Thames Life wins grant for community infrastructure initiative

Thames Life, a community development charity based in Barking and Dagenham, has secured a grant from The Open University’s (OU) Open Societal Challenges (OSC) fund to tackle urgent social infrastructure needs within the borough.

Their awarded project, titled The Right to Community Infrastructure, addresses the decline in community spaces and services that have dwindled under financial constraints since 2010. With government cuts to local budgets leading to a 39% reduction in funding for public amenities like community centres and libraries, Thames Life’s project aims to assess, develop, and sustain essential community resources that impact the region’s well-being, economy, and social cohesion.

The community

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has long grappled with high levels of deprivation, poverty, and unemployment, and its community infrastructure is stretched to its limits. Further pressure comes with projected developments under the Greater London Authority’s London Plan, which anticipates 50,000 new homes in the borough. Thames Life’s project seeks to develop an innovative metric, or “right to community infrastructure,” to assess the use and impact of these resources, ensuring they meet the needs of current and future residents.

This groundbreaking initiative will unfold over a year and follow a community-centric, participatory approach that involves collaboration with the OU. Dr Dan Taylor, Senior Lecturer in Social and Political Thought at OU, will co-lead the project with Thames Life’s Director, Matt Scott, bringing their combined expertise in qualitative research, community engagement, and policy analysis to the effort. Together, they will recruit 15 local residents to serve as community researchers, providing them with the skills and support needed to gather data on the availability and accessibility of local amenities. This data collection will involve interviews, focus groups, and surveys of both residents and local businesses, painting a comprehensive picture of the borough’s community needs.

A key component of the project involves exploring sustainable funding solutions, including mechanisms like Section 106, Community Infrastructure Levy, and local wealth-sharing initiatives such as BD Giving. The research will culminate in a toolkit for replicating the project’s community research model, along with policy recommendations and a formal report aimed at influencing local and national policymakers. The findings will also be shared in various formats, including policy briefings and a celebratory community event.

Creating change

This project’s impact is expected to extend beyond immediate outcomes, offering long-term solutions for community planning and providing local residents with the tools to advocate for their needs. Dr Merim Baitimbetova, a Lecturer in Economics at OU, will contribute her expertise in economic development to identify how strong community infrastructure can attract investment, spur local trade, and support job creation.

As Thames Life moves forward, the project promises to bring transformative change to Barking and Dagenham, addressing urgent gaps in social infrastructure and enhancing local residents’ quality of life. This OSC-funded initiative stands as a model for other communities facing similar challenges and aligns with Thames Life’s mission to drive positive change in socioeconomically deprived areas. By embedding this “right to community infrastructure” into local planning discussions, Thames Life’s project could become a touchstone in community advocacy, offering a replicable framework for preserving and enhancing community spaces across the UK.

Thames Life and its OU partners look forward to releasing the results and empowering other communities to take similar steps towards sustainable, inclusive growth.