Who is your Community Development Officer?
Hi, I’m Cara and I’m the Community Development Officer for Mansbridge. I’ve worked in Mansbridge since 2016, first as the Housing Officer and now in my current role. I enjoy my job as it’s so varied. We’re lucky to have the Round About Café in Mansbridge, it’s owned by Abri and is a community hub where we can hold events and activities, including our Community Pantry. The cafe is supported by some amazing volunteers who dedicate their spare time to helping others. Outside of work I enjoy going to watch bands, attending music festivals, and reading.
You said, we did
You said:
You wanted the Round About Café to be a welcoming community hub, with activities, support and opportunities to bring people together.
We did:
We supported the creation of the Friends of Round About group, enabling local residents to deliver activities from the café. So far, the group has successfully delivered two community quizzes, bringing people together and helping to strengthen community connections. We have also brought local partners together to deliver Monday drop-in sessions, giving residents access to local services, information and advice in one welcoming space.
You said:
We want more opportunities for creative activities and express what Mansbridge means to us.
We did:
We welcome feedback and ideas from residents to help shape future activity and we developed a programme of creative workshops, including collage, photography, storytelling, memory mapping and creative writing. We also introduced a primary school poetry project, giving young people the opportunity to share their ideas and aspirations for the future of Mansbridge. Working alongside a local artist and the community, we brought these ideas together to design and create a community mosaic. This permanent piece of artwork reflects the people, places and stories that matter most to residents, creating a lasting legacy for the community.
