Woolavington and Puriton Big Local Legacy Website

Legacy Website

Villages Together

The Woolavington and Puriton Big Local

In 2012, Woolavington and Puriton was chosen as one of just 150 areas across England to receive £1 million of National Lottery money through the Big Local programme

What Was Big Local?

Funded by the National Lottery’s Community Fund and managed by Local Trust, Big Local was an extraordinary opportunity for residents in 150 areas around England to use at least £1 million to make a massive and lasting positive difference to their communities – bringing together local talent, ambitions, skills, and energy from individuals, groups, and organisations who wanted to make their area an even better place to live!Between 2015 and 2026, the Villages Together Partnership – made up of local residents form Woolavington and Puriton – developed a four-stage Big Local Plan, written to align the ‘Big Local Outcomes’ with the priorities of Woolavington and Puriton’s residents.Big Local in Woolavington and Puriton officially came to an end in 2026.

The Villages Together Partnership

The Partnership was made up of local residents from Woolavington and Puriton who volunteered their time to lead the programme.They met regularly, listened to the community, developed the Big Local Plans outlining what the funding would be spent on based on what the community wanted, and ensured the plan was put into place and the money spent on the plan.

The Big Local Outcomes

✅ Our communities are better able to identify local needs and take action in response to them.✅ The people of Woolavington and Puriton have increased skills and confidence so that we continue to identify and respond to needs in the future.✅ Our communities make a difference to the needs we prioritise.✅ Local people feel that our area is an even better place to live.

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What Big Local Was NOT About

❎ It was NOT about our local authority, the government, or a national organisation telling us what to do.❎ It was NOT about individual groups fixing their favourite problem without talking to a wide range of different people who live and work in our communities.❎ It was NOT about short-term thinking – we had 10 years or more to plan and deliver the best options for our area.

Our legacy

Big Local funding has now finished, but the relationships, skills, confidence and community spirit built over the past decade continue.The Community Hub at Woolavington is one of the Big Local legacy projects.

• Check out Woolavington Community Hub

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