Celebrating 10 years backing community business

Power to Change turns ten this year. To celebrate a decade backing community business, we are bringing you a programme of events, stories, and essays, celebrating the community business sector, reflecting on our lessons learnt, and setting out our vision for the future of communities.

We know community business works to create thriving places

 

We have seen and evidenced it over the last decade. We also know there is so much more they can do. This year we are reflecting, celebrating, and looking to the future.

With the right conditions, community businesses can help build an economy that works for people and the planet, give communities a greater say in the decisions that affect them, and support people to make meaningful connections within a community they can rely on. The future of business is community business.

The future is community-led

Essay collection

Each month, our guest essayists look back as well as forward, reflecting on the role of community business in addressing the pressing issues shaping our world. Read the collection:

Briefing: The civic high street

Briefing: The civic high street

Our civic high street briefing offers recommendations for how government can deliver a transformative High Street Strategy, using policy and investment to drive civic high street regeneration and create good places for communities to live, work and connect.
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The essays

The future of business is community business

The future of business is community business

Our thinking
Tim Davies-Pugh, Chief Executive at Power to Change, launches our series of blogs and essays in our 10th anniversary year. This series will reflect on how the world has evolved since 2015 and what it might look like in 2035.
Give us a chance and we’ll give you community power

Give us a chance and we’ll give you community power

Our thinking
Next up in our 10th anniversary essay collection, Sacha Bedding, Chief Executive of the Wharton Trust, reflects on their journey to empower local people in Dyke House, Hartlepool, to take action in their community.
Imagine if we took community seriously

Imagine if we took community seriously

Our thinking
What would the future look like if communities had more say and power, and how would we make this happen? James Plunkett reflects as part of our 10th anniversary essay collection.
You’re invited to dinner: The unlikely allies reimagining our high streets

You’re invited to dinner: The unlikely allies reimagining our high streets

Our thinking
Platform Places shows how community leaders, local business owners, asset owners and councils can gather—not as adversaries, but as co-creators of a shared future. In this essay, co-founder, Bex Trevalyan, explores how grassroots collaboration and imaginative placemaking are breathing new life into Britain’s high streets.
The leaders who make things happen: lessons in governing from community business

The leaders who make things happen: lessons in governing from community business

Our thinking
Community businesses drive change where it matters most—locally. From leading Power to Change to advising Number 10, Vidhya Alakeson knows more than most that it’s time politics caught up—not with programmes, but with people. In this essay, Vidhya reflects how we can unlock transformation by building on what is, not what's missing.
The economy has left the building

The economy has left the building

Our thinking
What happens when people excluded from the economy are trusted to redesign it? In Liverpool City Region, they built one that works for them. This next essay in our 10-year anniversary campaign explores how Kindred turned lived experience into economic expertise—and collective ambition into £39 million of impact.
The digital disconnect: taking digital social policy seriously

The digital disconnect: taking digital social policy seriously

Our thinking
In our next essay, Rachel Coldicutt explores the urgent need for a community-centred approach to technology policy in the UK. From WhatsApp-powered community organising to the overlooked role of digital life in neighbourhood renewal, Rachel calls for a radical rethink of how innovation serves society.
Looking back to move forwards: A historical perspective on community and public policy

Looking back to move forwards: A historical perspective on community and public policy

Our thinking
This month's essay from Nick Garland explores how past regeneration efforts like the New Deal for Communities offer vital lessons for shaping sustainable, locally-led public policy. By looking back, we uncover the foundations for moving forward with lasting impact.
The politics of neighbourhood

The politics of neighbourhood

Our thinking
In an era of disconnection and digital isolation, investing in places—and the people who power them—has never been more urgent. This essay from Anoosh Chakelian explores how community businesses, grassroots initiatives, and bold policy can restore pride, cohesion, and opportunity to neighbourhoods that refuse to be left behind.
Doubling the size of the community and co-operative economy: Learning from a decade of transformation in Liverpool City Region

Doubling the size of the community and co-operative economy: Learning from a decade of transformation in Liverpool City Region

Our thinking
In this next essay, Patrick Hurley MP explores how, over the last decade, community business in the Liverpool City Region has grown from a handful of isolated initiatives into a vibrant ecosystem - moving from promise to transformation, and revitalising local places and economies. He sets out how building on this learning nationally could help grow the co-operative and mutual sector, for lasting social and economic change. 
We were meant to be together: Creating social connection in a time of division and discontent

We were meant to be together: Creating social connection in a time of division and discontent

Our thinking
In our next essay, Maff Potts reflects on how Power to Change and Camerados were born, shaped by the people already transforming their communities. Ten years on, the lesson is clear - real change comes from connection - especially in a time of division, disconnection and growing need for community power.
A decade together: Stretford Public Hall and Power to Change

A decade together: Stretford Public Hall and Power to Change

Our thinking
From a grassroots campaign to a bustling centre, Simon Borkin from Stretford Public Hall shares their story of determination, creativity, and the belief that extraordinary things happen when people take ownership of the places that matter.
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Read the full collection

Stories

We’re unveiling a new story each month that showcases the diversity of community businesses and the innovative work already taking place in communities across the country.

