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Event | From the ground up: Community business & Britain’s next decade
For the past decade, Power to Change has seen community business grow steadily into a movement that spans the country. While our economy is still failing to improve living standards for everyone and too many communities feel powerless to make change, this collection advances a vision of Britain’s future where power and resources are in local hands and calls on those who can make it happen.
Marking our 10th anniversary, the collection brings together creative thinkers, practitioners, and local and national leaders to reflect on the past decade of community business and explore how communities can meet the challenges ahead with resilience and unity.
You can already read some of the brilliant contributions from the likes of Vidhya Alakeson, Nick Garland and inspiring community business leaders like Sacha Bedding in Hartlepool.
The launch will feature a panel discussion chaired by Anoosh Chakelian, Britain Editor of the New Statesman and essay contributor.
Speakers
Anoosh Chakelian (Chair)
Britain Editor at the New Statesman
Anoosh Chakelian is an award-winning social affairs journalist covering politics, policy and social affairs across Britain. She is host of the award-winning New Statesman Podcast and co-presents the Westminster Reimagined podcast series with Armando Iannucci.
Emily Bolton
Chief Executive and Founder of Our Future
Emily Bolton is the CEO and co-founder of Our Future – working to back post industrial communities to create a thriving future. Previously part of the founding team and latterly executive board member at Social Finance. Her work has focused on creating impact at scale.
Rachel Coldicutt
Executive Director of Careful Industries
Rachel Coldicutt is a researcher and strategist specialising in inclusive, community-powered innovation and the social impacts of new and emerging technologies. Rachel has been working in technology since the 1990s and is currently founder and executive director of research consultancy Careful Industries. She was previously the founding CEO of responsible technology think tank Doteveryone and was awarded an OBE for services to the digital society in the 2019 New Year’s Honours.
Hetan Shah
Chief Executive of The British Academy and Chair of Our World in Data
Hetan is chief executive of the British Academy, the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences. He is Chair of Our World in Data, a website providing long run data and evidence on global challenges. Hetan was appointed in 2024 by the UK Parliament to the board of the National Audit Office, the UK’s independent spending watchdog. He is Visiting Professor at the Policy Institute, Kings College London and a Fellow at Birkbeck College, University of London. Hetan serves on a number of advisory boards including at the Resolution Foundation and UCL’s Policy Lab.
James Plunkett
Convenor of Kinship Works
James is a writer and consultant with nearly 20 years experience in UK policy-making, including roles across the private, public, and third sectors, from Downing Street to leading think tanks and charities. He convenes of Kinship Works, an organisation supporting more human alternatives to bureaucracy. He posts on Blue Sky, Medium, and Substack.
Patrick Hurley MP
MP for Southport
Patrick Hurley is the MP for Southport and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Social, Co-operative and Community Economy.
Josiah Sulc
CEO, Rooted In
Josiah is CEO of Rooted In, a community development charity providing services and training opportunities and operating two community cafes in Allerton and Lower Grange, West Bradford. Through Rooted In Community Homes, the organisation is seeking to address a lack of affordable family housing in the neighbourhood, with an ambitious plan for 52 new community homes built by and for local people.