Built from Experience. Created for Community.
The Build Room wasn’t created in a boardroom. It was created from lived experience, from establishing, growing and leading a Community Interest Company for over a decade, and learning firsthand what it takes to build something that lasts.
Built from Experience
Like many people, our Directors Lee and Jules Mitchell started with a simple idea: to make a positive difference in their community.
That idea became The Big Happiness Experiment CIC, a Community Interest Company they established, grew and led for over a decade. During that time they designed and delivered a wide range of community programmes, securing close to £1 million in grant and both public and private sector funding.
Working alongside local councils and authorities, universities, the NHS, the British Army, military charities, charitable trusts, businesses and community partners, they created opportunities for hundreds of individuals to access support, develop new skills, improve wellbeing and build stronger connections within their communities.
The impact didn’t stop there. Every person supported was also a parent, partner, colleague, friend, neighbour or volunteer. As individuals became more confident, connected and resilient, the positive effects naturally rippled out into families, workplaces, friendship groups and communities.
When people thrive, communities become stronger.
Recognition
Their work has been recognised through several awards and honours.
Commander’s Coin
Awarded by the British Army 11 Signal and West Midlands Brigade for outstanding community contribution.
Queen’s Baton Bearer
Jules was selected as an official Queen’s Baton Bearer for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, in recognition of her contribution to communities across the region.
What We Believe
We believe there are a lot of good people out there trying to make a positive difference through CICs, charities, community projects and social enterprises. We also know how difficult it can be when you’re trying to work everything out on your own.
Good ideas need more than enthusiasm. They need support, guidance and strong foundations. That’s why we believe in being honest about what works, sharing experience and helping people build organisations that can grow, develop and stand the test of time.
Our Mission
To help people and organisations turn good ideas into sustainable action that creates lasting positive change within their communities.
Our Vision
A future where good ideas aren’t held back by a lack of support, knowledge or opportunity, and where organisations of all sizes have access to the guidance they need to thrive.
Our Values & Ethics
We believe in doing the right thing, working collaboratively, being open and honest, and always acting in the best interests of the people and organisations we support.
Why The Build Room Exists
Many people have brilliant ideas that could make a real difference in their communities. The challenge isn’t the idea: it’s knowing where to start and finding the right support to make it happen.
Too often, the advice you need is scattered across different organisations:
- One helps you set up a CIC.
- Another explains governance.
- Somewhere else helps you find grants or write funding bids.
- Then there’s finance, project development, marketing and sustainability.
Having established and run a successful CIC ourselves, we know how frustrating it is to find the support you need. Every stage of the journey seems to involve a different organisation, website or adviser.
So we built the one-stop shop we wish had existed when we started, bringing practical support, honest advice and experienced guidance together under one roof.
Helping good people build great organisations that strengthen communities.
Lee Mitchell
Lee brings together more than three decades of professional experience and ten years of hands-on involvement in the community sector.
After a long career in financial services, where he held director-level responsibilities for governance, compliance and operational oversight, Lee spent the next decade helping to establish, develop and grow a Community Interest Company from the ground up. During that time he was involved in funding research, project development, governance, policy creation, partnership working, project delivery and organisational growth.
The Build Room brings together that experience and provides a place where people can access practical support from someone who understands both the opportunities and the challenges that come with building an organisation.
A Personal Message from Lee
One of the reasons The Build Room means so much to me is because I’ve always had a soft spot for the underdog. Over the years I’ve met a lot of people with good ideas, plenty of determination and a genuine desire to make a difference. What they often didn’t have was someone to help them navigate the journey.
I’ve seen people with fantastic ideas struggle because they didn’t know where to start, who to ask or what to do next. Not because they lacked ability, but because they lacked the support that many larger organisations take for granted. That’s what The Build Room is all about.
Every organisation has its own story, which is why support should never be one-size-fits-all. If The Build Room can help a few more good people turn good ideas into something meaningful and sustainable, then I’ll consider that time well spent.
Lee Mitchell
Founder, The Build Room
Let's Start With a Conversation
Whatever stage you're at, our role is simple: to help you move forward with confidence.