Back on the Map

Back on the Map

Evolving out of the New Deal for Communities in the early 2000s, Back on the Map is a changemaking community business based in Hendon, on the outskirts of Sunderland, which works to make Hendon a place of opportunity to live, work and thrive by creating a better place, a stronger community and a local voice.
Edberts House

Edberts House

On the High Lanes estate in Gateshead, Edberts House is more than just a building—it’s a warm, welcoming space that has been that listening ear since 2009. With a pioneering approach to community-led health and wellbeing, Edberts House is proving that real change starts on your doorstep.
Grimsby

Grimsby

Community businesses are making an impact in Grimsby, creating local employment opportunities, tackling deprivation and restoring pride in the community, while finding new ways to generate income to become self-sustaining.
October Books

October Books

Founded in 1977, October Books is a co-operative, a radical neighbourhood bookshop and community hub in Southampton. The shop provides a mixed retail offering, complemented by a range of spaces available for hire for community-led events and services.
Legacy West Midlands

Legacy West Midlands

Beginning life as a heritage organisation, Legacy West Midlands has become a catalyst to the growth of the social economy in Soho and Handsworth. As well as delivering health, wellbeing, culture, and youth programmes to its community, it now has a hand in connecting local community groups and social entrepreneurs.
West Midlands Combined Authority

West Midlands Combined Authority

West Midlands Combined Authority is committed to tackling inequalities through inclusive growth. To do this, they have set out a bold vision to double the size of the social economy. We've partnered with West Midlands Combined Authority to implement their social economy growth strategy, making the West Midlands a better place to live and work in, for everyone.
North East Combined Authority

North East Combined Authority

The North East Combined Authority is determined to maximise the region’s potential and address deprivation and socio-economic challenges facing their communities. Power to Change is supporting this goal with a partnership to help grow and develop the region’s social economy.
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

Liverpool City Region is transforming into a place with a diverse and vibrant social economy, circulating profits locally to tackle deprivation head on. Since 2018, Power to Change has partnered with Liverpool City Region to help grow and develop the community business sector, as part of the wider social economy.
Star and Shadow Cinema

Star and Shadow Cinema

As entertainment venues across the country are struggling, Star and Shadow Cinema is offering a vibrant, multi-arts and community-focused programme to the community in Newcastle’s East End. They’re breathing new life into their local area and inspiring and training the next generation of entertainment.
Friends of Stretford Public Hall

Friends of Stretford Public Hall

After saving a cherished Victorian grade II listed ballroom through a community share offer, Friends of Stretford Public Hall have transformed the space into a vibrant community hub. They've now set their sights on helping the community have more say over their town centre's regeneration, including through participation in our Community Improvement District pilot.
Sherford Community Land Trust

Sherford Community Land Trust

Empowering residents in a new build estate to create the community assets and shared spaces they want and need.
Three Seas

Three Seas

Three Seas is helping to tackle the housing crisis in Cornwall by developing old coastguard cottages into affordable long-term rental accommodation for local people.
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Communities have the answers

We’ve worked with Magic Torch Comics CIC on ‘Meteor Strike’, a comic bringing to life how community business can help communities tackle some of the big issues of today and in the future – if only the conditions are enabled for them to do so.

Read how this looked for Commonside. Click the first page below to view the full story:

Community Business Week 2025

To celebrate ten years backing community business, we’re bringing back Community Business Week! From 29 November to 5 December, we’re celebrating community businesses in all their forms by shining a light on the difference they’re making across the country. We’re encouraging everyone to discover, visit, or support their local community business during this week, and have teamed up with five community businesses to celebrate in person.

Explore Community Business Week 2025

Keep up to date

Stay updated by signing up for our monthly newsletter or follow online at #CommunityBusinessWeek  #PowertoChange10.

Do you want to work with us to give communities the power to change what matters to them? Let’s talk.

 

Contact our team