Helping Birmingham’s gathering places get more people through the door, make them feel glad they came, and give them a reason to come back.

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Hiya đź‘‹ I'm Mark
I'm for Brum's gathering places

I founded Sounds Local to help community groups, events, cafés, pubs, workshops, festivals and third spaces make it easier for people to find them, trust them, turn up, and come back.

If you’re up to something fun and valuable in a room somewhere, I want to make the path to that room clearer.

Here's how I can help

You’ve opened the doors.
Now people need to find them.

Your event might be amazing, but if your listing's vague, people won't know what to expect and probably won't ask.

People often come once to something but don’t come back. Not because they had a bad time, but because they're no longer being reminded.

Your website, ticketing flow, mailing list and socials could be working well, but if they're not joined up, people fall through the cracks.

And sometimes we're just too close to the thing we love to see where people are getting lost.

That’s where I come in.

Why I do what I do

The Internet is a powerful way to connect people who wouldn’t otherwise meet. But if we don’t balance time on Zoom and social media with real-world interaction – especially with people who don’t look like us – our worldview gets smaller.

Sounds Local is a Community Interest Company, meaning the profit it makes is put back into the community to fund projects that get people off screens and out into the world, with all its messy unpredictability.

C90 Community Chorus

A singing group open to adults who want to come together and sing 90s songs for fun, to make new friends, and occasionally to perform relaxed gigs.

Stirchley Write Club

A monthly creative writing group for men who want a safe space to talk about what's on their mind so they can lighten their load and find a new way to express themselves.

The Speakeasy Fund

Anyone looking to gather people together to discuss an idea that’ll improve lives can apply to the fund, and we’ll pay for food and drink for the night.
  • Matthew photo

    Everyone is so kind and lovely and if it wasn't for the host of the group I don't think it would exist or be so special.

  • Becky photo

    Mark is so lovely and welcoming and everyone is like a big family.

  • Calvin photo

    Mark allowed Shamash and I to basically play for the whole time and not worry about anything.

  • Lucy photo

    Some people instinctively make good ideas better, they can't help but elevate; Mark is one of them.

  • Frances photo

    Mark is someone who you feel you've known for years when you first meet him. He's a warm and wonderful force of nature.

Let's do something together

Are you organising something more people should know about? Tell me what you're working on and I'll see how I can help.

Get in touch