Mottingham
Key points
- Mottingham Big Local supported a range of projects for young residents, and were nominated for a Community Impact Award for their work on holiday programmes.
- No- and low-cost events and activities brought residents together, like the annual Christmas Lights Switch On and community meals.
- Community grants supported local groups, organisations, and individuals, increasing the range of activities for residents to connect and build skills.
About the Big Local area
The Big Local area was in the south of Mottingham, a suburb of terraced housing in Bromley in south-east London. The area was one mile south of Mottingham rail station and bordered by the A208 to the east. Local amenities included shops, fast food outlets, primary schools, religious buildings, community and youth centres, and green spaces; with sports grounds, leisure centres, GP surgeries, colleges, and more green spaces in surrounding areas.
The population of the Big Local area was 6,315 in 2021, having increased nine per cent since 2011 (ONS, 2022; 2012). The area was more diverse than the borough, with 59 per cent of residents identifying as White British and 13 per cent as Black, Caribbean or African (compared to 67 per cent and 8 per cent in Bromley) (ONS, 2023a; 2023b).
The area’s levels of community engagement, connectedness, and physical assets and infrastructure were lower than in Bromley (OCSI, 2019). It also had higher levels of deprivation than the borough, with nearly double the proportion of children living in low-income families, at 20 per cent (MHCLG, 2019; DWP, 2025a). Levels of education and employment were lower than London – 22 per cent of residents had no qualifications (compared to 16 per cent) and 9 per cent of young people were unemployed (compared to six per cent) (ONS, 2023c; DWP, 2025b; 2025c).
How the Big Local area approached delivery
The Mottingham Big Local partnership members included residents and representatives from local organisations, businesses, volunteer groups, and community groups. The partnership was supported by their Locally Trusted Organisation (LTO) – Community Links Bromley (a local volunteer centre).
Community engagement highlighted local challenges and concerns (like loneliness among older residents and wellbeing), and a strong sense of community and pride. Stakeholder consultations, planning workshops, and community events early in the programme informed the development of their first plan. Five years into the programme, the partnership was renamed Mottingham Big Local Refocused, with new priorities under three themes – people, place, and economy. They wanted to strengthen community pride, bring the community together, reduce social isolation, and increase employability and economic potential, while focussing on young people, older residents, and existing venues and green spaces. They recruited paid workers (to lead project delivery, engage the community, and build relationships), delivered activities, and awarded grants to organisations for delivery.
Over the years, the partnership experienced interpersonal and capacity challenges, with resident membership dropping below that required by the programme. Local Trust provided support at key points to address this, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. This included support from an independent chair to help members re-establish ways of working together, understand roles and responsibilities, and refresh their community engagement through free and low-cost activities.
After the Covid-19 pandemic, the partnership allocated funds to work with a provider to support the development of an updated Big Local plan, by consulting residents and local organisations through events, activities, and open meetings. This helped the partnership identify themes to focus on in the final years of Big Local. To deliver against this plan, the partnership increased their capacity, voted in resident co-chairs, and set up resident-led subgroups to oversee grants and monitoring, events, and legacy.
In the final years of Big Local, the partnership was concerned about the loss of community assets, so they explored creating a community hub. Attempts to secure a space were unsuccessful and members instead engaged with local stakeholders to help prevent the closure of other spaces.
The partnership decided not to set up a new organisation to continue beyond Big Local, instead focussing on how popular initiatives could continue benefiting the community. They commissioned a film to document the impact of Mottingham Big Local, with some members feeling particularly proud of the legacy of support for children and young people.
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.
A locally trusted organisation (LTO) was the organisation chosen by people in a Big Local area or the partnership to administer and account for funding, and/or deliver activities or services on behalf of a partnership. Areas might have worked with more than one locally trusted organisation depending on the plan and the skills and resources required.
What the Big Local area did
Investing in young people
Improving health, wellbeing, and connection
Mottingham Big Local consistently prioritised young residents, working with groups, organisations and schools to deliver low- and no-cost activities and support. This enabled the delivery of a range of activities, like dance classes for young people with learning difficulties, martial arts training, art and music therapy, mental health support, and free Community Fun Days at Foxes Field.
