WRCC Celebrates a Year of Impact and Growth at 2023/24 AGM
Harbury Village Hall, 30 January 2025
Warwickshire Rural Community Council (WRCC) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Harbury Village Hall, reflecting on a year marked by significant achievements and community impact. The event brought together staff, volunteers, and community members to celebrate the successes of the past year and outline future goals.
In his opening remarks, Chris Cowcher, WRCC’s CEO, who was speaking about work of the organisation prior to his start date last December, highlighted the organisation’s expansion from five to six core operations, enabling broader community engagement across Warwickshire. 2023/24 was also a year when WRCC’s board and Senior Leadership Team had taken the strategic decisions to invest the organisation’s reserves to support this growth.
The Warm Hubs initiative, supported by Cadent, was a standout success, hosting over 18,000 visits across 14 permanent hubs and 71 Winter Warm Hubs. These hubs provided not only a warm and safe environment but also essential information, advice, and support, significantly reducing isolation and loneliness.
The WRCC’s commitment to community support was further demonstrated through 14 slow cooker courses, run in partnership with Warwickshire County Council. These courses helped residents learn to batch cook nutritious meals efficiently, addressing the pressures on household budgets.
The Housing Enabler Service, celebrating its 20th anniversary, continued to play a crucial role in advocating for affordable housing in rural areas. The service’s efforts have been instrumental in delivering over 250 affordable homes over two decades, and are very relevant in light of the current government’s housing development goals.
WRCC’s Back & 4th Community Transport service also made a notable impact, with over 70 community groups utilizing the service for 325 trips. The service benefited a diverse range of groups, including youth groups, young carers, memory clubs, primary schools, and hospices, highlighting its multi-generational reach.
Village Halls, a vital part of the ACRE Network, remained central to community life, hosting a variety of events and activities. The partnership with the RCC in Leicestershire and Rutland provided valuable support through the Halls Together service, which included nine training and networking events.
The WRCC’s oil buying syndicate continued to offer significant savings for residents living in off-mains gas properties, with over 800 members saving £56,000 on fuel costs in the past year.
A new initiative, the Community Food Fleet, was launched to provide hot meals and well-being checks, ensuring that vulnerable residents could live independently. This service safeguarded and created jobs, operating 365 days a year, including during the festive season.
Looking ahead, the WRCC aims to strengthen its community relationships and expand its services. The organisation calls on community members to help grow the Community Food Fleet customer base by raising awareness and distributing literature.
As the WRCC celebrates 87 years of service, it remains committed to its mission of supporting Warwickshire’s diverse communities. The future vision includes growing trading activities to generate income for continued investment in charitable purposes.
Call to Action: WRCC encourages community members to get involved and support its initiatives. Whether through volunteering, spreading the word, or participating in events, every contribution helps make a difference. For more information please get in touch.
Download a copy of WRCC activity report by clicking here.
