On 26 and 27 February Sue Denman and Jessie Buchanan visited a number of community housing projects in Bristol. The visit was organised by the Development Training Agency for CLTs in Wales, and included our neighbouring CLT from the village of Roch.

The Projects were Bristol CLT, Launchpad, Bright Green Futures, Knowle West Media Centre and Ashley Vale Action Group/The Yard/Bridge Farm. The projects were very different but what was striking about them all was the sheer energy, ambition and creativity of the communities involved in what are mostly cooperative self builds. Evaluations showed the impact of the homes on the wellbeing of the owners. Crime in the area was low and people felt safe. They also had many more local friends than was the norm elsewhere. The visit was inspirational and showed the power of partnerships based on trust and a common vision.