Its key challenges
Starting with a blank canvas is never easy, particularly for an ‘outsider’ to the local community as was the perception for the landlord (Karbon) at the outset. With the organisation headquartered an hour away and the nearest office at Hexham, there was very much a feeling that they were dropping into the community and would drop out as soon as they got the publicity they wanted. However, through dedicated relationship building, meaningful conversations, and receptiveness to feedback, trust gradually developed, leading to a thriving partnership.
The pandemic was a huge challenge at first but by being adaptive and working with what was available, i.e. technology, the group was able to make the most of the circumstances and come up with an operating model suitable for all parties.