Section 2: Listening
Listening
Brighter Futures partners understand the importance of allowing community voices to be heard. Listening is key to community organisation being able to build relationships with individuals and it is also an important part of collecting community-based information and intelligence which can be used to inform strategic decision making.
Real, empathetic listening allows the partners to support community building by learning from people about their own needs and their preferred ways of engaging with them.
| Story | Lead organisation | Theme 1 | Other themes | Everybody's wellbeing link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Older people’s voice group | Age Friendly Banbury | Stronger Communities | Physical health | Age Well |
| Neighbourhood networks | Cherwell District Council | Stronger Communities | Live well |
Age Friendly Banbury
Age Friendly Banbury is a partnership between local organisations committed to making Banbury an age-friendly town. It brings together older people, community leaders, local charities, businesses, and local councils.
An age-friendly town encompasses both the built environment, such as housing, transport and outdoor spaces, and the social environment, such as health and information services, civic participation and social activities. In practice, age-friendly social action could include anything from befriending and activity clubs, to ‘men in sheds’ or community-owned pubs. By offering a joined-up approach to social action specific to Banbury, it is hoped that older people will have more opportunities to flourish.
Banbury as part of the UK Network of Age-friendly Communities will contribute by:
- Ensuring that active and healthy ageing is seen as everybody’s business by building relationships, learning and collaboration across sectors, services and between generations.
- Ensuring that all older people are respected, listened to, and can contribute to decision making in the communities that they live.
- Embracing the diversity of older people, addressing inequalities and ageism, building more equitable places for us all to age in.
- Advocating for the physical infrastructure that meets the needs and aspirations of older people, including digital, housing, transport and public spaces.
Older People’s Voice Group
Age Friendly Banbury Older People's Voice Group is a friendly group of older Banbury adults who are helping us to hear what local people are saying about growing older in Banbury. The group meets every couple of months to focus Age Friendly Banbury activity on priorities for local older people. We also carry out informal 'walking' audits of the Town Centre streets and businesses to check accessibility / signage and general age-friendliness.
Age Friendly Banbury Newsletter
A monthly newsletter is emailed to a variety of groups, including Brighter Futures Partners. The newsletter is also available via the Age Friendly website and hard copies are placed in the Castle Quay Hub It contains news about the upcoming events and any new groups aimed at the older community in the town.
While both of these initiatives from Age Friendly Banbury cater for the whole town community, we know that older people living in the Brighter Futures area are likely to have poorer health and more disabilities than the average for the District or County (see above) and are therefore likely to get even more benefit from the activities of the Age Friendly Group.
In addition, many of the activities promoted in the Age Friendly newsletter are low or no cost, and we know that older people in the Brighter Futures area are more likely to be on low incomes than their peers elsewhere in the town.
People in receipt of Pension Credit
| Oxfordshire | Banbury Cross and Neithrop | Grimsbury | Ruscote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6% | 16% | 17% | 17% |
Source: Oxfordshire data hub
Neighbourhood networks
The North Banbury and Grimsbury networks are a way we listen and engage with the community organisations and groups working in the 3 wards on a daily basis. The networks come together regularly to look at the needs and challenges within the community, share good practice and collaborate on initiatives to support residents locally.
The networks work together to set up engagement events throughout the year to bring together communities and listen to what locals have to say about where they live, the positive aspects and what they want to see more of and concerns and issues facing the community. These events include Winter Wishes and New Year Wishes events, capturing individuals wishes for the new year ahead and Springfest and Summerfest larger events bringing the community together with free fun activities, showcasing the great opportunities and services in these wards.
This gives groups the chance to informally consult with local people in a relaxed atmosphere, helping to create action plans for Ruscote, Neithrop and Grimsbury taking a partnership approach to projects and initiatives moving forward.
Some highlights coming from these partnerships include
- Free Youth Activator park sessions during the school holidays, animating green spaces to promote free and fun play with healthy snacks provided
- Community litter picks to keep the community clean and for residents to feel proud of where they live
- Expansion of the Food Larder into Grimsbury, made possible by the existence of the Neighbourhood network
- Local Play Days in holiday periods, offering free opportunities in the parks and attracting up to 500 people
- Play:Full initiative, making sure food is offered at every Easter and Summer holiday activity being delivered by partners
- Play:Full community trips, allowing young people and families to have a wow moment in the school holidays, this includes trips to the seaside and larger parks in Warwick and Oxford
- Securing key services to pop up in their community spaces, including Citizens Advice, Job Clubs and Food Banks
- Walking groups allowing anyone from the community to meet at community venues and safely walk together to get active and meet new people
- The buddy scheme, giving groups the opportunity to meet regularly to support each other and talk through issues they may be facing in their work areas.
Quotes from some of the partners who join the network meetings
“I’m always amazed by how much is going on in the community and the activities and opportunities for our users, the network meetings allow us to share and not duplicate”
“I feel part of a gang and a bigger voice when we speak to funding partners or trying to bring about change”
“The network meetings are so friendly, it’s like a family and we are all there for the same reason, to support each other and develop great opportunities for residents of all ages”
“Meeting colleagues outside of Banbury are very envious of this network approach, which makes me feel proud to be a part of it”
“Working together on many projects and events just feels easier when we do it together, we share jobs and resources which helps save money in tough financial times”
“We have applied for funding as a partnership which funders like to see our joined-up approach and have given us positive feedback”