The partnership supported two key schemes over several years – the Summer of Sports, and Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programmes. Summer of Sports began towards the end of the programme, as part of the partnership’s renewed efforts following the Covid-19 pandemic. Big Local funding was used to deliver free taster sessions of different physical activities (like boxing, football, and cycling) during the summer holidays. The partnership responded to the programme’s popularity by delivering a bigger programme the following year.
Around the same time, the partnership also worked with Bromley Youth Service, who delivered the existing HAF programme funded by the council. The HAF scheme provided activities and healthy food for children aged eight and over, who were eligible for free school meals. Recognising that eligibility criteria meant children from households just above the income threshold were being turned away, Big Local funding was allocated to create 10 additional places for local children. Big Local funding was also used for additional healthy snacks and activities, enabling participants to take part in new activities like skateboarding and martial arts. This collaboration continued following its initial success, with similar support for the summer HAF programme.
The programme of summer activities and fun days engaged hundreds of people in new experiences and opportunities, receiving positive feedback from parents. Following this success, the partnership commissioned Bromley FC Community Trust to deliver an expanded summer programme for all ages in the final year of Big Local, with activities encouraging social connection and wellbeing. Planned free activities included a sports camp, youth mentoring, women’s netball, and walking football.
The partnership was nominated for the Community Impact Award 2024 at the London Sports Awards for their work on Summer of Sports and the HAF programme.
Place-based pride and connection
Bringing residents of all ages and backgrounds together
Local consultations showed that Mottingham residents had a sense of community pride, and the partnership wanted to build on this, creating opportunities for people to get together locally. The partnership sought to attract a wider range of people, opening existing projects to more residents and organising new activities to appeal to a range of interests.
Big Local funding was invested in the installation of light sockets and procurement of lights, enabling the first annual local Christmas light-up. Special guests switched the lights on, attracting hundreds of people each year. Partnership members felt this event was popular with the community (though residents weren’t always aware the events were funded by Big Local) and strengthened the partnership’s relationships with local organisations.
In 2024, the fourth annual Mottingham Christmas lights switch-on was held alongside the area’s first Festive Market. The market was held in Mottingham Community Centre, with stalls, performances, rides, and a school choir performance, before culminating with Santa switching on the lights. At the close of Big Local, the partnership was exploring how the event could continue beyond the end of the programme.
Supporting community arts
Mid-way through Big Local, the partnership supported a community arts charity to deliver Mottingham Silks, an arts project aimed at bringing residents together and increasing community pride. The project was delivered with a local church, and residents produced silk flags inspired by themes that were important to the community.
The project trained local artists to teach workshops on silk painting. Overall, 33 silk flags were created by 260 residents across 19 workshops, celebrating themes such as education, local traders, environment, and heritage. The flags were displayed at summer community events and at the church’s summer fair.
Engaging the community through coastal visits
Early in the programme, the partnership began supporting low-cost coach trips for residents. Big Local funding was allocated to a coach company and drivers for three to five coaches for several community trips. Responsibility for the trips was shared with Mottingham Community Centre, and regular trips included visits to coastal locations.
Towards the end of Big Local, in 2024, the worker organised a trip to Hastings with nearly 200 residents. Such trips were popular, with spaces booked up quickly, and positive feedback from attendees. They provided an affordable break for residents, many of whom were visiting the coast for the first time. The partnership hoped to find ways for these trips to continue beyond Big Local for the benefit of the community.
Reducing social isolation through community meals
The partnership supported community meals to provide residents opportunities to come together over food. While initially delivered by a local organisation, the partnership delivered meals in the final years of Big Local, hoping to engage the community after the Covid-19 pandemic. Meals were free, open to all ages, and delivered from different community centres.
Community lunches and brunches were held throughout the year to coincide with holidays and events, such as Valentine’s Day and St George’s Day. Towards the end of the programme, the partnership organised a ticketed Christmas Lunch in Mottingham Community Centre, with music, a quiz, and entertainment. Booking a ticket cost £5, to help prevent no-shows, but this was returned to attendees on arrival. The meals attracted a group of regular attendees, and offered space for older or more socially isolated residents to spend time together.
