How Plunkett’s peer network webinars are helping community-owned pubs and shops across Scotland and Wales share experiences, solve challenges and build lasting connections.
Community-owned businesses may be rooted in local places, but the challenges and opportunities they face are often shared. Whether it’s a village shop in Wales or a community pub in Scotland, the same questions arise: how do we engage volunteers, generate sustainable income, demonstrate impact, and create services that meet local needs?
At Plunkett, supporting communities to answer those questions is at the heart of what we do. While many of our resources are designed to be relevant across the UK, we also recognise that communities in the devolved nations face their own unique circumstances. That’s why, for the past four years, we have been running dedicated network calls and webinars for community-owned businesses in Scotland and Wales.
What began as a series of online meetings for Scottish rural pubs, funded through our partnership with the Scottish Government’s Scottish Rural Network, has grown into a thriving programme connecting community businesses across each nation. Additional support from The Dulverton Trust enabled us to expand the programme to include community-owned shops in Scotland and both shops and pubs in Wales. Today, these sessions provide far more than information sharing. They have become spaces where communities learn from one another, build relationships, and discover they are part of a much bigger movement.
Importantly, these aren’t generic networking events. By bringing together businesses operating in the same sector and country, discussions can focus on issues that are directly relevant to the people on the screen. While every community business is unique, the opportunity to learn from peers who have experienced similar challenges is often one of the most valuable forms of support available.
Each session is facilitated by Plunkett’s Impact Officer and attended by one of our specialist advisers. Meetings typically begin with updates from across the sector, followed by discussions on topics ranging from social impact and community engagement to governance, funding opportunities and business development.
The sessions also provide a platform for expert speakers. Over the years, organisations including PLANED and Cwmpas in Wales, alongside Democratic Finance Scotland, have joined calls to share specialist knowledge and support available to community businesses.
“I think these sessions are really useful, particularly because you can bring in people with specific experience and expertise. We’re all at different stages of our business journeys, so naturally some discussions will be more relevant to some people than others. However, they’re well organised, and the tight schedule helps keep conversations focused and productive.”
Huw Jones, Ty’n Llan
However, some of the most inspiring contributions come from the community businesses themselves.
In Wales, pub attendees have heard from Tafarn Yr Heliwr in Gwynedd, which shared how the community-owned pub is helping to promote the Welsh language through art, conversation and cultural activities.
Welsh shop groups have also benefited from hearing examples such as Ty’n Llan, whose experiences have helped illustrate the role community-owned businesses can play in sustaining local services and creating vibrant spaces for residents to come together.
In the Scottish pub calls, a spokesperson from The Red Lion in Fife spoke about the employment and skills opportunities being created through community ownership, including supporting a local resident to gain qualifications in brewing.
Perhaps the greatest strength of these sessions is the diversity of experience on display. Some attendees are established businesses with years of trading behind them, while others are just beginning to explore community ownership. Bringing those groups together creates a supportive environment where practical advice, encouragement and honest reflections can be shared openly.
Over time, the relationships built through these networks often extend beyond the calls themselves. Groups have shared resources, arranged site visits and continued conversations long after meetings have ended. In many cases, the connections formed have become an ongoing source of support throughout a community’s ownership journey.
For Welsh sessions, interpretation is available to ensure participants can engage in the language they are most comfortable using. On some occasions, discussions between attendees have taken place almost entirely in Welsh, reflecting the importance of creating spaces that work for the communities they are designed to serve.
At Plunkett, we often talk about the strength of the community ownership movement. These dedicated networks in the devolved nations help bring that movement to life. By connecting pubs with pubs and shops with shops, they provide a space for communities to learn from one another, celebrate successes and tackle challenges together.
Current Programmes for the Devolved Nations!
In addition to our universal business advisory service, Plunkett has a number of current programmes of grant funding and business support with specific eligibility criteria. For more information about any of these programmes, please contact our Community Business Team by emailing info@plunkett.co.uk
