Birchwood Big Local was based in a suburb of Lincoln, southwest of the city centre and geographically contained by fields and roads. The area included well-used public facilities (including a library, shopping centre, and community centre) and extensive open and green spaces (including Diamond Park and Jasmin Green).
In 2021, Birchwood had a population of 14,460 residents, with a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over and residents under 16, compared to Lincoln (ONS, 2022a; 2022b; 2022c ). The area contained a mix of social and private housing, with 64 per cent of homes being owner-occupied and 19 per cent socially rented (ONS, 2023a; 2023b). The proportion of children aged 19 and under living in low-income families was higher than the local authority and regional averages (DWP, 2025). Most poverty in Birchwood was concentrated in the north and west of the area (MHCLG, 2019).
In developing their first Big Local plan in 2015, Birchwood residents allocated funds to a community development organisation to support a wide-reaching consultation, engaging an estimated 1,000 local people. Based on their findings, the Birchwood Big Local Partnership Board identified five priorities: making better use of green spaces and improving the overall appearance of the area; increasing activities and facilities for children and young people; fostering a stronger sense of community; improving community safety; and tackling local poverty, particularly among families and children.
The partnership was made up of local people, who brought knowledge, skills, experience, and relationships that supported their work. Some were already connected to local organisations or worked in local government. Members led projects and priorities through dedicated subgroups, focused on areas such as grants or outdoor spaces. While new members joined over the years, the partnership often struggled to attract new volunteers and relied on a core group of long-term members. To increase capacity, Big Local funding was used for a paid role, which typically focussed on building relationships, delivering events and activities, promoting Birchwood Big Local, and recruiting volunteers.
From the start, the partnership considered their legacy, which they saw as securing key assets – Diamond Park and Jasmin Green – for the community, while generating income for asset maintenance and local activities. So, one of their first major decisions was to establish a community land trust that could own and manage land on behalf of residents. In 2016, early in the Big Local programme, Birchwood Area Community Land Trust (BACLT) was established as a community benefit society, allowing individuals and organisations to purchase £1 shares and participate in decisions, with some partnership members becoming directors.
Initially, the partnership intended BACLT to continue their work beyond Big Local, by taking the lease for a shopfront and Diamond Park, and taking on a major project at Jasmin Green. However, when the partnership decided not to pursue the Jasmin Green project in 2024, Local Trust supported them to set up a new CIO, while BACLT would eventually be dissolved and their assets transferred to the new CIO. This process was underway towards the end of Big Local.
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.
A Big Local Plan set out what changes the partnership planned to make, how they planned to deliver on this and how funds were to be allocated. It was written for themselves, their community and Local Trust, as a guide and action plan.
The Birchwood Big Local partnership initially explored developing an ambitious community park, with gardens, allotments, play areas, and an orchard. However, following consultations, they decided to prioritise two other asset projects – Diamond Park and Jasmin Green – which had more community support and were already in progress.
Diamond Park contained children’s play equipment, gardens, and seating, but was overgrown and in need of repairs. It was owned by a local church and located in one of the more deprived parts of Birchwood. When the church approached the partnership about taking over the land and using Big Local funding to restore it, the partnership agreed, hoping to create a community asset in which residents would feel a sense of engagement and ownership.
In 2017, an asset transfer began to the newly established Birchwood Area Community Land Trust (BACLT), who secured planning permission for new play equipment. At the same time, the partnership consulted schools and families, creating a sense of community investment in the park and its future. Over 100 children participated in a competition to design a park logo, and a ‘design your park’ project received more than 100 play equipment designs. Hundreds of local people then voted for their preferred designs from two shortlisted providers.
Contracted providers installed new play equipment for young children in 2018, and for older children the following year. Despite delays during the first phase of installation, the partnership held a reopening event with over 400 residents and partners. Further delays caused the park to be closed for extended periods, leading to some frustration and criticism from the community. Despite these challenges, around £100,000 of Big Local funding was invested in the refurbished Diamond Park, with separate play areas for under-fives and older children, wheelchair-accessible seesaws, picnic benches, gardens, and plant beds. The park became a popular and accessible space owned by the community, regarded by many partnership members as their crowning achievement.
Alongside larger asset projects, the partnership also supported smaller environmental improvements. They worked with the local authority to install benches for residents, particularly older people and those with limited mobility, to rest and reflect. Benches were installed in targeted locations (such as near bus stops), with the council agreeing to maintain them.
In response to community concerns about speeding, Big Local funding was also invested in speed indicator devices. Ten permanent devices were installed on key roads – identified with the help of a county council officer who attended Big Local meetings. The partnership reflected that the devices helped to reduce speeding and improve public safety.
