Power to Change

In 2017, Power to Change invested £1 million into Braunstone, through a five-year programme called Empowering Places.

B inspired acted as the catalyst for Braunstone to become a community business-led economy, where local people could create their own solutions to tackle some of the most difficult issues faced by their community. They would feel strong and supported by a partnership that has developed and built local infra-structure.

In carrying out this programme, B-inspired have worked with local people, through an inclusive approach that enables everyone who wants to help Braunstone flourish; from community groups to private businesses. The intended outcome from this project was to have grown existing community businesses in Braunstone and created up to 5 new ones. The aim was to provide a self-supporting cluster of community businesses, offering a range of goods and services that local people can afford.

After consultation with the community, B-inspired supported the creation of 3 new community businesses; Preloved@45 Community Shop, Parkside Community Café and Penalty Box Social Bar. In addition they supported 2 other local community groups to become community businesses: ER Dance and Fitness CIC and FSD Football Academy CIC.

The businesses exist as Community Interest Companies, run by local people, who exist in their own right. The idea is that B-Inspired support them to become totally independent entities, over the coming year. It is intended that the profits from these businesses go back into the local community, through community-led initiatives.

What's a community business?

So here are a few points which may help:

Locally rooted – it covers an area that is well defined like a neighbourhood, such as Braunstone and a majority of the staff and volunteers who run it must be from that local area.

Trade for the benefit of the local community – the majority of the profits must be distributed locally for community benefit.

 

Accountable to the local community – it must have local control, with local people having a say in how it is run i.e. through membership and consultation and a majority of the management being local people.

 

Community impact – a community business must be able to show it is making a real difference to the community and contributes to a better sense of confidence and pride in the area.

As we approach the final months of the Power to Change funding, we hope to have played our part in facilitating the creation of this community business-led economy. Now it’s up to the community businesses to do the rest!

Follow the Community Businesses on Social Media!

Preloved@45 Community Shop