Mobi Hub levels up with new name
One of the four projects in the Rural Innovation in Action (RIIA) programme will support a new on-demand bus service between Rutland and Melton, operating from a central hub in Oakham town centre. Since the initial proposal stage, this has been known as Mobi Hub, however a decision was made that a name was needed to accurately reflect the breadth of the scheme. Local Link was chosen to encompass the overarching vision of connectivity and accessibility.
Key factors in this decision were the existing names of services in the area, with the on-demand service across Rutland being known as Callconnect and the health offering on the first floor of Local Link to be referred to as Health and Care Connect.
The road to Local Link
The RIIA delivery team undertook a multi-stage process, working together to develop a bank of names that suited the scheme. Before gaining wider external feedback, favoured options were selected and discussed with internal colleagues to gauge opinion.
Following this internal process, public engagement was undertaken with two groups – The Rutland Youth Council and The Rutland Disabled Youth Forum – to gain external opinion. The wider voluntary sector was also consulted with no feedback received.
External feedback
It was important to gain anecdotal internal and external feedback as part of the naming process as it allowed us to gain opinions from a range of stakeholders. From these discussions surrounding the proposed shortlisted names, the feedback on Local Link was overwhelmingly positive and included that:
- It encompasses all the various aspects of the scheme well
- It shows that the project is ‘linking’ lots of community facilities/ resources
- It conveys inclusivity and ease of use for the community
- The name is easy to understand and remember
The final decision
Following this process, it was decided that Local Link is a simple but effective name for the scheme formerly known as MobiHub. It reflects the project’s role as a ‘link’ for the community, whether that’s connecting people to services like the medical centre via new transport services or engaging young people by creating a flexible space within Jules House. It is also felt that as the project develops, the name will remain relevant and adaptable to any future changes.
To find out more about project, visit the Local Link page here: Local Link | Projects | Rural Innovation in Action
