UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning & Advanced Computing

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Data Aid

DataAid united the analytical skills and expertise of PhD students in the Data Intensive CDT and the AIMLAC CDT with charities in need of data support to generate valuable new insights and perspectives on the data they hold. The DataAid programme ran two-day events attended by the CDT student cohorts and charity partners. The first day saw a team of analysts working on a series of data questions and challenges posed by the charity partners and the second provided an opportunity to feed back the key findings. Each event was setup to have up to three charity partners, who were selected based on the merit of their questions and the potential to make a social impact by addressing them.

A presentation summarising the first year can be found here.

DataAid was the student driven programme which united the analytical skills and expertise of PhD students in the AIMLAC CDT and PhD students from our partner universities, with charities in need of data support to generate valuable new insights and perspectives on the data they hold. “It was fantastic to be able to implement what we have learned on our course and be able to help charities! We improved our current skills, as well as developing our communication, leadership, and organisation skills”. —AIMLAC student 14-15th March 2026. AIMLAC students worked in partnership with 'Bread and Butter Thing' who distribute high quality surplus food to thousands of families each week in over 155 community locations around the UK. Committee member Diaa Habibi said: “DataAid was a fantastic opportunity to apply data analytics to a real social challenge. The Bread and Butter Thing's mission of reducing food wastage and helping disadvantaged families access affordable food made this year's DataAid event particularly meaningful. It was great to see PhD students with different backgrounds quickly form effective teams and, in less than just two days, produce results that could have a real impact. Working along with TBBT’s CEO, Vic Harper, the volunteers gained valuable experience, and the charity received insights that could help them better support families in communities around the UK.”

DataAid events:

DataAid's debut event took place on January 21 and 22, 2021, and supported the following three charities: The Fairtrade Foundation, The Diana Award and Chance to Shine. See here for a press release.

The second DataAid event took place on March 30 and 31, 2022, and supported the following three charities: Go Beyond, Carers Trust and SERICC.

The third DataAid event took place on March 14 and 15, 2023, and supported the following three charities: InKind Direct, Magic Breakfast and SUDEP.

The fourth DataAid event took place on May 15 and 16, 2024, and supported the following two charities: OnSide and ReThink

The fifth DataAid event took place on May 21 and 22, 2025, and supported the following two charities: The Nelson trust and Social Mobility Foundation

The sixth DataAid event took place on March 14 and 15 2026 and supported the charity Bread and Butter Thing.

Data Aid committee (over the years):

Benjamin Henderson, Hattie Stewart, Tonicha Crook, Cory Thomas, Natalia Sikora, Ben Winter, Fergus Baker, Rebecca Rees, Luke Golby, Diaa Habibi, Rhys Shaw