Category: Our social impact

How addressing the housing crisis helps everyone – not just renters

Dot Dot Dot Founder, Katharine Hibbert, examines how her motivations behind launching Dot Dot Dot in 2011 shape up 12 years on in a country still plagued by housing shortages and soaring costs. After over a decade of housing thousands at less than 66% of local market rents, Katharine argues that Dot Dot Dot’s work can only ever be part of the solution on the way to a much needed strategy to build the right homes, in the right places at prices local residents can afford.

International Women’s Day

International Women's Day, Dot Dot Dot, social impact, women making impact

Since International Women’s Day last year, we’ve housed 179 women who are making an incredible social impact. Together, these women have contributed 15,134 hours of voluntary work to a range of charities in the UK, Poland and further afield. That’s 179 women giving almost a quarter of a million pounds of work to 182 different… Read More

How our green-fingered guardians give their homes ‘kerb appeal’

While property security, social impact and making good use of an otherwise wasted asset are the main reasons people come to us, keeping buildings cared for aesthetically makes a big difference to property owners, neighbours and to the guardians themselves explains Dot Dot Dot founder Katharine Hibbert.

Guardianship and social impact in east London with Custom House Civic Community Hub

Dot Dot Dot guardians in east London have been supporting the community-building efforts created by Civic, an organisation working to re-imagine community high streets for the benefit of local residents. We explore the inventive ways our guardians have set out to give a new lease of life to a set of empty retail spaces by  developing them into a vibrant community-led centre. 

Helping his community to borrow instead of buy: Allan Smith and SHARE Oxford

Oxford guardian, Allan, is helping members of his community to prevent waste with SHARE. The organisation is on a mission to discourage a culture of waste by enabling people to borrow items instead of buy. Founder of SHARE, Maurice, explains how volunteers like Allan have enabled the organisation to grow, and build a strong community of like-minded people. Volunteers help to educate others on the importance of reducing the need for unnecessary production and consumption.

How the Dot Dot Dot team volunteer their time to good causes

At Dot Dot Dot, we wouldn’t be able to support the volunteering efforts of our guardians without being socially-minded individuals ourselves, willing to dedicate time and energy to good causes. So, we caught up with members of our team to share some of the ways in which they have volunteered to support a wide range of communities in the UK and abroad, from a Chinese community centre in Soho to refugees in Calais.

Delivering food parcels in his community: Daneel Phillips and Made in Hackney

We spoke to Poplar guardian Daneel back in April this year about his volunteering with Made in Hackney, a community cookery school that, when the pandemic hit, turned its hand to supporting vulnerable members of the local community. We recently caught up with Khin, Volunteer Manager at Made in Hackney, to see how they’ve adapted over the past 18 months and how volunteers like Daneel contribute to the direct impact they are making in their community.

Spotlight on: Maria Stoica – finding her feet in London at Oasis City Farm

Maria Stoica

When she moved to London from rural Romania, the stark contrast between city and countryside was for Maria, unsettling. But after becoming a Dot Dot Dot guardian in 2016, she began searching for a volunteering opportunity that could help her maintain a connection with the countryside. It also meant Maria was helping to make London a greener and more sustainable city for all.

Spotlight on: Tim Callaway – building strong connections with his community

When Tim moved to High Wycombe to become a property guardian in 2015, he was only intending it to be a short stop gap. But as more guardians moved to the area, it became clear that he was developing a strong connection with his community. Neighbourliness has always been a part of Dot Dot Dot’s ethos, and Tim tells us how he and his fellow guardians have helped improve the local area for residents by taking care of the outdoor spaces.

Spotlight on: Melody Abeni – swapping London for Letchworth Garden City to develop her freelance writing career

Melody wasn’t intending to embark on a London hiatus, but when she stumbled upon our properties in Letchworth Garden City, she felt drawn to the leafy, pastoral town away from the capital. It was the perfect spot for developing her freelance writing and art career without committing to long-term change. Melody reveals just why the flexibility of guardianship is exactly what she needs during this period of her life.

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