WE ARE EASTSIDE COMMUNITY TRUST. WE PROVIDE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES WITH PLACES AND WAYS TO CONNECT.

We formed in 2020 following a merger of three smaller charities - it is a really exciting time to be part of our new and emerging organisation that is also rooted in a long and valued history locally. We are in the process of building something new together with the local community.

We are passionate about our community and putting local people in control so together we can build healthy and happy neighbourhoods. We inform and inspire action in Easton and Lawrence Hill making East Central Bristol a place of possibility for everyone. Easton and Lawrence Hill are areas of resilience, diversity and community spirit. Yet it also experiences challenges linked to poverty and systemic discrimination. Our organisation focuses of working with communities experiencing disadvantage in particular children and families and residents looking to make change in their neighbourhood.

OUR VISION

Our vision is to create a place of possibility for everyone.

A place…

• which is welcoming, inclusive and proudly diverse.
• where neighbours know each other by name, children play in the street and public space is shared and respected.
• where people take an active interest in the world around them and feel they have a role to play in shaping the future of where they live.
• which promotes the wellbeing of people through quality urban design and protection of the natural world.
• where connections between people lead to a shared sense of belonging and local pride.

As an organisation we are driven by our shared values and a desire to achieve three fundamental long-term impacts:

1. Children will have the freedom to play, experiment and learn; to be healthy, happy and feel part of their community.
2. The community will have healthy, sustainable, welcoming places to connect, socialise, learn and share cultural knowledge.
3. Residents will be informed, have the agency to participate in their neighbourhood and city, feel a sense of belonging and take pride in where they live.

OUR AIMS

Community hub for all
To build on Easton Community Centre’s strong foundations and be a thriving public space at the centre of community activity.

Participation and action in the neighbourhood
To promote active involvement in civic and cultural life where local voices are strengthened through access to good quality information, empowering events and community knowledge.

Inclusion and belonging where we live
To cultivate and nurture a sense of belonging, where people can understand, respect and celebrate difference.

Children and play at the heart of the community
To create a playful and child-friendly neighbourhood which is home to an inspiring and free adventure playground.

Caring for the environment around us
To improve and act as stewards of our urban environment and respond to local challenges created by climate change, austerity, rapid physical developments and economic inequality.

Champion for the area and its people
To be a catalyst for equality by promoting social justice, challenging systemic disadvantage and developing just solutions with policymakers.

Fit for the future
To create a financially robust, resilient organisation which uses community wisdom and an evidence-based approach to decision making.

OUR VALUES

Integrity
We will be honest and transparent in our approach and authentic in how we do things. We will do what we say we will do.

Place-based
We are committed to the neighbourhoods of Easton and Lawrence Hill and will respond to resident needs in this area.

Empowering
We believe every individual is an important part of our neighbourhood and should be able to contribute in a way that is meaningful for them.

Fairness
We always treat people equally and are committed to reducing inequalities that exist within our community and organisation.

Enterprising
We try new ways of working and experiment to find the best way of doing things. We want to use our assets to maximum social benefit for the local community.

Child-centred
We advocate with and for children and young people to ensure their childhood is respected and valued.

COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION AND EQUALITY

We are engaged with our community and people. To be engaged everyone must feel included and valued. Therefore we will strive to build and nurture a culture where inclusiveness is a reflex not an initiative. There will be a deep sense of pride, passion and belonging that is our basic culture. We are unified in our shared commitment to excellence, innovation and social responsibility. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create stronger and more creative environments that deliver better results.