South Bermondsey
Key points
- The partnership connected residents across five estates by supporting local groups, organisations, and tenants’ and residents’ associations to deliver activities and projects.
- To increase educational and employment opportunities, they invested in free and low-cost accreditation and training, local entrepreneur support, and the creation of the Big Local Works hub, which provided training, advice, and support for social enterprises.
- Influenced by changes planned for the area, they worked to increase resident engagement in regeneration and development plans, setting up an organization as the ‘go-to’ on regeneration and consultation for residents, businesses and stakeholders.
About the Big Local area
Located between Millwall Football Club, the mainline railway and Old Kent Road, South Bermondsey Big Local was one of the 20 per cent most deprived areas of the country in 2019 (MHCLG, 2019). The south-east London area had a higher proportion of unemployed adults than other parts of London (ONS, 2022a). It was a culturally diverse area with around 11,300 residents — around a third of residents identified as White British, with another third identifying as Black British, African or Caribbean (ONS, 2022b; 2023a; 2023b).
The area included five social housing estates, separated by main roads. It included green spaces, schools, and community buildings. During the Big Local programme, large developments were planned along the Old Kent Road, just outside of the Big Local area.
How the Big Local area approached delivery
When a previous place-based funding programme in South Bermondsey ended in 2011, the organisations and individuals involved went on to form the new Big Local South Bermondsey partnership (BLSBP). Additional residents were recruited onto the partnership from across the different estates. Many of these were also part of existing estate tenant and resident associations.
United St Saviours, an experienced local funder, was selected by the partnership to be their Locally Trusted Organisation (LTO), and other organisations — such as Bede House Association — were funded over the years to provide the partnership with administrative, strategic and employment support. Paid workers also supported the partnership through engaging residents and stakeholders across the estates, attracting funding and building the capacity of volunteers, including partnership members.
The priorities for the area included improving access to green spaces; supporting older people; raising the aspirations of young people; supporting local entrepreneurship; and involving residents in influencing local development projects.
The South Bermondsey Big Local partnership wanted to strengthen the skills and capacity within the community, and provided funding, training and support to volunteers, community groups, and tenant and resident associations (TRAs) to deliver activities and events across the estates.
Through funding TRAs to deliver a range of activity, such as community events, trips and meals, the partnership felt skills within TRAs had increased, and that they had built closer relationships between the different associations and s other groups active within the area. However, the partnership felt it was sometimes difficult for the community to distinguish between the activity of the Big Local partnership and the TRAs.
The partnership was well connected, with many members also local councillors. The group also tapped into the experience and expertise of community organisations and activists across the area, or those who had been involved in previous development programmes in South Bermondsey. They worked collaboratively with stakeholders across sectors to develop and deliver projects, which enabled them to reduce their reliance on Big Local funding by tapping into partners’ expertise and resources.
When collaborating with groups and organisations, partnership members highlighted the importance of understanding roles and responsibilities, and of having a shared vision. Overall, they felt their approach had been successful, and the partnership celebrated community volunteers and stakeholders at annual Big Local Champions events.
Over the years, new organisations were created to enable key projects and initiatives to continue in the long term as part of the legacy of South Bermondsey Big Local. Some partnership members became trustees of these organisations, which included Big Local Works (providing employment, enterprise and financial support) and Old Kent Road South Bermondsey Partnership (aiming to increase residents influence over local developments).
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 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
Working collaboratively
Amplifying the voices of residents in wider community change
During the Big Local programme, Old Kent Road was one of the major opportunity areas identified in the London Plan, and the South Bermondsey Big Local partnership wanted residents to have a say in, and benefit from, the area’s development (Mayor of London, 2016). They worked with the Greater London Authority, developers, and other organisations to influence Southwark Council’s Area Action Plan for Old Kent Road. They also facilitated forums across the estates to engage residents about the plans. Big Local funding went towards training in construction and maintenance, so residents could access employment opportunities from the planned developments.
Towards the end of Big Local, some partnership members became trustees in the new Old Kent Road South Bermondsey Partnership Community Interest Organisation (CIO). This CIO was set up to become the go-to organisation for regeneration and consultation for residents, businesses, and stakeholders in the area. They ran activities aiming to engage the community in conversations about regeneration, and an event celebrating the diversity of the neighbourhood.
Developing projects with stakeholders
As the South Bermondsey Big Local partnership was created from a multi-stakeholder group that already existed, many of its members from the public, private, and third sector were involved in collaborative working. This influenced the South Bermondsey partnership to develop projects and draw on external expertise and resources to better meet community needs.
