Challenging barriers to prosperity

BY REBECCA POOLE

FUNDING freezes and shortfalls have led one organisation to challenge the barriers to a city such as Lincoln reaching its full potential.

LocalMotion is made up of six target areas – as well as Lincoln the project includes Carmarthen, Wales; Enfield, London; Oldham, Manchester; Torbay, Devon; and Middlesborough in the North East. Under a scheme called Places, these areas will help each other tackle issues such as the increasing demand on charities and other community organisations that have minimal funding and little power to bring about the changes or development needed so areas can prosper.

LocalMotion’s recent Visit Day saw representatives of the five other partners come to the city to explore Lincoln’s three connected themes for this project, Community Prosperity, Community Aspiration, and Community Sustainability. “The purpose of the visit was to tell Lincoln’s story. Where we have come from and where we are going, together,” explained Charlotte Brooks, Coordinator at LocalMotion Lincoln.

“Our funders are also travelling alongside us on this journey of doing things differently and are using face to face conversation and storytelling to help understand our approach to change.”

Lincoln’s themes were chosen as part of the community-led project to help tackle issues, share responsibility, and aims to elevate voices from residents. Prosperity focuses on enhancing opportunities for people to make positive choices and have control over their own lives, enabling freedom and the feeling of ownership of local spaces. Aspiration aims to develop skills, and celebrate diversity of all residents, and Sustainability champions community spirit and self-sufficiency to support the protection of the planet and help toward the city’s carbon goals.

Ali Talbot, Chief Executive at Green Synergy, said that the initiative is passionate that unheard residents are given a voice, with its work playing an important role in Community Sustainability.

For example, by enjoying and protecting green spaces, such as the charity’s community gardens, it brings together local people to let them grow fresh produce and allows green spaces to flourish.

“If successful into the next stage for LocalMotion Lincoln, we are proposing a series of community-led activities that will empower and motivate the people in our communities to make the change they want to see locally.”

Lincoln has also launched the Poverty Truth Commission to understand deep rooted causes of poverty in the city, running between September 2022 to August 2024, and Citizens’ Manifesto which builds on existing schemes creating a network of people actively involved in influencing policy and campaigning for change, both supporting the overarching Places project.

To find out more about LocalMotion and the project visit www.localmotion.org.uk