Rudheath and Witton Big Local was based in a residential area of Northwich, Cheshire. In 2021, it was home to approximately 10,000 residents, constituting nearly half of the town of Northwich (ONS, 2022). While Rudheath had a distinct identity as a civil parish, Witton was integrated into the town parish of Northwich, with its own parish council. The name “Witton” in Northwich’s heritage was derived from its historical association with salt mining.
Within the area, essential amenities included extensive green spaces, three educational institutions, a business park, a town centre, and a large supermarket. Northwich station served as a crucial transportation hub for the area, connecting Rudheath and Witton to Chester and Manchester. However, this important line effectively divided the neighbourhood, with a single road crossing the tracks by bridge to connect the two areas. This meant many residents perceived Rudheath and Witton as separate, with some identifying more closely with their specific area than with the collective Rudheath and Witton. Nonetheless, the Big Local partnership referred to itself as ‘Rudheath and Witton Together’.
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.
Several key themes ran through Rudheath and Witton Together’s delivery in response to community need – young people, mental health and wellbeing, and engaging local residents.
The partnership commissioned local groups and organisations to deliver services and activities, supported residents through a small grants programme, and organised successful local events. They adopted a combination of formal and informal approaches to decision-making. While consensus-based decisions were typical during partnership meetings, agreeing a more streamlined process enabled the Big Local chair and workers to make smaller decisions more effectively.
Rudheath and Witton Together experienced significant personnel changes during the programme, with none of the original partnership members remaining by the end. This presented challenges in maintaining a long-term vision for the area and sustaining momentum and capacity. However, it also allowed for flexibility and adaptability in responding to the evolving needs of the community, and over time the partnership became more stable.
Volunteer capacity was limited, so paid workers played a significant role in delivery. A project manager and community engagement worker were employed throughout the programme. While Big Local funding was invested in additional roles (like volunteer coordination and marketing), over time partnership members’ confidence and capacity grew, allowing them to handle these functions and reallocate resources.
Through their small-grants programme, Rudheath and Witton Together supported many residents and groups to lead on their own ideas, activities, and support for the community.
One resident was supported to set up Piece by Piece, a support group for parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities, intended to help reduce isolation. Members were supported to better understand their rights, and access wellbeing activities and mutual support. Piece by Piece became its own charity in 2021, and the resident who set up the group went on to become chair of the Big Local partnership – showing a link between on-the-ground mutual aid and community leadership.
Similarly, a local ‘Knit and Natter’ group was established, after a resident approached the partnership for a small grant. Within two years, the group had grown to 40 regular members and became its own organisation – Mid-Cheshire Craft Group, connecting people of a range of ages and backgrounds. During the Covid-19 pandemic the group transitioned online, with Big Local funding being invested in craft packs for attendees.
Groups like these helped to reduce isolation amongst Rudheath and Witton residents, improve the confidence and wellbeing of the residents who set them up, and establish social networks that could remain beyond Big Local.
The Rudheath and Witton Together partnership hosted an awards ceremony in 2022 at Rudheath Social Club, to recognise the contributions of local volunteers, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. To bolster community involvement, residents were invited to nominate individuals they felt were deserving of recognition. Subsequently, the partnership facilitated a voting process to determine the winners, who were awarded medals and goody bags. The ceremony had a substantial turnout, including many residents, a councillor, and an MP.
Rudheath Social Club was decorated for the occasion, with a local florist (who had received funding from Big Local for their floristry training) providing floral arrangements. The event helped unite residents by celebrating their positive impact on their community, raised awareness of Rudheath and Witton Together’s work, and ultimately contributed to more residents participating in Big Local activities. The partnership reflected afterwards on the sense of community pride it helped cultivate.
Rudheath and Witton Together were dedicated to creating a space that would be inclusive and accessible for the whole community. In the partnership’s earlier years, activities were conducted at a community centre in Rudheath called The Venue. They rented the space from the parish council; however, the rental costs were high, and the location was easier for Rudheath residents to access than those living in Witton. Mid-way through the programme, the partnership decided to transition their activities to Rudheath Social Club – a key asset in the community since the 1930s.
The partnership established a strong relationship with the club’s management, who allowed them to use the space for free. The new venue was more convenient for Witton residents to access, making it more inclusive for the whole Big Local area.
The Big Local partnership explored the possibility of purchasing the club building. Though this ultimately proved unfeasible, and they decided to support the space in other ways. This included investing Big Local funding in improvements to the building (like replacing the roof) and sharing expertise to help make the club more community-focused and improve accessibility.
The partnership organised and supported delivery of an array of social activities catering to different demographic groups within the Rudheath and Witton Together Big Local area. These included a craft group, wellbeing sessions, holiday activities, and a Halloween disco that became an annual event.
In response to the pressing issue of social isolation among older residents in the community, the partnership established an Over 55s group. This enabled older individuals to get out of their homes and into a warm space at Rudheath Social Club each week, socialise with peers, partake in a range of activities, and go on trips.
These initiatives were all designed to reduce isolation and boost wellbeing by unifying the community.
These activities, some of which continued beyond the end of the programme, left a lasting impact – by helping address local needs and forge new connections.
Having recognised a lack of opportunities and resources, Rudheath and Witton Together approached the needs of young people in different ways.
Initiatives included the refurbishment of a local skatepark, contributing £30,000 of Big Local funding as part of an overall £200,000 investment. Young people were consulted throughout this project, which produced a state-of-the-art, fit-for-purpose facility capable of serving the community for years to come. It opened to the public in 2023.
The partnership adapted their focus from direct engagement (such as youth clubs, outreach programmes, and a youth empowerment fund) to indirect approaches because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The partnership recognised that local schools were better-placed to identify and meet the individual needs of young people, and that they could contribute with Big Local funding as needed. This approach made the most of positive relationships the partnership had cultivated with local schools and enabled swift responses to evolving needs during the crisis – including areas such as mental health and equipment provision.
Rudheath and Witton Together responded by working with local stakeholders to address residents’ immediate needs, with Big Local funding being invested in addressing longer-term issues.
One of the partnership’s achievements was their support for the community during the Covid-19 pandemic. Responding to need in the community, they worked with a group of local stakeholders to provide immediate coordinated support to residents. Recognising the potential longer-term impact on residents, they also established a Covid-19 recovery fund. Residents could access ongoing support through this fund, such as six free counselling sessions.
In response to the rising cost of living that followed the pandemic, the partnership worked with two churches and Rudheath Social Club to provide three ‘warm days’ per week during winter, which ran until early 2023. These reliable warm days offered the community chances to make new friends and eat together somewhere comfortable. It particularly benefited older residents, for whom social engagement and physical warmth were perhaps most needed.
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 Rudheath and Witton Together Big Local told Local Trust they used their Big Local funding.
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022) ‘UK Census 2021: All persons’. (Accessed 21 September 2024)
