Wargrave
Key points
- Essential activities and services (like fitness activities, youth club, and food provision) were brought into the area to improve community connection and wellbeing.
- Local employment opportunities were improved through a job club, which supported 50 residents into employment.
- Legacy grants were distributed to sustain Newton Community Centre, the local library and woodland walk beyond the end of Big Local, which increased community activities and created local volunteering opportunities.
About the Big Local area
The Wargrave Big Local area spanned a neighbourhood in the town Newton-le-Willows, to the east of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in North West England. In 2021, the area was home to 7,408 residents (ONS, 2022a).
The area was among the 20 per cent most deprived areas in England (MHCLG, 2019). The population reflected St Helens in diversity and employment – 93 per cent of residents identified as White British, and unemployment among working-age adults was 4 per cent (ONS, 2023; 2022b). Compared to St Helens, the area had a greater proportion of young people (22 per cent compared to 18 per cent) and a lower proportion of residents aged 65 and over (14 per cent compared to 21 per cent) (ONS, 2022c; 2022d).
Wargrave had fewer assets than the borough average (OSCI, 2019), and fewer local jobs (ONS, 2022e; 2024). The partnership reflected that access to local services reduced over time, as many services that were previously based in Newton-le-Willows moved to St Helens Town Centre. This included the closure of Newton Technical College and the Jobcentre.
How the Big Local area approached delivery
The Wargrave Big Local partnership aimed to further ambition and resilience in the community. While their themes were regularly revised through resident engagement (like surveys, consultation events, and informal conversations), the community consistently prioritised health and wellbeing; open spaces; financial and employment support; and establishing a community base for Big Local activity.
Partnership members regularly met to review progress, approve grants, and plan new projects. Early on, they decided to create subgroups for each theme, which were maintained throughout Big Local.
With decreasing local services, the partnership took a mixed approach to delivering Big Local, to sustain existing groups and bring essential services into Wargrave. Recognising that they did not have the capacity to deliver Big Local alone, the partnership commissioned local providers. For example, the partnership commissioned local agencies to deliver activities and services for young people. This included a weekly youth club, mentoring for young people not in work or education, and fitness and cooking classes. In 2019, the partnership opened the Wargrave Big Local Community Hub, which they leased from their Locally Trusted Organisation (LTO), Torus Foundation.
The partnership ran a Community Chest scheme throughout Big Local, awarding 64 community grants to local groups and individuals, totalling £142,000. The partnership prioritised grants for activities based at the hub. Over the years, they reviewed their approach to make grant-funding more targeted and flexible. For example, in 2019, to diversify activities they widened their eligibility criteria, simplified applications, and introduced start-up grants for small businesses. During the Covid-19 pandemic they established a recovery fund to distribute grants more quickly. Small-grant projects included a cemetery memorial garden, a defibrillator in the village, tennis court improvements, free after school activities at a local sport academy, and a two-week summer holiday play scheme by Newton Community Centre.
Three workers were employed over the duration of the programme to support Big Local activity. The partnership wanted to encourage involvement with Big Local but reflected that they struggled engaging residents throughout. Despite this, significant successes were achieved with residents supporting major projects.
In 2023, the partnership recognised that they could not sustain Wargrave Big Local Community Hub beyond the end of the programme, as it was reliant on the partnership and worker. They decided to end their lease and revise their legacy ambitions. They used asset mapping to identify local groups and projects, to redirect remaining Big Local funding. As a result, they found opportunities to support well-established community spaces (like Newton Community Centre) to improve their offer and continue activities beyond the end of Big Local. During this period, Groundwork Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside took over as LTO to support the partnership in delivering their final plan.
By the end of the programme, Wargrave Big Local had left a legacy of improved community assets and outdoor spaces, and groups able to sustain local services and activities.
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.
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.
What the Big Local area did
Community assets and spaces
Creating Wargrave Big Local Community Hub
The Big Local partnership in Wargrave wanted to create a safe, thriving space to offer much needed services, information, and support to residents. They planned to do this by refurbishing the Wargrave Big Local Community Hub and working with other groups to transition the space into a sustainable enterprise.
