The Shoebox Enterprises CIC has been selected as a development partner to help shape The National Lottery Community Fund’s new Community Power programme – a £100 million, 10-year initiative designed to give communities greater influence over the places they live, the services they use and the decisions that affect their lives.
The Shoebox is one of just 17 organisations chosen from more than 600 applications across the UK and is the only organisation representing the East of England region.
This national programme will explore how communities can have more say and more control in shaping local priorities and solutions. As a development partner, The Shoebox will play an active role in testing and sharing learning that will help inform how the programme is developed and delivered across the country.
Our Stories, Our Power
Thanks to £80k funding from the National Lottery Community Fund and match funding from Healthy Norwich, we’re launching Our Stories, Our Power. This project will focus on the North City and Mancroft area of Norwich. Over the coming year, our team of Community Connectors and our Community Organiser will continue working alongside residents, local organisations and partners to strengthen connections, understand local priorities and support collective action.
Using an asset-based approach, the project focuses on identifying and building on the strengths already present within communities. By connecting people, listening to lived experience and supporting locally-led ideas, the initiative aims to help residents take action on the issues that matter most to them.
Learning from thousands of community conversations
This work builds on four years of learning from our Community Connector project, delivered in partnership with Norwich City Council. During this time, trusted local residents trained in asset-based community development have held more than 5,400 conversations across Norwich neighbourhoods.
Through these conversations, residents have shared a rich mix of strengths, community assets, challenges and aspirations. These insights have helped shape local activity and will now play a key role in informing the next phase of work, using community insight as a catalyst to mobilise communities and inspire locally-led action.
Since focusing activity on the North City Centre area in 2025, Community Connectors have continued to gather insight through door-knocking, pop-up events and ongoing community conversations, ensuring residents’ voices remain central to shaping future plans.
Shaping a national programme
As a development partner in the Community Power programme, The Shoebox will work alongside The National Lottery Community Fund and other organisations across the UK to test new approaches and share learning around community leadership, participation and influence.
Get involved
We are always keen to connect with local residents, community organisations and services working in the North City and Mancroft area of Norwich.If you are interested in getting involved or exploring opportunities to work together, please get in touch. Email team@theshoebox.org.uk