As part of WACA’s Learning Visits programme, we’re connecting with established community businesses to gather practical insights and lessons learned. These visits help us understand different models of community ownership and operation, providing valuable guidance as we develop our own local initiatives. Each visit offers a unique perspective on what makes community enterprises thrive.

Midgeley Community Shop and Meeting Room

This entirely volunteer-run shop operates five days a week, closing on Tuesdays with reduced weekend hours (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9am-7pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am-1pm). The shop is supported by approximately 40 volunteers working across shop operations, community room management and back-office functions. Their management structure consists of a Management Group with a sub-committee, and they successfully raised funds through a community share offer and various grants.

During our conversations, the Midgeley representatives offered these practical pieces of advice:

Be aware of the need for start-up cash flow

Consider income potential from property assets

Establish separate management groups for different aspects of the business

Plan carefully for alcohol licensing requirements

The Midgeley experience shows how a committed volunteer workforce can successfully manage community retail operations, with flexibility built in for weekend events in the village.

We extend our warmest thanks to Sally and Jean from Midgeley for joining our sub-group meeting and sharing their wealth of experience so generously. Their practical insights into running a volunteer-led community shop were incredibly helpful. Special thanks also to Vanessa Barry from the WACA Learning Visits team for facilitating this valuable knowledge exchange.

As part of WACA’s Learning Visits programme, we’re connecting with established community businesses to gather practical insights and lessons learned. These visits help us understand different models of community ownership and operation, providing valuable guidance as we develop our own local initiatives. Each visit offers a unique perspective on what makes community enterprises thrive.

Trawden Forest Community Centre, Library, Shop and Pub

This impressive multi-faceted community enterprise encompasses several key village assets. The Community Centre, Library and Shop are owned by a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, while the pub operates as a Community Benefit Organisation with 400 shareholders. Their shop operates Monday to Saturday (8am-6pm) and Sunday (8:30am-4pm), hours carefully considered to be manageable for their volunteer workforce.

Their staffing model combines two nearly full-time staff (a Volunteer Co-ordinator who organises rotas and recruitment, and a Community Support Worker who visits vulnerable residents and delivers groceries in their community-owned electric van) with 152 volunteers, of whom 80-90 work in the shop with specific responsibilities for different departments like fruit and vegetables, butchery, bakery, plants, and refillables.

From our discussions with the Trawden Forest team, we gleaned these insightful recommendations:
Consider what kind of management style suits your community
Find a unique selling point and involve media when possible
Include future plans in the business plan
Think carefully about minimum share amounts

Their community ownership model has created a sustainable network of interconnected services, with the pub providing food for their Friendship Group sessions and volunteers taking ownership of specific shop areas.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to Dave Webber for taking the time to share their experiences and knowledge with us. His candid insights into the operations of multiple community assets were extremely valuable. Thank you also to Vanessa Barry from the WACA Learning Visits team for conducting this visit and compiling such a comprehensive report.

As part of WACA’s Learning Visits programme, we’re connecting with established community businesses to gather practical insights and lessons learned. These visits help us understand different models of community ownership and operation, providing valuable guidance as we develop our own local initiatives. Each visit offers a unique perspective on what makes community enterprises thrive.

Heart Centre in Headingley, Leeds

Operating since 2011 as a subsidiary of Headingley Development Trust (a community benefit society founded in 2005), this vibrant community hub offers an impressive range of services: a café, film screenings, live music events, a shop, games club, room hire, business co-working spaces, acupuncture, yoga, massage, meditation sessions, soft play areas, and an arts and crafts market. They’re open from 9am to 9pm six days a week (closed Sundays), allowing them to serve breakfast, lunch and host evening entertainment with their licensed bar. Their staffing model combines full-time staff, casual staff, and volunteers who work in reception, maintain gardens, and support film and music events.

The Heart Centre shared several important considerations with us:
Focus on financial sustainability (“make the business wash its own face”)
Engage the community meaningfully
Maintain complete financial transparency
Ensure knowledge isn’t concentrated with one person

Their inclusive approach has organically created a space that supports mental health, fitness, and cross-generational activities, and they’ve built a genuinely community-focused enterprise that attracts support naturally.

We’d like to extend our gratitude to Pamela Reynell, the Centre Manager, and the entire Heart Centre team for their warm welcome and generosity in sharing their experiences and insights. Their willingness to discuss both successes and challenges provided invaluable guidance for our own community initiatives. And thank-you to Ian and Cathy from the WACA Learning Visits team for making the visit and providing such valuable feedback.