The engagement programme was designed around the core belief that a people-centred, place-based approach to regeneration is essential to achieving real, lasting change.

A creative, inclusive approach to community engagement was adopted and delivered in collaboration with artists, playing a vital role in creating space for these conversations, capturing lived experience, and understanding local priorities and aspirations.

We took a three-pronged approach: formal drop-in sessions at community venues, informal pop- up engagement in everyday spaces, and a detailed online and paper survey.

Through this combined approach we were able to collect people’s views and opinions, as well as facts and figures. Questions were designed to help assess how people feel now, capture ideas for what could be improved in the short term, and understand their longer term ambitions for the town. 

Formal public ‘drop-in’s at community venues

Held at accessible venues, plus targeted outreach with schools, youth groups, and the Pride in Place Board, using interactive boards and mapping activities around six key themes.

Pop-up engagement in everyday spaces

Lead artist, Emmeline North and Featherstone based illustrator Shaun Hanson spent time within local businesses and at community hubs – cafés, churches, the Gala, extra care centres, football training sessions, local parks and more – informally chatting with residents, business owners and passers-by.

Participants were encouraged to complete paper and online versions of the survey and the spirit of the conversations was captured through sketches and illustrations, building a growing visual record of local life and aspirations that feeds into and illustrates the final report, the exhibition and future plans.

Online survey and promotion

The online survey and interactive map was developed with PlaceChangers using questions aligned to the face-to-face themes. Engagement was promoted via leaflets to all WF7 households, posters, Wakefield Council web page and social media and a Zoom option for those unable to attend in person.

Reflecting back: exhibition and ongoing engagement

An exhibition in autumn 2026 at Featherstone Library (and online) will present project ideas back to the community, with a further opportunity to give feedback.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank everyone who participated in the survey and shared their feedback with us during the engagement sessions and workshops, all of the organisations and groups who enabled us to engage including: Featherstone Flyers; Featherstone Methodist Church; South Featherstone Gospel Church; Notcutts Victoria Garden Centre; New Priory Extra Care Centre; Phoebe’s Cafe; Little Bakes; Featherstone Rovers Foundation Youth Club; Featherstone Academy and Streethouse Primary School; Featherstone Town Council; Featherstone Library; and Featherstone Community Centre.

In particular we would like to thank: the Featherstone Pride in Place Board for ensuring a member of the board supported each session; artists Emmeline North and Shaun Hanson for their invaluable pop up engagement activity and capturing a sense of the Featherstone community and their hopes for the future through illustrations and sketches; photographer Nicholas Singleton for capturing the process; and graphic design agency Rhubarb Design House for design support throughout the programme.

The report will be available shortly.

Photo credits: Nicholas Singleton