I am an urban anthropologist and Research Associate based in the Manchester Institute for Collaborative Research on Ageing (MICRA). I am interested in age-friendly cities, natural and cultural heritage, and community use of shared spaces. My current research looks at how faith organizations support the age-friendly agenda in Greater Manchester and reveals the important role of older people in transmitting knowledge that younger generations have limited access to. These forms of knowledge include particular rituals, songs, foods, and other embodied practices performed by older people.

Research

My doctoral research explored the relationship between an urban fishing community and a mangrove area in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and subsequent transformations as other actors entered that environment, along with substances such as plastic, raw sewage, bacteria, oil, new legislations and institutions. It is this dialogue between urban communities, green spaces, and policymakers that has informed my research ever since.

My collaboration with MICRA (Manchester Institute of Collaborative Research in Ageing) started with a project in April 2020 about the effects of the Covid pandemic on older people. Findings revealed the support offered by faith-based organisations to local communities, and in particular, to older people who were shielding. While faith organizations have been historically key providers of services and emotional support, they are seldom acknowledged or funded for that vital work. Developing age-friendly communities to support healthy ageing: Exploring the potential of a policy innovation partnership between public agencies and faith-based organisations in Greater Manchester, a research project funded by the AHRC IAA, intends to address this gap.