Brighter Futures Annual Report 2023-24

Support

This year’s report focuses on the diverse ways in which the Brighter Futures Partnership members support the community and the organisations in the area. The range of support is comprehensive and can take the form of an immediate crisis response, long term strategic planning, or a variety of measures between the two. Underpinning all of these levels of support is a deep understanding of the local community and its needs, built up from a foundation of combined grassroots intelligence and robust data. 

Residents in the Brighter Futures area often benefit from projects and programmes which are District or County-wide or even national because the levels of deprivation mean that there can be a greater concentration of beneficiaries in the Brighter Futures wards than in other areas. An example of this is the You Move programme, which targeted families with a child entitled to free school meals. The stories you will read below however, relate to more targeted work which can be designed in conjunction with local residents through the close relationships partners have built with the community.

Read the stories of how the partners and the community have worked together to address the needs and aspirations of people living in the Brighter Futures wards. In this report, we can only tell a sample of the work that has been done, but please get in touch to learn more if you would like.

The stories which follow come from a variety of partners in the Brighter Futures project, and they demonstrate how organisations are responding to residents' needs. You can also see how partners work together to enhance their services.

Stepping in

Practical, immediate help, often to avert crisis.

The cost-of-living crisis remained a reality for Brighter Futures residents throughout this year. Although inflation began to decrease by the end of the period, some researchers have said that inflation increased during the two years following the pandemic by as much as the previous twelve years. Many families continued to struggle as although the adults were working, they still needed to claim benefits to be able to manage – and benefits did not keep up with inflation.

Food banks have become a part of life for many people, and we are now used to the existence of them, they are a relatively recent phenomenon. The Trussell Trust reports that in 2010, they only provided 35 Food Banks and by 2024 there were 2,800. (source Guardian newspaper: How Britain became a food bank nation | General election 2024 | The Guardian accessed 29/06/2024)

Many of the Brighter Futures partners have a long-standing record of working with the local community and because of this, they are trusted by local people as somewhere to go when times are difficult. Partners not only offer supportive services themselves, but also have a wide knowledge of other sources of support in the area. This means they can often signpost and refer people to other agencies, in addition to the resources they have themselves. Their relationship with community members enables them to engage residents who might, for a variety of reasons, be reluctant to engage with statutory agencies as a starting point. Close relationships with the community also mean that Community Centre’s such as the Hill and Grimsbury Community Centre are devising robust services to respond to community need.

The Sunshine Centre larder

The Sunshine Centre provides a community larder, which is well used. Aphra* approached the Centre for vouchers for the Trussell Trust Food Bank and for Cherwell District Council’s food vouchers. Aphra* felt confident to chat to The Sunshine Centre staff, about her situation, finding it useful to talk things through casually when coming in for a Food voucher.

Children in poverty (Source Oxfordshire JSNA census 2021)

• Brighter Futures wards: 21%
• Oxfordshire: 14%

Through these conversations, Aphra (name has been changed) confided that her family had moved to Banbury from Wales. She and her partner and daughter were living in a one room basement flat in the home of a relative, with no decent cooking or food storage facilities. This was making day-to-day living more expensive. Her partner had a part time job, and the family was claiming benefits, but this was not enough, and the money ran out before payday. 

• House price £334,000
  The average house price in Cherwell was £334,000 in April 2024 (provisional) down 2.6% from April 2023. 
• Monthly rent £1,114
  Private rents in Cherwell rose to an average of £1,114 in May 2024 an annual increase of 4.0% from £1,072 in May 2023.

The accommodation had been offered as a short-term arrangement, but it was proving difficult for them to move on.

The food vouchers helped Aphra with her immediate problem of feeding the household. Because she had contact with, and trusted, The Sunshine Centre staff, she agreed to attend the weekly Citizens Advice drop-in session at The Sunshine Centre.

Soup lunches at the Hill

During the winter of 2023, Banbury Winter Warmers program was expanded to deliver and make hot soups (using surplus food) for residents within a 3.5-mile radius of Banbury Cross. To make this happen, Cherwell District Council worked with The Hill Community Centre and the Royal Voluntary Service.

The percentage of people receiving pension credit in the Brighter Futures area is more than twice the district average (13% compared to 6.3%)

At the Hill, a seniors’ lunch offers a social space and food for elderly residents. Hot soups (using surplus food) are provided for residents – one to eat together at the Hill, and one to take home for another day.

