A mention in the Guardian

Yesterday an article was published in the Guardian:
'How data science is helping charities to fight hunger in the UK'

I have provided the link above for you to read the whole article and have provided a few exerts below, including a plug for Pro Bono O.R.

'Over the past 18 months, the Trussell Trust has been working with researchers from Hull University Business School and social innovation agency AAM Associates to explore how new technologies can help them to fight UK hunger.


With data science firm Coppelia recruited to the project, and having taken advice directly from the Information Commissioner’s Office on appropriate data security, the initial analysis highlighted some noticeable regional variations and delivery patterns year on year.


A mapping tool was used to show how the trust’s users are distributed geographically. Heat maps showing demand – the darker the colour, the greater the demand – have allowed us to visualise regional patterns of need.


For charities – especially those on the frontline helping people in crisis – this project highlights the importance of collecting data, and how the potential for aligning open data sets (a charge led well by the Open Data Institute) with that data is rapidly becoming a reality.

Data scientists can be expensive, but data-hungry academics are always looking for frontline partnerships, and bodies such as the OR Society run great pro-bono programmes to help.'

Thank you to Andy Hamflett, Co-founder and director of AAM Associates, for giving us a mention!