People across Coventry will come together on Saturday 2 July to celebrate how local people are supporting each other through difficult times, as part of a UK-wide tour showcasing the power of connection in local communities.
The Reconnection Tour is travelling the UK throughout May and June, and is a partnership between Grapevine Coventry and Warwickshire, charity Engage Britain and community groups across the country – demonstrating the power of local communities, not only the government, to transform people’s lives.
It will amplify the voices of those who have been isolated and disconnected and celebrate the incredible stories of communities coming together to reconnect and support each other through some of the toughest times Britain has faced.
Our Reconnection Tour event, the tour’s last stop, will do this through a host of activities running over four and a half hours.
New national research* commissioned by Engage Britain found that in the West Midlands, 36 per cent of people surveyed have felt closer to their community over the last two years.
19 per cent have shared with their neighbours and 15 per cent have joined a neighbourhood WhatsApp group, Facebook page or other online social group. But there is much more to do.
The Coventry tour stop, hosted by local Connecting for Good Cov changemakers, invites locals to hear stories of connection and examples of people power, to enjoy the festival vibes and have a jolly good time!
Grapevine Deputy CEO Mel Smith said: “This is all about local people taking action on the things they care about, looking at our challenges and acting on them together.
“Whether you are already connected to things going on in Coventry or you’re looking to meet like-minded people, we guarantee there will be an array of things to inspire you on Saturday 2 July, to get involved in or perhaps you’re curious about how you could take action on the things that matter to you.
“It will be a day of fun, thought and inspiration. There will be crafts, art, activism, quizzes, live music, podcasting and opportunities to make change in the future.
“We invite you to come along, say ‘hi’ and celebrate with us. There will even be quiet spaces to have a lie down and rest if you want to. We don’t want anyone to miss out.”
Sign up for a free ticket on Eventbrite to receive full details, including accessibility information. The number of guests expected also helps us provide enough food!
Reconnection Tour in Coventry – event details
12:00 noon: Meet at Speakers Corner (Little Park Street, CV1 2UR, opposite the city centre Council House).
12:00 – 1:30pm: A Walk and Talk through the city centre listening to stories from several local changemakers with some surprises along the way!
1:30 – 4:30pm: Festival at the new Nauls Mill Underpark (CV1 4DF, under Coventry ring road, close to the Belgrade Theatre) featuring music, crafts, space to lie down and rest, dancing (if you like), an art exhibition, food, interactive activities, quizzes, sci-fi and a chance to get involved in ongoing community action.
About the Reconnection Tour
Too many people in the UK were disconnected and isolated before the pandemic. Covid lockdowns only made things worse. But across the country, communities stepped up to help. Improvising, innovating and adapting in ways that changed people’s lives.
The Reconnection Tour – a partnership between Engage Britain and grassroots groups across the UK – travels across Britain to shine a light on the voices of those who have been isolated and disconnected. And to celebrate the many incredible stories of communities coming together to connect, reconnect and support each other.
About Grapevine
Connecting for Good Cov by Grapevine is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund to help local people work together to solve their problems for good, building power to spark movements for change in their communities.
We want Coventry to be a fairer place where everyone can thrive, a city where people have more control, power and a chance of life like any other. This forms part of our #SparkingCommunityAction and #ShiftingPower action strands at Grapevine.
*Research commissioned by Engage Britain and conducted by Opinium, 6 – 9 May 2022. Sample was 2,000 UK adults, weighted to be nationally representative.
The charity published this new research to mark the start of their ‘Reconnection Tour’ of local communities across the country.
Comments