£120,000 was allocated to the Focus on North Cambridge programme through the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The programme brought together people from the community, voluntary, charitable, public and private sectors to support community-led projects aimed at empowering local people to improve quality of life in the area.
Delivered through partnership working, local organisations came together to strengthen community assets, improve wellbeing, support environmental sustainability, and create opportunities for residents of all ages.
The programme demonstrated how targeted investment, collaboration and shared learning can deliver lasting benefits for people, places and partnerships.
Timeline
- June 2025: Initial visioning event for how the funding could be best spent in north Cambridge, including representatives from local community groups and charities, faith spaces, local authorities, health and education
- September 2025: Funding granted after project proposals were worked up with the support and guidance of Enabling Communities officers, subject specialists and in partnership across organisations
- June 2026: Final celebrations and reflections event held after six touch base and collaboration check ins with project leads throughout the period of delivering the projects
- Summer 2026: All projects brought to a close, with plans for ongoing partnerships, relationships building and strengthening services as a result of the investment programme
Projects
North Cambridge Children and Families Collective
The Red Hen Project, The Meadows Children and Family Wing, The King's Hedges Family Support Project and Homestart Cambridgeshire worked together to improve support for children and families across north Cambridge.
This work created stronger referral pathways, improved service coordination and established a long-term partnership model supporting families.
Cambridge City Foodbank and Fairbite Food Club
Worked alongside families experiencing food insecurity, providing them with Fairbite Food Club memberships and learning from their lived experience, embedding it into future service design.
Engaged with six partner organisations, providing additional support to Fairbite members and strengthening referral pathways. Further programmes of support were developed including family cooking classes.
Romsey Mill
Engaged over 90 young people through the delivery of youth clubs, mentoring and practical mechanics and bike sessions.
Young people involved reported improvements in wellbeing, confidence, resilience and decision-making. Established trusted relationships and increased aspirations among participants.
Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination with Kettle's Yard
Delivered creative Saturday Club sessions focused on identity, arts, campaigning and place-making.
Young people developed confidence, wellbeing, creativity and civic awareness while strengthening links to cultural opportunities.
Cambridge Sustainable Food
Enabled young people to undertake peer research into food access and food justice.
Gathered 86 survey responses, co-designed improvements for Meadows Cafe and created a youth-led evidence base influencing future food initiatives.
Water Sensitive Cambridge
Increased climate resilience through sustainable drainage initiatives, rainwater harvesting, educational activities and community planting.
Reached schools, residents and community growing groups while improving biodiversity and environmental awareness.
Arbury Community Centre
Completed building assessments, resident consultation and strategic planning to create a development roadmap.
Strengthened partnership working and identified future opportunities including cafe development and increased community use.
Chesterton Working Men's Club
Prepared underused community space for future development, completed accessibility assessments and enabled planning for increased community usage and long-term financial sustainability.
Programme outcomes
The initial group of partners developed criteria for awarding the funding based on what they thought was important for the community.
They agreed that the projects would have to show how they would aim to deliver the programme outcomes below. As the projects have all now been completed, they have collectively achieved the following:
- Stronger community partnerships: Collaboration between organisations increased significantly, creating stronger networks and improving the ability of services to work together around local needs.
- Youth voice at the centre: Young people played an active role in shaping projects, influencing decisions and helping design activities that mattered to them.
- Improved access to support: Families gained better access to food, advice, community connections and practical support through strengthened referral pathways and coordinated services.
- More sustainable community assets: Community buildings and facilities are now better positioned for future development, sustainability and increased community use.
- Increased climate awareness: Residents, schools and community groups improved their understanding of environmental sustainability and climate resilience through practical, locally-led activities.
- Stronger local participation: Residents were actively involved in shaping services, identifying priorities and contributing to local decision-making.
Looking ahead
The Focus on North Cambridge programme created significant social value by strengthening local organisations, empowering residents and improving community infrastructure.
One of the programme’s most important legacies is the network of relationships, trust and shared learning established across north Cambridge. These foundations will continue to support future community-led investment and help ensure residents remain at the heart of shaping their neighbourhoods.
The programme demonstrates that when communities are empowered to work together, even relatively small investments can create meaningful and lasting change for people, places and partnerships.
