Local Reps Blog July – September 2022
As your Big Local Rep, every three months or so, 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.
It is with great sadness that friends, family and the wider community in Warsop Vale and across the Parish mourn the death of Sue Stewart. She was a valued member of the Big Warsop partnership and active in building the case in Warsop vale for taking over the Sargison Centre for community use.
The big picture
Over the summer it’s been encouraging to see a burst of activity and events for groups and communities, many supported through your Big Local. But, with mounting pressure on many households, new challenges arise which need compassion and further community-led responses. Across England, Big Local continues to grow as a powerful force for good in what it invests in and how it does this through the vision and dedicated activism of resident groups working for the greater community good.
Community Wealth Fund
There is a key opportunity for us all to influence future funding in our communities by completing the survey about dormant assets: www.communitywealthfund.org.uk/respond.
As the Big Local programme enters its final phase, with area investment completed by late 2025, Local Trust is upping support to each area to ensure maximum opportunities for maximum investment in local priorities, opportunities to find future funding and growing the number and skills of volunteers. Catch up on the offers by getting the newsletter. The sort of free expert advice available includes:
- Community engagement and volunteer management
- 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.
Looking back
The Warsop Carnival was a triumph in early July, returning over Covid in fantastic weather, attracting the crowds and celebrating community spirit and connection. For the many groups and organisations, this event remains the principle source of fundraising in the year. Big Warsop has continued to support the Carnival over the last decade. And the Tour of Britain sped through Market Warsop on Wednesday 8th September, a good crowd missing a huge downpour by minutes.
The partnership’s patience in determining how best to invest its remaining funds is paying off. The Friends of Warsop Vale is becoming a Community Interest Company, has a credible business plan and has the support of Vibrant Warsop to help make their vision a reality of a sustainable hub for local community use. The structural survey of the building had now been done and all is looking good. The future tenants have to give 3 months’ notice on their current building. The legal fees have now been paid for FOWV to become a CIC.
Meanwhile, Vibrant Warsop continues its capacity building work and the chapel is getting more and more bookings. Work is planned for the poly-tunnels and kitchen.
Welbeck Miners Welfare Trust Application has applied for £10,000 match funding to be able to build a new access road and car park to the current village hall. The partnership is reviewing the proposal.
Looking ahead
Plans progress for the health hub, with contractors appointed and work due to begin in the autumn. The whole momentum shift toward this investment is largely thanks to the build-up of community capacity, connection and voice over the last decade, enabled by Vibrant Warsop investment and Vibrant Warsop capacity building. For the partnership, this is the final phase, with its last partnership review taking place in October and a full workshop organised by Local Trust to review the decade taking place in November. A communications plan is in place for the sharing of learning and success. Vibrant is also in discussion with Local Trust to access its Make it Happen support packages to relevant local organisations.