That’s my role summed up in a single word. As ‘Head of Community’, I need to spend time getting to know the people who will be impacted most by our work. My job is not to sell a plan or persuade you to agree. It’s to understand what matters to you, what you want from the new place and, as importantly, what concerns you have.
Starting with people, not plans
This means I am spending a lot of time in and around Oxford. Sometimes I’ll come for formal meetings and events with neighbours, residents’ groups, young people, parents, teachers, shopkeepers, sports clubs, and charities. On other days I’ll spend time without a fixed agenda, chatting to people and getting a sense of the place.
Many of these conversations happen well before formal consultation begins.
We don’t need an agenda to share a coffee. Meeting-up enables us to get to know each other and for long-term relationships to develop, where everyday concerns are heard, perspectives shared and mutual trust develops naturally.
I completely understand that people’s first reaction to a major project taking place on their doorstep can be negative and that there is often an instinctive suspicion of ‘development’. But it’s amazing how quickly those objections can dissipate by getting to know each other. In fact, many project enhancing ideas have stemmed from people who started by opposing a new place, from the prioritisation of cycle parking to the need for new cricket pitches.
Once I have spoken to people locally, I then work closely with my colleagues to help ensure that they reflect local perspectives in shaping a place that works for local people.
Acting as a bridge
In many respects, I am a ‘go-between’ for people holding different views. Some people are curious and optimistic. Others are cautious, sceptical, or firmly opposed. Some want to preserve their current town as it is; others want a very specific type of change. Some see us as parters, others as enemies who need to be confronted.Whatever their perspective, experience suggests that, once we have had a chat, we’ll find out that we have much in common!
Working with what’s already there
The villages, farms and urban areas close to the place we are planning are not empty spaces waiting to be filled. They have their own histories, networks, and identities.
That’s why I get to know people from sports clubs and nature societies to youth groups and charities. Supporting them, and understanding how we can complement and strengthen their existing provision, is a key part of my work.
Why this role matters
Places succeed when they feel rooted and lived-in from the start. That does not happen by accident.
By bringing local people into the process from the start, I can ensure that South Oxford Science Village will respond to real needs rather than assumptions. I will know I’ve succeeded if I can help shape a place that is welcoming, useful, and connected to its surroundings.
Community engagement is not about reaching a single answer that everyone agrees on. It is about making better decisions by understanding a wider range of experiences.
Please email me to arrange a meeting or just to make contact for the future. I look forward to hearing from you!