Community Wealth Building

Our economy isn't working: empty high streets, bills rising every year while wages stay the same, local SMEs struggling to survive while big corporations evade tax. We need new ideas such as Community Wealth Building

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Every year big employers like Portsmouth City Council and the local NHS trust spend £millions on contracts with suppliers- buying products and procuring services such as IT and social care.

In some cities in the UK- Manchester, Southampton etc.- large local employers have committed to keeping money in the regional economy by purchasing products and services through nearby companies rather than huge global corporations.

This is called Community Wealth Building (CWB)

CWB can also involve implementing a living wage, providing support for credit unions / community banks and helping local worker owned businesses to thrive.

The success of CWB initiatives in a local area can be measured by indicators such as:

  • employment rates, including self-employment

  • improvement in skill levels

  • narrowing the wage gap

  • increased graduate retention rates locally

  • increased number of job opportunities created

  • increased number of new apprenticeships, particularly linked to ‘green jobs’ for the future.


We want Portsmouth to start to implement Community Wealth Building and are putting on an event to get the conversation started.

What: The evening will be an opportunity to hear about CWB via a short film (Local is the new Global) then a talk by Sarah Longlands- the CEO of the national think tank CLES. This will then be followed a Q&A session / discussion.

Where: Southsea Community Cinema, Palmerston Road, PO5 2BA

When: Wednesday 21st May 7.45pm to 9.45pm

Cost: Donation

N.B. Places are limited so please email us to confirm your space.