Littlemoor

Investing in existing spaces to maintain community use

Big4Littlemoor planned to capitalise on existing resident interest in the Littlemoor Community Centre (built in the 1950s), by improving it and adding a café and meeting rooms. The partnership explored several options for the facility, but none proved viable. They shifted to providing grants to existing community spaces, to ensure their other priorities could be met. The grants helped provide for a new floor and radiators at the community centre, a new community teaching kitchen at Bincombe School, and kitchen appliances at St Francis of Assisi Church for community meals.

The partnership identified an opportunity to create a family hub through a pilot scheme for a government-funded network of hubs. They worked with the county council to develop a business plan and supported different service providers to use the space. Plans were approved and the Top Club building (used for youth activities) was chosen to house the new hub. The hub provided a welcoming space, with a community garden and fruit trees. Residents could access services and support groups, like a membership-based social supermarket, NHS health checks, and Home-Start family support. There were also activities for young people, with most services targeted at children and families. These continued after the end of Big Local, including a new line dancing class for children and parents. 

After two years, the partnership was able to secure a lease for the building on a peppercorn rent (a small payment to meet legal requirements of a lease). Littlemoor Hub Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) was created to recruit staff and manage the building. By the end of Big Local, plans were progressing for the local authority to refurbish the building, including updating the kitchen and adding clinic rooms for health services.

Providing new clubs, sports, and creative activities

Given the relatively high proportion of young residents, the Big4Littlemoor partnership prioritised local youth activities.

In 2016, cuts to local authority funding threatened the youth activities at the Top Club, motivating the partnership to find new ways to continue provision. A grant was provided to organisers for a new youth club and activities for young people, like Boxfit and football. Big Local funding was invested in a seasonal youth club coordinator to ensure continuity and stability of activities. When Top Club became a community-managed building, Houseworks Dorset Community Interest Company (CIC) was commissioned to deliver two youth club sessions a week.

The partnership also provided activities during school holidays. They worked with local artists to deliver sculpture and music workshops, and a photography exhibition by young residents, who used free disposable cameras to capture aspects of their lives. A football club for five- to nine-year-olds, which provided free lunch, was attended by around 200 children per week. Some of the children were recruited to play for the local team as a result, and there was a reported improvement in confidence and skills among those who attended.

Finally, the Top Club resident-led committee was commissioned to provide seasonal events for children. These included Halloween and Christmas parties, with a grotto and free toys, with the aim that these events could be continued beyond the end of Big Local.

Connecting residents to services

Recognising several local challenges (like unemployment, health, and housing), Big4Littlemoor prioritised projects to address essential community needs. Early in Big Local, they worked with the local housing association to administer a voucher scheme supporting tenants moving into unfurnished or temporary accommodation. This helped provide residents with small pieces of furniture and a welcome box of household items. Vouchers were based on referrals from housing officers, with care taken to maintain confidentiality.

Mid-way through the programme, the partnership trialled Helping Hands, assisting residents who needed employment support. The project helped residents access digital services, create CVs, and further their skills and confidence through free courses (including Safeguarding, Emergency First Aid, and Spanish lessons).

The partnership expanded this successful project in various ways. Big Local funding provided a project officer, who signposted residents and carried out welfare walks during the Covid-19 pandemic. The partnership built relationships with organisations to provide specific support at regular drop-in sessions, including a credit union, Weymouth College, National Careers Advisors, and Citizens Advice. Over four years, Citizens Advice supported 238 clients experiencing complex challenges, including disabled people and people with long-term health conditions. This reinforced to the partnership the value of prioritising supporting residents with multiple and sometimes overlapping needs.

Towards the end of the Big Local programme, Big4Littlemoor reflected that Helping Hands achieved its goal of bringing services closer to the community, and it was no longer needed as service providers were regularly visiting the Top Club.

Establishing relationships to improve access to affordable and healthy food

Residents experienced high levels of food vulnerability, which prompted Big4Littlemoor to work with other organisations to improve access in different ways (British Red Cross, 2020).

Big Local funding was used to commission a local organisation to deliver sessions on cooking on a budget and on using slow cookers. The cooking process was filmed and shared on social media, and course participants received a free slow cooker and £5 worth of ingredients.

The Helping Hands project officer also set up Good Grub, a club providing weekly sessions on how to prepare and cook food, with families eating together and taking home a bag of ingredients. The club also provided a way for young people to make friends and by the end of Big Local, around 150 young people attended each week.

In 2018, the only supermarket in the Big Local area closed, further limiting access to food. In response, the partnership commissioned a local charity to run a bus service twice a week, over a 17-week trial. The bus provided a much-needed service taking disabled or older residents to other supermarkets until a new supermarket opened on the estate and the service was no longer needed.

Finally, the partnership approached The Nest (membership based, not-for-profit community social supermarkets in Weymouth) to run a shop in the Top Club building. Big Local funding enabled residents to buy 10 items for £4 or families to get 15 items for £6, and there was free fruit, vegetables, and bread available for all. The shop opened several times a week, supporting stigma-free access to healthy and affordable food, and reducing food waste. By the end of Big Local there were 292 members, with around 34 shoppers a week.

Running events to raise awareness and improve the local environment

Big4Littlemoor volunteers updated information on 11 noticeboards around the estate on a weekly basis, sharing details of different opportunities – including volunteering. The partnership felt that this approach increased interest in volunteering and events, including those focused on reducing litter and tidying up the estate.

The partnership held events, including litter picks and Bring and Take days, where residents could swap items they no longer needed. With support from local organisations, the partnership provided a skip for disposal and PAT testers so electrical items could be recycled. The partnership estimated that over 500kg was saved from landfill across three events in one year.

The partnership worked with the local dog warden to hold a dog awareness day, offering microchipping, dog grooming, and advice. Attendees were given dog supplies (like identification tags and biscuits) and information about Big4Littlemoor.

Showcasing Littlemoor through Weymouth Carnival and a memorial garden

Early on, Big4Littlemoor promoted Big Local by entering a float to Weymouth Carnival, receiving a gold trophy. Later, Big Local funding was used to sponsor the local majorettes to march in the Carnival parade with a banner showing the Big Local logo.

During World War I, Littlemoor was an army camp where many injured Australian soldiers were sent to recover. The partnership decided to honour this with a garden for remembrance and relaxation, which they designed with local authorities. Following a successful proposal, the garden was awarded 210 trees from the Queens Commonwealth Canopy project.

The partnership held an event to plant the trees and installed 13 silhouette statues of guards and soldiers. The site was named Littlemoor Remembers and it became a legacy piece for the partnership, designed to last well into the future.