Current
Projects
Get the low-down on all our current community projects here. Make sure to sign up to our newsletter and give us a follow on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Facebook for the latest news.
Current
projects.
All our of projects have been created directly as a result of extensive community consultation. Each project has a dedicated task group made up of committed local volunteers. Every project adheres to one or more of our four core themes: Our Residents Can Flourish, Our Environment Can Blossom, Our Economy Can Grow and Legacy.
We want to make sure we're addressing the community need through projects that are as accessible and inclusive as they can be. So, if you have any questions on the projects below or ideas on how to make our patch of East Finchley an even better place to live, make sure to contact us.
The Underpass
Our Environment Can Blossom
Community Grants
Our Residents Can Flourish
Universal Basic Income Pilot
Our Economy Can Grow
Working in collaboration with Project Managers from Mills Power and Barnet Council, we are currently making good progress on our community-led Underpass improvement plans.
This long-standing infrastructure project aims to make the pedestrian Underpass between Manor Park Road and Trinity Road a tidier, safer and more accessible pathway.
Underpass improvements timeline:
18 June 2024 - we submitted our planning application to Barnet Council
10 July 2024 - our planning application was validated by Barnet Council
12 July 2024 - Public consultation opened
9 August 2024 - Public consultation closed
4 September 2024 - Planning application to be covered at Barnet Council's Planning Committee Meeting
Mid September 2024 - Barnet Council approves/rejects our planning application
Autumn/Winter 2024 - improvement works begin
We launched a new round of Community Grants which opened on 22 April 2024 and closed 21 May 2024.
All successful applications have now been notified and funds are now being dispersed.
Grange Big Local offered Community Grants for individuals of up to £600, and for organisations up to £10,000. The grants fund activity wholly or mostly based in the Grange Big Local area and benefiting residents.
We ran in-person Grant Writing Clincs at Tarling Road Community Centre to support those applying.
Grants were prioritised for GBL residents, but people outside the area were invited to apply for funding to deliver activities in the area.
Basic income is a regular payment everyone receives forever, regardless of income or background. It aims to tackle poverty and health inequality and has been backed by many local residents.
Following two years of community consultation led by ourselves and Jarrow Big Local, a proposal for a basic income pilot in East Finchley and Jarrow has been published: read it here.
We are currently in the process of fundraising for the pilot. This is a collaborative effort between Grange Big Local residents, volunteers, researchers from Northumbria University and Think-tank Autonomy.
Please note, we are not accepting pilot applications at this time.
Warm Spaces
Our Residents Can Flourish
Market Place Playground
Our Environment Can Blossom
Since 2022, we have teamed up with Holy Trinity Church to provide a weekly Warm Space in the Church's hall during the winter months. The Warm Space provides a free place for the local community to meet, stay warm, make friends and enjoy a hot beverage or two.
Here's what two local residents had to say about the Warm Space:
"I find I get so lonely on my own, since I lost my husband. I really love to come out and do things like this."
"Living alone you find you hardly use your voice. When I come here I talk all the time, because I haven't spoken to anyone for ages. I probably talk too much, but you can't stop yourself!"
This past winter season, we also had local volunteers run activity sessions including:
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Make your own draught excluder using scrap fabric
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Poetry workshop
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Local history lesson
This project remains a priority for both us and the community, with Market Place Playground being continually used and cherished by Grange Big Local families.
We supported the formation of the Friends of Market Place Playground Group (FoMPP), who have taken the lead on community organising, fundraising, lobbying and overseeing the design of the renovated playground. Renovation works are now taking place (March - June 2024) thanks to their hard work and determination.
In our most recent plan, we have committed further funds to this important project to help cover increasing costs due to rising inflation rates.
Keep up to date with FoMPP's progress via their:
Past and paused projects.
GBL Youth Forum
Our Residents Can Flourish
We're hoping to create a Grange Big Local (GBL) Youth Forum, made up of local young people aged between 10-15 years old.
This youth group will be a space designed for young people, by young people. We want them to be at the centre of change in our local area, calling the shots and deciding what projects, events, or programmes they want to happen.
Contact us at info@grangebiglocal.org for more info.
Community Fridge
Our Residents Can Flourish
We have recently been exploring the possibility of installing a community fridge at Tarling Road Community Centre. We are currently in talks with Hubbub and Co-op, who have partnered to install 250 community fridges across the UK. We have also been working alongside Barnet Council and Tarling Road Community Centre to secure a location for the fridge, that is accessible to all in our area.
A community fridge is a public space where local residents can share and access surplus food. This includes donations from local businesses. The fridge would help prevent food waste and redistribute food amongst the community, by linking up all the different food projects in the area.
Digital Inclusion
Our Economy Can Grow
In 2022, we ran a series of free digital skills sessions in collaboration with BOOST Barnet. These 'how-to' sessions were designed to help Grange Big Local residents to get online, aiding job searches or simply connecting them to their loved ones.