Food grants in action at Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) Cornhill

The Cherwell District Council Food Grant community scheme awarded up to £3,000 in grants to community groups for community projects relating to food. These grant schemes were able to cover cooking sessions, cooking equipment, cookery or edible garden project as well as foodbank support. 

In March 2022, Citizens Advice (national) data showed a continued monthly increase in people needing crisis support (help with Food Banks or Other Charitable Support) with a 44% increase compared with March 2021.

The food grants have meant that the RVS Community Cornhill Centre have been able to continue the funding of their Friday club which provides subsided, nutritious meals whilst reducing isolation and strengthening community bonds.

The Cornhill Centre noted that ‘Cherwell District Council’s support has been instrumental in sustaining a service that goes far beyond a meal; it fosters connection, combats isolation, and nurtures wellbeing among our members’.

Loneliness is as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day

Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2), 227-237. 
View Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review (Accessed: 01 November 2023). OCF Oxfordshire uncovered

Being there

Organisations providing support to residents for day-to-day problems.

Brighter Futures partner organisations offer support to residents in a collaborative way, working with residents to find solutions which improve their situation. They know that residents are much more likely to take up support where they feel that this is “done with” residents rather than “done to”. This is illustrated through our stories of work with individuals as well as the way in which local community centre’s devise their programmes through consultation with residents.

Home-Start support to settle in a new community

Home-Start identify families with at least one child aged under five years old, who need one to one support.  This support is provided by Home-Start trained volunteers and includes any aspects of support families need to lead healthy lives, such as 

• Reducing social isolation of parents, improving self-esteem, confidence, emotional and psychological wellbeing
• Supporting with developments of children and babies including those with additional needs
• Helping prepares children for starting school
• Offering a wide range of signposting for advice, including financial, employment and learning
• Offering peer support
• Providing volunteering opportunities
• Assisting and encouraging individuals to participate in their communities

Sanctuary Housing worked with Home-Start to provide support to additional families, living in Sanctuary homes.

Carly (name has been changed) is a single mother who had relocated with her child to the Brighter Futures area. A Home-Start volunteer supported her to gain some local knowledge and begin to feel familiar with the services she could access. The volunteer supported Carly in choosing an appropriate nursery, which her child is now attending.

Carly received help to make sure she was receiving all the benefits she is eligible for, and to achieve this, the volunteer accompanied her to several appointments with Citizens Advice and other agencies.

Carly confirmed that she now feels less isolated and more confident to make her own links in the local community. She commented that Home–Start’s support considerably reduced the stress of relocating.

Job and Support Fair understanding that finding a job vacancy is only part of the jigsaw

Organised by Cherwell District Council and Job Centre Plus, the event took place at Banbury Town Hall on Thursday 8 February. It included representatives from sectors such as education, care, warehousing, and customer services. Staff from hospitality, retail, and production businesses were also in attendance.

Support organisations such as Activate Learning, Wheels to Work and the National Careers Service were there to highlight the available support and learning opportunities to help people overcome barriers to career progression.

One third of the households receiving Universal Credit in Cherwell live in the Brighter Futures wards 
(source Stat Xplore)

Councillor Donna Ford, the then Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, said: 

“This fair showcases the wide range of job opportunities and support that is available in the district for anyone who’s looking to make the next move in their career. Meeting employers in a friendly setting is a great way for people to discover career paths that may not have crossed their minds before and could be the first step to a fulfilling new role. “A wide variety of people came along to find out about the job and support opportunities, including Yuliia and Oksana who were planning to open a Beauty Salon. They said:

“Thank you very much for such an opportunity to communicate with experts from Council and attend a very useful and interesting Job Fair. We have found this Fair was arranged on a high level. You separated employers and educational/support representatives, which allowed better communication regarding the tasks people had.”

They also commented on the variety of support available

“In addition, we as newcomers in this country were given new educational opportunities, varieties of mental and other kinds of support.  It was a really unforgettable and helpful event.  Looking forward to hearing from you about new events! We are grateful for your invaluable and kind help on behalf of all Ukrainians!”
 
The event was also useful for professionals to share information and catch up with residents. Lucy Johnson, from Cherwell District Council’s Resettlement Team found this, saying:

“It was a great morning albeit a bit manic at times with so many people, but it was very good, I met lots of people and have some good contacts now to pass on to families of services that they will benefit from. I saw 3 of our Afghan males who attended, and they had plenty of information to take away and have signed up for some jobs I believe which is great.” 

