
The Ideas Festival is taking place this weekend at Colchester’s Firstsite arts venue. A free family-friendly event, attendees can discover the inspiring ways Essex residents have joined forces to make a difference in their communities. The event showcases community-led initiatives to combat major social issues and inspire members of the public to get creative.
Organisers say visitors will be able to
- discover how local residents are taking on the big issues affecting their communities through All In, Eastlight’s ground-breaking community programme
- sample food and drink, take part in family-friendly arts activities and enjoy street entertainment
- meet local organisations doing amazing work in Essex and discover the opportunities available for them to help make their community an even better place to call home
The event is being run by Eastlight Community Homes and will take place on Saturday 22 April from 12:30-4pm.
Over the last 10 months, their All In Community Teams have been working with thousands of residents to create ideas to tackle social issues in their communities. The teams have already been recognised for their efforts by the likes of Foreign Secretary and Braintree MP, James Cleverly, and have received an exclusive invitation to Number 10 Downing Street.
The festival aims to celebrate the way in which one idea can spark real community change and showcase the projects of the All In Collective. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet local organisations working across Essex and discover how they can access grants to transform ideas into actions through Eastlight’s All In Community Alliances.

James Green, Eastlight’s Community Empowerment Director, says: “The All In Community Festival is a brilliant opportunity to discover the incredible things local people are doing to support one other across our communities. We’re inviting anyone who wants to make a difference to come to Firstsite on the 22nd and get involved with our All In Community Teams and Alliances as well as some of the local organisations doing inspiring work in Essex.”
The festival is free to attend, and visitors can drop-in at any point during the afternoon to discover more about the All In initiative. There will be family-friendly street entertainment, food and drink, and creative craft activities for all ages to enjoy.
The All In Community Teams are committed to empowering communities to take action on issues that matter to them. By bringing together like-minded people and supporting community-led initiatives, the teams hope to make a real difference in the lives of people across Essex.
For more info on the event, please visit the All In festival website.
For more information on All In, please visit: https://www.weareallin.co.uk or follow them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
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