Gloucester Community Building Collective used a grant of £2,500 from our Main Grants programme towards the first year of a community builder working in Tuffley to support the community address the challenges of increasing disadvantage in that area.
Having a dedicated Community Builder in Tuffley, spending time to get to know the area and its residents, benefits the community through:
- People feeling listened to and being supported to act in a positive way, for example a keen gardener, noticing a neglected local green space, getting a group of other interested residents together to start a gardening and social club.
- People feeling empowered to make a difference locally, for example when residents have an issue they want to resolve, working with a community builder can give them the confidence and connections to make a change.
- Residents feeling more connected which improves mental health and wellbeing, for example, residents who are not connected in their community or feel isolated and lonely have been introduced (through our Community Builder) to local lunch clubs and groups, where they can meet likeminded people.