PC Pete Butt-Gow, from Thames Valley Police came to the support fair to provide information about opportunities in the police service, and remarked

“If I am honest, a very well ran event and many more attendees than I anticipated The majority were interested in staff roles at present due to residency status but there was a good representation of some very employable individuals. Happy to attend again if needed.” 

Citizens Advice at The Sunshine Centre

Proving advice in a known and trusted venue

Bonnie (name has been changed) is a retired lady with a husband, who often uses the community larder at the Sunshine Centre. Bonnie has also been given the Banbury Food Services information which she has used. 

Staff used their knowledge of local services to signpost her to Citizens Advice. A team member from Citizens Advice is available at the Sunshine Centre on Wednesdays, from 10am to 12 noon. This is a drop-in service with no need to book, which was developed in response to local need.

The Sunshine Centre went beyond signposting, as Staff had also noticed she always smells strongly of tobacco. 

Deaths from cancer, circulatory and respiratory diseases are considerably higher than the Oxfordshire average in Grimsbury and Ruscote wards, and death from circulatory disease is also considerably higher than the county average,  in Neithrop ward. (Source Oxfordshire Insights)

Staff had a conversation with her about the money she could save by cutting down or giving up, as they knew this was an issue for her and would be a better motivation for her than giving her health information. 

There is a clear link between rates of smoking and deprivation. 

Areas of England with the highest levels of deprivation also have the highest rates of deaths attributable to smoking (including a proportion of deaths from lung cancers, other cancers, respiratory diseases and others).

Staff signposted her to a stop smoking service so that she could receive support from experts in smoking cessation. They felt she would have been very unlikely to seek this support on her own initiative.

On average just over 5 clients are seen at the Citizens Advice drop-in sessions per month. 52 sessions have been able to address the client's issue/question raised on the day.

Many of these sessions are the starting point of the support. During this period 34 client cases were raised post the session, where the individual client received ongoing support to resolve the issue raised within the session, and further issues as they surface. 

The issues most frequently dealt with are relationships and family (18%), charitable support (18%) and utilities (12%)

The percentage breakdown of issues being raised, for those issues shared and recorded, are as follows: Charitable support – foodbanks (18%), family and relationships (18%) and utilities (12%).

A wide range of other issues are also dealt with, showing the breadth of concerns local people have and the expertise Citizens Advice bring to them in a trusted venue.

The Hill – the whole family approach

The Hill Youth and Community Centre has provided popular youth sessions for a number of young people over a long period of time. A particularly successful recent initiative was a project carried out with local organisation Little Wild Things, who offered a Forest School approach to sessions with children aged between 8 and 13 and their families.

Reflection on these sessions, combined with the experience of the staff, and the understanding they have of the issues affecting residents, they took the decision to make a fundamental change and use some of their youth sessions to develop a whole family approach. They believe this will add value to the already important work they were carrying out with young people, by placing it in the context of the whole family.
 
The Hill continues to offer targeted sessions for individuals, sessions include men's and women's breakfasts, lunch clubs, youth groups, craft, exercise, sports and other activities which provide support at all stages of life, as part of their activity portfolio.

Centre Manager, Lorraine Squire commented “bringing the whole family together in a neutral but trusted venue enabled us to really develop our support to young people, because we see them as part of their family unit.”

HUG scheme promotion

The Age Friendly Banbury partnership alerted the Brighter Futures partners to the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) scheme overseen by Oxfordshire County Council. The organisation Welcome the Warmth is funded by the Government’s Home Upgrade phase 2 scheme to offer funding in Oxfordshire to provide energy efficiency upgrades and low carbon heating to qualifying off-gas homes.

The scheme allows private renters and homeowners who meet the income qualification to access environmentally and budget friendly energy and insulation improvements.

The Oxfordshire County Council team estimated that over 800 households in the Brighter Futures area had the potential to benefit from the HUG scheme. 

Between 2021 and 2022, the proportion of households in Oxfordshire classified as “fuel poor” increased by 1.1 percentage points, from 7.9% to 9.0% 

The Brighter Futures partnership arranged to promote the scheme to its members. It is known that fear of scams can reduce take up of genuine schemes like HUG, so the intervention of trusted partners can help to reassure potential beneficiaries. Cherwell District Council made it easier for residents to find out information by reducing the number of clicks required to reach the links to HUG on its website, and by promoting the scheme on its social media channels. This has led to a closer relationship with the team behind HUG, and meant that partners have better information streams – leading to better access for residents. For example, the Sunshine Centre has promoted the summer Solar Photovoltaic panels scheme.

