This week, the Belonging Forum held its first community visit to Hexham, located in the North East of England. The purpose of the visit was to inform the world’s first Charter of Belonging, which will provide a common language for collaboration and resource sharing.

The constituency of Hexham was chosen for the inaugural visit due to its high performance in last year’s Belonging Barometer survey, where it stood out for residents' strong social connection:

• 81% felt a sense of belonging to the UK – the highest in the country
• Hexham also scored the highest for life satisfaction
• 71% felt a sense of belonging to their neighbourhood – the 4th highest
• 75% felt a sense of belonging to their local area – the 2nd highest
• 63% reported knowing their neighbours well

Hexham’s community spirit made it the perfect place to start a series of visits focused on learning from local communities about what contributes to belonging and what could be improved.

We were honoured to co-host a roundtable with Joe Morris, the area’s first Labour MP in 100 years, who shared insights into local life.

The event convened community leaders from Tynedale Hospice, Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Charlotte Straker Care Home, West Northumberland Food Bank, Hexham Community Centre, Healthwatch Northumberland, the Minerva Centre, Opencast, and the local Police and Crime Commissioner to discuss the driving factors of belonging.

We explored Hexham’s strengths, noting three key factors:

1. Vibrancy: Despite the small size of its towns and villages, residents felt there were plenty of activities to keep people engaged and involved in their communities.
2. Continuity of the population: Unlike highly transient areas such as London, from which people frequently relocate, Hexham residents tend to establish and maintain long-term roots in the local area.
3. Neighbourly spirit: Many communities within the constituency have their own unique character and quirks, which help strengthen people’s connections with their neighbourhoods and local areas.

While there was much to celebrate, challenges were also discussed. Economic inequality was a major concern, as Hexham's overall prosperity can mask issues like poverty and isolation. Lack of affordable transport, particularly affecting children, the elderly, and low-income families, was identified as a key barrier to social connections. Furthermore, some felt that close-knit communities, while often a strength, can make it harder for individuals to leave difficult domestic situations or feel less marginalised.

One major takeaway from the roundtable was that while the Belonging Barometer is a tool that provides useful insights into social connection, it doesn’t tell the full story. By hearing firsthand accounts from community members, we gained a deeper understanding of the good aspects and challenges to belonging in the community.

Several suggestions emerged from the group:

• Investing in infrastructure and digital connectivity to reduce isolation.
• Addressing poverty in various forms, such as food and fuel poverty.
• Reducing the stigma around loneliness.
• Enhancing local economic opportunities, with recent improvements to Hexham’s high street and remote working providing optimism.

During the visit, we also had the opportunity to speak with Roger Davy, the proprietor of the Beaumont Hotel, located in the heart of Hexham. Roger shared his commitment to integrating care for the community, commerce, and climate change through his business practices. Roger emphasised the responsibility that businesses have in supporting the local economy, providing a space for community groups and contributing positively to the environment through sourcing sustainable foods.

We also visited the Hexham Community Centre, where we joined a "Warm Welcome" space called Tuesday Tea. We had heartfelt conversations with older members of the community including the vital role the centre’s minibus plays in maintaining social connections and accessibility and much they enjoy engaging with the local high school.

The constituency of Hexham offers a model of strong community and belonging, and it was a privilege for the Belonging Forum to engage with its residents. While challenges to belonging exist everywhere, even in communities with strong ties, it is crucial to continue addressing them.

The lessons from this visit, and others we will host, will contribute to the world’s first Charter of Belonging. This will be a series of guiding principles that speak to personal and system dimensions of belonging and act as a unifying document for organisations, communities and advocates worldwide. The Charter will provide a common language that encourages collaboration and resource-sharing

We look forward to future visits to other areas of the UK to continue this work.