Heart of Sidley: Showcasing our learning from 10 Years of Community Impact
We were thrilled to welcome BBC South East Politics to Sidley last week!
Following the launch of Local Trust’s ‘Learning from Big Local’ website, we were selected to represent the 150 Big Local areas and share the incredible insights and expertise we’ve built up over the last ten years of community-led action!
As one of the 150 Big Local areas, we were chosen to highlight how this unique programme has empowered our community. With the programme concluding in March 2026, the focus of the day was on capturing and sharing the lessons we’ve learned to ensure a lasting legacy for Sidley.
Highlights from the day:
• Exclusive Access: We took BBC South East presenter Marcella Whittingdale and cameraman Peter Lloyd-Williams on an all-access tour of the fantastic Sidley Hub site to discuss our journey. A huge thank you to BMR for facilitating this visit.
• High Street Heroes: We walked through Sidley to chat with the local retailers who take part in our HSF voucher scheme, sharing how these local partnerships have thrived.
• Community Voices: Most importantly, the true stars were our local residents, who spoke so passionately about the impact Heart of Sidley has made and the lessons they’ve learned through community-led change. Thank you so much to all those involved!
Tune in: Look out for the segment featuring #Heart of Sidley at around 20 minutes in: Politics South East – 01/02/2026 – BBC iPlayer
A final heartfelt thank you to Local Trust for this amazing opportunity to share our knowledge, and for the unwavering support you’ve given us over the last ten years.
Explore the national legacy and our shared learning here: https://www.learningfrombiglocal.org.uk/