ToGather
ToGather brings neighbours and resources together to create a more connected and sustainable future. We do this by introducing an Energiser job role to a neighbourhood that has voiced a need for community connection. This role brings time and capacity to a neighbourhood where it is missing and helps communities understand what resources they have and what resources are available to them in their town.
We work at the neighbourhood level. New build estates with their new formed communities and potentially large number of new residents to a town are a key opportunity for ToGather, but there is scope to test the idea in any neighbourhood which desires more connection.
The Energiser role connects to individuals from that neighbourhood to build trust and to what resources individuals and groups are willing to offer to their own community and equally what the neighbourhood or the town can offer that individual/group to meet their needs.
This role gathers individuals together, working with strength-based volunteering or skill and resource-sharing to form interest groups to meet the most pressing needs in the neighbourhood.
This role is also there to facilitate fun community activities and events where interest has been gathered, especially when the neighbourhood has a big family population. The role can do this for example by setting up a street party, a pop up talking cafe or inviting circular economy initiatives like Loop composting to the neighbourhood, to gather people around a certain mission of compost caretaking for example. It is these visible events that can really invite people into the community and introduce them to all the ways they can gather together whilst meeting the needs of the community.
We believe the circular economy is key to forging a respectful relationship between humanity and the natural world whilst creating connected, well-resourced and resilient communities in which people can live joyful and vibrant lives. There are many brilliant circular economy initiatives in Frome but we found that at the core of the Circular Economy, trust and connection in a community is key to getting initiatives rolling at a hyper localised level. The Circular Economy is not mutually exclusive of basic needs being met in a community, in fact they enhance each other excellently and that is something we are aiming to prove!
“We had a lovely time thank you. Don't think our kids left the craft table for about 2 hours!! Our eldest was in her element swapping out her wardrobe for some pre loved things!!”
Kayleigh, Edmund Park resident