Southall is a vibrant, multicultural town in the London Borough of Ealing, rich in diversity and home to migrant communities from across the world, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Somalia. At least 43% of the population were physically inactive and people had some of the highest levels of preventable and chronic health conditions in the country.
In 2019, the Council began working with the Leadership Centre. The Centre’s approach was to go directly to Southall and talk to the community about what their experience, needs and aspirations. Within months the Council had taken the brave decision to support local people who had the leadership experience, to create a movement for change. The Leadership Centre crafted bespoke leadership & change interventions for public service & community leaders – catalysing a movement where residents listened to each other, where they designed an approach to getting themselves and many others physically active and healthier. The Let’s Go Southall Active Communities Team was formed.
Four years later the shift is palpable. There are up to 50 activities a week in the local parks and community spaces – all led by Southall people. Hundreds of people are riding bikes and teaching others as they venture out of Southall to Osterley and beyond for scenic rides. Others look on and say “How did they do that? We could never have made that happen.”
The Leadership Centre has maintained its involvement over the four years through very skilled local enablers. As the community has developed its leadership capacity, attention has returned to reshaping the relationship with the public sector. The dialogue is now a very different one, the relationship has changed. There is now 100% support from Ealing Council senior leaders and politicians to reshape the relationship in the 6 other towns in Ealing. It is ultimately the belief in the value that public service was designed to create that has energised and sustained them on this journey. Their conviction has remained steadfast and wholehearted.