Faithworks Furniture Project

Faith Works Furniture Project is a small organisation fully reliant on grant funding. It enables good but used furniture and other household items to be reused by people who would struggle to afford new items. 

Over 6 million people in the UK do not have access to essential furniture, furnishings and appliances, according to research by campaign group End Furniture Poverty.
Of the 4.8 million adults in furniture poverty, 55% (or 2.6m people) have a disability. The report shows that having a disability makes someone three times more likely to experience furniture poverty
Visit the End Furniture Poverty website.

Faithworks is open on two mornings a week, when a team of volunteers prepare and test everything, as well as distributing goods. Faithworks is particularly aimed at facilitating moves into empty social housing, which is often uncarpeted. They seek to work with people to enable them to make a sustainable start in their new home. They can help families make a life for themselves (refugees, domestic abuse, single parents, residents that have fallen on hard times). 

According to a 2018/19 report by The North London Waste Authority, 22 million pieces of furniture are discarded each year in the UK, the majority of which goes directly to landfill. Climate action NGO WRAP estimates this to be the annual fate of 670,000 tonnes of furniture – much of it reusable.

Faithworks has developed partnerships with other organisations in and beyond the Brighter Futures partnership, Connections Support, Sanctuary, CDC, Probation Services and Oxford City Council. The services have expanded as the need has grown. The service attracts an average of 45 to 50 new clients per quarter. One area that is increasing is people opening up to volunteers (particularly around mental health), so Faithworks volunteers now signpost to organisations that can help. The service also receives referrals from schools and local organization Banbury Charities is also involved, when appropriate providing a voucher for white goods or carpets. The only new items that are given out are mattresses.

Groups eligible to apply for Food Grants

Cherwell District Council offered a Food Grant community scheme, during 2023/24 designed to allow groups working closely with community members to support those most affected by the cost-of-living crisis. The scheme awarded up to £3,000 in grants to community groups for community projects relating to food.

There are 1726 children living in relative low-income households in the Brighter Futures wards.(Relative low-income is defined as a family in low income before housing costs (BHC) in the reference year. A family must have claimed one or more of Universal Credit, Tax Credits or Housing Benefit at any point in the year to be classed as low income in these statistics.)  Source Stat-Xplore (dwp.gov.uk).

Community groups approached the District Council with imaginative ways of relieving the pressure on households struggling to balance their budgets. These grant schemes covered cooking sessions, cooking equipment, cookery and edible garden project as well as foodbank support, providing residents with the tools they need to stretch their budgets a little further.

Community Wardens support rough sleepers

Cherwell District Council’s Single Homeless team and the Community Wardens have developed a close relationship working with the rough sleeping community. People who are sleeping rough can be difficult to engage with through the traditional methods of telephone, online or visiting an office, so wardens who patrol most days can come into regular contact with those rough sleepers in a way that the Single Homeless team are not frequently able to–face-to face and in the community. 

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) defines people who sleep rough as: People sleeping, about to bed down or actually bedded down in the open air (such as on the streets, in tents, doorways or parks) or in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (such as stairwells or car parks).  Quote from JSNA

Community Wardens can be successful in engaging with rough sleepers, and their relationship can help to provide an understanding of the individuals the single homeless team is working with. For example, people are more willing to disclose where their sleep site is, how they are presenting day to day, whether there are any concerns or safeguarding issues.
 
Joint working in some cases has led to rough sleepers accessing accommodation, both long term and in periods of severe weather emergency provision (SWEP). The consistency of interactions and support from the wardens has allowed for plans to be made for accommodation, appointments to be arranged with accommodation providers etc. to allow individuals to access accommodation.

“We really value the support from the wardens. They support some of the most vulnerable individuals in our community and have been a vital part for some individuals getting off the streets.”
Member of the Single Homeless Team

The importance of local Play Day events in Brighter Future wards

Grimsbury and Ruscote both now have established play day events taking place annually which have become a staple date in the diary to bring communities together. Playdays provide a range of free activities, which are positive and educational. They bring both families and communities together, building personal memories and community cohesion.

Strategically these events work as a perfect platform for stakeholders and statutory organisations to join an informal event to get key information, support and advice to those residents that need it most. These include colleagues from OCC Public Health, Trading Standards, Community Safety partners, mental health charities and Housing teams, who deliver positive health messages in a fun and accessible way to the communities where the greatest health inequalities occur.

