The Cars Area Together partnership was based in Smith’s Wood estate in Solihull, on the eastern edge of Birmingham. The estate was developed during the 1960s and early 1970s, and informally referred to as ‘Cars’ as its roads were named after car manufacturers.
Partnership members reflected that, before the programme, any identity the area had was shaped by what it lacked or had lost. For example, the local school had closed; there was no church or library, and only a few small shops; and community facilities were minimal.
In 2021, the estate had a population of around 3,300 residents (ONS, 2022) and was ranked among the top 10 per cent most deprived areas in England (MHCLG, 2019). Compared to the wider borough of Solihull, the Big Local area had over twice the proportion of children aged 0–19 living in low-income families (DWP, 2024) and nearly double the proportion of lone-parent households with dependent children (ONS, 2024). It also had a greater proportion of residents over the age of 65 living with limiting long-term illnesses or disabilities (ONS, 2023).
Cars Area Together focused on meeting their community’s needs through practical strategies and building strong, trusting relationships. Residents showed more interest in project support and delivery than planning, so the partnership developed opportunities for residents to engage as volunteers, such as planting projects and supporting events. This approach became central to the partnership’s engagement strategy. Over time, they recognised that despite struggling to involve residents in decision-making, they had successfully developed a committed group of about 20 volunteers, with many more willing to help with specific activities.
The partnership also enabled resident participation through dedicated staff roles to support decision-making and delivery. Many staff members were residents, with valuable knowledge of the community. A paid Project Manager brought technical expertise, project management skills, and networks, which helped the partnership build relationships with other organisations. Recognising the limited capacity of partnership members (as volunteers focussing on decision-making and planning), paid staff involved them at key points, helping members to feel valued and engaged in delivery. This was an important dynamic facilitated by strong, trusting relationships between partnership members and staff, and effective management of the wider team by the Project Manager.
Both paid staff and volunteers often remained in their positions long-term, creating continuity that members felt supported their work and helped forge trust with residents. Staff and volunteers were also provided with bright yellow fleeces, creating a recognisable presence within the community and helping foster a sense of local identity.
The Cars Area Together partnership’s overarching aims included bringing new services, support, and activities into the area, especially where these were lacking or had been lost. However, they found that an initial lack of local organisations to work with and a frequent need to rebuild relationships (after agency restructures or staff changes) made this challenging. They saw their ongoing relationship with Solihull Council, which made significant strides during the pandemic, as singularly valuable in this context.
Towards the end of the programme, the partnership established a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) – also named Cars Area Together – to continue their work beyond 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.
In the early years of Big Local, the partnership focused their engagement efforts on community events and fun days. These activities were crucial in an area where there was often little to do – particularly for young people during school holidays.
Much of this activity centred on Bosworth Field — the only green space in the area that was open to the public – which had long been at risk of being listed for development. This threat galvanised residents and the partnership to come together and successfully push for the space to be retained for community use. Following its designation by the council as a community space, Cars Area Together secured a license to use Bosworth Field for activities, making it a key part of their offer for residents during the years of the Big Local programme.
Given the small size of the Big Local area, the partnership wanted to engage residents on a street-by-street level. Mid-way through Big Local they took inspiration from another Big Local area and adopted a ‘Street Connectors’ model. This involved recruiting two residents to work part-time promoting Big Local, organising events, and connecting with parents taking their children to the nearby school. These workers also helped the partnership understand and advocate around community need. For example, when residents raised concerns about a lack of street lighting, a Street Connector helped them photograph poorly lit areas and liaised with Solihull Council’s street-lighting team to address them. Residents reported feeling safer going out at night as a result, and members observed improved attendance at evening sessions at Auckland Hall in winter.
The partnership reflected that the Street Connectors helped them develop a visible, trusted presence in the community, while providing invaluable insight into residents’ needs and interests.
Auckland Hall, a community space in the heart of Cars Area Together owned by Solihull Council, was built when the estate was first developed. The hall was infrequently used at the start of Big Local and reviving it as a local hub through increasing activities was an early focus for the partnership.
Residents reported feeling renewed pride in the area, and within a few years the space was regularly being used five days a week and a resident had improved its appearance with planters and hanging baskets.
Auckland Hall became central to delivering health and wellbeing support after the Covid-19 pandemic. The space hosted upskilling sessions around cooking on a budget and living with diabetes, social activities like bingo, and seasonal events like Remembrance Sunday. The partnership attributed the success of these initiatives to working with other organisations; providing refreshments; and integrating activities into ‘warm hub’ days. While some activities at Auckland Hall had not received Big Local funding (like a food bank), the partnership felt they represented effective relationships that helped establish the hall as a community hub.
