technology with groups across the globe. Emily Macaulay is Head of Delivery and Operations at Connected by Data, bringing a background working in public libraries across Devon and Torbay and in the criminal justice system across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Abi Nicol & Louise Bardgett
Workshop: Introduction to Ripple Effects Mapping
REM is a versatile and friendly way to bring communities and people together to talk about a project or activity. At Create Gloucestershire we think it fits really well as an evaluation tool in the arts and cultural sector. This practical session was for anyone new to ripple mapping, what it can do and its potential in mapping activity and capturing data and impact in a visual way.
Louise is Learning and Impact and Create Local Lead at Create Gloucestershire. Wearing many hats, she is also co-founder of Open Arms Artists' Collective, leading creative programmes for people living with dementia and is based in Cheltenham.
Abi is a photographer and print maker, co-founder of Creative Community and runs a creative and wellbeing programme at the Quarry Chapel in Cam.
Siobhan Farmer & Katie Hopgood
Gloucestershire County Council
Workshop: Lies, damned lies and statistics
If data has persuasive power, even when used inappropriately, how do Public Health and Council Data Teams dig beneath the statistics in order to ensure good policy making?
People involved: Kate Martin, Katie Hopgood, Alice Meen.
Aysha Randera & Jay Haigh
Making Place & Amanah Community CIC
Workshop: Stitch in Time: building confidence and connectivity through creativity. A hands-on workshop using recycled materials to demonstrate how creativity can unlock hidden data.
Amanah Community CIC has been set up to support and empower women, including South Asian, minority ethnic and refugee women, through activities, courses and employment opportunities. The Director is Aysha Randera. Through her role as Women's Development Officer at the Friendship Café in Gloucester, Aysha has built a strong reputation and currently manages the Emma Willis Sewing Studio, delivering courses and activities for women in her community.
Through Covid conversations and beyond, Jay Haigh met many incredibly talented 'quiet makers' hidden away across her local community on the edge of Cirencester. Recognising that some of our most sticky problems need creative problem solving, Jay has since been mobilising a growing taskforce, the Makers & Menders, building locally sourced energy and potential that everyone can contribute to and benefit from. Aysha and Jay met through Create Gloucestershire, and have worked collaboratively ever since to connect their communities through a shared love of making.
Barnwood's Research and Policy team
Workshop: During this workshop, members of Barnwood's Research and Policy team shared their learning and a range of resources related to inclusive and accessible evaluation practices. With a focus on practical examples and 'top tips', this workshop was designed to help you identify ways in which you could make the evaluations you conduct more inclusive.
3.45pm Afternoon Workshops
Join an Open Space
"Open Space" is a technique for running meetings where the participants create and manage the agenda themselves. There were open space sessions throughout the day where you could suggest a topic for an open space session or join in with any discussion that interested you.
Audrey James
Lessons from the Barrel Children: Understanding Trauma Through the Eyes of a Generation.
Workshop: With audience participation, we explored the barrel children's unique experiences and how these narratives reflect broader themes of trauma within the Black community. We examined the psychological, social, and emotional impacts of their upbringing. Through a case study, Audrey shared strategies for healing and resilience, highlighting the strength and resourcefulness of this generation amidst adversity.
Tracey Thomas & Cath Wilkins
Creative Health Future Talent Steering Group
Workshop: Taking a data led approach to system change.
Sharing a case study in Gloucestershire: towards a shared future and growing a diverse creative health workforce.
Tracey Thomas is Programme Lead for Create Leadership at Create Gloucestershire. Cath Wilkins is Executive Director of Creative Health charity Artlift and a member of the Glos Creative Health Consortium.
Adam Cormack
The Woodland Trust
Tree Equity Score UK
Workshop: This workshop explored some of the ethical and relational issues behind the Tree Equity Score UK. How do we define equity? What language helps to ensure data about inequity doesn't build further inequity? How can data provenance affect adoption of online tools? How do you build trust with all stakeholders when data can be disruptive to business as usual? How can stakeholders be involved with the ongoing management of data-based tools?
Fascinated by the relationship between people and nature, I've worked in a variety of communications and campaigns roles for two of the UK's largest conservation charities, The Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust. I oversee the Woodland Trust's programme of work on tree equity which aims to tackle inequitable access to the benefits of urban trees which affects millions of people living in UK towns and cities. My two passions in life are music and nature and I stumbled into nature conservation after a music career that didn't quite take off.
Anna Bonallack
Creative Sustainability CIC
Inclusive Evaluation, making evaluation work for everybody
Workshop: This interactive workshop gave insights into CoProduced Inclusive Evaluation. How we collect information matters. We think commissioners, practitioners and participants should be equal stakeholders and that for data to be useful it needs to be meaningful, compassionate, personalised, respectful, community-based, equitable and dignified!
At Creative Sustainability we found commonly used methods unacceptable and meaningless for the people we work with. We wanted methods that would address the challenges of inclusion for every participant regardless of their communication styles and barriers.
So, we began to think about what this really looked like, facilitating participants to take ownership of the evaluation process, develop understanding of strengths and achievements and a stronger voice to support next steps. Find out what this looks like and how we are using it to gather truthful, meaningful, respectful and useful information that helps us all to understand much better what we need to fund, do and participate in.
Sophie Ayre & Becky Parish: NHS Gloucestershire
Sophie Ayre & Becky Parish: NHS Gloucestershire, Alan Inman-Ward Age UK Glos, Lucy White Healthwatch (tbc)
Workshop: Levelling the playing field for qualitative data, it's not all about numbers!
How many stories are buried in your organisation or community, in reports, Board papers, webpages, or case studies? The Engagement Team from NHS Gloucestershire shared how Joining-up Insights in Gloucestershire (JIG) can help you to gain a deeper understanding of 'what matters' to people living in our county. JIG is a new, easy to access source of qualitative data that has been collected by local NHS, statutory and voluntary organisations working in Gloucestershire. Participants learned what data they could share, how to upload it and how to search the platform to unearth data that would stretch their thinking and inform their practice.