Popularly known as "the biggest housing estate in Europe", Ely is the most deprived area of Cardiff and one of the most disadvantaged parts of the UK. It has, by the admission of its own residents, a bad reputation as an area associated with poverty, gangs, street crime and burnt-out cars. That is only one part of the story. Those who live in Ely talk about a close-knit, if insular, community keen to dispel the bad reputation and build something positive and lasting in its place. Ely's "Grand Avenue Times" women's group has shown just how effective learning can be in giving people the confidence and sense of agency to make a difference in their communities.