East of England

Close to 150 grants have been awarded by Power to Change to community businesses in the East of England, many of which operate in the hospitality sphere, from community pubs and shops to much needed leisure and sports facilities.

Suffolk, with its beautiful seaside towns like Southwold has also been a priority place. Here, 60% of the houses are occupied as second homes. High rents and high rates are driving independent businesses out of the town and young people are leaving the area because they cannot find meaningful work and housing within their budgets. The area has one of the lowest rates of social mobility in the country.

Power to Change, through its Community Business Fund and Community Shares Booster programme, has helped SouthGen, a community benefit society, redevelop a closed hospital threatened with luxury development, into a Makers, Shakers and Bakers Place creating new businesses, new jobs, new training and new hope for the local people.