The events also give Brighter Futures partners the opportunity to engage and consult with residents through an informal approach, which helps feed into the initiatives, projects and services that are developed through the partnership to support the residents of the Brighter Futures In Banbury wards. 

The Grimsbury and North Banbury networks work collaboratively to deliver the events, inviting all the local groups and organisations to showcase their services and opportunities to local residents in a fun free event which is truly location based, and also supports families during an ongoing cost of living crisis.

Each year Grimsbury has a Play Day taking place in the Bridge Street Community Garden and New Year Wishes engagement event at Grimsbury Community Centre. In Ruscote the Summerfest Play Day is delivered in Princess Diana Park and Winter Wishes engagement events at The Hill and The Sunshine Centre. Using a number of locations within the community allows us to engage with a diverse mix of residents of all ages, making it very accessible for all. 

In 2023/24 these events welcomed a huge 1450 residents to take part.

Side by side to build strength in communities

Longer term support for physical and mental health

Data shows that there are strong links between financial deprivation and health inequalities. The Brighter Futures partners take a long-term approach to breaking cycles of deprivation in the community in this area, making improvements which can have profound and lasting impacts on residents’ lives.

Sing out for Wellness! 

Community Albums Received £2000 in funding from the Brighter Futures in Banbury Community Insight Fund to run a ‘singing for wellness’ group at the Hill Community Centre in Ruscote ward. 

Simon from Community Albums said:

“Studies have shown that singing in a choir gives us an emotional lift. Endorphins are released which in turn reduces stress and anxiety levels and contributes to us feeling energised and uplifted. We are always happy to start a new choir, so when The Hill Community Centre asked us to start a 'Singing for Wellness' group, we were super excited to begin! 'Sing Out' started earlier this month and is already following in its sister group, 'Vocal Band's' footsteps in making a positive difference to all those that join in

One of the newcomers says: "I went along to the second 'Sing Out for Wellness' session this afternoon and it was absolutely brilliant! I went along for the hour of singing but you're welcome to go earlier for a light lunch before the session. The lovely lady leading said she did not care what anyone's singing ability was, just to sing really loud! There was no pressure or judgement, everyone just did their own thing. This is something a little out of my comfort zone, but I am so pleased I went along. It was a warm and friendly group, and I certainly came away feeling uplifted.

According to the latest Active Lives Survey (Nov22-Nov23) almost a quarter of people aged 16+ (24%) in Oxfordshire feel lonely often/always or some of the time, just below the England average (25%). This includes 6% who say they feel lonely often/always (England 7.3%). There has been little change in these measure since Nov19-20.  (Source: JSNA)

Domestic abuse The Own My Life DA project at the Sunshine Centre

Domestic abuse is more prevalent than many people realise, and it has been estimated that one in four women regardless of ethnicity, religion, class, age, sexuality, disability or lifestyle will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. 

1106 children in Cherwell affected by domestic abuse (Source Oxfordshire JSNA)

Oxfordshire’s safeguarding board explains the effect of domestic abuse on children” - Experiencing domestic abuse is defined in legislation as harmful and abusive to children. Living with domestic abuse can profoundly disrupt a child’s environment, undermining their stability, and physical, mental and emotional health. This impact on the child is the result of the perpetrator’s decision to use abusive behaviours, and the tactics and impact of domestic abuse can interrupt the non-abusing parent/carer’s ability to provide care. As a result, the protection and empowerment of the non-abusing parent is fundamental to the protection of the children.”
Source Domestic Abuse - Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (oscb.org.uk)

Some of the comments from people who had attended the course included the following:

• “I gained strengths to speak when facing inequality or abuse.” “it’s helped me stand up for myself.”
• “the peer support has been amazing, and so helpful.”

The Sunshine Centre found evidence suggesting that domestic violence (which was already an issue in the area) has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sunshine Centre are aware from the number of individuals approaching them as well as referrals from teachers, social workers and police that Ruscote (a part of the Brighter Futures area) is the place in Oxfordshire with the highest prevalence of reported domestic abuse where children are in the home. This has escalated during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting early with mindfulness

St Leonard’s Primary School – Grimsbury Ward, received £3000 in funding from the Brighter Futures in Banbury Community Insight Fund to run in school Tai Chi Chih sessions as part of their whole school wellbeing programme. Following the successful grant application, St Leonard's Primary School started to undertake their school Tai Chi Chih mindfulness and wellbeing project. 
 
