- National award recognises Tamworth's innovative community-led approach to rebuilding trust and cohesion.
- Thousands have participated in projects designed to build pride, belonging and inclusion across Tamworth.
- Judges praised the programme's lasting impact, strong outcomes and sustainable model for community empowerment.
Tamworth Borough Council has won the prestigious MJ Award for ‘community engagement’, recognising the success of its We Are Tamworth programme in bringing communities together and creating lasting positive change across the borough.
The MJ Awards are widely regarded as one of the highest honours in local government, celebrating innovation, excellence and impact in public services.
The award-winning We Are Tamworth programme was created in response to the challenges facing the borough in 2024 and has since become a resident-led movement focused on strengthening community connections, rebuilding trust and creating opportunities for people to shape the future of their town.
The judges praised the programme's "innovative approach to some deep-rooted community fragmentation", highlighting its broad engagement, strong evidence of impact, successful crowdfunding model and long-term sustainability.
The initiative began with the Honest Conversations project, a borough-wide listening exercise that engaged more than 500 residents and 40 organisations. Insights from those conversations directly shaped the We Are Tamworth strategy and its community-led delivery model.
Since then, the programme has delivered a series of successful projects, including the Kaleidoscope of Dreams festival in 2025, which attracted more than 3,000 attendees and the second one will take place on Saturday 4 July 2026. The programme also delivered the Unity Shield community art project, and the We Are Tamworth crowdfunding platform, which has helped local groups secure funding and bring forward their own ideas for community improvement.
The programme has already raised almost £85,000 for local projects while empowering residents to take ownership of solutions that matter most to them.
Chief Executive Stephen Gabriel, said: “We are very honoured to receive this accolade! We were up against some incredible projects and winning this award is a tremendous achievement for Tamworth and, most importantly, for the residents, community groups, schools, businesses and partners who have helped shape We Are Tamworth.
"This programme was built on a simple principle: listening first. By giving people a genuine voice and trusting communities to lead, we are seeking to see meaningful and lasting change.
"We’re pleased the judges recognised what we’ve been working to achieve and the real impact it is having on people’s lives. We Are Tamworth has shown what can be achieved when communities come together with a shared sense of pride, purpose and ambition for their town.
"This award belongs to everyone who has played a part in the journey so far, and we look forward to building on this success as we continue to create stronger, more connected communities across Tamworth."
The council and its partners will continue to build on the success of We Are Tamworth through further community-led projects, events and investment opportunities designed to strengthen community pride, inclusion and belonging across the borough.