Deannia is a community champion and a proud Islington resident. A creative writer and spoken word artist, she uses her work as a way to open up healing.
Through music, art, dance, song, and poetry, she invites people who have experienced hardship to share their stories, which is helping build courage and bring Islington residents together to shape change from the ground up.
At Common Ground, our national convening for place-based giving in May, Deannia shared the poem below on what resident led change looks and feels like for her.
Place-Based Giving Day 2026: Thank you for being here
By Deannia
Today, place came first.
We brought practitioners, funders, policymakers, businesses,
Community leaders to one table, as witnesses
London’s Giving and Funders Together set the space,
To explore what real change looks and feels like, place by place.
Through shared evidence, experience, and insight,
We surface common ground and deepen what’s right.
Whether you’re deep in this work or just beginning,
There’s room here to connect, reflect, and keep learning.
Welcome and arrivals! table-top discussions begun,
Sharing a place that is important to you one by one.
Meet fellow participants, voices intertwined,
A simple question to bring hearts and minds.
FROM THE GROUND MC Saboohi’s
welcome, purpose unbound.
To Macquarie and Rachel our host and our guide,
you for opening the door and stood by our side.
From the root up, a community-led beginning,
Deannia from Islington Giving and Helen with lived
experience and grassroots ending,
West Silvertown Foundation,
spoke of lived experience winning.
This is where change is made, not from above,
But by people rooted in place, led by love.
THE POWER OF PLACE: REALITIES ACROSS PERSPECTIVES
We heard of the power of place held so dear,
When Jo chaired, and the speakers drew near.
Dr Janis on forces that shaped us,
Natasha on paths to clear we must
Angela on truths that are tough,
but we faced them right here.
Small groups, big questions & answers to share,
We paused for coffee, refreshments prepared
Made new connections, kept conversations in the air.
INTRODUCTION TO PLACE-BASED GIVING
B&D Giving led the model with grace,
Geraud held the space.
With residents Bhavini, AJ and Liliana
They showed how PBG works in practice, not just theory.
Stories, not slides, to light up the way,
Inviting business, residents, councils, funders to stay.
Tables buzzed with questions and care,
For change that is real, and for hope we all share.
STORIES OF CHANGE: EVIDENCE MEETS EXPERIENCE
Erik and John Charity opened the view,
Madeleine on macro-proof and data that flow.
Sarah from Old Fire Station shifted quant to qual,
Letting stories speak where numbers can’t call.
Zoe from Google shared partnerships that grow,
Upskilling leaders through expertise they know.
Firsttine from Peabody, Parkside’s voice,
On Lewisham residents’ improvements, lived experience choice.
From numbers to stories, from head into heart,
We saw how place-based change proves its part.
We rested, refilled, then returned to a wider field,
Ready to find common ground, what shared values yield.
THE WIDER FIELD: A CROSS-SECTOR DIALOGUE
Rachel chaired the conversation with care,
On business, philanthropy, government, everywhere.
Andy from We’re Right Here! spoke of community power,
Freddie on British Land and local land for the hour.
Carrie from Ealing Council shared borough-wide vision,
James from Innovate UK on climate and economic mission.
Across domains and sectors, questions pared,
What collaboration looks like, when impact is shared.
We paused, took breath for the final stretch,
Coffee, refreshments, and space to reflect.
FUTURES: WHERE NEXT FOR PLACE-BASED CHANGE?
Deputy Mayor Debbie led the way we move,
With policy and people, both to prove.
Amy from TNLCF named community power and wealth,
Aimee from DCMS set out the philanthropy strategy’s health.
Simon from City Bridge Foundation shared learning and care,
Kristina MBE called us to build what’s rooted right here.
PK from Bedford Giving said it clear and strong:
Fund what we’ve started, for this is where we belong.
An invitation to shape the new Centre for Giving,
Rooted in place, grounded in truth, and living.
A COLLECTIVE CLOSE AND KEYNOTE
Dame Julia gave us her key,
A note full of challenge, and of hope running free.
Remember the people, she asked us to do,
The purpose, the place that belongs to you.
SPECIAL THANKS
A special thanks to those who travelled far to be with us,
Attendees from across the UK, Devon and Somerset
through to Yorkshire and Scotland.
You came representing a diverse mix of grassroot generations
You brought place purpose and innovation
Thank you to speakers, chairs, and each guest,
To lived experience that gave us its best.