Prior to this year’s Rural Community Business Awards, Plunkett hosted the ‘Community Business Exchange’, a dedicated networking session designed to bring community business representatives together in one room.
From the Scottish Highlands to the coast of Cornwall, community businesses – with Plunkett’s support – are transforming lives and places across the country. Yet many groups can feel isolated as they navigate the challenges of running a community-owned business.
Rather than a traditional workshop or training event, the ‘Community Exchange’ session created space for peer-to-peer conversations, relationship building and shared learning. Representatives from our community business members (and finalists in the nine award categories) worked together to explore common challenges and opportunities, sharing experiences from their own communities and discussing practical solutions that could be applied elsewhere.
Before the session began, Plunkett Chief Executive, James Alcock, spoke about the power of community ownership and the importance of connecting community businesses with one another.
“I passionately believe in community ownership and the opportunities that community-owned businesses provide people, places and the environment. It really is a genuinely impactful form of business.
“You’ve gone through incredible battles and challenges against all the odds to set up community-owned businesses. The 98% survival rate is double that of commercial businesses, and that’s just incredible.
“It’s about ensuring community businesses feel they’re part of a movement, and that they feel Plunkett is listening to them and looking after them.”
Learning from shared experiences
Based in the outstanding surroundings of the Royal Society of Chemistry, each table – comprising around 8 people from different communities – was presented with the scenario of inheriting a successful and respected community business. As the discussion progressed, participants faced a series of opportunities and challenges that required them to think about how they would maintain the organisation’s success while ensuring it remained resilient, sustainable and accessible.
Facilitated by Plunkett staff, participants shared what had worked in their own communities, discussed lessons they had learned and explored different approaches to common challenges.
The session was built around three themes that resonate with community businesses across the UK:
• Creating successful community hubs
• Building strong partnerships
• Developing a thriving volunteer base.
At the end of each discussion, groups were asked to share a “Golden Nugget” with the room: one key learning or practical takeaway that others could apply within their own communities.
A great community hub is one that…
Groups discussing community hubs explored how organisations can balance growing demand, differing community priorities and the need to remain welcoming to everyone.
One table concluded that: “A great community hub is one that is welcoming to all, enhances people’s lives, is personal and listens to the community.”
Their practical takeaway focused on actively engaging with the wider community through initiatives such as welcome packs for new residents and stronger partnerships with local organisations, societies and charities.
Strong community partnerships are built by…
Participants examining community partnerships discussed how to bring people and organisations together around shared goals, despite competing priorities and limited resources.
One group’s conclusion was: “Strong community partnerships are built by identifying shared values and building trust through clear communication and respect.”
Their practical recommendation was to look for creative partnership opportunities, including volunteer reward schemes, sharing expertise and actively listening to the needs and strengths of potential partners.
To build a strong volunteer base, a community business should…
Volunteer recruitment and retention remain a challenge for many organisations, making this discussion particularly relevant.
One group identified the importance of creating a positive and supportive volunteer experience: “The most important thing a community business can do to build a strong volunteer base is by giving people the skills they need, making volunteering enjoyable and creating a supportive and caring environment.”
A key takeaway was the importance of recognising volunteers’ contributions, whether through simple gestures of appreciation, recognition schemes or small rewards that help people feel valued.
Part of something bigger
The feedback from attendees reflected one of the main objectives of the Community Business Exchange: helping people realise they are not facing challenges alone.
Representatives from Kirtlington Community Shop in Oxfordshire, winners of the One to Watch Award, said:
“It’s a wonderful feeling of being part of a wider family, today feels like a community within a community!”
For Roman Byron from The Rose and Crown in Slaley, Northumberland, joint winner of the Young Person Award, the opportunity to connect with others was particularly valuable:
“It’s really important to spend time with people who’ve been part of this for longer. I have learned so much from their experience.”
Poppy Pinsent and Roman Byron joint winners of the Young Person Award
Join the movement: Become a member today
The Community Business Exchange showed exactly what’s possible when community businesses come together. From sharing practical ideas and learning from one another’s experiences to building valuable connections, the session demonstrated the power of being part of a wider movement.
By becoming a member of Plunkett UK, you’ll be joining a network of individuals, community businesses and organisations committed to creating stronger, more resilient communities. Individual membership costs just £22.50 per year and helps us continue supporting communities to protect and run the businesses they value most.
