Finding Community Spaces and Social Leaders - the latest stories from Community Catalysts

Finding a community space

Local Social was founded by Andy, a Shared Lives carer, and James who has a learning disability. Its mission has been to bring people together across Ware and the surrounding Hertfordshire neighbourhoods.

As a small local enterprise, the team are driven by a commitment to work with community strengths and assets and see relationships as the cornerstone of their work.

Local Social were supported to set up by Community Catalysts through their project with Hertfordshire County Council.

New Social Leaders of Neighbourhood Health and Wellbeing

Community Catalysts have a fresh and exciting development offer for people working in and around neighbourhood health, wellbeing, and community development.

Since 2020, small groups of ‘New Social Leaders’ have come together online through structured workshops and brokered connections to learn, collaborate, and grow. In 2026, we evolve into the ‘New Social Leaders of Neighbourhood Health and Wellbeing’ – reflecting the growing importance of local neighbourhoods in shaping policy and practice.