Highlights from the last two years
South Bermondsey is one of the most deprived areas in England, surrounded by new large-scale private development that risks leaving local people behind. At Big Local Works, our People-Powered Regeneration programme ensures local residents lead that change, building civic pride, cultural exchange and economic resilience.
- In the past two years, more than 1,000 local people have taken part in our community activities and events, working alongside many fantastic and committed local partners.
- The programme is partly funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation over four years, covering the cost of a 0.8 FTE community organiser and the rent we pay to Southwark Council for our drop-in centre.
- Everything else has been raised through our own fundraising. Every project is developed by and for local neighbours who want to strengthen our community.
Have a project idea for Bermondsey? We’d love to help you launch it!
Contact us: laura@biglocalworks.org.uk | luds@biglocalworks.org.uk
What we are building together
-
- Community Ownership: Established the first community-led market, the Blue Market, in Southwark, putting decision-making back into local hands.
- Creative Identity: Launched the Bermondsey Literary Festival and Festive Art Window Trails to celebrate our neighbourhood’s unique stories through culture, art and music.
- Safe and Social Town Square for All: Transformed the Blue Market into a “Community Hub” — a safe, social town square for all cultures and ages.
- Cultural Diversity: Developed dedicated cultural markets and events, such as the Bermondsey Community Fair and the Bermondsey Latino Markets, celebrating and strengthening the diverse heritage that co-exists in South Bermondsey.
How we have done it?
Listening first: Research and Community Mapping
Before launching this programme, we engaged hundreds of residents through conversations, workshops and a survey. People said they wanted better connections between communities, more say over what happens locally, and a neighbourhood they could feel proud of.
Those findings have shaped everything since. Over the last two years, we have continued to survey and talk to more than 400 residents about the market and beyond, ensuring we stay up to date with what is needed in the area, what works and what doesn’t, as well as using this to stimulate interest and find new active citizens who want to develop new projects.
Working with local partners
We work closely with the Bermondsey Business Improvement District (BID), whose members are mostly small, independent local businesses, many owner-run by residents. We also work regularly with Tenant and Resident Associations, local libraries, and a wide range of voluntary and community organisations, joining up activity across the neighbourhood and amplifying each other’s work.
Keeping people informed
Residents told us they felt out of the loop about what was happening locally. Our lively Instagram feed has grown a solid audience, and as well as promoting the area and the work, we now produce regular weekly updates drawing together news and activities from organisations across the area.
EVENTS
About the funding
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation has supported this programme over four years, covering a 0.8 FTE community organiser and the rent on our drop-in centre at the Blue Market. The programme is ongoing. All other project costs have been raised from additional sources. We have raised significant additional funding for specific projects within this programme and have helped other local organisations find funding too. We want to extend our thanks to the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Southwark High Street Challenge, Neighbourhood funding and Bermondsey BID for their support.
