Love Grangetown event inspires new community project ideas

Community Gateway and the Grangetown community have built a long-term partnership since 2014 for the mutual benefit of Cardiff University and the community. Love Grangetown 2023 was an example of the joyful and productive collaboration between Cardiff University and Grangetown communities.

Love Grangetown is an annual co-design and engagement event run by the Community Gateway team which aims to co-produce a positive Grangetown vision and action plan which local communities and Cardiff University can work towards together.

The first Love Grangetown event was held by Community Gateway in 2015. Held in a marquee outside Grange Pavilion which was a vacant building at the time, Cardiff University had few connections to the area and no pre-defined plans other than to listen. This blank slate led to the University and local residents developing a project based on a collective vision for Grangetown.

Eight years on, the partnerships formed between Cardiff University and Grangetown communities have led to real and visible change in Grangetown including:

• Grange Pavilion, a once-deteriorating bowls pavilion and now a stunning community centre
• Grange Youth Forum, a membership group for young people aged 14-25, bringing young people together to get involved in and to support activities and events
• Grangetown Community Garden, based at Grange Pavilion, a beautiful space maintained by dedicated volunteers

Community Gateway and local communities came together for Love Grangetown 2023 at the beautifully renovated Grange Pavilion, embodying the change that the University and community has already achieved together as partners. The event brought together residents, community groups, students, academics and service providers from across Grangetown to dream of a positive future for the area. The series of workshops and interviews led to a clear set of priorities for Grangetown, and final project ideas to address these priorities.

The final project ideas include:

• Regular Community Trips for people from across communities to come together and share ideas for community-led action.
• Women’s Exercise Classes, promoting health living and skill-building opportunities.
• Community-led Housing, connecting the University to an existing community group aiming to develop a housing co-op providing affordable housing in the area.
• Reclaim the Gas Works, turning the site into green housing and a multi-purpose hub with green space, tool sharing, upcycling, skills workshops and allotments. The area will be surrounded by cycle paths and will trial ‘safety champions’.
• Edible Public Local Gardens & Spaces, growing food for everyone in public spaces, flowers/food/herbs, a community group to maintain the multiple, different sized green spaces.
• After School Mentoring, a PTA meeting in Grange Pavilion and a regular programme of activities, promoted by universities, colleges, businesses, high schools.
• Intergenerational Cooking Classes", with 1-3 people demonstrating a cultural dish with volunteer support, food safety and first aid certification offered, connections with schools in the area.
• Skills Swap and Showcase Local Businesses, local business showcasing event in vacant shops or retail sites with opportunities to connect to local people with local businesses and exchange skills.
• Clearing the Lane Behind People’s Houses, using these spaces for growing, connecting, street art, playing and events.

We look forward to continuing the partnership between Cardiff University and the local community as the next phase of collaboration unfolds.

Contact us

If you would like to partner with us on collaborative projects in Grangetown, please get in touch at communitygateway@cardiff.ac.uk

You can also follow us on X and Instagram.