Behind the scenes in Allenton

The making of a Big Local video.

By Rachel Roberts, communications co-ordinator, Local Trust

Meet some of the incredible residents we filmed in Allenton Big Local, near Derby. Their work is creating new opportunities for all ages across thecommunity. Part 1 of our behind-the-scenes tour of the making of our new Big Local video.

It was the evening of possibly the hottest day of 2016 when we arrived at the Enthusiasm Trust youth club in Allenton to start filming. We were feeling the heat, but it wasn’t slowing down the young people, who were playing racing games in the church hall venue. They took time out to talk to us and tell us the difference this club makes – we learnt there was no youth club in the area before Big Local.

At the Nacro family project the next day, we heard how parents who had attended first aid and parenting courses funded by Big Local were now self-organising their own support group and reaching out to other parents. It’s the kind of empowerment that Big Local is all about.

By noon the sun was hotting up again and we were out on the nearby allotments where Big Local is funding new facilities, including a toilet block. This means the allotment will be able to host more and longer schools visits. The allotment group’s chair, Derek, showed us round the large and thriving plot which the school children have been tending. He told us that he’s so impressed with the Big Local support that he’s telling everyone he knows locally to see what Allenton Big Local can do for them. We were also really touched to hear the story of one allotment holder who suffered serious ill health, but found that visiting the allotments was a huge boost during her recovery.

 

Then it was back to the church hall again, to a warm welcome from two local vicars. We heard how Big Local is partnering with the church and social housing provider Derby Homes to develop the hall into a much better equipped community space in the future.

After so much travelling around, we were definitely in need of the Strawberry Tea that was our final stop! This event for older people had been organized by resident Edith and delivered with help from a local residents’ association. Edith is a typically modest Big Local volunteer who has been applying her passion and supreme organisational skills to see that the opportunity of Big Local benefits all ages in Allenton.

Watch and share

Join us in sharing the videos: on your website, Facebook page or Twitter account, or however you prefer. Big Local areas can get more guidance on how to do this here. All the films mentioned are on this playlist.

We’d love to hear your feedback on the videos! Get in touch via Twitter (click the link or search @LocalTrust) and Facebook (click the link or search LocalTrustBigLocal).

Part 2 of our behind-the-scenes tour will be on the blog soon.