From connection to impact: how Catapult brought three organisations together
What happens when you put ambitious, community-focused people in the same room and give them the space to connect?
For James Edmonds, Emma Gives de Oliveira and Dr David Sollis, the answer was new partnerships, shared opportunities and a collaborative approach that continues to grow.
Through Launchpad’s Catapult programme, three very different organisations discovered a shared purpose and a stronger way of working together.
Meet the organisations
Design Cabin Community
Founded by James Edmonds, Design Cabin Community is a not-for-profit organisation focused on building local wealth, developing skills and creating entrepreneurial opportunities.
“We’re a local not-for-profit based in Rochford to build local wealth, develop individual skills and create entrepreneurial opportunities,” explained James.
The organisation delivers this through creative community venues and projects, including Marks Hall and the interim operation of the Freight House in Rochford.
Brazilarte
Founded by Emma Gibbs de Oliveira, Brazilarte is an arts and cultural organisation using music, movement and culture to bring people together.
“We are an arts and cultural organisation that builds communities and changes lives through music, movement and culture,” said Emma.
South East and Central Essex Mind
Led by Dr David Sollis, South East and Central Essex Mind supports people across the region with their mental health, housing, therapy and wellbeing.
“We’re a charity that works with people around their mental health, housing, therapy and corporate support,” explained David.
Finding the right people
Although each organisation operates in different sectors, they joined Catapult for similar reasons.
For James, it was about building a network of like-minded business owners and learning through collaboration.
“I think there’s power in unity and collaboration and helping each other through challenges,” he said.
Emma joined the programme at a point where she wanted to challenge herself and step outside her comfort zone.
“I knew I needed change,” she explained. “I needed to step out of my comfort zone.”
For David, the programme was an opportunity to broaden his perspective and invest in his own personal development.
“I wanted to open my eyes and ears around running businesses,” he said. “I wanted to challenge myself as a person.”
Turning ideas into action
The relationships formed through Catapult quickly turned into practical collaboration and community and business impact.
After securing £20,000 in funding through Rochford District Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Design Cabin and Brazilarte worked together to deliver a cultural events programme at the Freight House in Rochford, which had previously been out of use and been the subject of a local campaign to save protect future use. For the community.
The programme between DEsign Cabin and Brazilarte introduced new creative experiences to the community, including:
- Creative folk herbalism workshops
- Drumming sessions
- Cultural heritage flag activities
- Community-led cultural events
For Emma, the partnership created opportunities that would not have existed otherwise.
“Working with James created a new platform,” she said. “It gave the opportunity to explore new ideas and create new opportunities to work with the community.”
The collaboration also extended to South East and Central Essex Mind.
As a growing charity, David explained that the organisation benefited from the additional skills, ideas and expertise brought in through the Catapult network.
“We’ve been able to look at the skillsets we don’t have and both James and Emma have supported us with that,” he said.
That support included communications, event delivery, workshops and community engagement activity, including International Women’s Day events focused on wellbeing and mental health.
“For us as a charity, it’s been exceptional,” David added. “Meeting great people, doing great work and inspiring and supporting local residents.”
Building a lasting legacy
What started as a peer-to-peer programme through Catapult has evolved into something much bigger.
The three organisations are now exploring ways to create an ongoing collaborative partnership, bringing together their strengths to support future projects, funding applications and community activity.
“We’re hoping to create a collective or collaborative business of all our organisations working together,” explained James.
The aim is simple: combine skills, resources and expertise to create greater impact together than any organisation could achieve alone.
Emma described the experience as opening the door to opportunities she never imagined.
“There have been collaborative opportunities that I never knew could exist,” she said.
For David, the programme’s biggest success is the long-term impact it has created.
“What it’s given is friendship, promotional work, resilience and ongoing impact,” he said. “That’s the legacy Launchpad and Catapult will be involved with.”
More than a business programme
Catapult is designed to help ambitious people and organisations grow, but stories like this show that growth is not always about turnover or scale.
Sometimes, growth comes from confidence.
Sometimes, it comes from connection.
And sometimes, it comes from bringing the right people together at the right moment.
For James, Emma and David, Catapult became more than a programme. It became the starting point for a partnership built on collaboration, creativity and community impact.
That is exactly what Launchpad exists to support.
