This year, H&F Giving delivered the Old Oak Community Engagement and Connector Project in partnership with Peabody Community Foundation, joined by SORTIE CIC, LBHF Family Champions and SOBUS.

The project was designed to better understand lived experience in Old Oak, strengthen relationships across the local community ecosystem, identify gaps in provision, and gather learning that can help shape what happens next.

Old Oak is an area with strong community activity, local leadership and trusted organisations. It is also an area where residents and groups described challenges around fragmentation, visibility, poverty, access to support, safety, and routes into decision-making.

This project used a relationship-led, place-based approach. Rather than relying only on traditional consultation, it worked through trusted local connectors, community organisations, small engagement grants and community events to hear from residents in ways that felt natural, accessible and grounded in local life.

What we did

The project was delivered through three connected strands:

• Community Connectors: Trusted local connectors gathered insight through outreach, informal conversations, community activity, events and existing relationships.
• Microgrants for community engagement: Small, flexible grants supported local organisations to engage residents, bring people together, host conversations and strengthen local relationships.
• Community events and reflection: The project supported community-facing activity, including International Women’s Day events, Easter activity, the Old Oak Social Enterprise launch, and a final guided walk and reflection session.

Read the report

The full report shares what we heard from residents and community organisations, highlights the key themes that emerged, and sets out recommendations to help shape future work in Old Oak.