The Impact alliance grid
The distinctive, intersecting lines of the Impact Alliance grid is based on the shape of the four local authorities in the West of England; North Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset (BANES).
These borders both define and connect the neighbouring areas of the Impact Alliance, reflecting our place-based approach of recognising individual unique characteristics as well as aligned and collaborative approach.
Our ambition is to create models that extend beyond the West of England, and influence beyond our borders to places beyond.
Celebrating history and building connections
Kintsugi (golden joinery) is a 15th-century Japanese art form that repairs broken pottery with lacquer mixed or dusted with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Instead of hiding damage, this technique highlights fractures to celebrate the item's history, often making the repaired vessel more beautiful and valued than the origina
We champion a dual strategy of:
fostering experimental pilots in targeted local communities
scaling ‘Best Practice’ projects that are proven to be effective
Supporting pilot communities
Principles
Our work in pilot communities is underpinned by:
a place-based approach - moving beyond generic, top-down solutions and instead recognising each community's unique history, culture, and environment in order to work with the community, not just in it;
applying asset-based community development - shifting focus from problems to strengths, identifying and leveraging the existing skills, knowledge, and resources as the foundation for solving problems and creating more relevant and effective outcomes;
encouraging creativity and experimentation - moving away from a ‘fear of failure’ and instead taking risks, trying out bold ideas, and being fully transparent about what works and what doesn’t.
Selection
As a collective it was agreed the pilot communities would comprise:
one location in each of the four local authority areas in the West of England - North Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset
a mix of rural and urban areas
a mix of ages, communities and ethnic backgrounds.
To ascertain which communities were most likely to experience long-term loneliness, the Impact Alliance built on the well-established understanding of risk factors identified, for example, in the ‘Campaign to End Loneliness ‘The State of Loneliness 2023: ONS Data on loneliness in Britain’.
Data analysis of demographics of the region, combined with intelligence from Impact Alliance members, led to the identification of four communities of place and two communities of interest:
Charfield, South Gloucestershire
Disabled Young People, West of England
Global Majority Older People, West of England
Mendip Villages (Banwell, Winscombe, Churchill, Langford & Sandford), North Somerset
Somer Valley (Paulton, Radstock & Midsomer Norton), Bath & North East Somerset
Stockwood, Bristol
Thank you to all Impact Alliance members who have shared photos to use on this website. Please see below for photos used on this page; click on the image for further information. (Any photos not credited are available via Creative Commons licensing).
Redcatch Community Garden
Redcatch Community Garden
Black South West Network
The Stockwood Wombles, courtesy of Bristol Charities
Redcatch Community Garden
Friends Ageing Better (FAB) disco, courtesy of Age UK Bristol