Our offices will close on 24 December and our social media channels will be taking a rest from today. We'll be back making the case for community businesses on 5 Jan! Wishing our friends and partners a great festive break. ✨

Interesting piece on the history of post-war place-based policy (which spells out some clear lessons for the government's pride in place programme)

As we come to the end of our 10th year, we're looking to a future that's community-led - where community businesses build economies that work for people & planet & support people to make connections in a community they can rely on. 📺 Our new film brings this ambition to life: bit.ly/44BfuSi

💡As our ten-year celebrations draw to a close, we’ve been reflecting on what the next decade of community business should learn from the last and what that means as we head into a new year.

⚡ While we wind down the year – and draw our ten year celebrations to a close – we’re spotlighting innovative thinkers in our 10 year essay collection. Today take inspiration from @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social, who is working for a world where tech works for 8 billion people not eight billionaires

Yes. @powertochange.org.uk did some good work around a High St Buy Out Fund that would buy and hold property whilst communities were developing ideas/capacity. And yes, definitely let's get a coffee post Xmas! www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and....

A great read. Back on the Map are doing incredible things in Sunderland - local people coming together to transform their neighbourhoods and create opportunities.

#CommunityBusinessWeek may be over, but the movement continues! Read advice from others looking to make a change at the grassroots - and leave a message of your own: 👉 https://www.powertochange.org.uk/what-we-do/community-business-week/#celebration_form #PowertoChange10

🔦 Our next essay spotlight looks to Vidhya Alakeson, former Power to Change CEO, now in No. 10, who asks what community businesses can teach government about governing differently.

💡 Next up in our essay spotlight series: a thoughtful piece bursting with new ideas to take us into 2026 from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social (@kinship.works).

Thank you to everyone who joined us this #CommunityBusinessWeek – from Newcastle to Bristol, we celebrated the incredible impact of community business 🌟 See photos and some highlights from our team who were out at #CommunityBusinessWeek events 👇

Last week, for #CommunityBusinessWeek we celebrated the community businesses that don’t just trade – but bring vibrancy back to our streets, offer places to meet, and build relationships and trust. Explore their stories 👇

⚖️ As the English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill had its second reading in the Lords yesterday, lawmakers grappled with what real community empowerment looks like. For those searching for answers, Sacha Bedding’s essay is essential reading.

📈 Our last Pulse survey of the year demonstrates community businesses’ sustained optimism, in sharp contrast to other small businesses. While other small businesses anticipate sizing down, many of the community businesses we spoke to are tackling how to grow.

@jesscraig.bsky.social explores for @labourlist.bsky.social how Community Investment Zones could transform the future of our high streets—bring life back to local economies, support small businesses & create vibrant, community-led spaces: bit.ly/48EGocX

Here at the Fox and Goose, we believe in the power of community to create thriving places. This #CommunityBusinessWeek, let's celebrate all the businesses that make our towns, cities and communities vibrant, resilient and inclusive.

🎉 Last night, @stretford.bsky.social hosted their #CommunityBusinessWeek event celebrating 10 years of community power! Earlier this month, we published an essay by Simon Borkin, reflecting on the Hall's incredible journey – from community campaign to a thriving community business.

Community businesses don’t just trade – they transform places. Use our toolkit to tell your story: ✔ Post on social media ✔ Invite your community in ✔ Share your impact with local press 📥 Download the toolkit today: buff.ly/JWA2Y8S #CommunityBusinessWeek

🎄 #Gateshead! Join Edberts House today to light up the community with food, music & crafts. Join us 4.30–9pm. Find out more & join 👉 buff.ly/D3kJpdT

It was great to be with @civicsquare.bsky.social in Birmingham today for #CommunityBusinessWeek, reflecting on a year of community-led regeneration and neighbourhood retrofit. Inspiring site tours, talks and more, exploring how we build and celebrate more connected places in a changing climate.

Great to make a trip today to Birmingham in my new role as a Trustee of @powertochange.org.uk to visit @civicsquare.bsky.social as part of Community Business Week. Lots to learn about retrofitting and community led regeneration.

🎉 Coming up today at #CommunityBusinessWeek! 📍 #Birmingham CIVIC SQUARE reflect on a year of organising around street-scale and neighbourhood retrofit, with an afternoon of site tours, dinner & screenings. All exploring how we can build thriving neighbourhoods in a changing climate. 🕒 3:00–8:00pm

🌍 Across England, local people are transforming their communities through community businesses—run by locals, for locals. ✅ 81% of staff & 91% of volunteers are from the community ✅ Nearly 70% pay the real Living Wage (vs just 1 in 7 UK employers) This #CommunityBusinessWeek, celebrate yours!

#CommunityBusinessWeek, so we're spotlighting innovative thinkers in our recent essay collection: 💡Bex (@platformplaces.bsky.social) has a vision for how community-led spaces can transform neighbourhoods, her essay looks at what it will take, and what's up for grabs if we get there. buff.ly/DYqnRzw

‘Think-do tank’ Power to Change has played a key part in helping support STOs and community initiatives for ten years and has been instrumental in Kindred’s emergence and growth, giving us £1m in funding, start-up expertise and ongoing support. Discover LCR’s STOs on Based: wearebased.co.uk

It's Community Business Week. Pubs are vital to communities and social cohesion, places where we can come together across divides in a warm and welcoming space. We're proud to be a community-owned pub. If you haven't discovered us yet, do drop by. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

The creation of the Office for the Impact Economy and the launch of Pride in Place could be game-changing for local, purpose-led enterprises. Our Chief Executive, Tim Davies-Pugh, explains why this moment matters — and what it could mean for communities across the country. 👉 Read: buff.ly/df1fNhd

Monday lunchtime and #CommunityBusinessWeek is well underway - time to spotlight the spaces and places that make our communities thrive. Who better to guide our thinking than @camerados-org.bsky.social’s Maff Potts? 💡 Read the full essay online: buff.ly/cyQzbKE

Coming up this week for #CommunityBusinessWeek: ✨ @stretford.bsky.social – Manchester 📅 4 December, 5.30pm–10.30pm An evening of talks & live music celebrating 10 years of community power in Stretford & businesses across Greater Manchester. Register👉 stretfordpublichall.org.uk/event/commun...

