Team TVEd Blog

From Neighbourhoods to National Impact

Already the autumn leaves are falling and the days are drawing in.

While many of us will miss the lighter evenings and warmer temperatures, autumn brings its own beauty. Autumn is a season of reflection, gratitude and fresh energy for the months ahead.

This blog is my way of capturing some of this term’s highlights for our TVEd colleagues, children and families. Not because everything is always easy, but because it’s important to pause, notice what’s working and remind ourselves why we do what we do – alongside the communities we serve.

From Boro to Bloomberg: Scaling our work with communities

A personal and professional highlight for me this term was visiting London in September with colleagues to mark the culmination of our Bloomberg Innovation Award with the Fair Education Alliance (FEA). An opportunity to take the Tees to the Thames.

In 2024, TVEd received this award to develop our PLACE projects (People, Learning and Community Engagement); our approach to place-based work and learning alongside communities. Thanks to the generous investment of Bloomberg and the FEA, we’ve scaled this work to reach over 1,000 children locally and more than 3,000 educators nationally, including pioneering poverty-informed training in schools. Thank you to the many schools and settings that have invited us to help shape their work on better understanding and tackling poverty.

This recognition is not just about an award, it’s about demonstrating what can happen when national investment meets deep, local commitment.

A Good Night’s Sleep: Tackling Sleep Inequalities

For many of us, winter brings cosy evenings under a blanket and perhaps an earlier bedtime. But for far too many families, rising energy costs and financial pressures make this simple comfort out of reach. Some research currently shows almost a third of households are delaying turning their heating on or cannot afford to at all. This is a harsh reality. It is one we are not content with and want to challenge.

This is why I’m so proud that TVEd is partnering with Zarach (the bed charity) and The Sleep Charity to address sleep inequalities in our communities. With generous funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, we’ve been able to bring these organisations into our Trust’s work, ensuring more children and families can enjoy the benefits of a safe, comfortable night’s sleep.

This investment has also enabled us to train over 40 Sleep Champions across TVEd schools and other school settings. These champions will help schools and families understand the science of sleep and tackle inequalities at their root.

Keep an eye on our social media channels for more updates over the term.

Neighbourhood to National: Learning and Leading Together

In September I also attended the Forum Strategy Conference, joining leaders from across the country to explore how community, connection and civic architecture strengthen our shared work.

Forum Strategy is just one of the networks we engage with as a Trust because we know TVEd cannot work in isolation. As the proverb says, “as iron sharpens iron, so one leader sharpens another.”

Community is not only about belonging; it’s about designing the spaces, relationships and structures where people can thrive together. Civic architecture provides the framework, and connection brings it to life.

It was energising to learn, share and reflect on how these ideas can shape not only organisations but the wider society we’re part of.

Thank you for everything you do to champion our work and, more importantly, our communities. Together we’re creating the conditions for children and families to flourish.

If you’re interested in shaping any of the projects I’ve mentioned here, please do get in touch. Your insight and support are what make these ambitions real.