Community Assembly of the British Isles: stronger communities, built by local people
Stronger communities,built by local people
Connecting people across the British Isles to share skills, strengthen communities and create positive change together.
Mên-an-Tol, West Cornwall
- Community
- Nature
- Connection
- Learning
- Wellbeing
- Sustainability
What you are joining
A quiet, steady network of people who already look out for each other
Most people arrive tired and a little wary. That is normal, and it is exactly why CABI is built slowly: local groups, plain language, published rules and no one asking you to commit to anything before you have seen it with your own eyes.
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- members taking part locally
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- local businesses listed
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- of governance published
- Look before you get involvedTake your time. Read everything, attend an event, ask questions and simply observe. There is never any pressure to participate before you are ready.
- Free to join. Free to leave.Membership is free, your data is never sold, and you remain in control of your account and communication preferences at all times.
- Real people. Open governance.Every Assembly has named facilitators, published safeguarding arrangements and a transparent complaints process.
- Take part at your own paceSome people simply attend events. Others volunteer, share skills or help start new local Assemblies. Every contribution matters.
- Built on opennessEverything from governance and safeguarding to key policies and finances is published openly because trust grows through transparency.
A Saturday in Powys
This is what membership usually looks like
No committees, no jargon and no one performing. A dozen neighbours, a few hours, and a patch of ground that feeds four households and a lunch club. Almost everything CABI does starts at roughly this scale, then grows only if local people want it to.
People, place, purpose
A circle works because everyone in it can see everyone else
Communities have gathered in circles on these islands for thousands of years, for the simple reason that it works. No head of the table, no back row, no one speaking on your behalf. That is the shape a community assembly still takes today, in a village hall or a back room of a café, wherever people decide to sit down together.
First, who is arriving today?
CABI is for private individuals, independent businesses and local organisations alike. Choose one and we will show only what is relevant to you. No account, no pressure, and you can change your mind at any point.
Already a member? Sign in to your member area.
Plain English
How CABI actually operates, day to day
CABI is a network of local community assemblies across the British Isles. An assembly is a group of people in one area who meet, agree what matters locally and act on it together. There is no head office deciding things for your town.
Members share practical skills, run projects, organise events, support independent traders and look out for one another. Every assembly is run by the people who live there, working to shared standards for safety, fairness and openness that anybody can read before joining.
Joining is free. You can take part as little or as much as you like, and you can leave at any time without explaining yourself to anyone.
How access works
1. Public website
Anyone can read about CABI, browse assemblies, events and policies.
2. Free member area
Register free for local groups, resources, newsletters and event booking.
3. Role based access
Facilitators, coordinators, practitioners, moderators and administrators get only the tools their role needs.
Find your local community
Assemblies at every stage are listed honestly, including those still forming or currently paused.
- Active
North Devon Assembly
Barnstaple, Bideford and surrounding parishes
Monthly gatherings, a tool library and a growing skill-share network across North Devon.
Updated 3 July 2026
- Active
Greater Manchester Assembly
Manchester, Salford and Stockport
An urban assembly focused on food projects, repair cafés and support for independent traders.
Updated 21 June 2026
- Forming
Mid Wales Assembly
Powys and Ceredigion
A new group meeting to agree local priorities. Early members are welcome to help shape it.
Updated 12 July 2026
What members actually do together
Nothing here requires confidence, spare money or free evenings every week. Most members pick one thing and stay with it.
Meet locally
Regular gatherings in halls, cafés and community spaces.
Share skills
Repair, grow, build, teach and learn from neighbours.
Support projects
Practical local projects run by the people affected.
Learn together
Guides, workshops and training, free to members.
Support local trade
Directories that help people find independent traders.
Improve wellbeing
Connection, purpose and support close to home.
Community stories from real places
Small, ordinary results, achieved by people with jobs, children and limited time.
Powys, Mid Wales
Challenge: Unused land beside a village hall.
Action: Twelve members cleared and planted raised beds over three weekends.
Result: A shared growing space now feeding four households and a lunch club.
Stockport, Greater Manchester
Challenge: Household items being thrown away for want of small repairs.
Action: A monthly repair café with a rota of volunteer menders.
Result: Over 200 items repaired and a tool library open to all residents.
Barnstaple, North Devon
Challenge: Independent traders struggling to reach nearby customers.
Action: A local directory and a monthly high street market run by members.
Result: Eighteen independent businesses listed and steadier weekday trade.
Upcoming events near you and online
- PublicOnlineFree
Introduction to CABI, an open evening
Thu 6 August 2026 · 19:00 to 20:30 · Online
- PublicIn personFree
Community skill-share afternoon
Fri 14 August 2026 · 14:00 to 17:00 · Barnstaple, Devon
- PublicIn personFree
Repair café and tool library launch
Sun 9 August 2026 · 10:00 to 14:00 · Stockport, Greater Manchester
- MembersOnlineFree
Facilitator training, part one
Sat 22 August 2026 · 10:00 to 15:00 · Online
Support local businesses
Find independent traders and services near you, with clear information about location, accessibility and how each listing was checked.
Browse the business directoryFind a practitioner or wellbeing service
Practitioners are listed by category, with qualifications, regulation status and safety context shown on every profile.
Browse wellbeing listingsTrust and governance, published openly
Everything you need in order to judge whether CABI is trustworthy is public, and never sits behind registration.
Everyone starts somewhere.
Whether you are simply curious, looking for your local community or ready to contribute your skills, there is a place for you.