Recognising its value, the partnership sought to secure Auckland Hall’s future through a Community Asset Transfer (a legal process allowing public land or buildings to be transferred to community organisations at a discount) from Solihull Council. Progress was being made towards the end of Big Local. Through the partnership’s relationships with multiple departments, Solihull Council agreed to fund essential building improvements before transferring the hall to a local organisation. The partnership’s Project Manager was also playing an essential informal role, ensuring the space remained active and well-used while the transfer was being arranged.
The Covid-19 pandemic was a milestone for Cars Area Together in terms of relationships with the community and local authority. During this period – despite working out of a garage on the estate instead of Auckland Hall for several months – the partnership adapted their approach to deliver essential services and support.
The partnership collaborated with a local organisation to deliver ‘Make and Taste’ packs, containing free food boxes and reusable recipe cards designed to feed a family of four. The partnership also launched a successful lockdown gardening project, distributing free growing supplies to over 150 families. Additionally, they registered as an emergency organisation with the local council, enabling them to deliver vital provisions and connections to residents. Street Connectors also played a crucial role, supporting over 40 self-isolating older residents through weekly phone calls, helping to meet their needs and prevent social isolation.
Through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the partnership received wider recognition. Their strengthened relationship with Solihull Council saw them invited to join meetings and task groups, enabling improved signposting for residents on issues such as transport, vaccinations, and food parcels. They also found that their continued presence for the community during the crisis increased residents’ trust in them, allowing them to reach new families and help connect people with a wider local network.
Following cuts to local youth services shortly after the start of Big Local, the partnership prioritised youth activities and family events as part of their core delivery. This meant that when the national Holiday Activity Fund (HAF) programme launched in Solihull in 2021, the partnership was well-positioned to adapt their existing youth work to access this additional funding. Commissioned by Solihull Council, Cars Area Together became an official HAF provider. The HAF funding meant the partnership could provide more opportunities for young people, helping parents and carers balance work and childcare, and enabling young people from different schools to socialise together.
Cars Area Together contracted partner organisations to provide activities during school holidays, with cooked lunches. Young people played an integral role in shaping the programme, especially over the longer summer holidays. Older children were encouraged to volunteer and help run activities, gaining experience that some later carried over to other community events.
In 2023, Cars Area Together were named HAF Provider of the Year by Solihull Council. The partnership reflected that central government funding streams like HAF and the Household Support Fund (enabling emergency cost-of-living support) helped them reach more families and motivated them to build stronger networks to support project delivery.
Through years of consistent effort, Cars Area Together created tangible change in the area. This legacy provided a foundation for plans to continue community support beyond Big Local.
The partnership had not planned to create a legacy organisation and aimed to support other groups to deliver ongoing activity. However, through their work, ‘Cars Area Together’ had become synonymous with community activity, and Auckland Hall a vital local space. The partnership felt that working with residents rather than on their behalf, helped the community develop agency where there had previously been scepticism about how the voluntary sector engaged them. The partnership felt it was important to maintain the trust and momentum they had built, leading them to establish Cars Area Together as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), with Auckland Hall remaining their base. The transition was made possible by a core group of long-serving volunteers and staff, and built upon the network of positive relationships they had developed with key agencies and organisations.
The partnership’s impact at the close of the Big Local programme was evident in the area’s growing reputation as a place in which to deliver or invest. For example, towards the end of the programme, local sports teams were keen to coordinate with Cars Area Together to deliver projects with young people beyond Big Local. Solihull Council invited them to apply to become a Community Anchor Organisation, covering North Solihull alongside two other charities. The partnership estimated having brought at least £250,000 of additional investment into the area during Big Local. They attributed these successes — a rich legacy, built over time – to their grassroots focus, consistent advocacy for the community, strategic collaboration with other organisations, and work to access additional funding streams.
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 Cars Area Together Big Local told Local Trust they used their Big Local funding.
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) (2024) ‘Children in low income families: local area statistics’. (Accessed 26 November 2024)
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) (2019) ‘English indices of deprivation 2019’. (Accessed 26 November 2024)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022) ‘UK Census 2021: All persons’. (Accessed 26 November 2024)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2023) ‘UK Census 2021: Age-specific percentages for the disabled and non-disabled population’. (Accessed 26 November 2024)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2024) ‘UK Census 2021: Families and households: Lone parent households with dependent children’. (Accessed 26 November 2024)
