St Matthews in Leicester was awarded a grant of £1Million from Local Trust in 2012. The grant was over a 10 year period to help develop St Matthews community.

 

Local Trust’s mission is to enable people to make their communities better places to live. A community and resident-led approach to creating lasting change:

Develops the skills and confidence of the people involved and enables them to work with others to the benefit of their communities. Builds on the opportunities and assets available in each community. Creates lasting, long term solutions.

 

Underlying this approach is a belief that residents have a capacity and desire to drive change, and can achieve lasting and positive results when supported by those they trust and respect thereby building skills, confidence, networks, relationships and expertise in each community. 

 

In 2012, a steering group of committed local residents and worker came together and met regularly and began to consult with over 650 members of the St Matthews community. It was evident that the key to the success of the project would be to ensure that everyone was involved in the decision making.

 

In March 2014 the St Matthews Big Local (SMBL) Partnership Board was formed. The partnership included a majority of residents and some local workers. The partnerships first priority was to formalise an area plan which was submitted to Local Trust in London in July 2014. The plan was fully endorsed in August 2014 allowing the funding for year 1 of the plan to be released.

On 21st April 2016 St Matthews Big Local Leicester (1166668) were awarded Charity status by the Charity Commission.

 

Our Shared Vision:

 

We want St Matthews in Leicester to be a place:

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- Which is cleaner and greener

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- Where everyone is appreciated, valued and respected

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- Where everyone feels safe and secure

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- Where everyone can reach their potential and local business flourish

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- Where we can celebrate diversity, talent and creativity