Wiltshire

From Peter Newell, Chief Executive 1981-1996. Abridged from the full original manuscript, which is included at the end.

The diagram on the left highlights some key organisations, and their acronyms.

I am what might best be described as a ‘career community worker’ having worked […] in Austria […] with refugee families and in the then London Council of Social Service prior to taking up the post of Assistant Secretary of the the recently formed […] Community Council for Wiltshire […] in early 1968.

Ted Harris, then the Secretary (long before Directors and Chief Executives!), became a great mentor and friend with his lovely wife, Grete. Ted and I found that we had much in common in our perspectives and had both worked with refugees, albeit in different contexts. Ted had worked with the Friends Relief Service after the War in Holland and Poland through which he had met Grete from Denmark. Initially they had to speak to each other in Dutch, their only common language.

‘get out in front and stay there!’

Ted Harris, ‘training’ Kenyan Olympic athletes.

He was also a practising Quaker, deeply committed to Christian values. I remember him once saying to me ‘Don’t worry about the theology, it’s the practice that matters’.

At the time of my appointment, not every county had a Rural Community Council (RCC) and the then […] NCSS promoted and supported the development of RCCs through a regional office in Bristol. […] some of the core services for village halls and parish councils, for example, were managed through this regional office at that time under the direction of Ivor Popham and then (Major) Richard Hungerford. It was these regional officers who worked with Wiltshire County Council to establish CCW in 1965 and ensured that the other main core funder of RCCs, the Development Commission […] was willing to support new RCCs. […]

At that time, the Chairman of the Community Council was Sara Morrison, a County Councillor (and wife of Charles Morrison, MP), with whom I have had continuing support when needed. Curiously our paths crossed when later she became Chairman of NCVO and moved to Wedhampton in the parish of Urchfont where we have lived since 1971. She had along the way been Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party. The President was Lady Isobel Radnor, another person who played a significant role in the work of both Margaret, my wife, as she was also President of the the Wiltshire Trust for Nature Conservation of which Margaret was the first paid Secretary.

Assistant Secretary

As Assistant Secretary, I was responsible for the Village Halls Advisory Service and for being Secretary of the Wiltshire […]SCVYO.

The village halls work gave me the opportunity to travel around the county and get to know many of the villages and local people – a sound foundation for my future work in the county. At that time, there was a national grant aid scheme for village halls […] (with) NCSS providing invaluable support staff led by Marjorie Hann with legal advice from Gerald Emerson and later by Adrian Longley on village hall constitutional matters. They also had a valuable architect’s panel to examine and advise on larger projects and a building surveyor to look at smaller projects for which village hall committees were seeking grant aid.

Wiltshire SCVYO was responsible for bringing together all the voluntary youth organisations […]. We organised a major display of youth work, ‘Youth 69’, in the county at Chippenham College attended by Sir Edward Boyle, the then Secretary of State for Education. This work was supported nationally through the National SCVYO […]. I was invited to serve on a national working group to consider the future of both the national body and its local partners. Locally this led to the formation of the Wiltshire Youth Services Council which became independent of the Community Council.[…]

Of course as a member of a small team, I became involved in most of the work of CCW and acted for Ted when he had extended leave as he once did for six weeks for a hernia operation. In this way, I was involved in things like the annual handicraft exhibition and rallies run by the Wiltshire OPWC[…].

With local government reorganisation planned for 1974, the Community Council was asked by the County Council to move from The Cedars […]we were fortunate to be able in c1974 to be able to lease and later buy Wyndhams in St Joseph’s Place. […] Much of the initial internal decoration was undertaken by Ted and myself. Ted had the gift for throwing himself into all our projects with gusto and great enthusiasm! Over the years, internal improvements enabled us to expand the office accommodation within the building. There were however weaknesses in the building, well illustrated one day as I was leaving when fortunately Ted called me back. There was a great crash and one of the chimneys collapsed! Had I continued walking to the car park, I would no doubt have been killed! Thank you, Ted!

Countryside Liaison Officer

In 1973[…]funding (was provided) to enable RCCs to appoint field or countryside officers as a means of strengthening their work with local communities. Ted Harris asked me to undertake much of the local consultations necessary prior to our applying for funding and, with my involvement with conservation organisations, I suppose it was inevitable that he should encourage me to apply for the new post of what we called the Countryside Liaison Officer, which of course I did! This was the second such appointment in the country (after Gloucestershire). As this was an entirely new appointment, I had considerable latitude to develop the role as I saw fit. I gave much time to encouraging and supporting Parish Councils and local communities to develop proposals for the future of their communities through village appraisals. This was at a time when the concept of public participation in planning and related issues was relatively new. It took a while for the County Planning Officer, George McDonic, and his deputy to accept this intrusion into what they regarded as their responsibilities. I subsequently had a good relationship with George, who after his retirement became Chairman of the CPRE (The Campaign to Protect Rural England).

