Our Work
in the Public Sector

Our Work
in the Public Sector

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service – Public consultation on proposed changes to service delivery

Like many other public sector organisations in the UK, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service (HIWFRS) is facing financial challenges and must take steps to ensure its financial sustainability. By completing an Analysis of Risk, HIWFRS identified a number of resources that are not currently being used enough to justify the cost of running them and proposed three changes to the way the FRS is delivered on the Isle of Wight (IOW) to address the mismatch.
In May 2025, HIWFRS published a consultation document and launched an online survey. Additionally, HIWFRS commissioned Paraffin to design and facilitate two in-person events in the IOW communities most directly affected by the proposed changes. The sessions were designed to ensure all attendees could contribute by completing a written exercise, participating in an open discussion, or both.

Outcomes & Impact

• 61 participants attended the two sessions

• 90 suggestions for improving the proposals

• 22 participated in the discussions

One participant went to the trouble of admitting afterwards that he thought the exercise was going to be a waste of time but could see the benefit of it having participated.

Overall, the impact was positive – the sessions were designed to provide residents with a voice and it very much achieved that objective!

Outcomes & Impact

• 61 participants attended the two sessions

• 90 suggestions for improving the proposals

• 22 participated in the discussions

One participant went to the trouble of admitting afterwards that he thought the exercise was going to be a waste of time but could see the benefit of it having participated.

Overall, the impact was positive – the sessions were designed to provide residents with a voice and it very much achieved that objective!

Imagine Portsmouth 2040

Facilitated by Portsmouth City Council, Imagine Portsmouth is a collaborative project to create a new city vision: Imagine Portsmouth 2040. The project commenced in 2019 with a series of workshops, and in 2020 Paraffin was commissioned to design and deliver a Citizens’ Conference that brought together a group of residents who were demographically representative of the people of Portsmouth.
The session was designed and facilitated by Paraffin to elicit participants’ views on what makes Portsmouth unique, the things that inspire the city’s pride and passion, and the things that the city needs to get right for the future.

Outcomes & Impact

• 900 people applied to take part , with 90 attending on the day

• 100 people were selected as participants

• 10 groups of nine residents shared their Top 5 Things to Get Right in Portsmouth

Each group chose their three most important visions from the seven that emerged from the focus group learnings and built on their chosen visions to make them stronger Conference participants’ focus was on Environment, Transport, Health & Wellbeing and Education

Outcomes & Impact

• 900 people applied to take part , with 90 attending on the day

• 100 people were selected as participants

• 10 groups of nine residents shared their Top 5 Things to Get Right in Portsmouth

Each group chose their three most important visions from the seven that emerged from the focus group learnings and built on their chosen visions to make them stronger Conference participants’ focus was on Environment, Transport, Health & Wellbeing and Education

Creating a vision for Portsmouth’s future

Following the conference, Paraffin created a short film to tell the story of the day and summarise the outcomes.

Project Bridge

The Project Bridge methodology – itself co-created with Portsmouth’s Voluntary & Community Sector – is an approach that brings together multiple stakeholders from public sector organisations, the voluntary and community sector, cross-party elected members and residents to build better solutions to their community’s challenges and opportunities.
Based in Portsmouth, Paraffin has used its tried and tested approach to public consultation to co-produce an inspiring vision for the city (Imagine Portsmouth 2040), solve some of its most complex issues and provide better services to residents in relation to:

• Rough Sleeping • Young People at Risk of Exploitation • Childhood Obesity • Bringing People Home from Hospital • Sitting Services • Supporting Disabilities • Reunification • Building Safer Communities • Volunteering • Portsmouth City Council Customer Helpdesk • Social Enterprises

It has used the same approach in the wider region to facilitate constructive feedback on proposed changes to the Fire & Rescue Service, and in London with the Grenfell community.

• Rough Sleeping • Young People at Risk of Exploitation • Childhood Obesity • Bringing People Home from Hospital • Sitting Services • Supporting Disabilities • Reunification • Building Safer Communities • Volunteering • Portsmouth City Council Customer Helpdesk • Social Enterprises

It has used the same approach in the wider region to facilitate constructive feedback on proposed changes to the Fire & Rescue Service, and in London with the Grenfell community.