Have your say: conversations about weight
These conversations are part of a wider project to help health and care services improve how they communicate, so people feel listened to, respected and supported.
With TCF, we'll be running multiple, small, friendly groups over the coming months across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire - including online options.
You can take part if you are aged 18+ and have personal experience of conversations about weight in health, care or community settings.
We'll be talking about:
- How conversations about weight feel to you
- What language or approaches you have felt were helpful or unhelpful
- What could make these conversations better in future
Plus, you'll receive a £20 high street shopping voucher to thank you for your time!
Focus groups
Please check back regularly for future dates and locations. Information about the dates and times of our focus groups will also be shared on our social media channels.
Kingswood
- Date: Monday 1st June 2026
- Time: 1:30pm - 3pm
Yate
- Date: Wednesday 24th June 2026
- Time: 11am - 1pm
Filwood
- Date: Thursday 25th June 2026
- Time: 1pm - 3pm
Weston-super-Mare, Bournville
- Date: Monday 29th June 2026
- Time: 10:30am - 12pm
Interested in taking part?
Complete our online form: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/qDsuNb1zDj
Or email: info@thecareforum.org.uk for more information.
Why take part?
By sharing your experiences, you can help shape:
- How health and care staff talk about weight
- How services can work with people more respectfully
- Future training and guidance for health and care professionals
We're keen to hear from people from a wide range of backgrounds, including:
- Disabled people
- People with long‑term health conditions
- People from Black and other minoritised ethnic communities
- LGBTQ+ people
- People living in different neighbourhoods across the area
You don’t need any special knowledge or preparation - just your own experiences.
Spread the word! Download our poster below to share with your communities.
Kevin Peltonen-Messenger, CEO of TCF, said:
"Weight stigma has no place in modern health and care. I am proud that TCF, via our Healthwatch services, is leading this initiative. This approach is an important step towards changing the culture embedding empathy, tackling inequalities, and ensuring services work with people, not against them."
Sarah Weld, Director of Public Health, South Gloucestershire Council, said:
"We are committed to finding ways to improve people’s experiences of health and care services and hearing from people in our communities is an important part of this. These conversations will help us to gain a deeper understanding of weight stigma that health and care services can use to ensure that anyone using them feels that they are respected and supported throughout."
