National festival brings Surrey’s social scientists to the community 

The University is hosting a series of events as part of the Festival of Social Science, UK Research and Innovation’s annual UK-wide, free celebration of the social sciences. 

A highlight of this year’s Festival is the premiere of Transforming Food in Women’s Prisons, a documentary exploring the overlooked but meaningful role of food in the lives of women in prison. The film, based on the Doing Porridge research project, will be shown at the Guildford Institute on Wednesday 22 October. The project is led by Dr Maria Adams, Professor Jon Garland and Professor Dan McCarthy (University of Surrey), Professor Vicki Harman (University of Reading) and Dr Erin Power (Liverpool John Moores University). For more details or to book your place at the premiere, visit the Festival website. 

Another highlight is a panel discussion and a premiere short film on faith and identity in the National Health Service. Dr YingFei Héliot, from Surrey’s Business School, will host the event at the University of Surrey’s Kate Granger Building on Tuesday 4 November, exploring the lived experiences of healthcare staff and patients around religion, belief and identity. Speakers include Professor Jagtar Singh OBE (former Chair, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust), Paul Deemer (former Head of Diversity and Inclusion, NHS Employers), and the Reverend Heather Wilson (Lead Chaplain, Royal Surrey NHS Trust). To book your place, visit the Festival website.  

The programme also features an online workshop on tackling harmful sexual behaviour in schools. With young people growing up in a digital world where social media and sexualised content are ever-present, the session will give safeguarding leads, teachers and pastoral staff the tools to respond with confidence. Led by Dr Emily Setty and Laura Nott from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, the workshop will share a research-based framework developed through the Everyone’s Safer project, alongside real examples from schools. The session will focus on practical strategies, supportive cultures and approaches that protect wellbeing while meeting safeguarding duties. The free workshop takes place online on Wednesday 22^nd October 2025 at 5pm. For more information, visit the Festival website. 

Professor Bebhinn Donnelly-Lazarov, Head of the School of Social Sciences at the University of Surrey, said:  

“In a world increasingly focused on technology and AI, it is easy to overlook the social sciences. Yet this research may help us understand who we are, how we live together and how we can build fairer, healthier communities. The Festival is a chance to show just how vital social sciences are in shaping the society we all share.” 

For more details on this year’s slate of events, please visit Surrey’s Festival of Social Sciences website. 

[ENDS]