OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
About Us
EX5 Alive CIC is a community hub based within the Cranbrook Education Campus, in a space generously provided by the Ted Wragg Trust to create local opportunities. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for residents of Cranbrook and the surrounding area through inclusive, community-driven initiatives.
EX5 Alive is currently hosted by Inspiring Connections and is in the process of formally establishing itself as a community-led organisation under its new name, EX5 Alive CIC.
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Our Organisation Vision and Overview
We are a community-led CIC supporting the people of Cranbrook to live happier, healthier, and more connected lives. We deliver a wide range of services that focus on building community, supporting wellbeing, and creating opportunities to thrive.
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Space and Delivery
We provide opportunities for connection and engagement in the Cranbrook community. This includes our Hub Space, community-led groups, room hire, events, and statutory wellbeing services. -
Advocacy and Development
We believe everyone should have equal opportunity and access to community life. By offering single-session bridging support, community networking, and group development, we help residents and partners work together to grow stronger services and a more resilient community. -
Bringing People Together
At our core, we’re about connection. We foster a collective voice where everyone feels heard, celebrate successes to recognise achievements, share information openly to keep residents informed, and work towards becoming stronger together as a unified community.
Meeting space for the whole community
Groups, Professionals and Individuals
Builds a sense of community
Strengthens, connects & supports relationships
Get people active & improve physical health
Wellbeing, mental health & self esteem
Access to opportunity
Information, Signposting, courses & early help
What we do
We are an independent Integrated Community Hub, based on a school site, dedicated to supporting families and individuals. Our hub is open to everyone in and around Cranbrook, offering guidance, signposting, and access to opportunities that can help improve everyday life and future prospects.
Why we do it
Cranbrook is a young and growing community, and we believe in giving our children and young people the very best start in life. We do this by supporting the parents and carers who play such an important role in their development. As a new town, Cranbrook is still building its spaces for people to come together, so our community depends on one another for support. The Hub provides a welcoming place to access information, make connections, and feel a true sense of belonging.
How we do it
We run a wide range of community projects, provide space for local groups, and create opportunities for change through activities and listening events. Throughout the year, we host events for all ages – from our Easter Fun Day, Halloween and Christmas celebrations, to an old-fashioned Sports Day, community water fight, arts and crafts sessions, Lego Club, and Darts Club. We also play a key role in planning larger events such as the Cranbrook Colour Run and the summer fete. Many of our services are here to support families through life’s changes and challenges.
The Cranbrook community has been on this journey for over 12 years, and as a new town, our landscape is constantly growing and evolving.
EX5-Alive was created out of necessity. With no free community spaces available, residents often felt frustrated and overlooked. But things began to change: we trained in Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), held listening events, and started coming together as a community. From this, a one-stop hub was born – a place designed to meet our growing needs and bring people together, as we look ahead to the next phase of development in 2029.
Our 3-Year Vision
1. Establish EX5-Alive CIC as a trusted, self-sustaining anchor organisation, providing an inclusive space and access to community engagement for all residents
2. Co-deliver the strategic plan shaped by the community voice, tackling priority issues such as mental health, early years, and transport safety
3. Support the creation of at least 10 new resident-led initiatives, engaging 500+ participants and training 25+ local volunteers
4. Develop a community platform for shared data and convening, to improve collaboration and amplify collective community impact.
5. Accessing suitable space: We have the agreement to stage at CEC for the next 5 years. A physical space in important and during the next 3 years we will actively be seeking another ‘home’, either through partnership work or seeking the possibility of our ‘own’ community hub space to support service delivery.