The Blackbird Leys projects that are being funded by the first round of the Community Fund.
The Blackbird Leys Community Fund is a new fund for members of the community who have an idea to improve the lives of future Leys residents. Local people receive the funding and local people make the decisions about the fund.
The fund was run following a participatory grantmaking approach. This means the people who’ll be most affected by the funding decisions are involved in the decision making process. Therefore the Community Fund panel was made up of residents of the Leys, shifting power to those who know the community best.
We took funding applications from local residents for their community project ideas. Everyone who applied for funding had the opportunity to pitch their idea to the Community Fund panel. In December, after hearing from all of the applicants, the panel made a decision on how they would like to distribute the money.
The newest projects that have been funded by the panel have been revealed. With a total of £20,000 in funding, these six projects offer fun, unity, education and support for all that live in Blackbird Leys.
So what projects have been approved in Round 1?
Family Fun Fit
Family Fun Fit is run by two local residents, Marta Burghelea and Karolina Zakała PT. It’s a community fitness class allowing parents who wish to take part in physical activity but lack childcare or access to the gym to get fit while bringing their child along! There will be a play corner with toys for the children. Workouts are performed with resistance bands and bodyweight. Keep an eye out for classes starting soon!
Blackbird Leys Community Choir
The Blackbird Leys Community Choir aims to bring people together through the enjoyment of singing and enable ordinary people to make extraordinary music.
The director of the choir is Malcolm Atkins, and a small committee runs the day-to-day affairs including their Chair Janice Clark, Vice-Chair and acting secretary Lynn Hawkins, and Treasurer Ian Collier. The choir are always looking for more local residents to join in and enjoy singing together!
Transition Lighthouse Empowerment Space
Transition Lighthouse Empowerment Space facilitates a range of support for women and diverse communities in Blackbird Leys and the surrounding areas. Support includes:
- WowSpace women’s group: an exhibition on lived traumatic experiences within Caribbean living room exhibition space
- Abuntu Kapona (people recovery) programme: offering group psychoeducational sessions on trauma and one to one coaching or counselling support, and
- Well-being on wheels: a refurbished bus travelling around offering therapeutic healing recovery services for vulnerable individuals with lived traumatic experiences (such as FGM, Rape, Domestic Abuse, Corvid19 pandemic, substance misused, Homelessness, etc).
Oxfordshire African Caribbean Multicultural Association (OACMA)
OACMA are a newly formed group bringing people in Blackbird Leys together for social and creative activities. They will set up and run creative writing classes, book clubs for children, film clubs, board game sessions and socials. They already run a walking group every Saturday morning in Blackbird Leys for people who want to get active socially.
Bouncy Castles
Bouncy castles are the highlight of many children’s parties and community events, but the one downside is that they can be very expensive to rent out. Lianna, a member of the local community, received funding to face this problem and set up a bouncy castle business based in Blackbird Leys. She will be bringing bouncy castles and other party essentials to parties in Blackbird Leys for a reduced cost, as well as servicing other communities for full price. This will bring low-cost fun activities for parties to the local area while supporting a local family run business.
Body Mind Soul
Paula Denton received funding to set up Body Mind Soul. This project is designed to deliver mindfulness to the local community in any form that is needed to encourage people to engage. The aim is to support those who have experienced trauma, loneliness, health problems and anxiety at the grassroots level.
There’s no specific age group the objective is to create the programme to support all genders and age groups using exercise, art groups, discussion groups, singing, sewing and information forums.
Information on Round 2
Do you have an idea for a project that could benefit the Blackbird Leys Community? Or would you want to be part of the panel that decides which projects to fund?
Round 2 of the fund will be running during the Spring. Deadlines for applications for panellists and projects are as follows:
Panellists: open now, closing 21st March 2022.
Projects: open 4th April 2022, close 2nd May 2022.
Anyone can apply and anyone can seek support in applying or any other aspect to do with your project when filling out the form.
By giving the power to the residents and communities, grantmaking can be much more focused and beneficial to the community as a whole. They know better than anyone what is needed and can provide the local knowledge necessary to make their projects a success.
Read more about the Community Fund and previous projects here.
This blog has been collated by the winners of the fund, Weronika Glinka (a wonderful placement student with us at the Hub) and team member Emma Anderson.
