Storytelling to reflect, strengthen and build community
Client Peabody
What We Did Editorial writing, website copywriting, email copywriting
Sector Housing and charity copywriting
Amplifying stories with heart, from the heart of one of London’s biggest regeneration projects.
Peabody is among the UK’s oldest not-for-profit housing associations. It looks after 109,000 homes, plus the community centres, play areas and green spaces that bring its communities to life.
A key component of that is its work in Thamesmead, a town in south-east London where Peabody owns two-thirds of the land and is delivering a huge regeneration programme.
After a competitive tender process, we were tasked with helping Peabody source and tell the positive stories emerging from the local community, and share those stories with other residents.
Since November 2024, we’ve been editing and writing Talk of Thamesmead, a print publication delivered to 17,000 homes in Thamesmead and distributed at community centres, libraries and other gathering places across the town. Our approach has been:
Talking to as many local people as possible and building links with the community.
Increasing the diversity of voices being heard in the publication.
Upping the story count to reflect the many positive stories coming from the town.
As well as writing articles for the thamesmeadnow.co.uk website and third-party publications, we’ve also worked on Peabody corporate publications, such as Hometown Pride: Community-Led Culture in Thamesmead. This documents how Peabody is using the arts to empower local people to drive real change in the town.
Most importantly, the people of Thamesmead tell us the stories we write are having a real impact. Artists and creatives say their workshop spaces fill up after a write-up. Community groups, charities and small businesses are asking to be featured after seeing how being profiled has helped their peers. Young writers are making their own contributions, giving voice to yet more stories from within the community.
As a result, compelling accounts of Peabody’s work to improve, grow and look after Thamesmead are now told through the voices of residents benefiting directly from the investment in their community.
A taste of what we wrote
From her serving hatch at the back of the hall, Nana Adjei has a clear view of the entrance to Broadwater Hub and the clock above it.
“They’ll be here soon,” announces Nana. The clock has ticked past school hometime and she knows that, just like every other Thursday, the children of West Thamesmead are on their way.
For Nana and her fellow volunteers at Love Soup Cafe, that means things are about to get busy. But they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I just love being around people and I love feeding people,” says Nana. “I love to cook food for people to enjoy, to give them something that makes them happy. Especially the children. Every Thursday, apart from holidays, I’m here.”
Read the full story
Main photograph: Peabody & Richard Heald Photography