The community power podcast: Series three

The community power podcast is back – and for series three, we’re delving into the ways communities are fostering pride in their local areas, creating lasting legacies, and embracing the future through innovative projects designed to enhance community life.

Episode 1: Community catalyst – the legacy of Ewanrigg’s We Will campaign  

For episode one of the new series, we caught up with Rebecca and Reece from Ewanrigg Big Local in Cumbria. They talked to us about their We Will campaign, which broke down the stigma around mental health through empowerment and listening. 

Although the We Will campaign has ended, its reverberations can still be felt in Ewanrigg, especially at their community hub, The Centre. Here, a calendar of social events have created a sense of connection, offering residents a place to come together, reducing social isolation and promoting good mental health. 

Meanwhile, many of the young founding members of the We Will campaign have gone on to higher education and work.  

Having grown up with Big Local, Rebecca and Reece share the importance of including young people in driving local change, to make a lasting impact on services and attitudes.  

This episode was recorded at our last ever Big Local Connects event in 2023. You can find out more about We Will on The Centre’s website, and watch their campaign film, boy, on YouTube. 

Episode 2: Better together – reflecting on Villages Together’s Big Local journey

In this episode, we connect with project lead Jon Cousins to delve into the journey of Puriton and Woolavington, the two communities that form Villages Together Big Local in Somerset.

Despite their differences, these communities have shared valuable lessons on addressing some of their toughest challenges, including isolation, a lack of spaces for young families, and anti-social behaviour.

By engaging in thorough consultations to understand their community’s needs, they’ve developed solutions to transform their area, including refurbishing their pavilion – which now houses a boxing gym – and creating a new football club.

Recorded at our final Big Local Connects event in 2023, this episode highlights the power of communities when they’re supported to take ownership of local challenges and opportunities.

Episode 3: A growing legacy – Winterton’s journey to a community orchard

A historic rural former market town, Winterton has always prided itself on being clean and green.

Now, after working towards becoming an Incredible Edible community – where residents unite to grow and foster lasting connections through food – Winterton Big Local has taken a significant step towards realising its dream of creating a community orchard.

In this episode we speak to Kerrie Prowting, Winterton Big Local’s coordinator, and local resident Sarah Hussey about their journey towards breaking ground on the orchard.

As well as producing apples, pears, plums (and more!), the five-acre orchard will provide a habitat for wildlife. And as a shared community space, it will offer residents a place to gather and take part in volunteering opportunities – creating a shared sense of ownership and a lasting legacy for years to come.

Episode 4: Building community and combating loneliness – the impact of Tonge with the Haulgh’s Men’s Shed

In this week’s episode we speak to Jeff, Neil, Steve and Danny from Tonge with the Haulgh’s Men’s Shed project. The initiative connects retired men, offering them opportunities to work on projects, learn new skills and socialise – as well as providing essential social support, addressing loneliness and improving mental health.

Despite being called a ‘men’s shed’, the group aims to attract younger members and welcomes women as well – with a women’s only art group offering a safe space for women to socialise.

In partnership with their local church, the Men’s Shed project has launched additional community initiatives, including a gardening project with a beehive for honey production, an over-50s lunch club, a community café and a learning hub, helping to prevent isolation and giving members a sense of purpose and community.

Get inspiration to visit or start your own local Men’s Shed and discover our community action plan to help tackle loneliness and isolation in your community.

Episode 5: Thinking outside the box – exploring a Universal Basic Income pilot

In June 2023, Grange Big Local in East Finchley, London, and Big Local Jarrow in South Tyneside, launched a Universal Basic Income (UBI) pilot scheme.

Aimed at addressing issues faced by local residents, the scheme would examine the impact of UBI on health, wellbeing and economic outcomes, while also advocating for UBI as a national policy solution. The innovative scheme was developed in consultation with local residents, to shape what could become the first UBI trial in England.

In this episode, we speak to Julia Hines from Grange Big Local and Cleo Goodman from Basic Income Conversation about the initiative and their hopes for securing funding to get the pilot off the ground. They discuss the practicalities of a UBI and how it could address basic needs, and provide security and support for those facing financial difficulties or who have taken on caregiving responsibilities.

Read more about the pilot in the Big Local basic income proposal report.

Episode 6: A dream 12 years in the making – reflecting on Mossley Big Local’s community hub journey

In this episode, we catch up with Mike, Gary and Angela, as they reflect on their 12-year journey with Mossley Big Local, located in Walsall in the Black Country.

We learn about the important role Mossley’s community hub has played in bringing the estate together and rebuilding a sense of community spirit. Mike also shares insights into the estate’s history before the Big Local funding.

Along its journey, Mossley Big Local has empowered the estate to flourish. Now, Mike, Gary and Angela hope to extend this legacy long after the end of the Big Local programme.

They discuss their plans for the future, including continuing the work of their Big Local as a new registered charity – which they hope will open even more doors and keep activities running at the Mossley hub for everyone in the community to enjoy.

Episode 7: Art, action and legacy – the transformation of Chatham through Arches Big Local

Nestled in Arches in Chatham, Kent, you’ll find a series of striking murals adorning the town – one of them being a radioactive cabbage surrounded by men in hazmat suits.

To uncover the story behind these murals and learn more about Arches Big Local, we spoke to co-chair Kate Mechedou. Kate, who got involved in the programme after discovering the Arches community hub and its art group, shines a light on how the partnership commissioned the murals and how they’ve helped to address anti-social behaviour in the community.

As well as the murals, Arches Big Local has actively engaged young people through impactful initiatives like the ‘Fit and Fed’ project, which offers sports activities and nutritious meals for children during the school holidays.

They’ve also successfully secured additional funding, including from the Levelling Up Fund, allowing them to maintain flower baskets in the local area and revamp the local Luton Millennium Green – helping to secure a lasting legacy of community-driven improvements.

Episode 8: Destination Dover – entrepreneurship in action with Dover Big Local

Dover is known for its white cliffs and rich history, but it has also faced economic and community engagement challenges.  

In this episode Anita Luckett, chair of Dover Big Local, shares how they have transformed the town through local entrepreneurship and small business development – from revitalising the London Road high street to broader collaborations with local authorities, cultural organisations and businesses. 

Combining Big Local funding with community insights, Dover Big Local has developed projects around economic opportunities, health, arts, and green spaces. They’ve supported self-employment and developed accessible pathways for residents facing barriers to traditional forms of work.  

Meanwhile, their Destination Dover project aimed to shift the town’s image from transit point to true destination. Looking ahead, they plan to build on their legacy of community empowerment and resilience, continuing their work beyond the Big Local programme. 

More episodes will be made available over the coming months.

Listen to more episodes

Listen back to our earlier series of the community power podcast and follow the journey of Big Local areas since March 2022. 

In series one, we’d just emerged from the third national lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, and many Big Local areas were still delivering emergency support to their communities. 

Fast forward to series two and community groups were responding to the cost of living crisis – stepping up once again to provide emergency food, fuel and mental health support to their local areas.