Local Trust Podcast

In the final episode of series three of the community power podcast, host Chris Allen sits down with Local Trust’s chief executive, Matt Leach, to reflect on the Big Local areas featured throughout the series. Matt shares his insights into the evolution of these communities and what makes each area distinct – highlighting the unique stories that define Big Local, its impact and legacy.

In 2016, Welsh House Farm Big Local in Birmingham established a women’s diaspora group, to provide a safe and supportive space for women who had migrated to the UK. Initially, the group aimed to combat feelings of loneliness and cultural disconnection by bringing women together to share their experiences and enjoy communal spaces. In this episode we hear how the group has flourished, welcoming women from countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Poland. Through shared stories, mutual support and friendship, the group has become a cornerstone of their lives—offering not just a network, but a sense of belonging. Looking to the future, the group are determined to sustain their work beyond Big Local. Their plans include fostering cultural exchange, enhancing language learning opportunities and expanding community engagement, to continue bridging divides and celebrating diversity.

In this episode, we speak with resident and volunteer Sally Ricketts and project coordinator Tanya Vice, from Heart of Sidley Big Local in Hertfordshire. Heart of Sidley has a strong sense of community, but hidden challenges lie beneath the surface – in particular, food poverty. To help address this, Heart of Sidley Big Local introduced a voucher programme, to help local people access food and other essential items. The initiative has been particularly impactful for those who are not eligible for benefits, providing much needed support. The programme not only fosters community connections, it also supports local businesses and helps reduce the stigma associated with seeking assistance. In this conversation, we explore how the initiative has improved the mental health of local residents, highlighting the transformative power of empathy and community-driven support.

Dover is known for its white cliffs and rich history, but it has also faced economic and community engagement challenges. In this episode, chair Anita Luca shares how Dover Big Local has 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 employment. Meanwhile, their Destination Dover project aimed to shift Dover’s image from transit point to true destination. Looking ahead, the area has plans to build on their legacy of community empowerment and resilience, continuing their work beyond the Big Local programme.

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 improvemen

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.

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, here: https://autonomy.work/portfolio/basic-income-big-l

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. If you would like to visit or start your own local Men’s Shed, please go here: https://menssheds.org.uk/

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.

In this episode, we connect with John Cousins to delve into the journey of Sompton and Woolavington, the two communities that form Villages Together Big Local. Despite their differences, these communities have shared valuable lessons on addressing some of their toughest challenges, including isolation, 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 1: The Legacy of Ewanrigg’s We Will Campaign by Local Trust

In this episode of Don’t Get Any Ideas, Heather and George travel virtually to Cornwall to catch up with Jayne Downing to find out what the people of Par Bay did as part of Creative Civic Change. A poet herself, Jayne was a driving force behind ‘Poetry from Par Bay’ – a book created in 2020 as part of the Covid and Beyond Project with poetry from the local community. During lockdown Jayne teamed up with George to create a Cross-Pollination Poetry Open Mic Night that, on Zoom, united poets from Pay Bay and Corby. Guests: Jayne Downing, Artist Hosts: Heather Peak, Artist and Critical Friend George Hill, Artist and Co-chair of Don’t Get Any Ideas

In this episode of Don’t Get any Ideas, Heather and George travel to Stoke to visit the Portland Inn Project to learn about how to imagine as a community what the next century might look like and whether the Portland Inn Project is successful in it’s application to Arts Council England to be one of it’s regularly funded organisations. Guests: Rebecca Davies, Artist Anna Francis, Artist Hosts: Heather Peak, Artist and Critical Friend George Hill, Artist and Co-chair of Don’t Get Any Ideas

In this episode of Don’t Get any Ideas, Heather and George travel to East Marsh in Grimsby to meet Josie Moon, local resident, community activist, writer, artist and choir leader. Tucked away in the local market they discuss how Josie looks for the light in bleak times. Guest: Josie Moon, Community Activist, artist, writer and choir leader Hosts: Heather Peak, Artist and Critical Friend George Hill, Artist and Co-chair of Don’t Get Any Ideas

