A vision rooted in action
More than 30 years ago, Nia Higginbotham helped create something that didn’t yet exist in North Wales — a way for ordinary people to come together, build power, and create meaningful change in their communities.
At the time, there was growing frustration. People cared deeply about injustice, inequality, and the challenges facing their communities — but many felt powerless to act.
Nia saw a different possibility.
“There was a lot of anger, a lot of frustration, and a feeling of helplessness… this was one way of trying to get to grips with that.”
Drawing on her experience as a social worker and community worker — including time spent in Glasgow and Northern Ireland during the Troubles — Nia was searching for something that could truly make a difference.
She found it in community organising.
From idea to movement
Community organising wasn’t widely known in the UK at the time. After training in the United States and seeing it in action globally, Nia returned to North Wales with a simple but powerful idea:
Start with people. Start with conversations.
Over six months, she held one-to-one conversations with over 250 people across Wrexham and beyond — from community members to local leaders.
Only three people declined to meet.
From those conversations, a small group of committed individuals emerged. Together, they formed the foundation of what would become TCC.
“I didn’t think it was worth doing unless there was a group of people who wanted to do it together.”
By 1995, TCC launched with 14 organisations. Within a few years, that had grown to over 40 — a powerful coalition of schools, faith groups, and community organisations.
A different kind of organisation
From the beginning, TCC was intentionally different.
It wasn’t built around a single issue or campaign. Instead, it brought together diverse groups with different perspectives, united by a shared commitment to improving their communities.
“What we were going to do depended on who joined us.”
This approach — known as broad-based organising — meant:
- Bringing together people from all backgrounds
- Focusing on shared concerns, not divisions
- Building long-term power, not short-term wins
It also meant creating space for voices that had often been excluded.
At one early public meeting, members of a local mosque shared that it was the first time they had been publicly recognised as having a civic role in Wrexham.
That mattered.
Values that shaped everything
TCC wasn’t driven by a fixed agenda — but it was grounded in strong values.
At its heart was a simple question:
What kind of world do we want to leave for future generations?
For Nia, the answer included:
- Fairness and equality
- Respect for one another
- Strong, connected communities
- People working together across differences
These values weren’t imposed — they emerged from the people and organisations involved.
And they guided every decision.
“Winning an issue isn’t the most important thing… it’s building people and organisations who can take on the next one.”
Building power, not dependency
One of the most distinctive aspects of TCC’s model was its independence.
From the start, member organisations contributed financially — not because resources were abundant, but because it mattered.
“If you value something, you pay for it… if you don’t pay for yourself, you don’t have a voice.”
By avoiding reliance on government funding, TCC ensured it could challenge decision-makers without compromise.
It was — and remains — political with a small “p”:
- Engaging with power
- Holding leaders to account
- But never aligning with political parties
Real change, driven by people
Through collective action, TCC supported campaigns that made a real difference across North Wales and beyond.
These included:
- Improving mental health services
- Challenging environmental issues like incinerators
- Supporting the growth of Fair Trade in Wales
- Holding local authorities and businesses to account
- Improving community safety and infrastructure
One powerful example involved residents living near an industrial site who were experiencing severe, unexplained noise affecting their health.
Through research, storytelling, and strategic action, TCC helped expose the issue, influence national media coverage, and drive real change — leading to improved regulations and accountability.
But for Nia, the most important outcomes weren’t just policy changes.
Leadership that transforms lives
What mattered most was people.
“The thing I’m proudest of is the people who blossomed and did things they never thought they would do.”
TCC focused on developing leaders — not speaking for people, but enabling them to speak for themselves.
This meant:
- People sharing their own stories
- Building confidence and skills
- Taking action together
- Discovering their own power
Time and again, individuals who once felt unheard became confident leaders in their communities.
A legacy that continues
Today, TCC continues to build on the foundations Nia helped create — bringing people together, developing leaders, and taking action on the issues that matter most.
The challenges facing communities may have changed, but the need remains the same.
“There’s never a shortage of issues… what there is, is a shortage of people willing to come together and act.” Nia’s vision reminds us that change is possible — when people organise, build relationships, and take action together.
