Organisations that build bridges with local communities not only help their regions to thrive, but also get access to ideas and expertise they never knew existed. Get the kettle on and get together, urges Stephen Holmes
I always find it heartening to hear about the contributions that design studios and engineering companies make in their local communities. In the case of some big businesses, it’s a part of their wider ESG (environmental, social and governance) programme, helping them connect to the local area – or perhaps dodge a bit of scrutiny. In other cases, that work is much more hands-on.
This past month, I’ve been to networking sessions taking place at opposite ends of England, but both located in areas that might generously be described as ‘left behind’ when it comes to economic prosperity. Yet in both these locations, people are trying to build on the local population’s drive for change, in ways that clearly involve technology.
On a trip to my hometown in the North West, I dropped in at Barclays Eagle Labs in Whitehaven. A repurposed former bus station situated in the town centre is now a co-working space in the stereotypical style, complete with glass-partitioned offices, bare brick walls, meeting rooms and even a small workshop.
It takes a lot to bring something of its ilk to West Cumbria, an area so deeply post-industrial that its coal, steel and shipping legacy still hangs over it like a thick mist. The huge nuclear decommissioning operation happening at nearby Sellafield is the reason behind the laboratory’s arrival, as various parts of the giant operation look to attract new talent and suppliers.
Sellafield is the site of some incredible engineering, including the development of unique robotics technologies designed for deeply hazardous environments. Much of the noise about this cutting-edge, energy-sector engineering gets drowned out by fearful chatter of oozing toxic waste (Spoiler: it’s rarely oozing), and many groundbreaking projects are created solely for that site, meaning nobody shouts about them to the wider world.
The Bus Station in Whitehaven is hoping to change that, offering a hub for new businesses, many with connections to engineering projects taking place at Sellafield, but also acting as a focal point for others to meet and interact.
Bridge building
Having arrived for one of its regular breakfast networking sessions, I chatted with bio-engineers hoping to develop new materials from agri-waste, hydro-power inventors and some of the engineers that had set up base in the building.
The workshop has been a valuable asset for businesses in the local area, helping those with bright ideas to 3D print parts, build prototypes for start-ups and even create laser cut signage for established businesses.
Networking was equally diverse at my second meet-up, this time in Hastings on the South East coast. It’s a similar tale of a redundant and decrepit local structure in a hardhit coastal town. This time, it’s an old newspaper office that has been redeveloped as a home for new businesses, along with the now-familiar co-working and workshop spaces.
The Observer Building offers monthly tech coffee meet-ups, typically attended by creative industry types who have fled London in their droves in recent years.
The north-south hospitality divide means there were no bacon sandwiches in Hastings, but there were jewellery designers, experts in embedded electronics for garments, and creatives simply looking for help developing websites.
By offering up space, hot drinks and the chance to network, both venues, north and south, hope to attract new businesses to set up shop in their buildings.
However, they’re also playing an important role in building a network around them that can help the broader community.
Everyone that has bootstrapped a startup tells me that any help at all in those early stages can have huge consequences, even if it’s just making a new connection with someone who might be able to answer a question for you.
If you’re thinking that there’s no meeting place like this near you, then maybe it’s something you could start, in your own little act of giving back
Having banged the drum for flexible working in the last issue, a focus point for your area, once a month, might be a location that’s not just a great place to work, but also to chat, share ideas, or meet new suppliers and collaborators.
If you’re thinking that there’s nothing like that near you, then maybe it’s something you could start, in your own little act of giving back. My tiny piece of advice: don’t skimp on the bacon.
This article first appeared in DEVELOP3D Magazine
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