ACORN capacity building and activities are structured around four alcohol policy research themes: (1) Price; (2) Availability; (3) Marketing & (4) Politics/Policymaking.  The launch event, held on Thursday 29th April 2021, was structured around breakout sessions on each theme with introductory presentations followed by an opportunity for attendees to share and discuss their current research activities or interests related to that theme and ‘meet’ others. Each attendee was able to attend two themes.

Watch the presentations from our AcoRN launch event by leads Prof. Joe Barry and Prof. Niamh Fitzgerald. Prof. Barry describes the background to the network and our intentions, whilst Prof. Fitzgerald goes through the planned activities of the network and steering group, and how people can get involved.

Over 60 people from across the UK and Ireland attended the launch event. The programme was as follows:

13:00   Welcome by Chair, Suzanne Costello, Institute of Public Health in Ireland

13.05   Introduction to ACORN led by Prof. Joe Barry, Trinity College Dublin (ACORN Co-PI)

13:20   Breakout Session 1 – each attendee to attend one of the following:

Alcohol Pricing Research led by Colin Angus, Senior Research Fellow, University of Sheffield
Alcohol Availability Research led by Prof. Niamh Shortt, Professor of Health Geographies, University of Edinburgh
Alcohol Marketing Research led by Dr. Pat Kenny, Technological University Dublin
Alcohol Policy – Politics/Policymaking Research led Dr. Matt Lesch, Research Fellow, University of York

14.05   Comfort break

14:10   Breakout Session 2 – each attendee to attend a second theme as above.

14:55   Comfort break

15:00   Feedback from breakout sessions, open discussion

15:35   Network Activities & Plans: Presentation, Discussion, Suggestions, Q&A led by Prof. Niamh Fitzgerald, University of Stirling (ACORN Co-PI)

16:00   Close