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Who else thinks communities should shape their own healthcare decisions? New animation shows how citizens' assemblies could improve health & happiness in every neighbourhood. Watch our series on community-powered neighbourhood governance. www.right-here.org/neighbourhoo... @theyoungfdn.bsky.social

Want a say in how public money is spent in your neighbourhood? Participatory budgeting brings neighbours together to decide what to invest in as a community. Watch our series on community-powered neighbourhood governance. www.right-here.org/neighbourhoo... Created by @theyoungfdn.bsky.social

Our new series shows what community-powered neighbourhood governance could look like in practice. The animations launch at a pivotal moment, as the government designs new neighbourhood governance arrangements. Watch more: www.right-here.org/neighbourhoo... Animations by @theyoungfdn.bsky.social

As Andy Burnham's march to Downing Street gathers pace, Westminster is having a serious argument about how power is distributed in the UK. In a new piece for Labour List, our Director Rich Bell explores electoral reform and unlocking the capacity of our communities.

‘A politics that feels real: Andy Burnham, electoral reform, and the redistribution of power’ – LabourList

As Andy Burnham’s march to Downing Street gathers pace, Westminster is reckoning with something unusual in British politics: a serious argument about how power is…

labourlist.org

Local Trust@localtrust.org.uk · last mo.

Over the past 15 years, local people in 150 Big Local areas have shown the power of long-term community-led change. Check out @localtrust.org.uk's new resource sharing the insights, stories, and lessons learnt from one of the UK’s most ambitious community-led programmes. 👇

Take what we’ve learned. Build what comes next. For 15 years, Big Local showed what’s possible when communities are trusted with time, resources and decision-making power. As Big Local ends and Local Trust prepares to close in 2027, the opportunity is to carry those lessons forward. [1/2]

Today, the government announced a £61 million new fund to help communities buy the places they love. As our Director explains in the video, the Fund will help local people use the new Community Right to Buy.👏 But it’s doubtful that this funding will be enough to meet community demand.

It was brilliant to see 100 people join our webinar on building community-powered neighbourhood governance today. From popular assemblies to community covenants, we heard how local people are coming together to decide what changes their neighbourhoods need, and bring those changes to life. 🧵1/2

Charlotte Hollins with a group photo of the Market Drayton Community Covenant participants.

Last chance to sign up to our webinar on putting communities at the heart of neighbourhood governance. 🗓️ Tomorrow: Wednesday 3 June ⏰ 11am BST Register your place: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/building-n...

Photo of the Market Drayton Community Covenant team, alongside information about the webinar: Building Neighbourhood Governance for Community Power.

New report explores how communities across the country are rebuilding connection, trust and hope from the ground up. The report, published by @demos-uk.bsky.social & @uclpolicylab.bsky.social, argues that communities are not a barrier to change, but the foundation of it. demos.co.uk/research/a-n...

A Nation of Neighbours: Rebuilding Britain from the Ground Up

Demos is Britain’s leading cross-party think-tank. We produce original research, publish innovative thinkers and host thought-provoking events.

demos.co.uk

If communities were in the driving seat, what would new neighbourhood governance look and feel like? Join us and Community Organisers to explore what community-powered neighbourhood governance could look like in practice. * 3 June * 11 am BST * Register: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/building-n...

Last week, we explored what real place based change looks & feels like at Common Ground: A National Convening for Place Based Giving. Our key message: local people must be at the heart of change in their areas. Thanks @londonfunders.bsky.social for inviting us to speak. Photo credit: Musa Bwanali

Andy Jackson speaking on a panel with four other speakers at the Common Ground National Convening.

A portrait of Andy Jackson speaking on a panel at the Common Ground National Convening.

Why are life-changing community projects stuck in cycles of short-term funding and constantly having to prove their worth? Creative Voices helps older LGBTQ+ adults in Leeds overcome isolation and find friendship. Yet its future remains uncertain. An interview:

Creative Voices: Leeds LGBTQ+ lifeline at risk of becoming a broken dream - We're Right Here

The future of Creative Voices in Leeds is uncertain. To survive, the community group needs long-term belief as much as long-term funding.

right-here.org

Hate can feel loud right now. But it isn’t the full story. The #MillionActsOfHope campaign puts a spotlight on the people and communities bringing hope to their neighbourhoods, just when we need it most. Swipe through the images to see what hope means to our community leaders & champions.

