Centre for Coastal Communities - June 2026 newsletter

Director's message

As the sun brightens our coastlines and summer gets underway, it feels wonderful to see our seaside towns, villages and watersides buzzing with life, activity and community spirit.

This has been a busy and productive period for the Centre. In April, we co-hosted the first Coastal Navigators' Network Healthy Ageing Summit in Southend-on-Sea, bringing together over 80 leaders to explore what it would take to make coastal communities the best places in England to grow older well. New research from the CoastGEM project highlights systemic inequities in post-stroke rehabilitation affecting coastal populations, and in May, young people from eight coastal communities put their concerns directly to MPs at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coastal Communities. 

Looking ahead, there’s so much to get involved in this summer — from the Imaginarium event at the Uttlesford Big Green Festival on 12th June, the Coastal Youth Life Chances conference in London on 23 June, to the wonderful range of coastal arts and heritage events across Essex. I hope you’ll find something in these pages that inspires you, and I’d encourage you to join us wherever you can.

Every conversation, partnership and report brings us closer to our shared goal: making our coasts more vibrant, inclusive and sustainable places to live, work and grow up in. Thank you to everyone — residents, partners, policymakers and colleagues — who works alongside us to make that happen.

Wishing you all a wonderful, safe and enjoyable summer — we hope to see you out and about by the shore soon!

- Dr Emily T Murray, Director and Reader, Centre for Coastal Communities

Research spotlight

Coastal Gap in Equality for Stroke Care Management (CoastGEM): A deep dive into Life-after-Stroke

Coastal communities bear a disproportionate (“excess”) burden of stroke. Stroke care is delivered through a coordinated, pathway-based approach led by local NHS organisations and partners, spanning prevention, acute care, rehabilitation, and long-term support. In principle, these services are designed to be timely, needs-led, person-centred, and equitable.

The CoastGEM project examines stroke care across East Suffolk and North Essex, with a focus on how system configurations and pathway bottlenecks contribute to inequality. A recent paper by Dr Katie Chadd, Doofan Udendeh, Ahang Kareem, Dr Julia Vlahovic, and Professor Reza Majdzadeh, published in Disability and Rehabilitation, presents findings from an in-depth analysis of post-stroke rehabilitation and life-after-stroke services in the region.

The study identifies multiple systemic failures in stroke rehabilitation that drive inequities, largely stemming from limitations in service availability and accessibility. Groups at heightened risk of inequitable rehabilitation access include individuals living in remote areas, particularly those with severe mobility impairments; socio-economically deprived survivors who face upfront costs such as private transport; people from minority ethnic or migrant backgrounds with limited English proficiency, as well as those with post-stroke communication impairments; and individuals with complex stroke profiles who live alone.

The paper calls for a more explicitly intersectional approach to understanding the long-term needs of stroke survivors. It highlights the importance of robust, routine, and meaningful data collection, alongside a multi-sector health and social care framework, to address structural barriers, particularly those related to geography and transport, that disproportionately affect coastal populations. Read the full article online. 

Healthy Ageing Summit

Coastal Navigators’ Network Healthy Ageing Summit, Southend on Sea Spring 2026

In April, the Centre for Coastal Communities co-hosted the CNN Healthy Ageing Summit with the Coastal Navigators’ Network.

This, the first Healthy Ageing on the Coast Summit, brought together over 80 leaders from health, local government, academia, industry, voluntary organisations, community partners and place-based initiatives to consider one central question:

What would it take to help coastal communities become the best places in England to grow older well?

Our Director, Emily T Murray, delivered a defining message that healthy ageing is a life course issue, shaped decades earlier by childhood opportunity, education, employment, housing, mental health and social connection — not just by care in later life.

She was joined by a dozen colleagues at the University of Essex sharing expertise across public health, healthcare systems, medical technology, sports science, neuroscience and much more. They contributed to practical workshops designed to test ideas, surface solutions, build partnerships and create momentum for action.

