This group also incorporates Stawley Community Association (SCA).
The groups are constituted to improve the quality of life for the inhabitants of the seven villages and hamlets of our area i.e. Appley, Ashbrittle, Bathealton, Greenham, Kittisford, Stawley and Tracebridge. We work by associating together the inhabitants with other local voluntary and statutory organisations to provide facilities and services in the interest of social welfare and for recreation and leisure.
The RCI was established in 1999 as an offshoot of the school governors at Stawley Primary School, this followed a review of the school and the realisation that by integrating the school more closely with the community it would help to safeguard the future of the school and provide a “hub” for the community. The RCI was born to co-ordinate this relationship and became the enabler for all the services required by the community following a survey of needs. The RCI is a registered charity and the SCA is its “projects arm” dealing with matters of a more commercial nature and this is co-operative industrial and provident society.
Each group has its own constitution and bank account and runs in close association with the Wiveliscombe Area Market Towns Initiative and the Taunton Deane Borough Council Rural Regeneration Team. The committees are composed of volunteer members and trustees and the whole is co-ordinated by a dedicated Community Development Worker who is remunerated for approximately 10 hours per week via other charitable grant awards.
In the past the RCI has organised the following: - Adult learning and leisure – IT, Rural Skills, Printmaking, Creative Writing, First Aid and Fitness, Cycle Training for Children, Organic Vegetable Box Scheme, Farmers Markets, Youth Club, Credit Union, Oil Syndicate,and has set up links with Age Concern.
The group's ongoing project is to enable the relocation and enhancement of the local Shop and Post Office
The future
The final stages of the planning process for the Shop and Post Office are taking place culminating in the signing of a lease for the identified premises with Somerset County Council. Building work will then commence and we hope the premises will be open for business later in Autumn 2005. Following from this the RCI wish to develop the Youth Club links further and start work on some kind of rural transport scheme.
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