The Covid-19 pandemic hit just after the community hub opened in December 2019. The partnership reflected that this changed everything, as they were forced to close and the hub was repurposed for NHS use. Once re-opened, the partnership hosted support services, groups, and activities. The space included a computer suite, kitchen, rooms for private booking, and a community garden. Activities included weekly fitness and yoga, sewing and knitting, Citizens Advice, craft fairs, a youth club, and community meals cooked by volunteers. In 2020, Big Local funding was invested in a community art project, where materials were sent to residents so they could create something for a collage, which was later displayed in the hub.
While the original plan was to transition the hub into a sustainable enterprise, towards the end of Big Local the partnership made the difficult decision to leave Wargrave Community Hub. They realised they did not have the capacity to sustain the space after Big Local funding ended, and that their ambitions for the space were not aligned with Torus Foundation. Instead, they recognised the opportunity to redirect remaining funds towards the well-established Newton Community Centre.
Strengthening Newton Community Centre to continue beyond Big Local
The Wargrave Big Local partnership worked with Newton Community Centre (NCC) in the final years of the programme, to help expand their offer and support their long-term future. Big Local funding was used to redevelop NCC’s garden, creating a multi-use space for activities and growing. The partnership worked with Groundwork, local experts, and the NCC to improve the space, by adding a memorial bench and making the garden usable all year round, with hardstanding and wheelchair-accessible paths.
Big Local funding supported a caretaker role for 12 months, to allow for extended opening hours and enable the centre manager to focus on grant applications. Activities and services established at Wargrave Big Local Community Hub – including Citizens Advice, Torus Job Club, Youth Federation, and Change Grow Live – also moved to NCC, generating income through venue hire.
Over 24 weeks near the end of Big Local, the Wargrave Big Local partnership also ran a weekly art and wellbeing session, where adult carers could come together and take a break from caring responsibilities. The partnership reflected that their biggest legacy was in strengthening an existing popular space, so it could continue long into the future. After Big Local ended, NCC continued to run a programme of 35 community activities each week, and welcome residents to their community garden and café.
Creating a safe and green Wargrave
The partnership supported various projects to enhance open spaces and improve safety, like litter bins, planters, a memorial poppy trail, and free events where residents could create hanging baskets.
Later in the programme, the partnership listened to local concerns around road safety. The partnership and residents used their collective voice to negotiate with the local council for a new pedestrian crossing near a local school. This required persistence, but was ultimately successful. The partnership felt this enabled the community to believe in people power and the importance of speaking up to amplify residents’ voices and challenge decisions.
The partnership distributed legacy grants to the local library to revitalise their outdoor courtyard, and to improve access to and share the history of Red Brow Woodland Walk. Together, Groundwork, St Helens Borough Council, and residents collaborated over six months to redevelop the overgrown but well-used woodland walk, by removing invasive plants and clearing the area to make it more usable. Local stories and photos from residents were used to create new boards to educate and engage visitors.
Both the library and woodland walk helped create more volunteering opportunities, with the woodland walk providing both one-off sessions and longer-term volunteering opportunities, which were expected to continue beyond the Big Local programme. Towards the end of Big Local, a local school planned to involve students in volunteering with the library and the woodland walk.
Place-based pride and connection
Facilitating community connection
Early in Big Local, the partnership awarded a £500 start-up grant for a new community choir. Wargrave Community Choir went on to perform at concerts and raise money for charity, ultimately growing to over 70 members and securing additional funding to continue beyond Big Local.
After the Covid-19 pandemic, the partnership prioritised bringing residents together. They organised seasonal community events and ran coach trips outside the area. Between 2024 and 2025, they took 740 residents to visit the seaside, Blackpool, Christmas markets in York and Nottingham, and a pantomime. The partnership reflected that their coach trips helped improve wellbeing and provided residents with affordable opportunities to travel.
Health and wellbeing
Hosting fun activities and specialist services
A few years into Big Local, the partnership prioritised Wargrave residents’ health and wellbeing, with a variety of projects targeting different needs. They hosted weekly fitness and craft sessions at Newton Community Centre (and later Wargrave Big Local Community Hub), and worked with the Healthy Living team of St Helens Borough Council to establish a weekly walking group. Big Local funding was also invested in specialist support.
Early in Big Local, the partnership provided a small grant to a weekly men’s group focused on improving health and wellbeing through group-led activities, like photography and healthy eating. The partnership reflected that with over 20 men, the group was one of their most successful funded projects at the time. They were involved in an event in St Helens for Suicide Prevention Week, were featured in the local press, and held the What Keeps Men Well exhibition, showcasing their work and attracting visitors from a wide area. Ultimately, they secured external funding to continue without support from Big Local.
