In this blog series we will be featuring our award winners and highly commended recipients from the Faculty’s ‘Outstanding Contribution to PPIE’ awards. The awards showcase inspirational and outstanding commitment to PPIE that has made a positive difference to our community and highlights the amazing events, activities, people and groups from across the Faculty.  

Our latest blog in this series features Cloudy with a Chance of Pain, a research team who led public engagement campaigns to highlight the impact of weather on chronic pain conditions. The team were highly commended in the public engagement category at the 2024 PPIE Awards. 

Launched in 2016, Cloudy with a Chance of Pain set out to explore a question long asked by people living with chronic pain: does the weather affect how we feel? Over 13,000 participants across the UK contributed to the study by logging their daily pain levels via a smartphone app over a 15-month period. By linking GPS data from participants’ phones to local weather conditions, researchers uncovered a compelling connection; pain levels significantly increased on days with higher humidity, lower atmospheric pressure, and stronger winds. 

The project’s success also went far beyond its scientific findings. The team behind Cloudy with a Chance of Pain placed public involvement at the heart of their work. From interactive newsletters and online data visualisations to appearances at the Cheltenham Science Festival, the study created multiple avenues for participants and the public to engage with the research. 

Arthur the Pain Mannequin in Albert Square

A standout moment came during Manchester Day, where the project transformed Albert Square into a vibrant hub of creativity and conversation. A towering 7-metre-high metal frame held “Arthur the Pain Mannequin,” symbolising the experience of being “caged by pain.” Visitors contributed pieces of fabric representing their pain, which acrobats then attached to Arthur in a powerful aerial performance.  

A second interactive exhibit was built alongside in Albert Square: an immersive walkway to visualise the shifting relationship between pain and temperature, designed by New York collaborators The Office for Creative Research. Inside Manchester Town Hall, a Pain Listening Booth invited people to share their stories, while giant touchscreens allowed visitors to explore real-time pain and weather data.  

The event reached over 1,100 people, with 96% reporting increased understanding of citizen science and 87% expressing interest in future participation. This deep engagement continued after the study’s conclusion, with a network of “Cloudy Champions” helping to share findings through nearly 1,000 media features, including appearances on BBC Breakfast and The One Show. 

Participants received personalised visualisations of their data, and the public could explore the study’s findings through interactive tools on the Cloudy website. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive – many people living with pain felt validated, and the research lent credibility to their lived experiences. 

Cloudy with a Chance of Pain continues to spark global conversation and media interest. Its recognition at the 2024 PPIE Awards is a testament to the power of citizen science, creative engagement, and the importance of listening to those at the heart of research. 

Find out more:

• Cloudy with a Chance of Pain website

To find out more about PPIE: watch our short film, sign up to the monthly Public Engagement Digest, visit the PPIE blog, or contact srbmh@manchester.ac.uk.      

To read more about other PPIE Award winners visit here. 

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