Ten Years of ICM: Creativity, Community and Change

We’re 10 Years Old!

Can you believe it? ICM officially turns 10 years old today (Weds 25th June) a whole decade of creativity, connection and community.

If we were a person, we’d be off to big school, proudly showing off our new backpack, freshly sharpened pencils and dreaming big about the future. We’re feeling pretty grown up... but still full of energy, curiosity and joy.

Our Integration Team move to St Matthews Street office in 2019.

How it all began...

In 2015, on a modest street just off Norwich Road in Ipswich, something quietly powerful began. Ipswich Community Media (ICM) was born from the collective will of a group of compassionate individuals: Bruce, Prachi, Cad, Anjali, Linda, Ritu, Gauri, Ed, Don, Charlotte, Sumaiyah, Saumya and Darshika, all of whom saw the potential in their community.

With no funding and only a temporary base at ISCRE, those early days were fuelled by cups of tea, determination and grit. Rooted in fairness and social justice, ICM set out to empower those at the margins of society and build a more inclusive Ipswich.

We created a space where people from all backgrounds could find their voice, grow their skills and feel they truly belonged, starting with a group of dedicated volunteers.

In 2016, we moved into our new base at South Street Studios. This was a big turning point in ICM’s journey. That same year, our Integration Team received their first piece of funding, thanks to an Awards for All grant (fronted by ISCRE). It marked the beginning of something special.

We also launched IO Radio, a community radio station that gave local people a platform to be heard and to connect through music, stories and shared experiences.

At its peak IO Radio hosted over 70 volunteer DJs.

One of our first projects was South Street Kids (SSK). It began when Cad noticed a group of children from the local Roma community on South Street, playful but aimless, and responded by creating a space where they could express themselves through creativity, finding joy, identity and belonging.

SSK has been running for 10 years and has engaged 100's of young people through music, media, creativity and connection.

In a town where vibrancy and diversity often rub shoulders with deprivation and disenfranchisement, ICM was conceived as a lifeline. A catalyst for change. Its mission?

To challenge inequality by empowering people to transform their lives through learning and creativity.

The heart of our work

ICM began in Westgate Ward, one of the most deprived yet culturally rich areas in the UK.

Around a third of residents are from migrant, displaced or sanctuary-seeking communities. They bring language, tradition and fresh perspectives, but also face isolation, inequality and language barriers.

That is why English language learning became a core part of our work. For adults, communication is not just a tool, it is liberation. It opens doors to work, education and services, while building confidence and connection.

“ICM didn’t just teach me English - they gave me the tools to build a future.”– ESOL Learner

Our Integration Team have offered 4680 Hours of learning over 10 years to 2112 learners.

The Integration Team offers far more than English language sessions, their health and wellbeing work is central to the programme, with regular Westgate Wellbeing sessions providing a warm, welcoming space for people to connect, share food, reduce isolation and support one another.

Building for the future

In 2019, we formally became a registered charity: Ipswich Community Media and Learning. This was a major milestone, giving us stronger foundations, greater accountability and the ability to grow our impact through long-term partnerships and funding.

ICM’s impact has, at times, been truly life-saving. As Z said about New Gen:

“I literally cannot describe how much it has had an effect on my life. I probably wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for this group.”

Y echoed this sentiment, saying simply:

“New Gen saved my life.”

Launched in 2019, New Gen helps young people develop music and performance skills, in partnership with Out Loud Music and Brighten The Corners.

Making Waves, launched in 2018, supports at-risk young people by building creative, technical, and vocational skills, promoting wellbeing, and opening routes to education, training, and employment.

Launched in 2024, Emulate supports disadvantaged young men (16–24) through creative mentoring, recently joined by Omid Djalili for a session.

Where we are now

Ten years on, ICM has a permanent home at Westgate House. We run a wide range of creative and learning programmes for adults and young people, including Maternity Projects, Health and Wellbeing sessions, Information, Advice and Guidance sessions, delivering preparation courses for Secure English Language Tests, Making Waves and Emulate.

We now reach over 10,000 people each year through projects and events, continuing to empower and connect our diverse community — building confidence, amplifying voices, and creating opportunities for people to thrive. As we look to the future, our mission remains the same: to stand alongside our community and make change happen, together.

A word from our Chair and High Sheriff of Suffolk, Gulshan Kayembe

Over the past ten years, ICM has championed local stories, provided vital education and skills training and created spaces for people of all backgrounds to come together to learn and grow.

It has created a ‘family’ that no one wants to leave, and everyone who has been part of the ICM journey wants to come back.

Our success as an organisation has depended on our ability to develop and sustain meaningful partnerships, and on the selfless determination to help other ambitious projects get off the ground.

ICM has more than just survived. Thanks to the hard work, dedication and creativity of our staff, volunteers, partners, learners, trustees and supporters, it has flourished. The human relationships formed and nurtured over the last ten years tell our story.

Here’s to the next decade of creativity, connection and community.

Gulshan Kayembe

Chair of ICM Board of Trustees

Over the past 10 years, we’ve had the privilege of working with so many incredible people that we couldn’t possibly feature everyone, but we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported, volunteered, partnered with us, and helped shape ICM into what it is today. Thank you!