Buckland Newton Family Hub & Community Partnership
A creative community project bringing families together through art, drama, music, and outdoor activities – celebrating rural heritage and wellbeing with support from Dorset National Landscape.
Overview
This project was awarded Sustainable Development Fund support in 2023-24 to help deliver our Management Plan objectives B1a – to support and develop activities that increase health and wellbeing by establishing and strengthening connections to the landscape and nature B4e – to promote and support the celebration and conservation of local distinctiveness.
- DNL grant awarded: £3,260.78
- Other sources of funding: North Dorset Local Alliance Group
- % of total funding awarded: 45%
To provide a diverse range of community activities for children, young people, and families that embed the Five Steps to Wellbeing in their delivery, supporting the development of social skills, emotional wellbeing, communication, resilience, and confidence.
Aims
The project aimed to deliver a programme of creative workshops that embedded the Five Steps to Wellbeing in every activity. Its purpose was to support children, young people, and families in developing social skills, emotional wellbeing, communication, resilience, and confidence.
Through these workshops, the Buckland Newton Family Hub Community Partnership (BNFHCP) also sought to identify additional needs within the community, provide targeted support, and signpost families to relevant services. The project aimed to create a foundation for future local initiatives, such as a health food programme, ensuring long-term benefits for community wellbeing.
The project delivered a series of creative workshops that brought the community together and uncovered new opportunities for support:
- Clay Tile Workshop
Hugely popular, this activity united different generations and became the centrepiece of the Pop-Up Museum of Rural Life. Families visited to see their tiles on display—one family even travelled from Canada! - Art Workshops
Six sessions for adults and six for children and young people provided creative engagement and helped identify home-schooled families and young carers. As a result, training with MyTime Young Carers has been arranged for Youth Club volunteers and teaching staff to improve awareness and support. - Funding Impact
Dorset National Landscape funding enabled:- 5 hours of clay tile workshops
- 6 × 2-hour art sessions for adults
- 6 × 2-hour art sessions for children and young people
- Purchase of a wide range of art materials, creating a lasting community resource for future projects.
- Unexpected Outcome
Artwork from the children’s sessions is being curated into a Cabinet of Curiosities focused on the local natural landscape, to be displayed at Dorset County Museum in autumn 2025 as part of its folk-art exhibition.
Community Engagement
The project involved a wide range of local groups and organisations, including Buckland Newton Youth Club, Playgroup, Gardening Club, Lunch Club, Community Café, the Parish Council, Buckland Newton School, and the Gryphon School. It also reached families who home school, young carers, and young people with SEND.
Participation and Volunteering
- Total volunteers: 14
- Total volunteer hours: 138
- Approximate number of participants: 50
- At least 2 new partnerships formed
- Farmers/Land Managers engaged: At least 2
Impact on Community
The project successfully brought the community together and inspired future initiatives, including:
- Recording the names of all fields in the Parish after interest sparked by historic maps displayed in the Pop-Up Museum.
- Development of a community allotment to provide fresh food for the Family Hub.
Young people enjoyed working collaboratively, and the wider community valued their contributions, strengthening local connections and wellbeing.
Extended benefits
The project strengthened community connections and inspired new initiatives. Future projects include recording the historic names of all fields in the Parish, sparked by interest in maps displayed at the Pop-Up Museum. Young people enjoyed working collaboratively, and their contributions were highly valued by the community.
Additionally, a community allotment is now being developed to provide fresh food for the Family Hub.
What next
The Buckland Newton Rural Family Hub is funded by Dorset Council until April 2026, when its future will be reviewed. In April 2025, BNFHCP plans to reapply for funding from the North Dorset Local Alliance Group, while Buckland Newton Youth Club will seek support from the Dorset Council Youth Fund and other agencies.
The success of the art project has encouraged more community volunteering, with people eager to contribute their time and skills. For example, in June, the Youth Club will host a “Bring Your Tractor to Youth Club Night”, supported by three local collectors who previously loaned tractors for the Pop-Up Museum.
The Youth Club continues to grow and now benefits from nine regular volunteers, strengthening its capacity to deliver creative and inclusive activities for young people.
One of the most positive surprises was the level of volunteer engagement—far more people offered their time and skills than expected. Future projects should track volunteer numbers and hours from the outset to fully capture this impact.
Another key success was keeping activities open to everyone rather than targeting specific groups. This inclusive approach naturally attracted home-schooled families and young carers, groups that other hubs often struggle to reach. It shows that creating a welcoming, varied programme can build connections and strengthen community resilience in unexpected and inspiring ways.
Funding options within Dorset National Landscape
local funds
Dorset Community Tree Fund
Grant funding
