Over the past few months, community partners in Ravensthorpe have come together through two Move More workshops to shape a shared vision for helping more local people move more in ways that work for them. These sessions brought energy, honesty, creativity and a strong sense of community pride — all vital ingredients for building a healthier, more active Ravensthorpe.
Workshop One: Setting Our Purpose and Understanding Local Barriers
Our first workshop took place in early February and brought together 33 local organisations and services — a fantastic turnout that highlighted the appetite for collaboration across the area.
We began by creating a shared purpose: why moving more in Ravensthorpe matters, and how it links to local wellbeing, belonging and opportunity. Together, we explored what physical activity could look like when rooted in the strengths, culture and lived experiences of the community.
From there, we turned to the barriers that many residents face. Partners shared insight drawn from their daily work in the neighbourhood, identifying challenges such as:
Cultural barriers, including a lack of female‑only provision
Financial pressures and the cost of accessing activities
Time pressures linked to work, caring and family commitments
Safety concerns, including outdoor spaces that don’t feel welcoming
Low awareness of what’s available locally
Despite these challenges, the conversation quickly shifted to the strengths and opportunities in Ravensthorpe — and there are many. These included:
A strong community spirit and willingness to support others
A range of active local organisations who are ready to collaborate
Great access to parks, green spaces and nature
A committed local workforce and volunteers with deep community roots
By the end of workshop one, the group had already begun exploring early ideas to help more people move more locally.
Workshop Two: Turning Insight Into Action
In March, partners returned for the second workshop — this time with a focus on shaping a community action plan for Ravensthorpe.
To support this, we shared insight from other engagement work in the area, including:
The Place Standard consultation, where 385 local people shared their views in 2021
Recent Bright Sparks engagement (2025)
Conversations with residents and groups gathered through the Move More team (2026)
This helped ground our planning in a richer understanding of local context, lived experience and what truly matters to residents.
From here, partners formed three priority subgroups, each focused on developing practical, community‑led ideas:
1 Improving indoor spaces
Ensuring local venues are safe, welcoming, attractive and accessible for physical activity.
2 Focusing on the safety of Holroyd Park
Exploring ways to make this valued green space feel safer and more inviting for everyone.
3 Supporting Crawshaw Street Playing Fields
Working toward the space becoming a community‑owned asset with potential for activity and community use.
What Happens Next?
Each subgroup will now meet independently to further shape their ideas into realistic project proposals. Once developed, these proposals will be shared with the Ravensthorpe Community Panel, ensuring residents remain at the heart of decision‑making.
These workshops are just the beginning — but they’ve already shown the power of collaboration, local knowledge and community ambition. Together, partners and residents are building the foundations for a more active, connected and confident Ravensthorpe.
