GET INVOLVED IN SHAPING COMMUNITY SPACES IN ROEHAMPTON - YOUR VOICE NEEDS TO BE HEARD!

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

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.

We held our first Community Alliance event on 28 November 2024 which provided an opportunity for residents, community workers and local organisations to connect, discuss pressing local issues and identify priorities for action. To read the short report about the meeting click here and for the long report click here.

We widened that conversation with you, our community, through our online survey during March 2025. Results of the survey will be published here soon.

We want to hear your voice and find out what you think the most important issues are for Roehampton residents and also if you have any ideas for solutions and ways to address these problems.

Read our current Action Plan here.

One area for support that was highlighted was development and nurturing of community grassroots groups who do so much here in Roehampton to support residents.

We are holding another event on 30 April at 6-8pm at the Roehampton Family Hub to explore some research we have carried out about community space needs in Roehampton with those who run local community organisations and services, and discuss next steps in making community spaces more user-friendly and accessible to all.

If you are interested in attending, please click here to contact our Director, Noreen, to be added to the attendee list.

The November meeting highlighted the commitment of Roehampton’s residents and community organisations to improve the neighbourhood. The enthusiasm and practical ideas shared demonstrate that real progress is possible and achievable. From enhancing community safety and public spaces to supporting young people and revitalising the local economy, the priorities identified reflect a shared ambition to create a stronger, more inclusive community in Roehampton. 

Moving forward, collaboration and partnership will be crucial. Residents, local organisations and the Council must work together to turn these ideas into practical action. Starting with clear, achievable steps, we can build momentum towards real change in partnership with our community.

Our consultation with local residents so far will help us finalise some broad priorities for us, as your community development trust, to focus on but we are also moving forward actions which are more short-term and can be delivered through our existing work and partnerships.

Underpinning all our work will be the principle of co-design with residents and community leaders to ensure that projects we lead and work on are truly benefiting those in need, and identify the best ways to deliver them in our community.

To get in touch if you would like to help develop the plan and potential projects, discuss partnership opportunities or share your ideas, please contact Noreen our director at 07858 621678 and noreen.meehan@ourroehampton.org

We are very much looking forward to working with you, our community!

Photo below: Community Alliance event November 2024 © Daphnea Wenham

WHAT WE DO

Promoting and celebrating community connections

  • Roehampton Voice - our magazine goes out three times a year to all the households in the ward of Roehampton.

  • Roehampton Network – our information sharing network and monthly networking meetings. These meetings are usually online with an in-person meet up once a quarter and take place at 4-5pm. Dates for 2025 meetings are as follows: 17 April (in-person), 15 May, 19 June (in-person), 17 July, 21 August, 18 September (in-person), 16 October, 20 November and 11 December (in-person)
    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 by local people. Dates for the 2025 programme are 2-17 August. Please do get in touch if you would like to participate by emailing Suchi our Community Development Lead - click here to send her an email.

  • 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 run projects to benefit their local community

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

  • Funding 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.

The photo below is of a mural project led and delivered by Estate Art CIC, one of our amazing community organisations here in Roehampton.

  • 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.