Growing Financial Wellbeing Together: A Family Walk, Talk & Read Experience

Join us at Martineau Gardens on Thursday 29 October 2026 between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm

for an engaging, family-friendly event exploring financial wellbeing.

The event will begin with a short welcome and introduction, followed by two parallel activities (approximately 60 minutes).

Adults will take part in a guided learning walk through the Gardens, engaging in informal discussions with researchers and PhD students from Aston University's Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing (CPFW) on money management, financial resilience, and everyday financial challenges.

At the same time, children will enjoy their own guided learning walk and interactive workshops.

The event will conclude with a 30-minute storytelling session in the main tent, where children's author Rumbidzai Mutopo will read from her books ‘Needs and Wants’ and ‘Save It. Keep It. Give It Away’, introducing key financial concepts through engaging, age-appropriate stories.

The event will finish with an opportunity for families to come together, reflect on their experiences, and continue conversations with researchers in an informal setting.

This interactive family event explores financial wellbeing and resilience through activities designed for both adults and children.

Participants will have the opportunity to discuss everyday financial challenges with researchers from Aston University's Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing (CPFW), while children will discover key money concepts through engaging workshops and storytelling.

The event will explore questions such as:

What does financial wellbeing mean?

How can families build healthy financial habits?

How can we help children develop positive attitudes towards money from an early age?

Attendees will gain practical insights, share their experiences, and contribute to discussions that inform research on financial wellbeing, while enjoying a relaxed and welcoming environment at Martineau Gardens.

Dr Chiara Donegani will run the event in collaboration with researchers from the Aston Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing (CPFW), including Prof. Andy Lymer, Dr Hayley James, Dr Lin Tiang, Dr Amir Allam, Dr Mahmoud Elmarzouky, DBA student Shuayb Mohamed, and PhD students Sedinam Ameku and Tobiloba Afolabi.

Mr Dixon Wong from the CPFW will coordinate the event and oversee its organisation, providing practical and logistical support throughout.

Dr Hayley James and Dr Chiara Donegani, both of whom hold current DBS checks, will lead the children's ‘Walk & Read’ activity alongside children's author Mrs Rumbidzai Mutopo, who will deliver the storytelling session.

Volunteers from Martineau Gardens will support the event by facilitating guided walks around the Gardens. They will also run the following two workshops:

Gardening on a Budget: a hands-on session for gardeners looking to grow on a budget. From cuttings to compost, this session will introduce participants to cost-effective ways to help their gardens thrive, whether they're growing plants in pots on a windowsill or cultivating a larger garden space.

Nature maths: an exploration of the numbers of nature around the beautiful gardens and woodland, including measuring tree ages and pond dipping.

This will help to create an engaging and enjoyable experience for participants while enabling adults and children to take part in their respective activities.

The event is open to all members of the public, with a particular focus on families with primary school-aged children.

Adults, parents, carers, grandparents, and children are all welcome to attend.

The activities are designed to encourage intergenerational learning and conversation, making the event accessible and engaging for participants of all ages and backgrounds.

The event is open to everyone but is particularly aimed at families with primary school-aged children, parents, carers, and grandparents.

It will be of particular interest to families wishing to develop positive financial habits together, as well as those living in communities facing financial pressures.

Through its partnership with Martineau Gardens, the event will also reach families from underserved communities, including those from Balsall Heath, newly arrived families, families living in temporary accommodation, and children and young people with limited access to green spaces.

Scheduling the event during the October half-term is intended to make it easier for families to attend together.

48 hours before the event starts or before when we reach 60 tickets sold (for free).