Attendees agreed a 2036 vision for healthy ageing built on 5 ambitions:

• Longer lives lived in better health
• Shift systems decisively toward prevention
• Boost economic activity for people aged 50+
• Redesign workforces to meet population needs
• Make smarter use of technology and innovation

Read more about the event on LinkedIn. We can’t wait to see what comes next!

New publication

Young People & Coastal Housing: UCL Report 2026

This month, the Coastal Youth team at UCL, led by Dr Emily Clark and including co-author Emily Murray from Essex, published a report exploring the unique housing challenges facing young people living in coastal communities — including high costs, limited affordable rentals, seasonal housing shortages, and how these shape life chances and ability to stay local. It highlights urgent changes needed to give coastal young people secure, suitable homes close to where they grew up. 

Read the full report on UCL Discovery.

Policy & external engagement

Coastal Navigators’ Network (CNN) Summit on Young People on the Coast, May 2026

The CNN network hosted a brilliant ‘Young People on the Coast Summit’ on 18 May. Network members, including the University of Essex, joined young people from eight coastal communities, along with their supporting youth practitioners, to discuss challenges on the coast important to young people themselves. The top issues were a lack of employment opportunities, transport and connectivity issues, and a lack of youth services that impact their daily lives.

What they said chimed with what we have heard from our coastal youth project on there being ‘Nothing to do and nowhere to go’ in coastal towns, lack of mental health support, and limited educational and employment opportunities. In the afternoon, the young people gave evidence to MPs on the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coastal Communities, put together for the Guardian Seascape’s Against The Tide series. We look forward to seeing how the network and MPs take forward these challenges presented by young people. 

Call for papers

The Future of Food Symposium: 14th and 15th of September 2026 - Online

The Future of Food Symposium is an annual event that brings together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and advocates working at the cutting edge of food systems research and practice. In 2026, the symposium takes place under the theme Food Systems at a Crossroads: Local Action, Global Change, reflecting the urgent need to connect place-based knowledge and community-led innovation with the broader systemic transformations required to build equitable, sustainable, and resilient food futures.

There is a specific track this year on the theme of “Food Challenges in Coastal Communities” organised by the Emily Murray and Jordon Lazell at the University of Essex.

This year's symposium spans an extraordinary breadth of topics, from agri-food sustainability and Indigenous food sovereignty, to community food resilience, public dining, coastal food challenges, nutrition and health inequalities, and the growing role of data and artificial intelligence in food systems. Together, the tracks reflect a shared conviction: that meaningful change in food systems requires collaboration across disciplines, sectors, institutions, and borders.

The symposium will be held entirely online in September 2026, making it accessible to contributors and audiences from across the UK and internationally. We warmly welcome abstract submissions from researchers and practitioners working across the food systems field. A full list of tracks and further information can be found online.

Please submit your abstract via the online form. Deadline 10th July.

You can also register to attend the Symposium.

Upcoming events

Internal events

12 June 2026 — The Uttlesford Big Green Festival: The Imaginarium: Cultivating Culture, Creativity, and Climate Action

Venue: Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden

Welcome to the Imaginarium, an evening of discussion, live music, food, and film. The Imaginarium shifts the focus of the Big Green Festival from reflection to imagination – exploring how culture, creativity, and storytelling can drive local engagement in climate and nature recovery. Hosted by the Cultural Engine Research Group (CERG) and the University of Essex Business School. Free food will be provided and a paid bar open. 

23 June 2026 — Coastal Youth Life Chances: Challenges, Opportunities and Future Directions

Venue: London

A one day conference exploring education, employment, mental health, and youth voice in coastal communities. Speakers include experts from UCL, Barnardo’s, The Guardian, plus University of Essex’s Dr Emily Murray and Cara Booker discussing coastal youth wellbeing and local interventions. Free registration with lunch and refreshments provided.

Register your place on Ticket Tailor.

