Riverside Community - Grays Riverside

Supporting social entrepreneurs of all ages to harness skills and contribute to the community 

Strengthening the skills and confidence of residents, particularly aspiring social entrepreneurs, was a core focus for the Riverside Community Big Local (RCBL) partnership. They actively identified individuals and groups with entrepreneurial ambitions and supported them in developing and leading their own initiatives through a range of efforts. 

For example, in the earlier years of the Big Local programme, RCBL launched ​‘Thurrock Soup’ events which enabled local entrepreneurs to pitch enterprise ideas, with entrance fees funding the most compelling proposal. The partnership supported winners to connect with further opportunities, provided and co-funded by organisations like UnLtd for developing business skills. Through this opportunity one young resident opened a recording studio in Grays, securing funding and mentorship to launch his own business. This success led to a further £14,800 grant from the local police, fire and crime commission, enabling the studio to be upgraded and the hiring of a local DJ. This created a space where young people could engage in music sessions and creative workshops.

Residents also accessed business support through Big Local initiatives such as the co-funded Thurrock School for Social Entrepreneurs, which supported fee-free access to training and mentoring for emerging entrepreneurs. This support empowered residents to share their skills and contribute to the community. One resident set up low-cost creative art courses across the borough to support older residents to socialise and explore their creativity. Another resident supported by UnLtd and RCBL launched a catering business, expanded their network, and offered services at reduced costs for local events. They also shared her skills with other residents, mentoring them in developing their own businesses.

Reclaiming, revitalising and transforming parks, beaches and community venues into thriving community hubs

Early in the programme, the Riverside Community Big Local (RCBL) partnership started work with the council on the initiative ​‘Community Ownership and Management of Assets’ (COMA), to develop a council strategy for the transfer of assets. This led to the leasing and community management of two important community spaces, The Lightship Café and Seabrooke Rise Community House. 

The Lightship Café at Grays Park Beach had closed due to council funding cuts prior to the start of the Big Local programme. Recognising its value as a community space, residents and the RCBL partnership prioritised its revival. They invested £35,000 of Big Local funding and secured a three-year peppercorn lease to reopen the café.

With the help of volunteers and local organisations, the partnership revitalised the café and park through litter-picking, refurbishing facilities, adding planters, and organising events. The Lightship Café became a Community Interest Company (CIC), securing additional funds to install play equipment and boules courts. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the partnership helped to secure £37,000 in emergency funds to keep the Café running and another £25,000 for equipment and improvements. The Café became a hub for local initiatives. It helped young people earn catering qualifications, gained 4,800 Facebook followers and attracted an increased footfall. The CIC established a strong relationship with the local authority, which invested in new park features like a splash pad and parkour area.

The partnership also supported the Seabrooke Rise Community Association to lease (from the council) and manage the Seabrooke Rise Community House as a dedicated space for local activities. RCBL allocated funds to a full-time project worker and invested £25,000 of Big Local funding to support the opening and running of the new community centre, strengthening the association’s operations and governance. Seabrooke Rise Community House became a vibrant hub for youth clubs, parent support groups, and a range of social initiatives, delivering lasting benefits for residents.

Encouraging wellbeing through shared spaces and social activities

Riverside Community Big Local (RCBL) supported initiatives that promoted health, wellbeing, and social connection. By investing Big Local funds into accessible community spaces and inclusive activities, the partnership created opportunities for residents to connect and stay active.

RCBL helped establish Orchard Forum Community Allotment and Elm Road Open Space in the later years of the Big Local programme, providing welcoming areas where residents could garden, meet others, and take part in sustainability projects. The partnership supported and provided seed funding for a Men’s Sheds initiative. This offered a safe and supportive space for men to talk while engaging in wood and metalwork projects, attracting £65,000 in external funding to support its growth.

To encourage physical activity and social participation, RCBL contributed to Big Gray’s Run, an annual running event developed in collaboration with a local running group and led by an RCBL partnership member. Other community-led activities included regular community lunches and writers’ events, which created opportunities for residents to meet, share ideas, and take part in creative expression.