This is being led by Community Tai Chi Chih instructor, Adam Lacey. To begin the project, Adam visited the school to undertake two assemblies for the children as an introduction to Tai Chi. This has linked it with their whole school approach to mindfulness and emotional regulation, Zones of Regulation. The children all enjoyed Adam's assemblies and are all looking forward to taking part in the project. In addition, Adam has undertaken a staff meeting to share the key principles with all staff. 

Throughout the year all teachers will have an opportunity to work with Adam and their classes and begin using the practice as part of their classwork around emotional regulation.  
“We are really looking forward to the rest of the school year and would like to express our heartfelt thanks to both Adam Lacey and Tila Rodriguez for their continued help in applying for funding for this unique project at our school!” – Rhys Owens, SENDCO St Leonard's Primary School.

There has been an increase in children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) who are identified as having social, emotional and mental health as the primary type of need as a percentage of all school pupils, in primary schools nationally and in Oxfordshire. In both cases there has been an increase, but the rate of increase is higher in Oxfordshire. Initiatives like the St Leonard’s Primary School mindfulness project don’t just benefit children with a recognised need, all children can take something beneficial from learning how to manage their feelings.

Driving Change

Alongside the immediate and practical support demonstrated in the stories above, organisations in the Brighter Futures area take a longer-term approach to working with residents. 

As public and voluntary sector bodies face an increase in demand for their services at the same time as their budgets reduce, they have a choice between cutting their services or innovating by working with communities on an asset-based approach. This means that local government and other statutory bodies work with voluntary groups and community members work together as equal partners to collaborate on services that meet community needs.

This can mean finding out what residents’ aspirations are through consultation in the neighbourhood forum meetings and at free public engagement events like Summerfest and New Year Wishes as well as offering programmes to develop well-being such as the Community Connections fund.

In addition, the Brighter Futures partners all benefit from access to data from the Ward Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) produced by Oxfordshire County Council.

Be You

Brighter Futures partners Age Friendly Banbury and The Mill worked together to provide the Be You programme. Hosted by the Mill Arts Centre, Be you is a Silver Pride coffee group, for older people in our LGBTQ+ community. Occasional activities are also planned.

The coffee group provides an opportunity simply to enjoy a drink and a chat, but can also offer an opportunity for people to share experiences and offer peer support.

Older members of the LGBQT+ community may have had a very different experience from younger people, and they may have campaigned for the freedom that young people enjoy today. 

Everybody’s Wellbeing

Cherwell District Council developed its own Wellbeing Strategy – called Everybody’s Wellbeing. 

The introduction to the Strategy explains 

“Our responsibility towards our residents’ wellbeing means we are a trusted and influential partner with strong links to other public sector bodies, agencies, and partner organisations. But we are also close to our communities ourselves, with networks that enhance our ability to listen, respond and evolve at the local level.”

The Council’s Strategy applies across the whole district, and aligns with the County Council’s Wellbeing Strategy, and Integrated Care Programme - aiming to give individuals opportunities to benefit their wellbeing by making good choices, and to provide an environment which encourages them to do so. We know that this will have the greatest impact in areas where health inequalities are greatest – that is, in the Brighter Futures area.

We also know that the social determinants of health, such as housing, employment and socioeconomic status are key drivers of health outcomes, and we must integrate better across systems and areas of influence to make a difference to people’s experiences. We want to help communities to thrive and believe this is everyone’s responsibility. Our goals integrate with the Oxfordshire Health and Wellbeing strategy, and its 5 key objectives: 

• Promoting and protecting health 
• Start well 
• Live well 
• Age well
• Improving quality and access to services

Although it is a Cherwell District Council Strategy, many of the Brighter Futures partners are involved in the delivery of programmes and place-shaping initiatives such as You Move, Move Together, the Cultural Education Partnership, acknowledging the range and diversity of needs that exist in the district, and broadening the scope of what people can choose to engage with.

Community Health Development Officers

To address the unique needs of communities like those in the Brighter Futures wards - living in deprivation in our relatively affluent county, the Oxfordshire County Council's Public Health team is creating community ward profiles. They are based on local data and insights, fostering a deeper understanding of health needs and community assets. The profiles for the Brighter Futures wards can be found at Community Insight Profiles | Oxfordshire Insight.

The development of the profiles has led the Public Health team to launch a Community Health Development Officer (CHDO) program, with CHDO officers appointed (two in Cherwell District Council).

