What Big Local stories teach us about community-led change

Across Big Local areas, stories of change are often found in the relationships built, the confidence gained and the small moments that bring people together. In this blog, Kayla Jones, the host of our Community Pride Podcast, reflects on what she learned from capturing these stories and how small moments and shared experiences come together to shape lasting community pride.

I’ve always loved podcasts for the way they bring stories to life, making you feel like you’re right there in the moment. As a researcher, I wanted to bring that same sense of immersion to the stories emerging from Big Local communities. 

What I discovered was that the most important changes weren’t always the most visible. They were found in the confidence people built, the relationships they formed, and the way communities began to see themselves differently. 

I knew that podcasting could breathe life into Big Local experiences, turning a decade of community stories into a tapestry of human connection. That’s why I took the opportunity to host the Community Pride podcast, creating a space where Big Local stories can be easily shared. 

It was daunting at first. Most people I interviewed had been living and breathing this work for years. Here I was, the “new person” with a microphone. But I soon realised that being an outsider was actually a great strength. I could go on this journey with the listener, discovering just how unique the Big Local programme has been to communities across England. 

What I’ve learned is that community power rarely starts with a sweeping change. It begins in smaller ways, like a walking group, a coffee morning or an english language class.”

What community power looks like in practice

Two episodes in particular—Pride in Community Power and Pride in the Past—have stayed with me since the project finished. It’s great to see tangible changes because of Big Local funding: a specific building saved, a new playground funded, or a grant to a local group. But what I found was that the real transformations lived in the individual stories of growth and the experiences of community connection. 

Members of the community taking part in the pond dipping event in Chinbrook Meadows. Photo: Anne Slater

In Episode 2 on community power, I spoke with Anne about CHART (Chinbrook Action Residents Team) about all the ways Big Local funding had made an impact on her local area. What I’ve learned is that community power rarely starts with a sweeping change. It begins in smaller ways, like a walking group, a coffee morning, or an English language class. Anne told me about a woman who started in a gentle walking group who ended up leading food banks. These small connections build the confidence needed to reshape a community’s future.  

It was a huge moment to see that when residents were given more power over their communities, they became the experts. Whether it was learning how to navigate systems, access support, or advocate for change there was a clear sense that knowledge unlocks momentum. Time and again, I heard about the importance of residents being listened to and feeling both capable and like they could take action in their own lives and communities. 

In Pride in the Past, speaking with Katy from Boston Big Local, I was struck by how powerful it can be for residents to reconnect with local history. In a growing town with a complex history, looking to the past became a way for long-standing residents and newer communities to find shared ground. Boston had created a Boston Monopoly Board and Top Trumps cards as a way for residents to become more familiar with local landmarks, and a “Story in Stitch” project created a large tapestry where residents were able to connect across generations and backgrounds through shared craft. 

Monopoly board celebrating Central Boston

I loved hearing Katy tell the story of how that Monopoly idea started — over a casual conversation at a pub quiz. It was a great reminder that the most transformative community projects often spark during ordinary moments of everyday connection. 

What these stories tell us about community led change

The Story in Stitch project felt like a perfect metaphor for what I’ve seen throughout the podcast: individual contributors coming together to create something bigger. It is a living story that continues to evolve, showing us that while one thread might seem small, when woven together it creates something powerful. 

While many of the chats I had were about the triumphs of Big Local, I also heard honest conversations about the challenges. Community-led change is not straightforward. It’s sometimes messy, time intensive, and doesn’t always lead to perfect outcomes. But there was a shared understanding that even the missteps and the projects that didn’t go perfectly to plan were all part of the story I was weaving about Community Pride.  

Community pride isn’t just about changing places. It’s about changing how people feel about those places and their role within them.”

Hosting the Community Pride Podcast has, in many ways, changed how I see the places around me and the people within them. What I didn’t fully anticipate was how much of the story would live in the quieter moments, confidence built, connections formed, and identities reshaped over time, bringing about pride in local communities. 

Podcasts are uniquely intimate and often packed with a whole range of emotions. You get to hear genuine laughter, the catch in someone’s voice when they’re talking about something difficult. They’re close conversations that make you feel like you’re sitting right there in the room. 

Listen to the community pride podcast

I’ve been incredibly lucky to be the one to capture these stories and weave them together, creating a space where listeners feel what it was like to be in these communities and connect with these individuals on a personal level. 

If you haven’t listened to the Community Pride Podcast, I’d encourage you to dive in.  

It’s a glimpse into what happens when people are given the tools and the time to shape their own futures. It has been a genuine privilege to host these conversations. They’re a reminder that community pride isn’t just about changing places — it’s about changing how people feel about those places and their role within them.

Find out more and listen to all episodes of the Community Pride Podcast on our new website Learning from Big Local.