6 July 2026 - Youth Mental Health Research for Essex: An Interactive Showcase

Venue: The Minories, 74 High Street, Colchester CO1 1UE

Join the Institute of Public Health and Wellbeing for the first interactive showcase of their emerging youth mental health research programme, covering Essex, Thurrock and Southend. Meet staff researchers and doctoral students presenting projects spanning loneliness and isolation in young adults, mental health in coastal regions, school-based support, and more 2014 and help shape the direction of future research.

Colleagues from local authority, NHS and VCSE organisations are particularly encouraged to attend. Morning and afternoon sessions available; lunch provided and open to both.

Register your place with Eventbrite.

External events

Essex Book Festival (Coastal Hubs)

This year’s festival brings a programme of events celebrating Essex’s seaside communities, connecting visitors and residents with the coast through stories and art.

20 June 2026 — Clacton Rocks: Know your beach workshop

Venue: Clacton-on-Sea, Essex

A beach based session exploring coastal habitats, hunting for seaside treasures to inspire creative art, plus BSL interpreted stories, songs and marine mischief! Ideal for ages 5–11 (all welcome). 

20 June 2026 — The Essex Ways: Film screening

Venue: Chalkwell Hall, Southend-on-Sea

Join a screening of Thomas Winward’s feature-length documentary following storyteller James Lawrence’s epic 400km walk around Essex — including the full coastal stretch from Harwich down to Tilbury Docks. Discover the county’s landscapes, history, folklore and people, followed by a live Q&A with James Lawrence. Tickets: £10. 

14 June 2026 — Intertidal Walking and Writing Workshop with JR Carpenter and Sylak Ravenspine

Join artist, writer and licensed mudlark J. R. Carpenter alongside local artist Sylak Ravenspine for a creative workshop walking the Thames Estuary’s shifting intertidal zone – between tides, mudflats and marshland.

Explore noticing as an act of care, with insights drawn from J.R.’s lyrical new book p a u s e.

Leigh Folk Festival: 25–28 June 2026

Venue: Leigh on Sea (coastal Essex)

The UK’s largest free folk festival, right on the coast! Enjoy 100+ performances, workshops and community events set amid cockle sheds, tidal creeks and seafront spaces — all celebrating Leigh’s maritime character. 

June 2026 - Jaywick Martello Tower: Coastal Heritage Workshops

Venue: Jaywick (near Clacton on Sea)

Creative and history focused sessions at this iconic Napoleonic coastal fort — exploring the shoreline, local maritime stories and art inspired by the coast. 

25 June 2026 - Coast-R Annual Forum 2026: Investment for Rejuvenating Coastal Communities

Venue: The Spine Building, Liverpool

Coast R’s flagship gathering unites leaders, investors and experts to explore strategic investment for coastal regeneration: fair funding, jobs, climate resilience and inclusive long term renewal for seaside communities. 

19–21 June 2026: One Ocean

Venue: Turner Contemporary, Margate

A free three day festival exploring humanity’s relationship with the ocean through art, science and storytelling. Enjoy expert talks, coastal themed workshops, artist film screenings and panel discussions – covering Margate’s unique coastal identity, ocean and human health, environmental justice, and youth led action for ocean futures. Booking advised. 

New coastal publications

• Chadd, K., Udendeh, D., Kareem, A., Vlahovic, J., & Majdzadeh, R. (2026) ‘Stroke rehabilitation in coastal Eastern England: a qualitative study of intersectional inequalities’, Disability and Rehabilitation, pp. 1–22.
• Keating, A., Benchekroun, R., Cameron, C., Jivraj, S., Murray, E., & McCarthy, F. (2026) ‘Living by the coast: Young people’s perspectives on housing in coastal communities’.
• Sampson, T. (2026) ‘Mezzo-level: imagination as policy infrastructure,’ In N. Beech and K. de Graaf (Eds.) Innovation Ecosystems. i-PLACE Compendium no. 1. Key Cities Innovation Network, pp. 73–91.

We are here to answer any questions you have about the Centre for Coastal Communities. Please email coastal@essex.ac.uk with any query, or to subscribe to the mailing list.