About us

We are a social enterprise working in Waterloo and North Southwark, London. From a derelict site in 1984, we have created a vibrant, diverse and welcoming place for people to live, work and play. 

We are working together to create an inspirational neighbourhood – today, tomorrow, and forever.

 

As a social enterprise, we generate income, and the profit we make is reinvested into the community. Some use our nursery, our sports pitches or have attended conferences in our neighbourhood centre. Others live or work on our South Bank site. We have thousands of people who pass through our site every day and hundreds more who attend our sessions, workshops and activities.

Our story matters.

It’s a story about inclusiveness and diversity. About culture, community, and commercial success. About how we work together to create an inspirational neighbourhood – today, tomorrow, and forever.

We provide opportunities and spaces for people to lead their own change, generating income which helps provide spaces for people to live, work, and play.

The money we make goes back into the community, from giving families and children the best start in life to supporting younger and older members of our neighbourhood. We provide housing that supports our residents, champion co-operative housing, and influence local and national housing policy.

We promote enterprise, creativity, and lifelong learning, whether that’s through providing employment, volunteering opportunities, nurturing enterprise, or delivering programmes and activities.

We are conscious that our neighbourhood is a small part of a global community and that we all need to work together to tackle challenges and take a forward-thinking approach to driving change, here in Waterloo and across the country.

What motivates us

Our community motivates us, we strive towards creating a neighbourhood which is diverse, inclusive and a place where people feel happy, healthy, safe and secure.

Our economic model

As an enterprise with a social purpose we generate income to invest in our neighbourhood. Our ambition is to remain financially independent so that we are here for generations to come, helping others to lead their own change.

Our story

Walking along the riverside by Oxo Tower Wharf, it’s hard to imagine that in the early 1980s the area was bleak and unloved, with few shops and restaurants, a dying residential community and a weak local economy.