A community project from Woking is among those featured in the Museum of Broken Dreams, a powerful exhibition in Parliament which has been running this week.

The museum, designed by the We’re Right Here campaign, tells the stories of community-led projects that could have transformed lives but never reached their potential.

The projects were not held back by a lack of ideas or dedication, but by a system that makes it difficult for community initiatives to succeed.

Woking is represented by the Goldsworth Road-based Phoenix Cultural Centre, which set out to create a space run by and for the community, offering music, art and spoken word alongside training in lighting, sound and gig management.

When Phoenix Centre opened it lent the space in the daytime to other charities to do their work, meeting and supporting clients in a neutral and welcoming space, as well as supporting people from the Job Centre next door who sent them over.

However, because of financial constraints and limited influence over the sale or use of council-owned assets, Phoenix spent over a decade trying to secure a safe and permanent space for their hub.

Phoenix is now closing down at the end of the year, unable to execute its full vision.

The exhibition coincides with the second reading of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, an opportunity to pass legislation that could shift power to local communities.

Elaine McGinty, the founder and CEO of Phoenix Cultural Centre and Fiery Bird live music venue, said: “The stories that feature in the Museum of Broken Dreams represent a real chance for the government to learn about the challenges community projects have to deal with.

“For those undertaking this important work, the learning curve is steep, but it results in a treasure trove of expertise that we can share. It’s an opportunity for similar ideas to be picked up and go on in an even bigger and better way.”

The We’re Right Here campaign is driven by eight community leaders based across the country who have overcome bureaucratic barriers to make their places better for people in their community.