Bolton Food Waste Study

1) Title of study:

Bolton Food Waste Study

2)  Name of Researcher:

Bryony O’Connor, PhD candidate at the University of Salford

3) Invitation to take part in this study

You have expressed an interest in taking part in the Bolton Food Waste Study as a Community Leader. Before you decide on whether to take part, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully before you decide whether you wish to take part. You are welcome to discuss this project with others before you make your decision.

Please ask the Lead Researcher, Bryony O’Connor (B.C.OConnor@edu.salford.ac.uk) if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information.

4) Purpose of the study

There is a climate crisis as global temperatures rise. This is causing serious environmental and health impacts. In Bolton, we are working towards net-zero carbon emissions. This means not releasing more carbon than is captured. To do this we need to emit less carbon.

This study aims to understand how we can bring communities together and take the collective action we need to cut our carbon emissions, through tackling food waste.

5) Why have you been chosen?

You expressed an interest in becoming a Community Leader or you responded to an advert to take part in this study as a Community Leader. We would like to understand your experiences of taking part in the study. 

6) Do I have to take part?

As a Community Leader you have responded to an advert and filled out an expression of interest form. In taking on the role of a Community Leader, you are also a participant in a research study.

If, after reading this, you decide that you don’t want to be a participant in a research study, you may withdraw from the role of Community Leader.

You can withdraw at any time, even after the community leader role has started. The information gathered up to the point of withdrawal may still be processed for the purpose of the study. You will not however be identifiable, and the data will be anonymised.

If you wish to withdraw from the study please let the Lead Researcher know either in person or via email B.C.OConnor@edu.salford.ac.uk

7) What do I have to do? What will happen to me if I take part?

You will have received information about the role as a Community Leader through the advert and role description.  You will also be involved as a participant. You will be observed by the lead researcher and co-researchers, during focus groups, who will take notes of key discussions and make observations around group dynamics. This will be written up and themed and you will not be identified in any final reports. You will also be invited to take part in some questionnaires at the beginning and end of the study. This is to capture knowledge, awareness, attitudes and behaviours around climate change and food waste and understand your aspirations for taking part in this study. As a participant and member of the community we will also ask you to take part in the food waste survey, to understand about what food is wasted, how much is wasted and what could lead to food being thrown away. At the end of the study there will be some final reflection interviews to capture your thoughts on how the food waste survey has worked out in the community. You will receive a separate invitation and information about this nearer the time.

How long will I be involved in the study?

Participation in the study will be approximately 6 months, starting in September 2023 and finishing in February 2024.

8) Payment and expenses?

You will be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses including travel and childcare costs to attend the focus groups and interviews.

As a Community Leader will you also be paid for your attendance at the focus groups. The outreach and promotion work out in the community will not be paid and will be in a voluntary capacity.

9) What are the possible disadvantages and risks for taking part The role of the Community Leader will require a certain level of commitment to attend focus groups every 6 weeks. These focus groups maybe on an evening or weekend but all efforts will be made to accommodate family/work commitments.

During focus groups you may come across strong and/or differing opinions. This may feel uncomfortable but you will be supported by the lead researcher and other co-researchers.

If you wish to withdraw at any point this will not affect your payment for the time spent during the focus groups.

10) What are the possible benefits?

As a Community Leader you will have the opportunity to participate in action research and develop local solutions to climate change. Through the focus groups you will get the opportunity to network and develop new connections.

This study will help us to increase our understanding of how we can bring communities together to cut our carbon emissions.  In taking part in this research as a Community Leader you are supporting the development of a community approach to climate change and food waste reduction.

We are a University and so it is part of our reason for being that we advance knowledge through research as well as through teaching. Your participation in this research helps us to do that.

11) What if there is a problem?

If there is a problem or your want to raise an issue or concern during the study please contact the lead researcher on B.C.OConnor@edu.salford.ac.uk

If you want to raise an issue or concern relating to the study please contact the university supervisor, Penny Cook  p.a.cook@salford.ac.uk or telephone Call 0161 296 52804

Or

The Chair of the Ethics panel, by email: ethics@salford.ac.uk.

12) Will my taking part in the study be kept confidential? / What will happen to the results of the research project?

It may not be possible to keep your taking part in this study confidential, because you will be working alongside other participants in focus groups. You may also wish to take part in or be featured in media stories. However, the personal data that we hold about you will be kept confidential. We will also ask other members of the focus groups to keep the group membership and the topics discussed confidential.

