More than 600 people gathered on the Bootle canalside to celebrate the 25th anniversary of local social enterprise Safe Regeneration.
The landmark milestone, which took place on Saturday 20th June, comes at a significant turning point for the area, which is preparing for major long-term public investment.
The free, fully ticketed Community Power Festival took place at The Lock & Quay, the region’s only community-owned pub.
The afternoon brought together more than 25 local organisations to showcase their work, celebrate community success stories, and explore opportunities for future collaboration.
Named in alignment with the National Lottery’s Community Power Fund, the event was a pure celebration of a quarter-century of grassroots action.
Since launching, Safe Regeneration has supported more than 500 local people to start new businesses and transformed an underutilised canalside stretch into a thriving neighbourhood hub.
Throughout the day, attendees were also invited to help shape the area’s future by completing a new Community Power Survey designed in partnership with the University of Liverpool.
Local residents who could not attend can still share their views by completing the online survey at here.
While the event was strictly a celebration of what the community has achieved so far, the anniversary lands at a defining moment for Bootle’s next chapter.
Securing Long-Term Pride in Place Funding
The area has already secured 20 million pounds of Pride in Place funding, which will be invested into Bootle South over the next ten years.
An independent neighbourhood board is currently being established under the chairmanship of Sefton Veterans CEO Dave Smith to steer the funds and look at collaborative ways to ensure the money delivers maximum impact for residents.
At the same time, Safe Regeneration is operating on a national stage to help influence how future funding models are built.
The organisation is one of just 17 across England selected to work directly with the National Lottery Community Fund during its current pilot phase.
The team is helping to co-design the criteria for a new 10-year, 100 million pound Community Power Fund launching in 2027, which could potentially unlock vital long-term development backing for Safe’s flagship canalside initiatives.
Local Retention of Economic Opportunity
The turnout on Saturday highlights how deeply embedded Safe Regeneration remains within the neighbourhood.
After a quarter-century of independent resilience, the organisation enters this new funding era as a secure, asset-backed delivery partner uniquely equipped to ensure Bootle’s future investment directly benefits local people.
Jane Dawe, Partnerships Director at Safe Regeneration, said:
“Reaching 25 years is an incredible achievement for a charity in a challenged area, but our focus is entirely on what we can achieve next.
“There has never been a more exciting time for Bootle, and these new funding opportunities represent the best chances the area has ever had.
“Historically, only about 1% of the money earned in Bootle was actually spent here because people just drove right through.
“We have worked hard alongside local residents to change that by creating a vibrant canalside quarter that keeps opportunity and everyday spending right here in the neighbourhood.
“The people of Bootle do not want handouts: they want to connect, have a distinct voice, and actively lead their own future.
“We are here to act as a trusted partner to help make that happen.”
