This paper summarises a 12-week patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) project to gather local perspectives on maternal health research in coastal and adjoining post-industrial rural communities. Building on partnerships established through the Born and Bred in (BaBi) project, this work engaged parents across coastal North Yorkshire to identify research priorities and explore barriers to health and participation. Supported by the Institute for Health and Care Improvement (IHCI) and Scarborough Health and Coastal Research Collaborative (SHaRC), it aimed to amplify community voices around pre-pregnancy health, pregnancy experiences and postnatal support — particularly breastfeeding. It also sought to inform a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) doctoral award proposal, focused on reducing coastal health inequalities.

Five sessions were held in trusted community settings, including parent and baby groups and community kitchens across Whitby, Scarborough (central and Eastfield), Filey and Bridlington, between May and July 2025. All study materials, including posters, participant information sheets and discussion guides were co-designed with community representatives to enhance accessibility and relevance. Although resources limited the production of translated or alternative formats, this was identified as an essential priority for future work.