Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 4d

Are there any live proposals to get DSIT (and/or CLG?) to create a Civic Tech Fund? An initiative to support the UK’s civic tech movement (pro-social platforms like Library of Things, Olio, Park Run, etc) and shared infrastructure for community organising. 1/n

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Footwork @footworktrust.bsky.social · 2d

A support programme for community innovators like you, in collaboration with @camdencouncil.bsky.social

Learn more & apply by 3 Nov www.footwork.org.uk/peopleandpla...

#NeighbourhoodTransformation #Camden #CommunityAssets #Kilburn #KentishTown #PeopleAndPlaceCamden #PeopleAndPlace

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People and Place: Camden | Footwork Trust

People and Place is Footwork’s name for the programme of support we offer community innovators like you to turn bold ideas into projects that deliver long-term change for your neighbourhoods.

www.footwork.org.uk

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Footwork @footworktrust.bsky.social · 11d

🔁 Beautiful GIF by Emma Harvey (Trinity Bristol) & @visualthinkery.bsky.social 🔁

The #MycelialNetwork represents Community Asset Developers who are transforming their neighbourhood buildings for social and racial justice and ecological resilience...

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Footwork @footworktrust.bsky.social · 15d

✨ “An inspiring gathering of community activists commoning for a just, sustainable & equitable future" ✨

🌱 "...Mixing embodied practice with urgent, transformative knowledge...” 🌱

What happened when 70 community asset leaders came together to share, learn & play at Wolves Lane Centre in London? ⬇️

A gathering of community asset leaders – for coalition & collective power

In early September, 70 community asset leaders came together to share, learn and play at Wolves Lane Centre in London – home of The Ubele Initiative and community growing with Black Rootz and OrganicL...

www.mycelialnetwork.co.uk

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Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · 15d

And finally, with us at #PlatformPlaces:

🗓️ 18th Nov, 11am
📍Online workshop

💡For community & council leaders, funders & asset owners to seed Local Property Partnerships that acquire, retrofit & transform local buildings for social & ecological justice.

➡️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1735358507...

Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · 15d

🗓️ 8th Oct until 10th Dec (various dates, times)
📍 In-person workshops

💡For groups in Southwark and Lambeth to better secure, finance and run community assets, with Stir to Action, Stour Trust, in partnership with Impact on Urban Health.

➡️ www.eventbrite.com/cc/abcs-of-c...

ABCs of Community Assets - Southwark and Lambeth

Stour Trust has partnered with Stir to Action to deliver their ABCs of Community Assets workshop series in Southwark and Lambeth, supporting local groups and stakeholders to better secure, finance and...

www.eventbrite.com

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Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · 15d

🗓️ 15th Oct & 6th Nov, 4.30-6pm
📍 Online

💡For socially impactful businesses (or businesses-to-be!) in areas of Oxfordshire, by @makespaceoxford.bsky.social as part of the OSEP business support programme.

➡️ lnkd.in/eUTgTzYG (15th Oct- finding space)

➡️ lnkd.in/eNFYTFS5 (6th Nov - unlocking space)

What are the root problems with the property system, and what would it look like if we were to change the systems at play to support communities' access to the space they need?

If you have or are setting up a socially impactful business in Oxford City, South Oxfordshire or Vale of the White Horse, you can come and learn about finding and unlocking space as part of the OSEP business support programme.

🗓️ 15th October and 6th November, 4:30-6pm
📍 Online

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Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · 15d

⬇️🧵A quick thread to celebrate some of the brilliant #CommunityAssets training & peer workshops coming up!

(Image © by @visualthinkery.bsky.social)

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 17d

Some thoughts on Pride in Place, the UK government’s major new investment in neighbourhoods:

medium.com/@jamestplunk...

Drawing on a range projects we have underway at @kinship.works And hello from Liverpool and Labour Conference 👋

Pride in Place. Yes, but how?

The details will make all the difference

medium.com

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Tom Chance @tomchance.bsky.social · 20d

Looking forward to the further detail on this, having been involved a little in ICON's great work. Devil will be in the detail of how neighbourhood boards function, how the money is deployed to build broad-based inclusive capacity in communities, etc. etc.

Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · 20d

When people have the resources & power to shape their own neighbourhoods, magic happens 🌱 🏘️

From youth clubs to music venues, health hubs to repair cafes, affordable housing to urban farms, local groups are transforming spaces — for socially just & ecologically resilient work, life & play.

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Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · 20d

That's why it's encouraging to see that the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods' research has made a clear urgent case for Government to shift funding and decisions about neighbourhoods to those living in them.

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Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · 20d

As more details are released, we hope this will be one effective step in localising and democratising who occupies and stewards local buildings and land, for locally-led neighbourhood transformation: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

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Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · 20d

That's why it's encouraging to see that the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods' research has made a clear urgent case for Government to shift funding and decisions about neighbourhoods to those living in them.

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Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · 20d

When people have the resources & power to shape their own neighbourhoods, magic happens 🌱 🏘️

From youth clubs to music venues, health hubs to repair cafes, affordable housing to urban farms, local groups are transforming spaces — for socially just & ecologically resilient work, life & play.