Key Program Components:

• CHDO Roles: CHDOs are supporting the delivery of the recommendations identified in the area profile reports.
• Project Funding: To follow on from each profile a grant fund of £25,000 has been allocated for each area.
• Community Engagement: CHDOs have worked closely with groups and partners to identify and address community needs.
• Impact Assessment: The program is tracking the progress of funded projects and gathering feedback to inform future initiatives.

Progress and Impact in Cherwell:

• Project Implementation: The CHDOs have successfully supported 24 organisations in launching 29 community projects.
• Community Empowerment: The program has empowered local groups to take ownership of their health and wellbeing.
• Challenges and Solutions: The CHDOs have been involved in overcoming minor barriers faced by project implementers. 

Cost of living support

Throughout the winter of 2023/24, there were a variety of initiatives that were led by Cherwell District Council’s wellbeing team in response to the on-going cost-of-living crisis.
Trading Standards, Citizens Advice, CDC (Cherwell District Council) Revenues and Benefits team, Cherwell District Council, Community Partners worked together, supporting residents with debt and money advice. Some of the work focused on linking partners providing advice to increase residents’ awareness of scams and loan sharks as well as domestic abuse. 
 
The Council’s recently updated “Who Can Help?” booklets provide support for local people and groups to signpost residents to good sources of relevant advice. Money advice support is offered through in person events and online, such as The Sunshine Centre hosted Citizens Advice session referred to above, and Banburyshire Advice’s sessions at the Hill Community Centre.

Community Connections Fund

A collaboration between Brighter Futures partnership members Cherwell District Council and The Mill Arts Centre has led to the creation of the Community Connections Fund. The Community Connections fund uses money from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, referred to in last year’s report.

The Community Connections initiative has been designed to help community groups and schools in Banbury’s Brighter Futures Areas connect with the arts. In order to achieve this, community groups can apply for funding to participate in a range of activities at The Mill Arts Centre, including (but not limited to) live performances and creative workshops. To make it possible for all groups to attend, the fund can be used for transport or additional support where this is needed for a visit to happen.

Brighter Futures partners arranged wreath-making, textile, sewing and jewellery-making from The Mill’s creative learning programme. Groups were able to enjoy performances of California Connections, There’s a Monster in your Christmas Show, Cinderella and The Nutcracker.

A 2020 Department for Culture, Media and Sport Report found “‘grade A’ evidence for the following outcomes, suggesting that this evidence can be trusted to guide policy: 

• The use of music to support infant social development 
• The use of book reading to support child social development 
• The use of music or reading for speech and language development amongst infants and children 
• The use of the arts to support aspects of social cohesion
• The use of the arts to improve wellbeing (i.e. positive psychological factors) in adults
• The use of the arts to reduce physical decline in older age”

There is evidence for a link between mental health disorders in children and young people and poverty. Children with a mental health disorder are also financially less likely to be able to access activities1. More than 1 in 4 children aged 8 to 16 years (26.8%) with a probable mental disorder had a parent who could not afford for their child to take part in activities outside school or college, compared with 1 in 10 (10.3%) of those unlikely to have a mental disorder. 

Who supports the support givers?

The Brighter Futures Partnership focuses on facing outward to its partners, using the group to promote and facilitate joint working where we can. The partners are aware of the pressure on small and community-based organisations and use the partnership to provide opportunities to build real resilience – not just to prop up organisations or prevent them from crumbling.

“The charitable sector in Oxfordshire has risen to incredible challenges over the last few years and has proved itself yet again as the bedrock of our communities. However, the Covid pandemic and enduring cost of living crisis have eroded charity finances. Charities have never before been more necessary, but their existence has never been more precarious” 
Zoe Springings, Oxfordshire Community Foundation

Brighter Futures Events

During 2023/24, the Brighter Futures partnership hosted two events open to all partners. They were designed to provide participants with an improved understanding of current issues. In addition, they offered an opportunity to network with other staff from other organisations.

The event held in November 2023 was hosted by a Brighter Futures based Community Support venue. Most participants had not visited it before and were impressed by the thought that had gone into developing the alcohol-free bar “Cheers M’Dears” as well as the onsite beauty therapy centre. 

Brighter Futures members left the event equipped with information about community initiatives linked to cycling, and walking, including School Bike Libraries. 120 brand new bikes have been shared between 6 schools across Cherwell, and schools also received a purpose-built bike shelter to house them. Two were installed in high priority areas of Banbury St Leonards – Grimsbury and Orchard Fields – Bretch Hill. The team is exploring the potential for linking schools for inter-school Cycling activities. Other topics covered included connecting with nature and connecting with arts.