Towards the end of Big Local, the partnership worked with Change Grow Live (CGL), a national charity supporting people recovering from alcohol and substance abuse. Bringing their specialist support to residents, CGL hosted a drop-in service at Wargrave Big Local Community Hub. The partnership reflected that having this service locally meant residents could get help to change the direction of their lives. The service was later moved to Newton Community Centre.
Responding to crisis and urgent need
Working collaboratively to support residents
The Big Local partnership felt that urgent need in the Wargrave community had been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, and they took a varied approach to meeting those needs.
The partnership was concerned about fuel poverty affecting older residents and those in vulnerable circumstances. So, they worked with St Helens Borough Council to host Winter Warmer days at Newton Community Centre (NCC), which also brought in representatives from agencies including Citizens Advice and Age UK. Over 250 winter warmer bags (including soup, room thermometers, warm clothing, and information on staying well during cold weather) were distributed to older residents and those in need. They also hosted two sessions at the community hospital, which led to 38 home visits and improvements. During Covid-19 pandemic, which happened a few years after setting up the Winter Warmed days, support continued, with over 600 winter warmer packs distributed alongside ongoing events.
During the pandemic, Big Local funding was awarded to Business for Youth, to help deliver 33,805 free lunches to children and 780 food parcels to families. This support was vital for residents who could not work due to lockdowns. The partnership recognised that after the pandemic, food insecurity persisted due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and so supported an existing food pantry by hosting them at Wargrave Big Local Community Hub. The pantry distributed free breakfast packs during school holidays, and by the end of the programme 875 packs had been received by families.
The partnership also hosted Citizens Advice throughout Big Local, first at Wargrave Big Local Community Hub and later at NCC. The partnership valued this work because it “put money in people’s pockets”. By the end of Big Local, Citizens Advice had helped residents clear £115,000 of debt and access £105,000 of benefits, and was a well-established part of Newton Community Centre’s weekly calendar.
Local economy
Improving local employment outcomes
The partnership collaborated with Torus Foundation on employment support for residents. This began early in the programme, in 2016, with a job fair hosted outside the area. The partnership funded a minibus from Newton Community Centre, enabling 23 residents to attend by reducing travel barriers.
Big Local funding also supported the Wargrave Job Club, which provided weekly support to help residents update CVs, apply for jobs, and prepare for interviews. The partnership helped remove practical barriers by providing individual grants, which covered costs related to DBS checks, travel, and training (like equality and diversity; health and safety; customer service; and interview skills). Working with a new local pub, Wargrave Job Club hosted an open day and pre-interview training. Within a year, 48 residents were using the Job Club, 27 had secured jobs (18 of which were jobs with the pub chain), and 21 individual grants (totalling £770) were awarded. The club received funding throughout Big Local and by the end of the programme, over 50 people had secured jobs. Torus Foundation secured funding to continue the club beyond Big Local, with delivery moving to the Newton Community Centre.
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 Wargrave Big Local told Local Trust they used their Big Local funding.
References
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 6 January 2026)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022a) ‘UK Census 2021: All persons’. Available at: ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationandhouseholdestimatesenglandandwalescensus2021 (Accessed 6 January 2026)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022b) ‘UK Census 2021: Economic activity status, England and Wales’. Available at: ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/economicactivitystatusenglandandwales/census2021#economic-activity-status (Accessed 6 January 2026)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022c) ‘UK Census 2021: Age structure of the population: Population aged under 16’. Available at: ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationandhouseholdestimatesenglandandwalescensus2021 (Accessed 6 January 2026)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022d) ‘UK Census 2021: Age structure of the population: Aged 65 years and over’. Available at: ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationandhouseholdestimatesenglandandwalescensus2021 (Accessed 6 January 2026)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2022e) ‘UK Census 2021: Population aged 16 to 64’. Available at: ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationandhouseholdestimatesenglandandwalescensus2021 (Accessed 17 March 2026)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2023) ‘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 6 January 2026)
Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2024) ‘Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES): Total employees’. Available at: ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/employeesintheukbyregion/2023 (Accessed 17 March 2026)
Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion (OCSI) (2019) ‘Left behind neighbourhoods’. Available at: ocsi.uk/left-behind-neighbourhoods/ (Accessed 6 January 2026)