The partnership also collaborated with local authorities, schools, businesses, and community groups to implement various health and wellbeing initiatives for children. For example, in collaboration with Forest School for All, weekly activities were organised to teach forest skills, while school gardening projects involved over 600 children, encouraging them to grow their own fruits and vegetables, and providing families with access to fresh produce.

Through these initiatives, RCBL helped strengthen social ties, reduce isolation, and create opportunities for residents of all ages to stay engaged and active in their community.

Strengthening community connection and pride through environmental action 

The Riverside Community Big Local (RCBL) partnership was dedicated to cleaning up the area and creating environmental spaces that promoted local pride. The partnership supported and mentored volunteer teams who worked across parks and beaches to improve these areas and remove litter.

Key initiatives included the Tower Block Planter Scheme and ​“Grays in Bloom,” in which planters designed by local groups were installed, as well as the ​“Green-up Grays” campaign, involving hedge and tree planting with local organisations. 

Grays ​‘Beachcombers’ built a volunteer movement to clean up the Grays riverfront and prevent litter, particularly plastic, from entering local waterways. Launched by Thames 21 and RCBL, volunteers organised litter-picking events, with food provided by the Lightship Café. In 2020, over 100,000 plastic bottles were removed from the estuary in just three months.

These clean-up events benefitted the environment, and also brought people together to share ideas for future projects, including collaborative art projects. Volunteers created a mandala from collected rubbish to raise awareness about pollution, and built a whale mural with young adults transitioning out of care, which was displayed in their community club.

To sustain these efforts, local volunteers formed ​‘Friends of’ groups for Grays Town Park, Grays Beach Park, and Elm Road Open Spaces. These groups worked to maintain the parks, keeping them clean and well-planted for future generations to enjoy. As the Big Local programme came to an end, the ​‘Friends of’ groups were working with the RCBL partnership to become a Community Benefit Society (CBS). The CBS aimed to be a legacy to enable further Community Asset Transfers and potential investment, building on RCBL’s work. To support the CBS, the RCBL partnership planned to work with their Locally Trusted Organisation to provide advice in managing grants and to gather evidence to show a track record of managing funds and securing a first year’s turnover. This work aimed to support the CBS to gain funding moving forward.

The partnership reflected that RCBL’s focus on the environment, along with the growth of a volunteering culture and movement, fostered a sense of pride in Thurrock. This visible transformation in the community has helped shift residents’ mindsets and media reports. For example, a local news report described the area as being underpinned by a community of volunteers and committed people who see a positive future and are achieving a huge amount (Your Thurrock, 2018).

Supporting events to celebrate diversity

Members of the RCBL partnership strived to recognise and celebrate diverse cultures in the area through sponsoring and supporting the first Afro Food Festival in 2023, and the Thurrock International Celebration of Culture (TICC). TICC was a series of events that celebrated and connected the ethnic, religious and cultural diversity of Grays through music, dancing, and other art forms. The Afro Food Festival, held to coincide with Windrush Day, received positive feedback from those who responded to community consultation surveys and was held again the following year.

Towards the end of Big Local, the RCBL partnership learned through a newly established LGBTQ+ Network that members of the LGBTQ+ community had experienced hate crimes and felt unsafe and unaccepted in the area. It was reported that, as a result, many left the area to attend Pride events in parts of the country where they felt more welcomed. RCBL invested Big Local funding and volunteer time to support the planning and delivery of the first-ever Thurrock Pride event in 2024. The event raised awareness of the community, and was captured in a documentary ​‘Our Journey to Pride’, which was shared on the festival circuit, winning awards internationally. This visibility led to C2C Rail becoming the first corporate sponsor of the next Pride event, demonstrating the links between early support and sustainability, and enabling Thurrock’s LGBTQ+ community to celebrate in their local area.