Community business case studies

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COMMUNITY BUSINESS WORKS

357

We have helped move lots of community projects from idea to inspiration in the last 12 months.

One goal

Strengthen communities through community business.

280,570

local people benefited from the community businesses we support

£3m

in total grants to community businesses

Heeley Trust

Heeley Trust

Sheffield-based charity, The Heeley Trust, owns and manages multiple community-owned spaces across Heeley and Meersbrook as well as community bike shop, A Different Gear.
Witton Lodge Community Association

Witton Lodge Community Association

Community anchor organisation in Birmingham, providing over 200 affordable homes for local residents. They transformed derelict land into useable green space and turned the old park keepers cottage into an eco community facility, reducing energy costs by 55%
Fordhall Farm

Fordhall Farm

England's first community-owned, chemical-free farm in Shropshire. Educates on sustainable farming and supports local communities.
Heart of BS13

Heart of BS13

Anchor community organisation tackling climate change and socio-economic issues in a deprived area of Bristol
The Winch

The Winch

Once a derelict pub, repurposed by residents into a thriving youth centre, community hub and library
Bristol City Funds

Bristol City Funds

In 2018, Power to Change joined forces with Bristol and Bath Regional Capital, Big Society Capital, and Bristol City Council to create and co-fund a first-of-its-kind blended fund for Bristol.
Empowering Places

Empowering Places

Empowering Places was a unique five-year programme designed by Power to Change to explore ways in which ‘locally rooted’ anchor organisations, operating in areas of high deprivation, could be supported to ‘catalyse’ new community businesses. The programme hypothesised that this, in turn, would contribute to an overarching vision of more prosperous places, with more jobs and opportunities for local people.
Kindred in Liverpool City Region

Kindred in Liverpool City Region

In 2019, we teamed up with Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and local social economy leaders to form Kindred, an independent CIC providing repayable, interest-free money to STOs.
Wings

Wings

A platform for delivery riders, society, and the environment.
Revved Up

Revved Up

A community business for young people, designed by young people. Revved Up provides employment opportunities alongside engaging activities for local young people.
Global Grooves

Global Grooves

After a devastating fire in 2018, this long-established arts organisation came back stronger than ever to establish the Northern Carnival Centre of Excellence.
Coalville CAN

Coalville CAN

“Levelling the playing field” by offering free resource packs for positive thinking, this community business is now trying to place town centre buildings in the hands of Coalville’s community.
Blackfen Community Library

Blackfen Community Library

Blackfen Community Library is a community hub in Sidcup offering valuable services for local children and young people to improve their wellbeing and confidence.
Kitty’s Laundrette

Kitty’s Laundrette

Founded on an ethos of radical inclusivity and responsibility, Kitty's Laundrette enables its young co-operative members to take control of both their and their organisation's work.
Kirklees Local TV

Kirklees Local TV

Harnessing the power of film to tell hidden stories, Kirklees Local TV is an internet-based TV station that provides a platform for young people to grow their confidence and agency.
October Books

October Books

Founded in the 1970s, radical co-operative bookshop, October Books in Southampton has expanded its reach to a new generation of young members and leaders.
Odd Arts

Odd Arts

Being led by local young people's ideas and experiences is foundational to how Odd Arts uses theatre to transform lives in Moss Side, Manchester, and beyond.
The Platform Café

The Platform Café

As a space for community connection, The Platform Café in London provides a patient and understanding place for its young staff to grow.
Projekts MCR

Projekts MCR

Projekts MCR is a community space in Manchester for young people and their families to skate, learn new skills and socialise.

Repowering London

Empowering young Londoners through renewable energy projects, Repowering London puts all generations and communities at the heart of our energy system.

