In a unique project, Local Trust invited the pioneering thinker David Boyle to trace this history and the forces that have affected its course.
His short essay, A history of community development, and the timeline that accompanies it, do not provide a definitive or complete set of events. Instead, David has handpicked moments of community inspiration which have surfaced alongside cultural shifts, political dramas and large-scale government initiatives. His 300+ events span 80 years and are bookended by World War 2 and COVID-19 – enough time for some communities to thrive while others have been ‘left behind’.
