Power to Change
@powertochange.org.uk
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We are the think-do tank that backs community business. We turn bold ideas into action so communities have the power to change what matters to them. powertochange.org.uk
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💭 We're reflecting on a busy #LabourConference 2025, where the power of community, and the importance of growth that everyone can see and feel, were central themes.

Here are our 5 key highlights: #Lab25
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Not long left to get your tickets for #Locality25 Convention. Workshops include delivering the government’s ‘Neighbourhood Health Service’; building belonging in times of division; and community ownership across the world.

🎟️Tickets: https://locality.org.uk/events/locality-convention/tickets
powertochange.org.uk
🎉 #CommunityBusinessWeek is coming!
🗓️ 29 Nov–5 Dec 2025
❄️ As part of our 10th anniversary campaign, it's a nationwide moment to shine a light on community business.
💡 A digital toolkit is coming soon to help you get involved
👇 powertochange.org.uk/event/community-business-week #PowerToChange10
powertochange.org.uk
💡West Midlands Combined Authority & @mayorwestmids.bsky.social have a bold vision to double the size of the social economy.
💡The week-long Social Economy Drive in November celebrates the power and potential of the social economy. We’re proud to be working in partnership to support this movement.
Events | Social Economy Drive
Calling all Corporates, Public Sector and Social Economy organisation, do you want to find out more about how you or your organisation can get involved, than why not take a look at some of the…
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Do you want to use your skills to drive real change in communities? Our Head of #Policy and #Research will ensure our research is rigorous & agenda-setting & our policy ideas are influential & rooted in practice.
Find out more & apply: https://www.powertochange.org.uk/who-we-are/join-our-team/
powertochange.org.uk
⭐ And an honorary mention to our new research, ‘Returning power to the people,’ which we took to conference with us. It illustrates why placing communities at the heart of the political debate could unlock a path to national renewal. Read it here: www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and...
Returning power to the people: What community empowerment can do for the public and for politics - Power to Change
At a time when the government faces enormous pressure to mount a response to the sense of discontent and decline that the public is feeling, giving communit ...
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powertochange.org.uk
5️⃣ @nickplumb.bsky.social joined Mayor of East Midlands, Claire Ward, on the Reclaiming Our Regional Economies panel. They chewed over structures for power sharing & preserving space for community & connection - inc the opportunity for PiP funds to do so if decisions are genuinely community-led.
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4️⃣ We took attendees out of the conference bubble & face-to-face with community leaders at our drinks reception at the community-owned Baltic Creative CIC. Over award-winning Homebaked pies, @chriscurtis94.bsky.social spoke animatedly about his visit to Future Wolverton’s latest building.
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3️⃣Together with @uclpolicylab.bsky.social @right-here.org, we launched ‘Labour and the Communitarian Tradition’ essay collection. See Andy Burnham’s ‘Reclaiming power together’ (p21) and Kirsty McNeill MP's 'Helping us club together should be Labour’s next great cause' (p14): bit.ly/4ntAeml
Britain Renewed: Labour and the Communitarian tradition
Join us as we launch a new essay collection exploring how communitarianism might provide the roadmap to strengthening our politics and renewing Britain in partnership with Power to Change and We're Ri...
www.ucl.ac.uk
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2️⃣We were joined by 6 community business leaders with conference passes. They met political leaders & shared the view from communities. Great to see Joe Fortune reference @futureyard.org in his speech. As Joe says, strong communities are not a nice to have. "They are a necessity."
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1️⃣We started conference in Birkenhead, a place due to receive new Pride in Place funding. Our roundtable with @coopparty.party.coop brought together Merseyside community businesses with new local govt minister @allymcgovern.bsky.social to discuss how govt can be an enabling force for local ambition.
powertochange.org.uk
💭 We're reflecting on a busy #LabourConference 2025, where the power of community, and the importance of growth that everyone can see and feel, were central themes.

Here are our 5 key highlights: #Lab25
Reposted by Power to Change
rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social
Wrote something for @powertochange.org.uk about the fact that government policy must include a new category - digital social policy - to address the social impacts of technologies. Tech policy has to be more than cutting-edge innovation and growth www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and...
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💭Read new essays each month from our year-long campaign celebrating ten years backing community business. From community leader Sacha Bedding reflecting on a decade of grassroots organising in Hartlepool, to Vidhya Alakeson at Number 10, exploring leadership rooted in trust & place👉 buff.ly/uEjmsnT
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,…
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💻 In our latest essay, Rachel Coldicutt explores the need for a community-centred approach to technology policy. From WhatsApp-powered community organising to the overlooked intersection of our digital lives and our neighbourhoods, Rachel calls for a radical rethink. Read here 👇
buff.ly/jWJmwLU
Reposted by Power to Change
powertochange.org.uk
JOIN OUR TEAM 💼 | Do you think strategically about how research & policy development combine to drive change? The new Head of Policy and Research role will ensure our research is agenda-setting & our policy ideas are rooted in practice: https://www.powertochange.org.uk/who-we-are/join-our-team/
powertochange.org.uk
That’s why we’re testing community covenants as an effective model of neighbourhood governance that helps share decision-making power with local people. Find out more about our work with Market Drayton here: buff.ly/pFeaQy9

📶 Read more about our second Pulse Survey here: buff.ly/WYHLG4k
What do community businesses think about the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill? - Power to Change
In our second Pulse survey, community businesses reflected on the Bill’s provision of a Community Right to Buy – and they’ve told us they need more time, mo ...
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📶⚖️ Community businesses also told us about the challenges they face in traditional governance structures alongside local, town and parish councils - with cooperation depending on councils’ interest, capacity, or budget.
powertochange.org.uk
🏘️ We recently gave public evidence at the Public Bill Committee in support of government funding that sits alongside a Community Right to Buy, enabling early-stage or deprived communities in particular the chance to secure assets.
powertochange.org.uk
⌛ But a 12-month moratorium isn’t seen as long enough to secure funding for assets. The time needed varies hugely - depending on location, prior experience with asset transfer, relationships with local authorities, and fundraising strategies.
powertochange.org.uk
📶 Our second Pulse survey asked community businesses what they thought of a Community Right to Buy. Here’s what they told us:

The majority (62%) of community businesses already know about a Community Right to Buy, and want to be kept informed about it directly or through local and town councils.
powertochange.org.uk
🗣️ At #LabourConference today, we’ve been having lots of conversations about what the new Pride in Place programme is going to look like. We're pleased this funding, set to benefit 300+ areas, mandates input from communities, local groups & social clubs.
See @nickplumb.bsky.social's reflections 👇
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And for Liam Kelly at Make CIC in Liverpool, it's local government finance & rebalancing the burden of the current business rates system so savings can be reinvested locally to deliver what the community needs.
Make CIC are one of our 5 community-led high street innovators: buff.ly/qHZauFi
powertochange.org.uk
For Charlotte Hollins from Fordhall Community Land Initiative & @right-here.org, it's the need for genuine power-sharing, such as including community convenants in the English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill.
Read about the community covenant we're piloting together: buff.ly/pFeaQy9