2026 Impact Report

We have published our first Impact Report, looking back at the three years from 2024 to 2026 - and the journey of turning our town-centre building into a co-working space, makerspace and studio for Leigh.

In that time, we have invested £495,000 in bringing the building back into use, with £489,000 raised through a mix of loans, trading income, private investment and grants.

As a social enterprise, we reinvest the majority of our income into operating, developing and equipping Leigh Works, as well as supporting local projects and opportunities.

The report shows a project growing on its own terms. The number of local businesses we support has nearly tripled in two years, from 16 in 2024 to 43 in 2026. Our trading income, through memberships, room hire and services, has also grown by 85%.

That matters because it gives us a stronger, more sustainable base for the future, reducing our reliance on grant funding over time.

The report also looks at the next generation of makers, creatives and engineers coming through the building.

Over three years, we have hosted 35 students on placement through T-Level, college and high-school programmes. Together, they have spent 1,872 hours using professional equipment and gaining experience in a working creative and technical environment.

The last three years have also seen us develop new facilities, partnerships and projects that will support the next stage of Leigh Works.

These include:

• A community podcast and video studio, created with an £11,000 grant from the Greater Manchester Foundational Economy Innovation Fund. We were one of just 25 projects across the region to receive funding.
• The CatonLloyd Audio Visual Suite, made possible through £20,000 of sponsorship from a local business. The suite provides a professional meeting space with video conferencing and streaming technology.
• 84,000 kWh of energy saved since becoming the pilot site for Nemiah’s LiveCarbon energy-management module, part of the cosmOS Smart Building Operating System. Our energy use has fallen year on year, even as more of the building has come into use.

None of this happened alone.

We are grateful to the local businesses, organisations and individuals who have backed the project. From funders at GMCA and GMCVO, to the contractors, suppliers and members who have contributed time, products and expertise along the way.

The report is a chance to look back at what we have built together so far, but it is also about what comes next. There is more to do, more people to support and more opportunities to create, inspire and grow in Leigh.