OUR ROEHAMPTON IS EMBARKING ON AN EXCITING PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT.

We want Roehampton to be an active, connected, thriving community and a good place to live and work – through action rather than talking.

What’s changed is that we are taking proactive steps towards becoming a dynamic community-led anchor organisation. We’re here to stay and will respond to the needs of Roehampton residents and its communities.

New Trustees have joined the board and a fresh strategy for how we are going to operate has been agreed. A new director has been recruited to take forward the strategic plan through consultation and collaboration with the community.

WHAT HAS PROMPTED THESE CHANGES?

Trustees of the Roehampton Trust discussed with community members involved in the My Roehampton Community Capacity Building project (MyRoe) about how to ensure the best elements of both initiatives carry on long-term.

We share common values and goals, so we have joined forces.  Local people active in MyRoe have joined the board of the Roehampton Trust.

WHAT WE DO

Promoting and celebrating community connections

  • Roehampton Voice – our quarterly newsletter goes to every household in the ward

  • Roehampton Network – our information sharing network and monthly networking meetings.
    Click here to join our mailing list to attend meetings and get our weekly updates of events and activities across Roehampton.

  • Roehampton Community Weeks – an annual summer programme of free activities for local people  

  • Developing our communications strategy and working with our partners and all community groups in the area so that everyone can find out what’s going in Roehampton.

Building on local strengths and supporting community organisations in their growth and development

  • Supporting local people and organisations who want to be run projects to benefit their local community

  • 1:1 and group support around project planning, governance, funding etc.

  • Roehampton Community Grants – small grants of £500 to test out ideas for local projects

Speaking up for Roehampton

  • Active participation in relevant Forums e.g. the Roehampton Partnership

  • Supporting local people and groups to influence statutory services

  • Identifying gaps in activities and service provision

  • Influencing and/or initiating solutions

SOME THANKS

The board of trustees extends enormous thanks to many individuals, groups and organisations who have contributed to both the Roehampton Trust since 2010 and to MyRoe project since 2020.
The list is long:

  • Individual residents

  • Community leaders and activists

  • Community and faith groups

  • Statutory sector partners

  • Local councillors and our MP Fleur Anderson

  • Citizens’ Advice Wandsworth who hosted the MyRoe project and the two Project Leads they employed (Jonathan Palma and Julie Mallett)

  • Funders of both the Roehampton Trust and the MyRoe project.

  • Roehampton Trust Ltd was set up in 2010 and is a company limited by guarantee – charitable status was received in 2012.

    Local trustees have been meeting since then 3 or 4 times a year.

    Over the years funds have been received from Wandsworth Borough Council, the local health authority, Roehampton Parish Church Trust, private individuals and from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

  • • A quarterly 16-page newsletter which aims to improve communication in Roehampton. Roehampton Voice now has almost 50 issues. An editor and committee receive a wide range of articles, news and event information from the community. It is free and distributed to 6,150 households, local doctors, the library, meeting places etc. It includes several pages of paid advertising.

    • Making occasional small grants.

    Starting with a Big Society Grant in 2012, we have been making small grants of under £1,000 to local projects. These have included football teams, the annual Roehampton Festival, camping equipment for young people, drama classes etc. Over 20 years 40 grants have been made.

  • The MyRoe Project began in January 2020. Funded by Wandsworth Public Health for 3 years, Citizens Advice Wandsworth appointed a full-time Project Lead. The purpose of the project was:

    a. to build organisational capacity,

    b. advocate for the community,

    c. nurture projects, and

    d. work towards a long-term programme that built on the pilot and leads to a self-sustaining organisation.

  • Descripti• Covid19 Response Network set up in March 2020 and rapidly responded to local need for information, individual support and food delivery.

    • Facilitating over 50 online Roehampton Network meetings for residents, local activists, groups and statutory partners to share project updates and initiate new collaborations. 250 unique attendees over 3 years.

    • Flyers and local information shared every week with over 100 recipients to cascade to service users/members

    • Roehampton Community Weeks – community projects and free activities run by local organisations and partners during the summer holidays in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

    • In 2021, 37 events; in 2022, 20 events and in 2023, 88 events – co-ordinated by the Roehampton Community Weeks Steering Group. Nearly £50k raised to run these activities.

    • The development of the Roehampton Community Fund – a chance for community groups and individuals to apply for up to £500 to run community projects and test new ideas. 27 unique recipients have been awarded £29k over the last two years.

    • Following support and practical help from the Project Lead, six new projects/social entrepreneurs have now set themselves up to deliver activities on an ongoing basis.

    • Communicating with voluntary sector and statutory partners to deliver services in a better way locally.

THE NEXT STEPS

Over the coming months there’ll be updates to this website to reflect our overall ambitions, so do keep checking in. If you have any ideas for Our Roehampton, or would like to get involved please contact our Director, Noreen Meehan.

CONTACT DETAILS
Noreen Meehan, Director
noreen.meehan@ourroehampton.org
07858 621678

Angus Robertson, Chair of Trustees