Local Rep Report – October – December 2022
As your Big Local Rep, every three months I share my thoughts on local area progress with you as residents and with the central team managing the national programme. Your comments and thoughts are always welcome.
The big picture
I was pleased to see this year’s Guardian Christmas appeal for Citizens Advice and Locality. These two organisations represent much of what Big Local is achieving: vital support to individuals and families in significant and growing need and also building community strength and resilience, connection and capacity. As the 15 year Big Local programme across 150 areas of England approaches the final stages, our resident led partnerships continue to advocate and invest in these twin pillars, strengthening our communities and improving the lives of its residents.
Local Trust wants to make sure relevant support is on hand to each area through Make it Happen support about
I was pleased to see this year’s Guardian Christmas appeal for Citizens Advice and Locality. These two organisations represent much of what Big Local is achieving: vital support to individuals and families in significant and growing need and also building community strength and resilience, connection and capacity. As the 15 year Big Local programme across 150 areas of England approaches the final stages, our resident led partnerships continue to advocate and invest in these twin pillars, strengthening our communities and improving the lives of its residents.
Local Trust wants to make sure relevant support is on hand to each area through Make it Happen support about
I was pleased to see this year’s Guardian Christmas appeal for Citizens Advice and Locality. These two organisations represent much of what Big Local is achieving: vital support to individuals and families in significant and growing need and also building community strength and resilience, connection and capacity. As the 15 year Big Local programme across 150 areas of England approaches the final stages, our resident led partnerships continue to advocate and invest in these twin pillars, strengthening our communities and improving the lives of its residents. Local Trust wants to make sure relevant support is on hand to each area through Make it Happen support about
· Securing a community asset
· Becoming a legal body
· Mastering communications and storytelling
· Climate proofing the BL plan
· Funding and income generation
· Engaging diverse groups of people
· Measuring Change
In the longer term, Local Trust lobbies for the Community Wealth Fund to follow the Big Local model of community led funding and change.
Looking back
Allenton Big Local’s final plan completed its third quarter at the end of December and all funded activity is on track for completion by the end of March 2023. St Martin’s work with children and families is progressing well, with increasing connections and wider range of support. Enthusiasm continues to enable young people through youth work and mentoring support. Derby Adult Learning adapted its delivery model to better reach adult learners in the Allenton area by doing direct sessions with young people at Enthusiasm.
The partnership is running well and keeping focus and energy high over these remaining months. It continues to meet monthly. Minutes are posted on the website. Quarterly management reports have been reviewed and agreed; these and the service level agreements are on the website along with good news stories of local action and change and newsletters. The Project Lockdown book by young people sharing their story during Covid is available to order here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/191460198X.
Looking ahead
The partnership has only three months left of active investment in its core priorities. It is taking care to review and share its learning through a workshop with external helpers in October, a partnership review in November and a final plan review in December. A set of newsletters is being used to focus on each of the three main areas of investment, with a final one looking at how the partnership has worked and what has been learnt. A final celebration event will be held at St Martin’s on Saturday 13th May at St Martin’s.