Many Big Local partnerships funded workers to support the delivery of Big Local. They were paid individuals, as opposed to those who volunteered their time. They were different from Big Local reps and advisors, who were appointed and paid by Local Trust.
Local economy
Investing in skills development and training
A consistent priority for the community was to improve residents’ economic prospects, to combat income deprivation and unemployment in the Mottingham area. Big Local funding was invested in skills development and training, and the partnership worked with local organisations to ensure opportunities were offered to residents in a range of fields.
Big Local funding was allocated to training and certification in food hygiene and mental health first aid. Residents were also supported to develop their employment, business, and driving skills, and training in gardening helped create a local kitchen garden.
Skills development and training was a consistent priority for the partnership, but it was complex and presented challenges, like securing a space for delivery.
Responding to crisis and urgent need
Increasing support during the cost of living crisis and Covid-19 pandemic
Big Local funding was allocated to various schemes to support residents through the Covid-19 pandemic and with the rising cost of living. For example, weekly one-to-one information and advice sessions by Citizens Advice, the distribution of 600 food boxes, and a telephone counselling support service.
A Covid-19 pandemic fund was established to help organisations deliver community support, like food takeaways and deliveries, distributing picnic bags and Christmas parcels, and a food bank.
The partnership’s aim to support children and young people remained a priority, and they strove to support home learning during pandemic lockdowns. Big Local funds were used for online tutoring for children, activity packs for isolating families, and counselling for children with special educational needs. The partnership worked with primary schools to support their students, with Big Local funding invested in laptops and books. They received positive feedback about these interventions from the children and schools involved.
Health and wellbeing
Connecting through nature
The partnership worked to support the health and wellbeing of Mottingham residents by expanding opportunities for connection, engagement with nature, and healthy lifestyle choices. Big Local funding supported nature projects like Mottingham Wild and Free, which involved walks, foraging in local woodlands, and workshops. Residents explored local green spaces and learned to identify, gather, and cook with wild plants.
Participants fed back that they had met new people, felt more positive and inspired, and learnt more about nature. The partnership continued supporting community health and wellbeing towards the end of Big Local, commissioning The Clarity Coach to deliver a free programme of weekly and monthly health and wellbeing sessions for adults.
Supporting wellbeing through art
Mid-way through Big Local, the partnership commissioned the Gerald Moore Gallery to deliver an art therapy and wellbeing project in three primary schools. This aimed to support children with emotional wellbeing, stress, anxiety, and depression, and improve their confidence and self-esteem. A qualified art therapist delivered 69 art therapy sessions, and teaching staff attended sessions on how to use art for wellbeing for themselves and their pupils. A few years later, in 2024, the project concluded with an exhibition – Everything is connected in Life: Art and Wellbeing.
The partnership commissioned the Gerald Moore Gallery to deliver a further 36 creative and educational workshops with two primary schools as part of the Art and Creativity in School project. An artist visited these primary schools to work with children aged six to 11.
How the Big Local area spent their funding
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 Mottingham Big Local told Local Trust they used their Big Local funding.
References
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) (2025a) ‘Children in low income families: local area statistics’. (Accessed 10 October 2025)
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) (2025b) ‘Universal credit: Employment status by age’. (Accessed 10 October 2025)
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) (2025c) ‘Jobseekers allowance by age’. (Accessed 10 October 2025)
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) (2019) ‘English indices of deprivation 2019’. (Accessed 10 October 2025)
Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion (OCSI) (2019) ‘Left behind neighbourhoods’. (Accessed 10 October 2025)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2012) ‘UK Census 2011: All persons’. (Accessed 10 October 2025)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022) ‘UK Census 2021: All persons’. (Accessed 10 October 2025)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2023a) ‘UK Census 2021: Ethnic group: White: English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British’. (Accessed 10 October 2025)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2023b) ‘UK Census 2021: Ethnic group: Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African’. (Accessed 10 October 2025)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2023c) ‘UK Census 2021: Highest level of qualification: No qualifications’. (Accessed 10 October 2025)