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More +What is the BIG Lincoln Conversation?
LocalMotion Lincoln are listening to communities, seeking to understand what drives them forward and holds them back, and uncover local strengths.
We want to work with communities to address social, economic and environmental challenges being faced locally and beyond. To support this, we are working with Social Change to undertake ongoing research with those living and/or working in the City of Lincoln.
The BIG Lincoln Conversation began in 2023, with the launch of its annual survey. The survey aims to explore the experiences of those living and/or working in Lincoln, local challenges stopping communities from thriving, and the picture of happiness and satisfaction in Lincoln. By capturing this feedback on a yearly basis, we can assess and respond to ongoing challenges and changes in real time.
In addition to capturing feedback around local challenges, happiness, and satisfaction, each year we focus on a specific topic we want to understand further, such as the extent to which people feel in control of their lives, or what community is to them. On this page, you can see an overview of what each survey explored, their key findings, and the full insights report.
Ultimately, this research aims to help us understand how communities can be supported to overcome key challenges so that they may be strengthened and enabled to thrive.
Learning webinar 2025
During this webinar, Charlotte Brooks from LocalMotion Lincoln and our Head of Behavioural Insights, Daisy, take you through the BIG Conversation journey from 2023 to 2025. Watch now for an overview of who LocalMotion Lincoln are and their key mission, how the BIG Conversation is helping us capture community insight, and the lessons being learned throughout to help shape continuous engagement.
The BIG Lincoln Conversation: 2026
The focus
For 2026, we want to explore what change looks like for people in Lincoln.
Five key highlights
The BIG Conversation 2026 hasn’t been launched yet, but watch this space for updates! Be part of the conversation, and a chance of winning up to £200 in vouchers!
The report
Report coming soon.
The BIG Lincoln Conversation: 2025
The focus
In 2025, we wanted to explore the different cultures existing in the City of Lincoln. Seven dimensions were used to understand how people perceive their influence on the world around them, what they consider their role to be in enacting change, and the best ways to encourage and empower people to take action to create this.
Five key highlights
What does happiness and satisfaction look like in Lincoln?
While the majority of people are likely to feel some degree of happiness and satisfaction in life, these levels are lower than previous years. Those over the age of 65 have seen a particularly significant shift, with them going from experiencing the highest levels of satisfaction in previous years to the lowest in 2025.
What impacts people in Lincoln?
When asked what positively and negatively impacts people in Lincoln, a number of themes arose. These include sense of financial, health and job security, social connection, cohesion and opportunities to connect with one another, the availability, cleanliness and safety of local spaces, and the political climate.
Do people feel in control of their lives?
Many people in Lincoln feel some control over their lives and life experiences, but whilst some focus on their individual freedom, others focus on their role within the community. However, there are some people that do not feel they are in control of their lives, negatively impacting happiness and satisfaction. These people are more likely to need support to build this sense of control and security.
How do people communicate?
There is a preference for directness and objectivity when communicating. People want to see factual information that presents an objective picture with evidence to back it up, allowing them to make their own conclusions and decisions. However, some people prefer a more personal and emotive approach, wanting to see person-led feedback, such as stories.
How to people approach rules and systems?
People like having a plan in place to follow, with pre-set rules and systems to guide them, but preferences for how these are enforced vary. One the one hand, some people find security in rules being set in place and unchangeable – they trust established systems to work. Others, however, would prefer for these to be flexible and adaptive, so that they can try new approaches and make their own path.
The report
The BIG Lincoln Conversation: 2024
The focus
In 2024, the focus was on community. In the digital world, communities are no longer limited to location, and so we wanted to find out what community means to people in the City of Lincoln. We also wanted to understand what defines a ‘welcoming’ community, and whether they consider the City to be welcoming to them.
Five key highlights
What is concerning the people of Lincoln?
People are most concerned about and feel most impacted by challenges relating to the NHS and economy. Whilst people are also concerned about climate change, they don’t feel impacted by it, which may lead people to prioritise this less.
What is defining community in Lincoln?
A community is defined by locality, friendship, and shared interests. People want to be a part of a community that engages with and helps one another, and/or works together towards a common goal. Acceptance, inclusivity, and good communication are considered key components to making a community feel ‘welcoming’.
How welcoming is Lincoln?
Not everyone considers the City of Lincoln to be welcoming, with those who do not consider it so indicating it does not align with their own interests. People who do not think it is welcoming are more likely to think the City places more value of being self-orientated, whereas they consider themselves more group-orientated.
Why is community important to Lincoln?
Community provides people with a sense of personal security, belonging, and respect, positively impacting happiness and satisfaction in life. This is shown by the fact that those who feel the City of Lincoln is a welcoming community are more likely to have positive happiness and satisfaction scores.
How can we connect Lincoln with community?
We need to increase and advertise opportunities for residents in the City of Lincoln to come together. These could be based on localities (e.g., in specific areas), or shared interests (e.g., a crafting or young entrepreneur group). This will give people more opportunities to engage with one another, find a community whose values matches their own, and ultimately feel more welcome in the City of Lincoln.
The report
Watch the animation about the findings
The BIG Lincoln Conversation: 2023
The focus
In 2023, the focus was on local challenges and the extent to which people feel in control of their lives. We wanted to understand what people prioritise in life, the control they feel over these areas, and how this impacts their happiness and satisfaction. In particular, this survey helped to highlight how these prioritise change over the lifespan and react in the face of crisis.
Five key highlights
What concerns people in the City of Lincoln?
People are most concerned about challenges relating to the economy and NHS, but most impacted by the economy and political climate, with the NHS coming third. Whilst people are also concerned about climate change, they don’t feel impacted by it, which may lead people to prioritise this less.
What do people prioritise?
Health, family, and happiness are of utmost importance across the lifespan. Being physically healthy, having good mental health, family, and being happy are both considered to be important in life and key indicators of success. The order in which people prioritise these areas, however, changes through the lifespan, with happiness being more important across ages 16-54, and health for those aged 55 and above.
Do people feel able to succeed?
People want their lives to feel meaningful, and to be able to make a positive difference to the world and those around them. However, national issues and crises are putting personal safety and security, financial security, employment, and health at risk. When combined with the feeling of being unable to make a change in these areas, this means people are too focused on survival to be able to pursue opportunities for purpose.
How does this perspective change?
Older adults are more likely to have positive happiness and satisfaction scores, likely influenced by a changed attitude towards wanting to embrace and make the most of each day. With them having a greater sense of freedom following retirement and beginning to see life (or life in good health) as scarce, they focus more on fulfilling their sense of purpose and spend time doing things or with people they love.
How can we help people in the City of Lincoln?
We need to support people to not only survive, but thrive. This could include through establishing a hub of support that works to engage with residents to understand their challenges and bring people together, acting as a source of social support. The hub can also provide resources that give advice and guidance on navigating life challenges, or signpost people to where they can find and access support, or even engage in opportunities to make a difference to others. This will not only alleviate the burden faced during difficult times, but also help them to engage in activities with gives them meaning.
The report
Watch the animation