Outlined below is information on how we will collect, store and keep your data safe.

At the beginning of the study the following personal and identifiable data will be collected, including your gender, age, ethnicity and postcode. This is to ensure that the participants of this study represent all our diverse communities in Bolton.

We will also collect your individual responses recorded in focus groups, questionnaires and interviews.

During the course of the study we will ask your permission to take photographs and film some sessions. If you agree/consent these will be used in published reports and specific websites and social media platforms.

We will ensure that your data is held securely on password protected documents on the University computer. Any paper copies of meeting notes, focus groups, questionnaires or interview transcripts will be kept in a locked cabinet only accessible to the lead researcher.

As a participant your personal data will be given a research code and a master list identifying participants to the research codes will be held on a password protected document on a University computer. This is to ensure that you are not identifiable. Only the Lead Researcher and Lead Supervisor will have access to this. All research data, such as, focus groups, questionnaires and interview transcripts will be fully de-identified with participants being known only by their code.

There may be a time when Regulatory Authorities for research & development purposes may need to view identifiable data for monitoring and audit purposes. Any Personal Data provided will be with your consent as a participant of this study or there will be legal purpose for sharing this.

All identifiable data will be stored for 3 years or until the end of the study, whichever comes first.  The information is then fully deleted and paper materials disposed of in confidential waste. An anonymised dataset (with names and identifying details removed) will be stored for a minimum of 10 years.

Some of the data will be shared with the co-researchers who are helping with the study for example if they are conducting an interview with you and you have agreed to take part your details will be shared with them. Other data such as focus groups notes and agendas will be anonymised and will not include personal identifiable data.

The Lead Researcher is a Bolton Council employee, and this study is being carried out on behalf of Bolton Council and the University of Salford. The data therefore may be shared with Bolton Council. This will only be done in an anonymised way to support the development of climate focused action in Bolton.

The findings from this study will be shared through presentations, written reports and publications.

For the purposes of research, we may use your direct words (quotes) in written reports or presentations but this will be analysed as a group, and you will not be identifiable. Photographs, film footage and/or real names may be included in written reports as a case study, to share the findings and promote the study, but we will ask for your written permission. If you do not wish to have your image included, this is not a problem.

In the focus groups, ‘Chatham house rules’ will be applied where participants will be free to share information which maybe sensitive or personal within focus groups, meetings and interviews however according to the Chatham House rules these details should not be shared outside of the meetings. If information is shared afterwards, participants will be reminded to keep this anonymous and to not identify individual participants. This will be explained at the beginning of these meetings. 

If you disclose information that suggests that you or someone else is at risk of harm, the researcher is obliged to report the matter for the safety of anyone who may be at risk.

For further information about the University’s processing of personal information for research purposes, please follow the link to the University’s Research Privacy Notice: https://www.salford.ac.uk/privacy

13) What will happen if I want to stop being part of the study?

If you withdraw from the study at any time but the data you have contributed to date cannot be removed. It will however be carefully anonymised.

14) What will happen to the results of the research study?

The findings will be published in a journal and shared through local, regional and national networks as presentations and reports. It is intended that the results of the study will also be written up in an open access toolkit to support further community-led climate change action. The findings may also be used as a case study in an Action Research Textbook.

15) Who is organising or sponsoring the research?

This study is funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) as part of their Local Authority Doctoral Fellowship Scheme. The Lead Researcher is a Bolton Council employee and student at the University of Salford. The University of Salford is the Sponsor for the research.

16) Further information and contact details

1. General information about the research – please contact the lead researcher: B.C.OConnor@edu.salford.ac.uk

2. If you would like to know specific information about this study please contact the lead researcher B.C.OConnor@edu.salford.ac.uk or the supervisor, Professor Penny Cook on p.a.cook@salford.ac.uk.

17) Will I be recorded and how will the recorded media be used?

The focus groups and interviews will be recorded through written notes, video and audio and will be used for analysis. For illustrative purposes, film and photos will be used in published reports and specific websites and social media platforms, but only if you have consented for your image to be used. No other use will be made of them without your written permission, and no one outside the project will be allowed access to the original recordings.

Finally

Thank you for taking the time to read this Participant Information Sheet.

You will be able to keep a copy of this Participant Information Sheet for your records.

If you decide to take part in this study, you will be asked to sign a consent form and will be given a copy of this also to keep.  

Participant Information Sheet – Co-researcher V1.0 25052023