The 3 Together Big Local area spanned three neighbouring villages in North East England – Moorsley, Easington Lane, and Hetton – with a combined population in 2021 of approximately 7,300 (ONS, 2022). Each village had distinct needs; for example, Easington Lane, being larger, had more amenities compared to Moorsley, which had experienced widespread closures of pubs and shops.
The three villages shared a geographical connection, as well as a strong mining heritage, with three former collieries in close proximity (the last of which closed its operations in 1991). However, limited public transport and links to nearby major cities (such as Sunderland and Durham), and average levels of car ownership (ONS, 2023a) led to practical challenges and feelings of isolation among residents. Health concerns were also a pressing issue, with a higher proportion of residents reporting poor health compared to the wider North East region (ONS, 2023b). In 2019, the region ranked among the top 20 per cent most deprived areas in England (MHCLG, 2019).
The 3 Together Big Local partnership prioritised improving health and wellbeing; preserving heritage and fostering a sense of belonging; and providing essential resources and services for the community. The partnership – made up of residents from all three villages – disbursed grants and allocated funds to projects across the Big Local area.
A Big Local partnership was a group made up of at least eight people that guided the overall direction of delivery in a Big Local area.
Many partnership members were also engaged in voluntary or paid roles in local organisations and groups, and were familiar with the landscape of organisations in the Moorsley, Easington Lane, and Hetton area. They felt these strong connections gave them a nuanced understanding of the community’s needs and led to effective collaboration in their work.
Given their voluntary commitments, partnership members predominantly directed their efforts into facilitation rather than delivery. This meant focusing on decision-making, creating roles for developing and implementing projects, identifying and collaborating with stakeholder organisations or partner agencies, and helping local groups and organisations expand their capacity and attract future funding.
The partnership supported community groups to build their capacity and innovate through grant-giving initiatives. One example saw seed funding invested in Heads Up, which provided preventative work with primary school children to help them understand difficult emotions. An initial £1,000 grant enabled Heads Up (run by a locally-based therapist and mental health volunteer) to create resources such as books and toys to use when engaging with children in school settings. This pilot enabled Heads Up to evidence the value of their work and attract further funding to ensure the mental health programme could continue to be delivered in the local area.
A flagship project for the 3 Together Big Local partnership was developing a long-awaited community asset, the Moorsley Hut. The hut was designed to address a longstanding lack of space for activities and services in the area. Consultation with the community showed this to be of crucial importance to residents – especially in Moorsley.
The journey to develop the Moorsley Hut started before Big Local and spanned 17 years. Involvement from the 3 Together partnership started with £10,000 of Big Local funding contributing to the acquirement of a prefabricated building. This served as an events space and meeting place for the Resident’s Association, while the community raised further funds for the construction of the main facility. The Hut was designed to have a large main hall that could be split into two smaller spaces for hire, and a kitchen for food preparation or handling. Given the scale of the project, additional funding quickly became necessary, leading to a commitment of £150,000 of Big Local funding and the establishment of a Community Interest Company (CIC) who crafted a comprehensive business plan. With the support of the Big Local worker, the CIC eventually secured an additional £300,000 of external funding.
Despite unforeseen challenges during development – including the discovery of asbestos and financial challenges arising from the cost of living crisis – the partnership persevered. A further £50,000 of Big Local funding was invested to overcome delays and complications. The 3 Together partnership acknowledged that while hurdles sometimes led to internal tensions, these were a natural outcome of members’ passionate advocacy in the community’s interests – and that the group had grown stronger for them.
The partnership intended the Moorsley Hut to be a catalyst for increased resilience in the community by enhancing access to services and activities for residents. The project generated local interest, with groups wanting to work or conduct sessions in the space in the run-up to its opening in April 2024. These included craft groups and a ukulele club. The space also hosted larger seasonal events and became a base for the NHS and local council to provide services such as flu jabs and fitness classes.
