What is big local?

We are a group of local volunteers investing £1 million of National Lottery funding in the St James Street area of Walthamstow.

 Here are some of the things we’ve organised or supported:

• Street art and the 1B Coppermill Lane window gallery

• Annual events, such as the jumble trail and carol concert

• Shop front improvements on St James Street and the High Street

• Resident-led projects like social clubs and a children’s magazine

• Pandemic grants for residents during the coronavirus outbreak

• Funding and training for social enterprises

We are independent of any local authority, but we receive support and guidance from the Local Trust, a charity which oversees similar programmes in 150 communities across the country.

St James Street Big Local was established in 2015, and runs for 10 years, but we are working on legacy projects that will long outlast the scheme and make our area a better place to live for many years to come.

Our priorities for the phase until 2023 are outlined in the Local Plan, which was created with input from the St James Street community.