Council workers visited a village to take inspiration from its community-minded residents and businesses.

Members of Braintree Council's economic development team visited Toppesfield, where they explored three community owned enterprises.

First stop was Toppesfield Community Store, which was created in 2002 and has traded profitably ever since.

The profits from the shop are invested on things to improve the village including Toppesfield Primary School and Toppesfield Cricket Club..

Next the team visited Toppesfield Community Pub Ltd, which was formed in 2012 in order to buy the Green Man, and save it from closing.

A huge 160 different shareholders helped buy the pub, which is now run by Steve and Paula Preston and employs several residents.

Just next door is the Pumphouse Community Brewery, the first community owned brewery in the country when it was set up in 2015.

Volunteers from the village help pick the vineyard's grapes in return for a harvest lunch and some of the labour of the their hard work when it is ready.