Storeroom2010

Furniture reuse organisation, Storeroom2010 offers much-needed training and employment opportunities for local young people on the Isle of Wight.
The Thorold

The Thorold

Community-owned pub The Thorold in rural Lincolnshire is acting as an entry point into work for a new generation of young residents.
Giroscope

Giroscope

Founded by a group of young radicals in Hull in the 1980s, Giroscope’s self-help housing is regenerating the neighbourhood with a new generation of young people.
BlueJam Arts

BlueJam Arts

BlueJam Arts is a dynamic hub for intergenerational music and arts in rural Cumbria which puts young people in the lead of its programmes and operations, and their own creative potential.
Bristol Co-operative Gym

Bristol Co-operative Gym

Accessible, affordable, and inclusive, Bristol Co-operative Gym is founded by millennials, run by its members, and designed to strengthen everyone in the community.
Coexist Community Kitchen

Coexist Community Kitchen

Coexist Community Kitchen offers a vibrant, welcoming space in central Bristol for people of all ages to find dignity and confidence through cooking.
People Dem Collective

People Dem Collective

From a living room meet up to plans to take over a five-story building, People Dem Collective are proudly taking up space in Margate.
Future Yard

Future Yard

A brand new community venue in one of the country’s most deprived wards exists as a template for how contemporary music venues can be run while proudly proclaiming: The Future is Birkenhead.
The Anglers Rest

The Anglers Rest

The Anglers Rest was saved from closure in 2011, when 300 people from the rural Bamford community pooled their money to buy it. Now, it’s an invaluable hub that offers vital amenities and services.
Into Bodmin

Into Bodmin

A historic building turned cultural facility drawing visitors to the high street.
The New Inn

The New Inn

A vibrant and enterprising community pub for villagers with a café, shop, playground and a range of community activities
Pollenize

Pollenize

Pollenize uses the power of community and science to fight against pollinator decline.
Banister House Solar

Banister House Solar

Residents of Banister House turned disillusion into the UK's largest community-owned solar energy project on social housing.
Huyton Juniors

Huyton Juniors

Having successfully established a community football club for young people on disused parkland, Huyton Juniors then turned its attention to regenerating the space into a permanent community asset.
Glamis Hall

Glamis Hall

In 2014, Wellingborough Council decided it couldn’t afford to keep a day centre for the elderly open so residents, left reeling by its closure, stepped up and took it on.
Socco Cheta Hub

Socco Cheta Hub

A new hub in South Norwood will bring together a diverse and vibrant neighbourhood where inequality and a lack of cohesion is threatening to splinter the community.
Hale Community Centre

Hale Community Centre

Once a school caretaker’s bungalow, Hale Community Centre now takes care of a whole community often overlooked in an otherwise prosperous town.
Digital skills: Fordhall Farm

Digital skills: Fordhall Farm

Fordhall Farm has found the last year easier than some other community businesses. Its activities are outdoor, and many have been less affected by lockdown. As a result, people have flocked to enjoy what it has to offer.
Real Ideas

Real Ideas

Real Ideas is many things: social enterprise; catalyst; anchor and enabler, but at its simplest it’s an organisation providing support and space to people in communities with good ideas.
FC United of Manchester

FC United of Manchester

When FC United set up as a supporter-owned football club, they weren’t to know how rewarding their role in the community would come to be.
AFC Lewisham

AFC Lewisham

When a mother’s 13-year-old son was turned away by local football clubs, she decided to take matters into her own hands and set one up herself.
Nudge Community Builders

Nudge Community Builders

When traditional regeneration initiatives failed to deliver, residents decided to nudge their main street back to life, one building at a time.
Digital skills: Upper Norwood Library Hub

Digital skills: Upper Norwood Library Hub

Last year, like a lot of community businesses, Upper Norwood Library Trust found itself facing a big problem. It had built all its services around its community hub. Now, suddenly, all those services had to move online.
M-Prez

M-Prez

Supporting women and young adults into arts, culture, education, tech and science
Southgen

Southgen

Transforming an Edwardian hospital site to revive a dying rural community
Projekts MCR

Projekts MCR

A community-owned cooperative uniquely combining skateboarding with community development
Sheffield Renewables

Sheffield Renewables

A community business that develops, funds, builds, owns and operates renewable energy schemes in the Sheffield City region.
Northumberland Seafood

Northumberland Seafood

Northumberland Seafood is a community lobster hatchery and seafood centre sustaining fishing heritage and trade in Amble, Northumberland.
The Bookery

The Bookery

The Bookery: fostering community pride and opportunities through reading and literacy.