Researchers from Royal Holloway and community partners from across Surrey have come together to celebrate the completion of the 2025-26 Participatory Research Fund programme.
The Participatory Research Fund (PRF) supported five collaborative projects, bringing researchers together with community, civic, cultural and public-sector organisations to explore real-world challenges through participatory research.
Running from February to July 2026, the programme encouraged researchers and community partners to work together throughout the research process, recognising the value of lived experience and local knowledge.
The Fund also supports Royal Holloway’s wider civic ambitions through RH2030s, the Civic Agreement for Surrey, and the Engage Watermark, helping to strengthen participatory research and engagement across the University.
Emily Gow, Research Impact Manager at Royal Holloway, said: “The Participatory Research Fund gave colleagues the opportunity to test new ideas, build meaningful partnerships and explore different ways of working with communities.
“It has been encouraging to see the quality of collaboration that developed across such a diverse range of projects.”
To mark the completion of the programme, researchers and community partners came together on Wednesday 29 July for a Reflection and Celebration Workshop.
Rather than formal presentations, each project brought an object that helped tell the story of its work. These objects provided a starting point for conversations about the partnerships, achievements and challenges behind each project, as well as the impact of the work on researchers and community organisations.
Minna Ruohonen, Head of Engagement & Place at Royal Holloway, said: “The workshop reminded us that meaningful engagement starts with listening.
“When researchers and communities work together as equal partners, we create stronger relationships, better research and a deeper understanding of the places we are part of. That is exactly the direction we want to continue building at Royal Holloway.”
The five projects explored a wide range of issues, reflecting the breadth of participatory research taking place across Royal Holloway. Topics included accessibility and health, digital safety, environmental sustainability and creative practice.
While each project was different, several common themes emerged during the workshop, including the importance of building trust and recognising the expertise and knowledge that community partners bring to research.
Participants also reflected on the importance of involving partners from the earliest stages of a project through to delivery and shared learning.
The projects have also produced practical outputs intended to have a lasting benefit beyond the funding period. These include films, museum accessibility resources, guidance for practitioners and other materials designed to support communities and inform future research.
The workshop concluded with a facilitated discussion about what had worked well, the challenges encountered during the programme and how participatory research could continue to develop at Royal Holloway.
Participants also considered how the relationships and learning established through the Fund could support future collaborations between researchers and community organisations.
The conclusion of the 2025–26 Participatory Research Fund demonstrates the value of bringing researchers and communities together to develop research that is collaborative and inclusive. Royal Holloway is committed to enabling research which is grounded in the knowledge, experience and priorities of our local community.