A community business is a business that trades products and services and is run by local people for the benefit of the local community. And this week, we’re joining community businesses across the country to showcase the businesses that make our towns and cities vibrant, resilient and inclusive.

1/6 We’re with @wecanmake.bsky.social in Bristol for #CommunityBusinessWeek for their Retrofit Street Party and the famous Coopers House light show!

📣 It’s #SmallBusinessSaturday AND the start of # CommunityBusinessWeek! 🎉 Visit your local community business and discover the difference they make. 🎬 If you’re in Newcastle, join @starandshadow.bsky.social today for their open doors weekend - full of music, films & community vibes 👉 buff.ly/sR9FmUn

To wrap up Budget week - which saw direct mention of cooperative business in the Chancellor's statement - we are spotlighting a brad new new essay from @patrickhurley.bsky.social, MP for Southport and Chair of the APPG for The Social Cooperative and Community Economy. Link below 👇

🎬 Ready for the weekend? Here’s what’s coming up for #CommunityBusinessWeek: ✅ Newcastle: @starandshadow.bsky.social hosts an open doors weekend! Free music, films & community activities. Full programme: buff.ly/Puxm4OL Discover #CommunityBusinessWeek in the #NorthEast: buff.ly/G3Eu6yl

@nickplumb.bsky.social "Progress on the manifesto commitment to double the size of the coops & mutuals sector is welcome but this must include all community businesses. We know they deliver grassroots growth –contributing £5.8bn to the economy –we’ll make sure they’re part of this promising agenda."

It's #CommunityBusinessWeek w/ @powertochange.org.uk

🌟 #CommunityBusinessWeek is coming to #Bristol! From 29 Nov – 5 Dec, we’re celebrating the incredible impact of community businesses across England – and Bristol is at the heart of the action. 👉 buff.ly/6HULYsa @tristancorkpost.bsky.social @businessnews.bsky.social

1/5 📢 Our response to today’s Budget: "The Chancellor is right to frame her Budget around delivering growth and improving public services, so we all feel the impact: this must include the community businesses driving change in their neighbourhoods...

While Westminster rolls up sleeves, boils kettles, and braces for impact ahead of the 12.30pm Budget, there's time spotlight economic innovators from our recent essay collection. Get inspired by Erika Rushton on how @kindredlcr.bsky.social are doing growth differently.

Tomorrow’s Budget will see the Chancellor set out tax and spending plans - a tricky sell in a challenging economic landscape. A new essay by @anooshc.bsky.social explores how a major spending commitment - Pride in Place - could shift the odds for communities turning their local areas around.

🤝 This month’s story hears how Back on the Map are cultivating change in Hendon, led by local people – revitalising local spaces and building pride across the neighbourhood. 👉 Read the full story here: buff.ly/8fogw6b

#CommunityBusinessWeek kickstarts this weekend on #SmallBusinessSaturday🎉 Download our free toolkit packed with posters, social templates, and press release tips to help you shout about your community business or one you love 👇 https://www.powertochange.org.uk/what-we-do/community-business-week/

NEWSLETTER 🗞️ | Read for November's news, events and opportunities - plus a one-stop shop for everything you need for Community Business Week - which starts this Saturday! Dive in 👇 https://mailchi.mp/powertochange.org.uk/nov25_communitybusinessnews-13702588

🤝 What wisdom or advice would you share to help strengthen the community business movement? 🎉 Leave a message on our digital notice board for #CommunityBusinessWeek (29 Nov to 5 Dec) and celebrate the businesses powering local change🎉 👉https://buff.ly/2Bq5NGW

We’re pleased to see the government prioritising the impact economy through the launch of the new Office for the Impact Economy. It was great to feed into this work and we’re glad to see it being taken seriously at a national level. buff.ly/xDupmJc

#CommunityBusinessWeek is the perfect opportunity to celebrate & promote your community business or one you love! Our toolkit has everything you need to shout about it. Expect ideas, posters, social media templates & even a press release to send to your local news & radio! Get yours: buff.ly/P9g3QkE

🏆 This #SocialEnterpriseDay, we're celebrating purpose-driven businesses at the Social Economy Awards! We're proud to sponsor the Community Business of the Year award. Best of luck to all the nominees! #SED2025 Take a look at the nominees for each category:

Went to two talks last night where 'the future' was a big theme. Excellent @powertochange.org.uk event @britishacademy.bsky.social with @anooshc.bsky.social, @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social & @hetanshah.bsky.social. Thought calls for more ambitious plans for community biz, tech, housing etc were 🎯.

Last night we launched our essay collection at @britishacademy.bsky.social with a bumper panel reflecting ideas from @jamestplunkett.bsky.social describing rewilding as a metaphor for civic renewal to @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social imagining how future data centres could be owned by communities.

Day 3 of #SED2025, & we're joining the ‘Place’ panel, discussing how the social economy provides place-based solutions for resilient communities. Discover our insights for yourself in 'Lessons in Local Growth' - a blueprint for regional authorities to drive inclusive growth: