“The mutual aid network has provided a space where I can talk about things going on in my community and learn from others here. I have learned here that there is hope to get councillors on board. In one breakout group there were two or three councillors – people within the network who became councillors and used their position to support certain causes in the community. 

“In Oswestry, I’m not quite sure how it’s going to pan out. The county council is the one we need to get on board so we hope that the town council will get behind us and support us at Shropshire level as well.

“Some of the conversations around education have been really interesting. We need a community to provide education – just like it takes a village to bring up a child. The Regal Project is not just a cinema, it’s a learning centre, so young people learn how to run a cinema, make film, work in finance and marketing. As the acquisition of the buildings is on hold at the moment we are using the time to set up the Work & Learn project, to get the ball rolling.”

Ingrid Knowles is part of the Regal Project in Oswestry, Shropshire, which is transforming a cinema and a warehouse in the town centre that has been empty for decades into a place for education and entertainment.