Grandma’s House:

Where Generations Meet, Talk, and Truly Listen

Grandma’s House is a community-led storytelling and engagement project supported by the NIHR School for Primary Care Research (SPCR) through the Public Involvement and Engagement Grant (Enablement Fund 2025).

This initiative was the vision of Monica Tucker, a grandma and PPI representative and supported by Dr. Adele Horobin, Professor Joanne Morling, Diversify Education and communities CIC and The Essential Baby Co CIC, this initiative creates a welcoming and cosy space, both in person and online, where young people connect with elders to share stories, traditions, and wisdom.

Inspired by Afro-Caribbean cultural heritage, Grandma’s House restores intergenerational trust, community cohesion, and inclusion in research by bringing people together through open, unscripted conversations.

Our Mission

To build stronger connections between local communities and researchers by creating spaces for genuine dialogue, cultural exchange, and shared learning.

Through storytelling, food, music, and honest conversation, we aim to:

Celebrate the heritage and wisdom of African-Caribbean elders
Strengthen community identity and belonging
Encourage collaboration between researchers, schools, and communities

Increase diversity and inclusion in health and social research

Our Team & Collaborators

Monica Tucker

Dr. Adele Horobin

Professor Joanne Morling

Shanine Fasasi

Gemma Poole

Louise Garvey

Jo Guha

Katie Robinson

Reverend Clive Foster MBE

Together, this team bridges academia and community, blending lived experience, activism, education, and cultural heritage.

Our Approach

Our model is community-led and co-created.
Community collaborators decide on topics, venues, and approaches while university partners handle funding, logistics, and academic support.

Through this collaboration, Grandma’s House ensures activities are meaningful, inclusive, and beneficial to the people they serve.

We also partner with the Nottinghamshire Deep End Research Cluster, connecting with GP practices in underserved areas to strengthen future primary care research.

Building Trust and Inclusion

We know that meaningful engagement requires trust.
Our respected community collaborators act as bridges between academia and the public, ensuring communication is culturally appropriate and grounded in local realities.

We are also committed to accessibility offering transport, refreshments, and compensation for participants’ time and contributions.

Success will mean deeper relationships, lasting impact, and community-led priorities guiding future research.

Do You Have An Idea For Grandma’s House?

Join our project group for Grandma’s house to share ideas and suggest topics for future projects.

Acknowledgment

This project is proudly supported by the NIHR School for Primary Care Research (SPCR) under the Public Involvement and Engagement Grant 2025.

Grandma’s House builds on pilot activities funded by the University of Nottingham Research Excellence Framework (REF PCE) Fund, which enabled the first series of community-led events in 2025.

Pull Up a Chair. Let’s Talk.

Be part of a movement that celebrates heritage, bridges generations, and builds trust between communities and researchers.