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Matthew Mckeague @memckeague.bsky.social · 20d

“[This] announcement makes clear that investment in the public realm and high streets is back as a political priority..." > really good that it is, but will be absolutely key that it can support community-led schemes www.theguardian.com/politics/202....

Starmer gambles on ‘levelling up’-style initiative to tackle Reform threat

Deprived communities to be given tens of millions to patch up derelict shops, pubs and libraries and ‘restore pride’

www.theguardian.com

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Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · 23d

✨This Friday in Birkenhead ✨

Ahead of Labour Party conf', Make CIC & Future Yard CIC are flipping the conversation on homes and high streets — and you're invited! 🏘️

Join talks with a stellar line-up, and explore incredible community-led venues that show the power of locally-led regeneration 🎶 🎨

FLIPIM - Building from the bottom up

A day of ideas, panels and workshops where we’ll be flipping the conversation on building new homes and reviving our highstreets.

makecic.org

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Power to Change @powertochange.org.uk · Sep 1

🏘️ Join Make CIC & Future Yard CIC for a day of conversation on housing & high streets. This event brings together doers, experts, policymakers & community voices to shape the conversation. 📆 26 Sept, Birkenhead

Save the Date: Friday 26th September – Join the conversation on Housing and High Streets solutions.

We’re excited to share something we’ve been working on! It’s called FLIPIM and we think it’s right up your [high] street. On Friday 26th September, Make CIC and Future Yard CIC are hosting a day of…

buff.ly

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Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · Aug 26

e.g. Trinity Community Arts (Bristol), Historic Coventry Trust (Coventry), The Mansion (Totnes / Devon), Chichester Community Development Trust, b inspired (Leicester).

What are your shout-outs of councils leading this charge? 💫

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Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · Aug 26

✨ Meanwhile, there's another story: of councils around the country transferring assets to community organisations ✨

This helps ensure neighbourhoods retain and revive spaces for evolving local needs, with economic benefits reinvested locally 🎨 🏡 🍲

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Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · Aug 26

📈 Staggering new BBC report shows scale of community spaces being lost to pay council debt 🏫🏚️

£2.9bn of public assets have been sold in the last two years, from care homes to sports clubs to nurseries to youth centres to pubs.

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Council debt 2025: Scale of local authority deficits revealed

Hundreds of council-owned buildings being sold as local authorities seek to reduce debts of £122bn.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Radix Big Tent - RBT @radixuk.bsky.social · Aug 13

🚧 The barrier to High Street healthcare is not ambition or resources – it’s a system stuck in neutral.

In the latest blog, @mr.place kicks the system into gear 👇
t.co/NgyJY9ymzT #CommunityHealth #PlaceBasedCare @platformplaces.bsky.social

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Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · Aug 13

Trying to rent or buy a building to bring your amazing community-focused idea to life?

It’s much easier to make progress if you’re familiar with the language of the people who own the buildings, who manage funding pots and who work in your local authority.

Browse our list of definitions 🔡

Jargon Buster: Property Terminology for Community Assets — Platform Places

Navigating the world of property, legal, and community organisation terms can be daunting. Here's our new glossary to demystify the jargon and help you speak the language of asset owners, councils, an...

www.platformplaces.com

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Footwork @footworktrust.bsky.social · Aug 12

Communities are powering forward on retrofitting buildings 🏗️

But many are held back.

Can supporting them be a win-win for investors & built environment professionals too?

Read the new piece by Ellie Davies (Footwork), Sara Edmonds (National Retrofit Hub) & Alasdair Ben Dixon (Collective Works).

What’s stopping community retrofit? - Collective Works

Community-led projects are powering forward on retrofitting buildings. They are cutting carbon, improving comfort, and protecting public assets.

collectiveworks.net

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Jess Craig @jesscraig.bsky.social · Aug 12

There are some wonderful pieces still to come, so stay tuned! For now, you can catch up on essays from contributors like @jamestplunkett.bsky.social, Vidhya Alakeson, and @platformplaces.bsky.social co-founder Bex Trevalyan, and more:
www.powertochange.org.uk/celebrating-...

Celebrating ten years backing community business - Power to Change

Power to Change turns ten this year. To celebrate a decade backing community business, we are bringing you a programme of events, stories, and essays, celebrating the community business sector, reflec...

www.powertochange.org.uk

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Platform Places @platformplaces.bsky.social · Aug 5

It’s official 💚 We've joined forces with @footworktrust.bsky.social, our long-time collaborators!

We’ve formally integrated, so we can better facilitate & grow the movement for community-led neighbourhood transformation 🏘️🪄

Read about our ‘civic partnership’ 💍 www.platformplaces.com/news/footwor...

Growing the movement for locally-led neighbourhood transformation: Footwork and Platform Places join forces — Platform Places

Footwork Trust and Platform Places are integrating to strengthen the ecosystem of neighbourhood innovators

www.platformplaces.com

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