The Cherwell District Council Wellbeing Strategy, Everybody’s Wellbeing was launched at the event.

Buddy scheme

The Brighter Futures Partners responded to a request from members to facilitate a peer support scheme for community organisations. The aim was to offer a confidential and supportive way for managers to meet with their peers and share experiences.

We heard from Sharon Ellis, manager of The Sunshine Centre, who is one of a group piloting the Buddy Scheme: 

“The North Banbury Buddies are, Lorraine from The Hill, Maria from Sunrise, Jeanette from St. Paul’s and Sharon from The Sunshine Centre. We meet monthly rotating the venue. The meetings have been a great opportunity to share the work we are all doing, ensure we are not offering the same provision, support one another by sharing issues and ideas such as HR and IT. The meetings are a great chance for a breather from our busy day to day organisations and unites us in our work to offer opportunities to improve outcomes for the residents of Banbury.”

Working in a community sector organisation can never be described as lonely – in fact sometimes, it can be overwhelmingly linked with people. We realised that for managers in small organisations, it could be a challenge to share worries, thoughts, frustrations, or concerns, People in this position needed someone who understands their world, is discreet, and yet who can provide an outside perspective.

Our buddy scheme aims to connect partners with someone they can see as a peer – working as a manager in a local community organisation themselves. They will have a unique perspective on the issues that may be concerning managers, and when there’s no one in their organisation to share them with. It gives them the opportunity to have a confidential, non-judgemental discussion with a fellow professional, exploring ideas and concerns.

One size doesn’t fit all, and buddies can agree how frequently they want to be in contact with each other. As a guide, we suggest meeting every 4 to 6 weeks in an informal way – over a coffee or a walk by the canal, for example. The benefits of the buddy scheme run both ways, but in general, there will be a “lead” partner, who will give the other partner space to express their concerns and will provide feedback on the issues they raise. They will set the agenda and lead the session.

We suggest a 12 month “buddying period” – though if it’s working, there’s no reason why the relationship should not continue.

Community pop up space

Cherwell District Council uses a shop front in the Castle Quay shopping centre in the town to provide information for residents, and an opportunity for local groups to have a central location to use for free. This gives community groups the chance to be in a venue which is well used, popular and not at all intimidating, potentially reaching new audiences.

A typical month in the Community Space last year saw a huge variety of groups offering support to local residents.

Regular, weekly drop ins came from Age UK Oxfordshire on a Friday to support residents with enquiries and information. The Housing team provided a weekly surgery to answer queries. The Wellbeing team’s weekly pop-up sessions were used to sign post users to opportunities and support services to improve wellbeing.

Age Friendly Banbury held an engagement event, using the community space as a central platform to speak to residents about local concerns , needs and support in the town. The community space has an Age Friendly information board that is keep updated all year round to provide information and advice and allows residents to have their say.

Banbury Community Action Group have a growing communities’ space, and regularly pop up during the month to promote opportunities in the town and activities in the Bridge Street community garden as well as hosting small repair workshops for residents to promote reuse and green values.

Community meetings held regularly in the centre of town, including the North Banbury Network and Grimsbury Network groups, when the space acts as an independent space for partnerships to come together.
Monthly themes are displayed on feature tables in the community space. Groups can use this opportunity to promote initiatives and information, for example cost of living support, summer holidays and preparing for winter have all made an appearance on the feature tables during this year. 

Providing accurate information for better signposting to services

Cherwell District Council’s Wellbeing Team hosts a “Who can Help?” booklet, designed to enable both individuals and the organisations who support them to have access to up-to-date information on how to navigate the obstacles life can throw in the way.

The Wellbeing team are very conscious of the fact that the support provided can change from time to time, and so devote time to checking and updating the information on a regular basis. 

During 2023, the leaflet was refreshed and updated, and incorporated more information for people struggling with the cost-of-living. In order to do this, the Wellbeing team engaged and worked internally with housing, customer services and other teams that engage with services to vulnerable people.

Over 5,000 copies of the booklet have been distributed over the last two years. The leaflet can be found in a huge variety of locations including libraries and community centres. All of the Brighter Futures partners have access to the booklet. It can be used by residents who are able to resolve their own issues, but is also a valuable tool for professionals offering support.