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COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
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Co-Created Strategy: Collaborative Vision Building
At The Hub, our strategy is co-created with the community, placing community leadership at the very heart of everything we do. After conducting months of door-to-door campaigns to chat to local residents (come rain or shine!) and gathering over 100 survey responses from local residents, alongside valuable feedback from our partner organisations, our Interim CEO, Jo Vertannes, has developed the presentation:
This analysis ensures that our future plans are guided by the voices of those we serve.
The presentation covers:
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Ladder of Community Participation – with a clear ambition to move towards community leadership
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Collaborative Vision Building – shaping shared goals together
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Community Feedback Analysis – identifying priorities that matter most, with a strong focus on intergenerational activities
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SWOT Analysis – assessing strengths, challenges, and opportunities
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1–3 Year Aspirations – setting clear, community-informed ambitions for the Hub’s future
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Partner Feedback Analysis and Community Comparison – integrating insights from local organisations and understanding how these align with community voice
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Strategic Considerations – planning with long-term impact and sustainability in mind
By embedding community voice and partner perspectives into decision-making, The Hub ensures its strategy empowers local people to shape, lead, and own the future of their community hub, while also supporting the wider aims of Swindon in building safe, inclusive spaces.
The Hub’s work aligns closely with Swindon Borough Council’s strategic priorities, including:
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Building a fairer Swindon by reducing inequalities
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Building a better Swindon by strengthening local infrastructure and leadership
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Building a greener Swindon through sustainable, community-led use of spaces
The Power of Community Leadership
At The Hub @ Toothill, we believe the best ideas come from the people who live, work, and volunteer here. From day one, the Hub has been shaped by local voices — and that will always remain at the heart of what we do.
We know that strong community leadership transforms a space, turning it from a building into a hub that reflects local needs, ambitions, and creativity. Residents, volunteers, and local partners play a key role in shaping every decision, from the events we run to the services we offer.
By fostering collaboration, listening to feedback, and co-designing activities, we ensure that the Hub is truly for the people, by the people — a space where everyone feels empowered to contribute, influence, and lead.
How we Listen
We keep the community voice at the centre by:
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Running regular consultations, surveys and drop-ins
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Holding open forums and workshops where residents can share ideas
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Working with local schools, groups, and businesses to reflect the diversity of Toothill community and beyond
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Co-designing (and hopefully co-producing) services with the people who use them
Your feedback inspires our priorities:
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Community leadership
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Inclusive family friendly hub + pub
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Creative events
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Flexible spaces for hire
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Learning opportunities
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Tailored support for wellbeing and social connectoon
How You've Shaped the Hub
Read on to read our journey from 2018 in community leadership or skip.
Community Leadership 2018 - Summer 2025
In 2018 local residents campaigned to save and transform the former Village Tavern into a space for everyone.
Extensive consultations have been held since 2019. Our volunteer Board met with local residents to share updates on The Hub, and in Summer 2025, the recent challenges with the previous contractors. Together, with support from specialist partners, ideas were brainstormed for future activities and branding design, question were answered.
We were delighted to host the #Camerados Public Living Room in Toothill. Matt rolled up with his van and sofas, joined by Alex from Absurd Intelligence, Ruth from Community Organisers, and our Hub team. Together, we created a welcoming space where people could stop, chat, and connect. The day was full of smiles and positive energy — and we can’t wait to do it again!
Community Leadership September - December 2025
During this period, we worked in partnership with Community Organisers who spent weekly time knocking on doors and chatting with local residents about the hub and what matters to them. They also helped people who don’t have easy access to the internet to share their views by completing the survey together.
Over 100 people took part in the surveys and more gave verbal feedback including our Toothill Tinies group takeover. We also listened carefully to feedback from local groups and partners.
To improve our reach, we enhanced our outward-facing communication through our Facebook page, a new website, and appearances on BBC Radio Wiltshire.
Our Interim CEO brought all of this together into a co-created strategy (Community and Partner Feedback Analysis: Shaping the Hub’s Future Together (December 2025), making sure the future of the hub is shaped by the voices of the community it serves.
Community Leadership - Now (January 2026)
Using what we learned through our co-created strategy, we are now developing a Theory of Change. This helps us clearly define what we plan do, how we will do it, and the difference it makes — from our partnerships, volunteers and community-led activities, to the positive changes people experience over time
It helps us understand how the activities we offer can lead to better wellbeing, confidence, inclusion and stronger local connections, and how we will keep learning and improving as community needs change. This work will help finalise our new business plan and support future funding, with community voice and lived experience at the heart of everything we do.
We recently attended the Shared Comms Forum, hosted by Swindon Borough Council and bringing together partners from across the town. The forum helps improve communication with residents about what local organisations are doing and encourages a joined-up approach to supporting our communities.
We’re excited to have put ourselves forward as the spotlight organisation at the next meeting, where we’ll present our work to the wider network.
Our next community consultation will be on 27th January 6.30 - 8.00 pm.
COMMUNITY POWER IN ACTION
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We’re excited to grow our community team in a few ways:
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Volunteers: We are keen to hear from people to get involved with fundraising, creating social media content, and cafe/bar assistance.
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We are specially keen to hear from anyone interested in becoming our Volunteer Manager - in a voluntary capacity to start, with the possible of a paid position in the future.
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Board of Directors: We’re looking to grow and diversify our Board, and are especially keen to hear from people with experience in fundraising, board governance/legal, HR, and PR.
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Membership: We’re exploring a potential option to develop a larger membership, giving future members voting rights on key decisions and a stronger voice in the future of our organisation.
The values that guide our community Hub.
OUR VALUES
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Community-led Spaces
The Hub is shaped and managed by local people, for local people.
Working Together
We design activities and services alongside residents, making sure your voice helps guide what happens here.
We use arts, heritage, and local culture to bring people together, celebrate identity, and build community pride.
Creativity & Culture
Inclusion & Support
Everyone is welcome in our safe, flexible space where different needs are supported and all can feel at home.
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