An example of this was the development of the Big Local Works Hub. Following the success of the partnership’s business training courses and the growing need for welfare advice, the idea was born for a hub offering free employability training, support for social enterprises, and benefits and welfare advice. Big Local funding was used to pay for initial staffing and set up costs. Southwark Council helped the partnership source a space at the Blue Market, a parade of shops just outside the Big Local area, and the partnership’s LTO — United St Saviors — went on to provide support with rental costs. In 2019, a charity — Big Local Works — was established, enabling it to raise funding and take on the venue lease. Some partnership members joined as trustees of the new organisation.
Big Local Works Hub was seen as an important part of the partnership’s legacy. By 2023 the partnership estimated that the benefits and welfare support alone had helped residents claim hundreds of thousands of pounds in benefits. The charity continued to support the community after the end of the Big Local. Big Local Works collaborated with businesses and stakeholders to secure £2m funding from the Greater London Authority for a community-led regeneration of the Blue Market. In addition to welfare benefits, employment and enterprise support, the charity also delivered community engagement and outreach, and advocated for community needs within local redevelopment.
Local economy
Investing in community skills
Due to the level of local unemployment, the South Bermondsey Big Local partnership focused on improving local employment and education opportunities. One of the ways in which they did this was by funding free training and courses for residents in construction, maintenance, sports fitness and coaching, and business skills with local providers, such as Mitre and Millwall FC.
Early on, the partnership supported a new Community Interest Company, Bermondsey Community Kitchen, to set up a training kitchen providing free, accredited City and Guilds training in catering and good service to young people not in education, employment or training, and those with learning disabilities. Over time, Bermondsey Community Kitchen expanded, taking on students from outside Southwark.
Residents gained confidence, qualifications and skills that helped them to access new employment, education and training opportunities, and enabled the delivery of new projects within the area. For example, some residents became accredited in floristry and horticulture, helping to look after local green spaces on the estates.
Others were able to receive training and then give immigration advice and interpreting services to support newer Arabic speaking residents. The partnership’s commitment to building skills within the community helped residents to develop new careers, and was seen as a key part of their legacy.
Supporting the development of local entrepreneurs
To raise aspirations and local opportunities, the South Bermondsey partnership allocated funds to enable residents to establish new businesses run by residents. In partnership with Unltd, a foundation for social entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial residents were provided with funding, training, networking opportunities and 1–2‑1 support. The partnership worked with local stakeholders, including the Blue Business Improvement District team, to develop pop up shops and stalls in a local shopping centre. This created a space for entrepreneurs to test the skills they’d developed.
These new businesses and groups were also funded to deliver activities and projects as part of the Big Local plan, which gave them opportunities to build their experience and portfolio of work. This led to more resident-led clubs, groups and social enterprises in the area. For example, residents set up self-sustaining gardening, tea and crafting clubs, parent and toddler groups and social enterprises such as a community food-growing enterprise.
Although their support helped many residents to set up new businesses, the partnership reflected that it was not always able to keep track and maintain contact with those supported. This made it hard to measure the wider impact of their funding or how ventures progressed after the initial support.
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.
Place-based pride and connection
Meeting diverse needs and bringing people together
Residents, community groups and tenant and resident associations received Big Local funding to organise events to bring together people from different ages, cultures, and estates. The South Bermondsey partnership supported the St George’s Day Festival, an inclusive multicultural event which attracted hundreds of residents from across the community.
Other events were aimed at meeting the needs of particular groups such as children, young people, parents and carers, and older residents. Big Local funding was used to fund Millwall Football Club’s community foundation to deliver a football programme bringing together young people from the different estates. Older people took part in free organised events and activities, such as walking football, which helped connect them with other residents across the estates, and reduce feelings of isolation.
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 South Bermondsey Big Local told Local Trust they used their Big Local funding.
References
Mayor of London (2016) ‘The London Plan: The spatial development strategy for London consolidated with alterations since 2011’. Available at: london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/planning/london-plan/past-versions-and-alterations-london-plan (Accessed 8 September 2024)
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) (2019) ‘English indices of deprivation 2019’. Available at: gov.uk/government/statistics/english-indices-of-deprivation-2019 (Accessed 9 October 2024)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022a) ‘UK Census 2021: Economic activity status, England and Wales’. Available at: ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/economicactivitystatusenglandandwales/census2021#economic-activity-status (Accessed 17 October 2024)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022b) ‘UK Census 2021: All persons’. Available at: ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationandhouseholdestimatesenglandandwalescensus2021 (Accessed 9 October 2024)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2023a) ‘UK Census 2021: Ethnic group White: English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British’. Available at: ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS021/editions/2021/versions/3 (Accessed 31 October 2024)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2023b) ‘UK Census 2021: Ethnic group: Black’. Available at: ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS021/editions/2021/versions/3 (Accessed 31 October 2024)