Towards the end of the programme, 3 Together Big Local provided a final large grant to the Hut for the installation of solar panels. This was provided to keep the building running costs low and enable the Hut to be a lasting legacy of Big Local in the community.
Helping to improve residents’ wellbeing, especially around social isolation and physical health, was a key focus for the 3 Together partnership. Towards the end of the Big Local funding, they sought a sustainable project that would affect residents’ health and endure beyond the Big Local programme.
The partnership wanted to develop an initiative to encourage cycling in the Moorsley, Easington Lane, and Hetton area. They were approached by Sunderland City Council with an opportunity to support new cycling facilities at a recently established eco-park. The partnership secured funding from Cycling UK, which allowed them to adopt the organisation’s established model for volunteer training. Big Local funding was also invested in equipment and cycle racks for the eco-park.
Working with other organisations and volunteers was essential for this project. Challenges arose with aligning needs, commitments, and timeframes across the stakeholders and volunteers, however in early 2024, the cycling club was poised to launch with weekly rides starting in the spring. While planning for the launch, the partnership engaged in discussions with the local Community Interest Company about how to sustain the hub and support volunteers beyond the end of the Big Local programme.
Big Local funding was used to celebrate the area’s rich mining heritage. The local charity Easington Lane Community Access Point’s office was based on the former mining welfare hall in Easington Lane, while the new cycle hub, eco café, and country park stood on a former pit site. Big Local funding helped ensure that these historically and culturally important sites could play new and vital roles within the community.
The 3 Together Big Local area’s mining heritage was woven through the Moorsley Hut project. The hut itself was situated on the original miner’s welfare hall site near the Moorsley pit. When finished, a ‘proggy’ mat (a rustic rag rug common in mining villages in the northeast in the 19th and 20th centuries) hung on the wall to celebrate the history of the area. During the installation of the initial Moorsley Hut cabin, Big Local funding supported a neighbouring memorial, commemorating those who had lost their lives in local mines or during the world wars.
Recognising the need for improved transport in the rural 3 Together area – especially for older residents or those experiencing financial challenges – the partnership aimed to enhance accessibility across the villages. This focus played a role in addressing long-standing local transport challenges, with Big Local funding being channelled into suitable approaches.
Easington Lane Community Access Point (ELCAP) had an existing community transport scheme, with a small fleet of minibuses and drivers working in the area. From this strong starting point, they received a grant of over £100,000 of Big Local funding. This enabled them to significantly expand their offer and ensure consistent funding for a coordinator to manage the project and organise transport for residents.
ELCAP reported a substantial increase in the number of individuals they were able to assist as a result of this funding – notably older residents for shopping, and children for school and nursery. The initiative helped address social isolation and was set up as part of the area’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
While the partnership acknowledged that it was not feasible to provide long-term funding for community transport, ELCAP’s work provided clarity on local needs. This evidence base helped ELCAP to pursue additional external funding, allowing them to implement a means-tested system to charge residents for accessing community transport services, and ensuring sustainability beyond the initial Big Local grant.
Each Big Local area received approximately £1.2 million (ranging from £1.199 mil to 1.209 mil) to spend over 10–15 years, depending on how much additional funding they accessed from Local Trust to address specific needs. For example, to bring people together at the start of the programme or to access training and support. This has been categorised for areas and at the programme level based on reports received from areas.
Partnerships chose their own priorities and categories for reporting, and were encouraged to use broad categories so they could use the funding flexibly. All areas spent a significant amount of money on ‘Big Local delivery costs’ such as workers’ salaries, stationery and IT equipment. You can find out more about programme level spend in this article. This is how 3 Together Big Local told Local Trust they used their Big Local funding.
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022) ‘UK Census 2021 All persons’. (Accessed 23 January 2025)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2023a) ‘UK Census 2021: No cars or vans in household’. (Accessed 23 January 2025)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2023b) ‘UK Census 2021: Self-reported general health: bad health/very bad health’. (Accessed 23 January 2025)
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) (2019) ‘English indices of deprivation 2019’. (Accessed 23 January 2025)
