In a climate of fiscal constraint and cuts to public spending, it is more important than ever to demonstrate the effectiveness of learning programmes. The author carried out an action research project within Norfolk County Council's adult community learning service, where she works as a tutor, with the aim of increasing the impact of reminiscence training for care workers. The research threw up a number of challenges, from applying for funding to getting colleagues on board. In this article, the author considers some of the challenges facing this kind of research.