Thousands of local people have benefitted from grassroot projects in Radstock and Westfield, with support from Big Local.

The Big Local funds have helped more than one hundred projects to be designed and delivered by the community, for the community, over the past six years, at a time of incredible change in the area.

This is the result of an enormous amount of hard work by many local volunteers, community groups and organisations, who have created projects that make a real difference.

The Big Local’s flagship grant-maker – The Dragons’ Den – is responsible for over seventy projects alone. Anyone with an idea to benefit the community can come to the annual Dragons’ Den and pitch it to the local audience. Winners have made improvements to the miners’ pool, launched a battle of the bands event, upgraded local halls, delivered many healthy lifestyle projects and much more.

Robin Moss, Chair of Big Local, said: “When we launched our first Dragons’ Den, we didn’t imagine just how successful it would be. To hit the one hundred landmark is great, so let’s go on to 200!”

Looking to the future, there is around £500,000 remaining from the £1.15m lottery funding to invest in Radstock and Westfield before the end of 2025, and they need help to do it!

A group of local residents, collectively known as the Radstock and Westfield Big Local Partnership, work with the wider community to find out what the main priorities are and create an effective investment plan.

The Big Local worker is searching for more volunteers: “Over the years, we have had more than sixty local people volunteer on our Partnership, passing the torch from one to the next.

For more information, contact: [email protected]