In 2023, Cambridge City Council started the first phase of the Focus on Abbey project with funding support from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This brought together people from the community, voluntary, charitable, public and private sectors to develop and support community-led projects aimed at empowering local people to improve quality of life in the area.

The results of this first phase of work are detailed below, sharing the journey and ideas generated so far.

Abbey Voices

Making it count to give voice to courageous individuals in the Abbey community to develop their voices, collaborative skills, their networks and a community led plan to develop a happy healthy and safe Abbey.

Website: https://www.togetherculture.com/abbey-in-action

Partnering: Together Culture, Abbey People, CCVS

Parent Power

Through using the principles of community organising and by working closely with local partners, Parent Power will empower parents to enact positive change for young people in the community.

Partnering: Abbey People, Cambridge City Council, Cambridge Ahead, The Brilliant Club, The University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin University.

Abbey Enterprise Facilitator

Using an internationally proven model of Enterprise Facilitation, Allia will place an Enterprise Facilitator in key locations in the community to engage, inspire, coach and connect local people with entrepreneurial potential to make tangible progress.

Partnering: Allia, Abbey People, Cambridge Sustainable Food, Cambridge United Community Foundation, CECF, Parent Power

CoFarm Development

To support the realisation of the next step in the master plan – the flagship CoFarm. Development of a CoFarm subscription model to make seasonal food accessible to everyone regardless of income and increasing food distribution points.

Partnering: Abbey People, CoFarm, Cambridge Sustainable Food, RH Partnership Architects, MCW Architects, Sodexo, Savills, Cambridge Ahead

Abbey Social Supermarket

This project will see the transition of Abbey Food Hub away from emergency food distribution towards a healthy and affordable food provision (Social Supermarket) for residents. The Social Supermarket will be a space where all residents can come to access nutritious, locally grown CoFarm veg, surplus food and other essentials. It will be open to everyone in the community, and a membership system will be in place so that people
pay what they can afford to access the food and other products

Partnering: Abbey People, Cambridge Sustainable Food, CoFarm, Feeding Britain