Community Business Stories

Here are some practical examples of what Community Businesses are doing across the UK across key themes, together with contact details for those businesses should you wish to find out more.

If you would like to share a case study or example with us that will be of use to others please email us directly

Connection

Online and offline social connection (services, information & entertainment).

Moving services online
Taking a range of services online and supporting those with little access to connect, through volunteers.
By Chichester Community Development Trust.

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Creating local streaming content
Isolation Station Hastings, working with local people and organisations to stream daily content from people’s homes.
By WRNV Ltd, Hastings.

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Community connection
Ways to keep the community connected, especially anyone isolated, when we are forced to be apart- including guidelines for volunteers.
By The Onion Collective.

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Community newspapers
Publishing monthly community newspapers in Waltham Forest, Tottenham and Enfield.
By Social Spider.

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Food delivery

Managing food preparation, delivery and/or distribution.

Grocery Delivery
Re-purposing the community shop for grocery delivery.
By Bretforton Community Shop, Worcestershire.

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Hot meal delivery
“Bevy Bites”, providing hot meals for vulnerable people in the Moulsecoomb area of Brighton.
By The Bevy, Brighton.

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Adapting a Bakery
Transforming the bakery to account for social distancing in response to Covid-19.
By Homebaked Cooperative Bakery Anfield.

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Health and Social Care

Maintaining community-based health and social care.

Mental health services online
Moving mental health support services from 'face to face' to digital.
By Inspired Neighbourhoods Group.

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Micro-enterprise Support

Supporting micro-enterprises in your network.

Supporting tenant micro-enterprises
Surveying and providing support to tenants in Rock House, a mixed-use building which contains 6 capped-rent flats and 80 micro-enterprises.
By Rock House, Hastings.

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Partnerships

Working in partnership with local authorities and business.

Creating a local volunteer hub
Establishing a town-wide volunteer support hub of 900+ local resident volunteers and 45+ volunteer coordinators.
By Hastings Emergency Action Response team.

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Working with the local council
A centre which supports the democratic economy, the climate emergency and social change and how they are working with Mid-Devon District Council in view of Covid-19 restrictions.
By Selgars Mill, Mid Devon.

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Wellbeing

Supporting staff and volunteer wellbeing.

Supporting staff remotely
Providing structure while working remotely and using the 5 ways to wellbeing to support staff.
By Project 6.

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Crowdfunding / Donations

Crowdfunding a community pub
How community-owned pub, The Craufurd Arms has responded to closure and how it's used crowdfunding to support its staff.
By Community Shares Company & The Craufurd Arms Maidenhead.

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