Liverpool occupies an important position in the story of abortion in Ireland. Since the 1970s activist groups in Liverpool have offered accommodation and other support to women travelling from Ireland seeking abortions and Liverpool Women's Hospital is the only health provider directly referenced in political debates on Irish women's right to abortion. However, little is known about the 'Liverpool perspective'. Questions remain over what Irish women travelling to Liverpool experience, how th ey are supported, and their impact on health provision in the city. As a result the full ramifications of the 'abortion traffic' created by the legal restrictions in Northern and Southern Ireland are unclear. This project seeks to address this gap in knowledge. Bringing together historical, sociological and clinical perspectives, it begins a discussion of the Liverpool-Ireland Abortion Corridor as a socio-cultural phenomenon with implications for clinical practice. The funding will suppo rt a small scoping study of the LIAC and four symposia (in Liverpool, Dublin and Belfast) over a period of one year. This will establish an international, cross-disciplinary network and initiate a larger exploration of the historical, medical, socio-spatial, cultural, legal and political contours of the LIAC.

My proposed research will critically examine how the cost-of-living (CoL) crisis affects third sector organisations (TSOs) and their service users, with a focus on the pathways connecting the crisis to mental health and well-being outcomes. Despite extensive research on the impacts and coping mechanism of individuals with the CoL crisis, there is very limited in-depth qualitative information on how this crisis affects TSOs and service users, especially those supporting mental health and wellbeing and how they respond to the challenge. This is crucial for shaping policies, especially since many TSOs are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Using adaptive capacity theory and a framework that link the CoL to health outcomes, this research aims to address this gap, contribute to the discussion on resilience during crises and help inform policy decisions on crisis management. This proposed grant activity builds on my postdoctoral ESRC-funded work with TSOs in Greater Manchester. It draws on a broader network, including TSOs, Edge Hill University’s Centre for Social Responsibility, and the NIHR’s Applied Research Collaboration, the CoREN (Community Research and Engagement Network) based at Lancaster University. This network offers expertise and resources, fostering new collaborations, enhancing co-researcher capacities, and impacting policy and practice.