Spotlight

London-Wide Web Gathering in Newham

Hope is something we build together. On 23 September, Community Asset Developers (CADs) and allies gathered at REinsTate in Newham for Hope - an afternoon of sharing food, ideas and experiences, and building London’s growing web of CADs. The idea came from our first London-Wide Web gathering, where London-based CADs had expressed a desire to connect beyond individual projects: to learn from one another, find solidarity and explore what we could do together. Image caption: ove

Peers and local Hastings innovators (Black Butterfly, Hastings Rental Health and Afri Collab) on the Hastings promenade / sea front.

From Footholds to Futures: our first People and Place impact story

What does a year of backing community innovators actually look like, once you put it all in one place? From Grimsby to Plymouth, Haggerston to Sheffield, this is the story of what happened when they were backed with a grant, a mentor, and a peer group who understood exactly what they were up against.

team standing outside the bulls inn in Totnes

Roots, Reset and Radical Care: One Year Into Our Civic Partnership

"For me, this time of year is precious. It's a chance to come together as a team, take a well-earned breather, laugh (a lot), reflect and appreciate what we've navigated so far, and recharge for the next chapter of the year. A little rest, a little reflection, a little ridiculousness - the perfect reset." - Naomi

Meet the Mentors & Peer Supporters for People & Place: Camden

"It's inspiring and invigorating to be among people who DO THINGS." Caitlin Strongarm, Old Diorama Arts Centre In January, the 17 People and Place Camden community innovators began working with the Footwork team to be carefully matched with a mentor or peer supporter, who will walk alongside them this year – collaborating to tackle key strategic challenges they’re coming up against in their work. This might include business planning for long-term sustainability, developing f

Mentor Spotlight: ARUP and West Marsh Development Trust

Building momentum for community-led housing in Grimsby. In West Marsh, Grimsby, more than 300 homes sit empty while thousands of people remain on the housing waiting list. Many residents have lived with the consequences of poor-quality housing for years: damp, mould, spiralling energy costs, absentee landlords and homes left to deteriorate. Alan Burley and Neil Barber, local residents from West Marsh Development Trust, decided they didn’t want to simply campaign around the pr

Community-led space in action - and the councils backing it (People and Place: Camden visits Leytonstone)

Tucked away on a residential road in East London, just off Leytonstone High Road, there’s a vibrant hub of coworking, community and culture. Good Shepherd Studios has been lovingly brought back to life by a local group of residents after the threat of demolition. It sits within a cherished century-old community site called Pastures.

Local Power and Community Space: Inside the East End Trades Guild Meet-Up

East End Trades Guild's Meet the Members gathering of independent businesses, makers, traders and self-employed grafters who keep London’s East End thriving.