In this episode of Don't Get Any Ideas, Heather and George travel to Walthamstow to visit William Morris Big Local who have working with local art group Wood Street Walls to discuss holding onto creative community spaces in London. Guests: Gabriel Edwards, Project Lead at William Morris Big Local Georgia Bonfield, Program Manager at William Morris Big Local Hosts: Heather Peak, Artist and Critical Friend George Hill, Artist and Co-chair of Don’t Get Any Ideas

For the last episode of series two of The community power podcast, we talk to the chair of Scotlands Bushbury Hill Big Local who was awarded an MBE last year for her outstanding service in and to the community. She chats to Chris about her 11-year Big Local journey, including the difference between what she imagined she and her community would be able to achieve when they started compared to where they are today. Read more about the work of Karen and her fellow 'pink ladies' here: https://localtrust.org.uk/news-and-stories/voices-of-big-local/the-pink-ladies-of-scotlands-and-bushbury-hill/ And for more resident-led Big Local stories, you can visit our website here: https://localtrust.org.uk/news-and-stories/voices-of-big-local/ The Community Power Podcast is brought to you by Local Trust, produced by Beth Lazenby and hosted by Chris Allen.

When Sue Merriman, worker at Brereton Million Big Local, first took their idea of a wellbeing campaign to the district council they weren't convinced it was possible. Two years later, they've worked together to launch a free health and wellbeing app which takes users through eight aspects of wellbeing and points them towards local providers that can support them. In this episode, Sue talks us through how the app came, as well as the more specific and dedicated work she's provided to support the wellbeing of young people in the community after losing local youth services. You can find our more and download the Cannock Chase CAN app here: https://cannockchasecan.co.uk/ And find out more about Brereton Million Big Local's work here: https://www.breretonmillion.co.uk/ The Community Power Podcast is brought to you by Local Trust, produced by Beth Lazenby and hosted by Chris Allen.

John went from writing fairy stories for his daughter, to being given homework at the age of 76 as part of a local writing group. Now, he's one of several locally published authors who've come through the Firs and Bromford Big Local writing group. We chat to John, author of 'It's been reported', and fellow author and leader of the writing club Phil, about sparking imaginations, the power of good friendships, and how simple it really is to make art accessible to everyone. John Brookes-Wiggitt and Phil Howkins are both partnership members of Firs & Bromford Big Local. You can order John's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ITS-BEEN-REPORTED-belly-laugh/dp/B0BHMP6H8X/ref=sr_1_fkmr3_1?crid=3S455WFYM26SD&keywords=it%27s+been+reported+john+brooks+wigget&qid=1678290731&s=books&sprefix=it+s+been+reported+john+brooks+wigget%2Cstripbooks%2C73&sr=1-1-fkmr3

In this episode, we explore the unexpected power of pom poms with Dave Roberts and Shona Gilsenan, who are both workers at East Coseley Big Local. They tell us all about their simple and creative project Pom-Poms 4 Loneliness. On a mission to end loneliness, this project is creating impressive and far-reaching ripple effects - including an increasing amount of social prescribing referrals from local GPs. Follow Pom-Poms 4 Loneliness on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/pompoms4loneliness And find out more about East Coseley Big Local's work here: https://www.eastcoseleybiglocal.net/ The Community Power Podcast is brought to you by Local Trust, produced by Beth Lazenby and hosted by Chris Allen.

From supporting food services out of a bus to transforming an old police station into a community hub, there's a few things Eastern Sheppey Big Local know about creating valuable community spaces. In this episode of The community power podcast, we chat to Daniel Perriam and Emma Dunnicliffe about how they got involved with Eastern Sheppey Big Local, the impact their work has had on the community and the confidence boost they've got from being a part of Big Local. You can find out more about Big Local Eastern Sheppey's work here: https://www.biglocaleasternsheppey.com/ As always, the Community Power Podcast is brought to you by Local Trust, produced by Beth Lazenby and hosted by Chris Allen. As always, the Community Power Podcast is brought to you by Local Trust, produced by Beth Lazenby and hosted by Chris Allen.