"Hope is in every person that steps up and does something – however small or large!"
- Deana Bamford, Coalville CAN & We’re Right Here

"Hope is a community gathering of laughter, friendship and love." - Maddy Pritchard, Vibrant Warsop & We’re Right Here

"What gives me hope: communities no longer waiting to be included, but confidently creating the change themselves." - Leah Chikamba-Mulando
Angels of Hope & We’re Right Here

"Hope, for me looks like communities finding ways to care for each other anyway. It looks like brown women, disabled people, queer communities, migrants and those pushed to the margins no longer having to fight to be believed in healthcare, policy or society. Hope is seeing people turn pain into power, silence into storytelling and isolation into collective action." –Neelam Heera-Shergill, Cysters, We're Right Here

In a glittery room full of hope and laughter, we celebrated community power in Greater Manchester last week. 💛 It was a night where we chose hope over division, joy over despair — and hope came dressed up in feather boas and party hats! Thanks to our brilliant co-hosts @greatermcr.bsky.social.

Party crowd dressed in party hats and feather boas smiling and clapping.

Annoushka Deighton giving her hopeful toast.

Nick Plumb @nickplumb.bsky.social · 3mo ago

New event: What would it look like for communities to have real power in shaping their neighbourhoods? We’re hosting a webinar with Community Organisers exploring what community-powered neighbourhood governance could look like. * 3 June * 11 am BST * Register: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/building-n...

Event promotion graphic in bright green and purple colours for the Building Neighbourhood Governance for Community Power webinar. A photo of the Market Drayton Community Covenant in the centre.

Taken from last year's @powertochange.org.uk @uclpolicylab.bsky.social @right-here.org essay collection. If Burnham does end up PM, and he gets his hands on Westminster power, let's hope those devolutionary tendencies remain.

Right now, a new approach to neighbourhood governance is being shaped in Whitehall. Let’s make sure communities are in the driving seat. 📝 We're sending a letter from the #CommunityPower movement to the Minister overseeing the new arrangements. Will you join us? actionnetwork.org/petitions/si...

“What would help Creative Voices flourish is long-term belief as much as long-term funding.” Minoti Parikh, Founder of Creative Voices, discusses precarity and the need for sustained belief in the value of community work. Read her interview:

Creative Voices: Leeds LGBTQ+ lifeline at risk of becoming a broken dream - We're Right Here

The future of Creative Voices in Leeds is uncertain. To survive, the community group needs long-term belief as much as long-term funding.

right-here.org

Read what our campaign leaders make of the new English Devolution & Community Empowerment law. We're sending a letter to the Minister urging her to put community power at the heart of new neighbourhood governance arrangements. Will you add your name? ✍️ actionnetwork.org/petitions/si...

"We’ve spent the last five years campaigning alongside some of the most committed community leaders and inspiring organisations across the country, all calling for change that genuinely shifts power to local people. It’s incredibly fulfilling to see that work begin to translate into legislation."
– Andy Jackson, Heeley Trust, We're Right Here

"To really change where power lies, this legislation needs to support a
cultural shift of true power-sharing. Good neighbourhood governance is more than parish and town councils... it is a completely different cultural approach and one that is truly collaborative, equal, and rooted in our communities."
– Charlotte Hollins, Fordhall Community Land Initiative, We're Right Here

"The introduction of a Community Right to Buy into law is a hugely positive step. But without access to finance, it risks becoming a symbolic right rather than a practical one.
Our experience shows that for community ownership to truly work, assets need to be as close to debt-free as possible."
–Deana Bamford, Coalville CAN & We're Right Here

“It's for forever.” That’s how our campaign leader described the power of community ownership to the BBC. But this win is slightly bittersweet. For the new Community Right to Buy to work for all communities, the Government needs to back it up with funding and support. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Community groups given right to buy for the first time

Ministers say the new law in England gives power to local people who want to help others.

bbc.co.uk