On Friday 20th September, peers from Footwork’s People and Place programme and Platform Places convened en masse in Liverpool for a field trip. A day dedicated to connecting, inspiring and learning from the city’s thriving community-led initiatives.
Peers travelled to the historic port city from across England, from Bath to London and Newcastle as part of the Learn Together stream of People and Place.
Image courtesy of Footwork. The field trip peers in Liverpool's Chinatown
Kicking off with Erika Rushton at Baltic Creative
We began our day with strong coffee (and pastries!) and even stronger inspiration at Baltic Creative, a hub for Liverpool’s innovative businesses and entrepreneurs. We were warmly welcomed by Erika Rushton, co-founder and programme director of Kindred and chair of Baltic Creative. Erika has been a driving force of the transformation of the Baltic Triangle.
Image courtesy of Footwork. The field trip peers with Erika Rushton in the Baltic Triangle
Erika walked us through her journey of revitalising a derelict warehouse into a vibrant space that nurtures over 180 local enterprises.
One of the most thought-provoking elements of Erika’s approach is the belief that,
‘provocation is action.’
Erika described how resilience and investing in community ideas are integral to neighbourhood transformation. Rather than waiting for change to happen, Erika motivated everyone to provoke through action, disrupt the ordinary and to create opportunities for innovation that would not happen otherwise.
We also learned about other initiatives in the Baltic Triangle area. Kindred is a social enterprise fund that fosters an ecosystem of businesses that creates a positive social impact. Another initiative, called Beautiful Ideas Company, was established to provide grassroots initiatives with funding and mentoring to help turn ideas into action.
As Erika shared her experiences, the cohort asked questions about sustaining long-term community projects, and finding the right support to be able to undertake these projects. Her candid responses provided valuable insights into the challenges that community innovators often face, such as funding and meaningful collaboration. We left the session with a deeper understanding and practical advice on applying these lessons into our own work.
Image courtesy of Footwork. The field trip peers in the Baltic Triangle
Food for thought
Our next stop was Yamama, a socially trading organisation run by two sisters who came to Liverpool for university from Jordan. Noura and Futoon’s Middle Eastern cafe also hosts refugees in Liverpool and provides a creative outlet whilst platforming their homemade wears. Lunch served as a perfect way to digest the morning’s insightful discussions. Sitting around a communal table, the group shared koftas and hummus, but also their own experiences and challenges of neighbourhood transformation.
Image courtesy of Footwork. The field trip peers tucking in at Yamama
An afternoon at Make Hamilton with Liam Kelly
After a vibrant morning of inspiration, we crossed under the River Mersey to the historic town of Birkenhead. The Georgian architecture of Hamilton Square echoing Edinburgh in its grandeur, has the most Grade I listed buildings outside London.
Image courtesy of Footwork. Liam Kelly giving the peers a tour of Hamilton Square
We spent our afternoon in Birkenhead with Liam Kelly chief executive of Make. We walked and talked our way around Hamilton Square with Liam sharing insightful context with the group. One shocking insight being that despite the grandeur of much of its architecture, land values in Hamilton are so low that building has become unviable.
Our last stop whilst visiting the neighbourhood was Make Hamilton, an abandoned building repurposed into a vibrant community hub. Liam explained how Make Hamilton was transformed into a workspace offering affordable studio spaces, workshops and event spaces for creatives in Liverpool. The space was bustling with energy as they prepared for their launch event that evening - a demonstrable example of how creativity can spark communities to come together.
Together we had valuable discussions about the challenges and opportunities of community asset development. The conversations emphasised the need for adaptability, building strong partnerships and having a clear vision. Practical discussions centred around top tricks for fundraising, strategic thinking and the challenges of scaling up. A building such as Make Hamilton is so much more than the space itself- it is a way for fostering a shared sense of community and collaboration!
Image courtesy of Footwork. Liam Kelly giving the peers a tour of Make Hamilton
Until we meet again, Liverpool
The field trip was testament to the power of grassroots creativity and the magic that happens when communities come together. From Baltic Creative to Make, we witnessed firsthand how vision, resilience and community-led action can transform not only neighbourhoods, but lives.
The day was an opportunity to learn from those already driving change in their neighbourhoods, and to reflect on their journey. We exchanged ideas, and found encouragement not just in the success stories… but also in the candid discussions about challenges, setbacks and ways to overcome these. The honest exchange made the day so valuable- a chance to connect and learn with one another.
One peer beautifully captured this spirit by reflecting on the importance of ‘not being a knowledge hoarder.’ Instead, we recognise that growth comes from sharing experiences and wisdom, fostering spaces such as these where everyone feels included. As we boarded our trains back from Liverpool, we left with a larger network of like-minded individuals and the knowledge of not being alone in this process.
Image courtesy of Footwork. Peers in front of The Three Graces
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