Jasmin Green was an existing green space owned by Lincoln City Council and earmarked for housing in Birchwood. Supporting the partnership’s priorities to increase access to play facilities and make the most of green spaces, Jasmin Green became the focus of a project that aimed to balance its development with community-led improvements.
Following initial discussions, the council agreed in principle to transfer part of the land to Birchwood Area Community Land Trust (BACLT), who would lease some to a housing association to build affordable housing. Big Local funding would be used for a new skatepark, play areas, and planted green spaces on the remaining land, with long-term maintenance covered by rent from the housing development.
For almost a decade, BACLT and the partnership worked with stakeholders towards this vision, collaborating with the city council, community land trusts, housing associations, funders, and government agencies to move the project forward. Despite securing support and funding, the project faced many challenges. For example, rising material costs caused the housing association to withdraw, and it was no longer possible to sustain the community facilities as planned. Towards the end of Big Local, in 2024, the partnership and BACLT decided that the project could not continue, working with Local Trust to explore alternative uses for the funding.
Early on, the Birchwood Big Local partnership set up a small grants scheme to support local projects and activities aligned with their priorities. They were keen to support groups and felt that funding others to deliver projects would be an effective way of meeting multiple community needs. Initially, grants of up to £500 were awarded to events, existing community projects, and new initiatives (like a resident-run gardening club). Groups could apply for funding more than once, enabling many to develop a range of projects.
Following the partnership’s decision to end the Jasmin Green project, they worked with Lincolnshire Community Foundation to establish a larger-scale grant scheme using the reallocated funding. As a result, over £400,000 was distributed in large grants to community organisations, including youth groups, food banks, churches, sports clubs, and Citizens Advice. The funding supported a wide range of initiatives (based on the partnership’s priorities and knowledge of the community), including improving community facilities and expanding food provision, advice services, and youth activities.
The partnership’s grant-giving approach increased the availability of local events, activities, and support for residents, while also helping projects continue. Partnership members felt this made it an important part of their legacy.
When Diamond Park was transferred to Birchwood Area Community Land Trust (BACLT), residents and community shareholders were involved in decisions about the park’s activities, management, and future.
Volunteers took responsibility for maintenance (including regular safety checks on play equipment) and a group of parents and carers were keyholders (opening and closing the park each day). The Diamond Park project was led by a resident partnership member, who was both a BACLT director and retired landscape gardener. This resident managed volunteers, activity and event delivery, and relationship-building.
Although BACLT owned Diamond Park for most of Big Local, in the final years of the programme it was mutually agreed that the trust would be dissolved. The partnership saw Diamond Park as their main legacy, and focused on ensuring that residents could continue to have an active role in managing it beyond Big Local. With support from a community coordinator, they engaged residents and partners to build long-term support for the park and attract new volunteers. At the same time, they explored the possibility of establishing a new charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) to ensure community ownership in the future.
The Big Local partnership wanted to increase the sense of community in the Birchwood area by creating opportunities for residents to interact. When Diamond Park reopened, they organised regular events and activities, helping turn the park into a focal point for the community. Some opportunities focused on children and young people, like a petting farm, puppet-making workshops, and gardening sessions where children chose plants for the park.
Other age groups were engaged through regular litter picks, volunteer gardening days, and clean-up activities such as painting, grass cutting, and weeding. By the end of Big Local, the partnership was delivering five community events a year in the park. Alongside these activities, they built relationships with community organisations, youth groups, churches, and businesses, who supported Diamond Park with volunteers, resources, and access to their networks.
The partnership’s visible presence in the park was key to engaging residents and building relationships – especially as the partnership did not have a dedicated building. They felt the park helped strengthen community spirit, bring residents together, and reduced isolation (particularly helping people new to the area to meet their neighbours), and considered it a major achievement.
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 Birchwood Big Local told Local Trust they used their Big Local funding.
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) (2025) ‘Children in low income families: local area statistics’. (Accessed 27 May 2025)
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) (2019) ‘English indices of deprivation 2019’. (Accessed 27 May 2025)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022a) ‘UK Census 2021: All persons’. (Accessed 27 May 2025)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022b) ‘UK Census 2021: Age structure of the population: Aged 65 years and over’. (Accessed 27 May 2025)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022c) ‘UK Census 2021: Age structure of the population: Population aged under 16’. (Accessed 27 May 2025)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2023a) ‘UK Census 2021: Owner occupied housing’. (Accessed 27 May 2025)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2023b) ‘UK Census 2021: Social rented housing’. (Accessed 27 May 2025)
