Barking and Dagenham Giving's innovative GROW Fund, is the the first 100% community-led investment fund in England. Carole shares how the GROW Fund’s unrestricted grant, development programme, and £75,000 social investment is helping transform her business. Through candid reflections, she discusses the challenges and triumphs of becoming "investment ready," and the ripple effects of the GROW Fund.

This episode sheds light on the power of resident-led funding in driving both social and commercial impact, showcasing Boathouse Studios as a community space where the arts, hospitality, and entrepreneurial spirit converge.

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As a financial first, the Grow Fund has created a blueprint for transforming the way money moves through a place, supporting local businesses and the community. So following the success of the 2023 cohort, what’s next? How can BD Giving build on this success? How can local residents get involved? And what’s the message to any curious social investors out there? Listen to episode 8 to find out!

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Barking and Dagenham has been on quite a journey over the years. From a thriving industry hub, to a deprived borough full of tension and division, and emerging as a place where civil society are taking a participatory approach to decision-making and funding.

Kate, Amir and Julian discuss what conditions and attributes made that change possible. And Julian opens up about the inspiration he found walking alongside the people of Barking & Dagenham.

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Barking and Dagenham wasn’t always a positive place for people of colour to live, but it has transformed into a borough that is bursting with cultural diversity and creative energy. Passionate about harnessing that creative energy are Ade, AJ and Edem. They work together to showcase the borough’s imaginative nature through music and arts events. 

Collectively they want local creatives to know Barking & Dagenham is somewhere to stay, build and grow artistically.  By working with local artists and other young people in the borough, they are putting Barking and Dagenham on the map as a creative hub.

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Barking and Dagenham has some of the highest youth unemployment rates in London, and much of the current career advice isn’t helping to tackle it. Georgina and Sarah are both passionate about helping young people see possibilities that meet their aspirations and the modern working landscape. In partnership, they have made it their mission to provide bespoke career pathways for young people in the sports and arts sectors. In this podcast they also talk about the benefits of unrestricted, non-competitive funding for smaller organisations like theirs and their hopes that other funders will follow suit.

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Gone are the days when every neighbourhood had a community hub; a space for people to come together for what we fundamentally need as people - human connection. With a background in the arts, Carole is passionate about the importance of creativity for bringing people together, and has made The Boathouse Studios the perfect place to do it. Located in the heart of Barking and Dagenham, it's the ideal space for imagination to be explored and expanded. 

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It’s no secret that the fashion industry has had a harmful impact on our planet. But what is less well known, is how small businesses are doing their part to make a difference. Kemi Oloyede is the Creative Director of the Sew London Project. A teacher and fashion designer of many years, Kemi is passionate about ethical fashion, recycling textiles and upcycling clothes. The Sew London Project runs sewing classes, workshops, and also provides a bespoke fashion design service to the local community. 

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just nine miles east of Central London, an ambitious funder is changing that. Barking & Dagenham Giving's GROW Fund is the first community-led investment fund in England. 

Residents have the power to make decisions about how money is invested in their neighbourhoods. And they have chosen to back community enterprises that will make a commercial and social impact in their area.

Nine Miles East is a podcast about the rise, fall, and rise again of a chronically underfunded and deprived London borough. 

Hosted by content creator and local resident Elvire Matu, tune in to hear from the business owners, the decision makers, and the charity at the helm who trust in the wisdom of local people to improve things for their community.

Brought to you by Barking and Dagenham Giving

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