Astolat building development: pre-feasibility workSurrey Community Action

Through the Big Assist scheme, we worked with Surrey Community Action, a voluntary sector support organisation based in Guildford. They asked us to investigate the potential to change their business model, in particular to provide more accommodation support to local charities and make better use of their building. We spoke to local stakeholders, mapped charities in the area to assess demand, and researched comparable projects elsewhere to gather inspiration and advice. We held a workshop with staff to feed back the results of our work and develop a shared vision for the new building. We presented a report that outlined our findings and made the case for what the building could offer the sector in Surrey. We also provided a starting point for discussions with Surrey Council to move to the next stage of the project.