Medmerry Green Community Cafe Project
The residents and tenants Association of Higher Bevendean and Moulsecoomb South wanted to turn a disused shop into a Community Café.
The Business Community Partnership helped link them up with various professionals to help get the essential plans together that would enable the project to take off. DRP architects helped with the plans, and MaCconvilles helped with surveys and feasibility studies.
Related case studies
Pro-bono Support Helps at Grassroots Level
"Without the professional input we received through ProHelp, I fear we may have become insolvent within a year," says Chris Brown from Grassroots Training, a Brighton-based community interest company providing training and consultancy to support a community model of suicide prevention.
Emmaus & ProHelp
A unique collaboration between Brighton-based professionals and a local homeless charity offers an insight into how a successful pro-bono relationship can work. The ambitious plan, to create a new attraction at Emmaus' Portslade base is an excellent example of how third sector organisations and professionals can work together for mutual benefit and is just one of the projects that has been facilitated thanks to The Business Community Partnership's (BCP) ProHelp network in Brighton & Hove.
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Poets Corner Talk Shop
The Poets Corner Residents' Society saw the potential of transforming a derelict building into a community centre. To apply for funding they needed to get professional advice which they couldn't afford. Through ProHelp BCP put them together with DRP Architects and MacConvilles Surveyors, who assessed the building's suitability and managed the conversion project.
New Website Helps Women's Refuge Project
The Women's Refuge Project wanted to increase access to their services, provide information on domestic violence and abuse and information to supporters by having a website.
Bupa Brighten Honeycroft Nursery
A team from Bupa International helped liven up Honeycroft Under 5s Centre.
"The physical work was fun, but also meaningful. We got a lovely card from the children!" Cecily Abbot, Bupa International.
"I enjoyed the team building and seeing the end result. It looks beautiful and very bright!" Emma Criddle, Bupa International.
Impact Initiatives Project
An exciting opportunity arose for Impact Initiatives (Impact), a community organisation helping people and communities improve their lives through health, independence and learning, when they were offered the opportunity to purchase new premises in the New England Quarter mixed-use development in Brighton.
What Does Support Mean for the Community?
"Writing a business plan is very daunting for someone who hasn't done it before. Getting support through BCP really helped me see a way forward." Ian Davey, Bike for Life. Supported by Ted Blanden from Barclays Bank.
All Sorted! Consulting Helps the Business Community Partnership
The Business Community Partnership needed help getting organised. In the space of a few months, the organisation developed a new membership structure, database and website, and took on a new administrator. Staff found keeping on top of the new systems increasingly complicated and chaotic. Susanne Barthelmes, a professional organiser from All Sorted! Consulting offered to help out.
Disabled Access for the Phoenix Community Centre
Phoenix Community Centre needed a new access ramp but couldn't afford to pay for the architect's drawings that would make sure the ramp was in keeping with their listed building.
