Date/Time: Wednesday 16 September 2026, 10:00am–12:30pm
Format: In person, Sandwell (full address sent on registration)
Cost: Free
Please note: Places are strictly limited to 15. Register early to secure your place.
About this event
Grace Mary to Lion Farm Big Local in Sandwell is one of the West Midlands' strongest examples of what long-term community investment can build. The GM2LF legacy body is now a charity in its own right, with a hub that serves five neighbourhoods through youth work, social enterprise, and community support, and this afternoon visit is a chance to see that work up close.
Tracey Lowe, who has been involved since the programme's beginning and now chairs the legacy body, will walk participants through the journey from early investment to established legacy, exploring what enabled the organisation to sustain and grow its impact.
The visit includes a tour of the hub and community enterprise activity and a fireside exchange with young people involved in the Wallace Youth Project.
You will come away with:
A grounded understanding of how long-term investment leads to lasting community change
Insight into what enables legacy organisations to sustain themselves and their communities
Practical learning from youth work, social enterprise, and community-led delivery
Who should attend This session is open to anyone working in or around place-based and neighbourhood change. It will be particularly relevant to funders, social economy practitioners, VCS infrastructure bodies, youth networks, food resilience networks, and local authorities.
Delivered by West Midlands Funders Network and Heart of England Community Foundation, in partnership with Local Trust.