I was involved in the development of other organisations including the Wiltshire Natural History Forum […] and the Wiltshire Folk Life Society, restoration of the Avebury Great Barn in particular. Our work in restoring the Great Barn was rewarded with the award of the SAVE Museums Heritage Award in 1977.

This was a time of significant levels of unemployment (1970/1980s) with the result that my time became increasingly taken up with various employment initiatives […] This became a very significant part of CCW work under my supervision and led to CCW becoming a very substantial voluntary organisation in the county, possibly the largest in terms of employees, trainees and turnover. We had schemes for:

• training young people,
• employing unemployed adults to undertake work of community benefit including the clearing of dead elm trees
• and developing what became the Shaw Trust to develop employment opportunities for people with disabilities […] now a national organisation of some significance.

We later found the funding to enable us to appoint Trevor Bailey (ex Small Industries Adviser) as our Employment Promotion Officer to develop further initiatives. These included:

• the New Business Competition and projects for redundant workers (Workout);
• for older people (Third Age First);
• for women wishing to return to work;
• for young people wishing to start their own businesses (Student/Youth Business); and
• for the development of ‘telecottages’.

Trevor also developed Trilith Video (later Windrose) to record archival material on rural communities and related issues.

Whilst not my direct responsibility, it was during this time that in 1978 the South West Report on the Decline of Rural Services was published in which Diana Farrow, at that time a Project Worker, played a leading role, along with Mac Mackinnon.

Chief Officer

In 1981, Ted Harris retired and, after the normal recruitment and selection process, I was appointed to succeed him with the title at that time of Secretary, a very misleading title which was altered to Director shortly after I took up the appointment. I have a painting of Wyndhams by Renvoise, a local artist of some repute, specially commissioned by the staff of the Community Council to present to Ted at a special staff supper at Mrs Podger’s restaurant in Seend. Later, after Ted had died, Grete gave the picture to Margaret and me.

I was now responsible for the overall direction, development and management of the Community Council (ably supported throughout by Polly Pike, my Secretary). Some of this included a direct involvement in particular aspects of the work. This was true of the work with:

• Parish and Town Councils (I was Secretary of the county Association of Local Councils for five years, ably supported by NALC and their staff – Charles Arnold Baker, John Clark and Paul Clayden);
• the Jobforce youth training scheme;
• the Charities Information Bureau;
• and the Wiltshire Community Trust (forerunner of the Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation).

I was also very involved in negotiations for the transition from grant aid to service agreements and contracts between the County Council, the Health Authority and voluntary organisations (through the Wiltshire Grant Aid Forum).

I was active nationally working with Alan Rogers and David Clark with firstly the Standing Conference of RCCs and latterly I assisted with the establishment of ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) […] There was always a careful balance to be struck between these national activities and my local responsibilities. Not always easy! […]. In 1988, the staff were kind enough to acknowledge my twenty years with the Community Council by presenting me with a large engraved glass ‘goblet’ and a handwriting book (well they tried to encourage me to improve!).

I was very fortunate during my time as Chief Officer, to have the support of an excellent group of staff:

• After my appointment, Harry Powner took responsibility off me for overseeing the youth training scheme and the adult job creation scheme with separate managers for each.
• Diana Farrow made a name for herself with rural housing setting up the Wiltshire Rural Housing Association at a time when other, often larger housing associations were not able or willing to give priority to rural housing.
• Philippa ‘Pip’ Read was responsible for oversight of the village halls service (after Harry’s retirement) and the work with parish and town councils (and went on to become Chief Executive)
• Carol Drew provided essential financial management support.
• Jacky Nicholas was the Field Officer and gave particular attention to promoting and supporting Link community care schemes.

There were of course various individually funded projects, sometimes with their own project staff including, […] Wiltshire Information Resource Exchange with Doug Simpson leading […]and the Transport Broker with Sarah Howard leading. There was also the Village Ventures Competition with the iconic barn owl wooden sculpture as the prize (currently with Diana Farrow).

Occasionally we had opportunities to develop joint projects with other counties. Of particular interest was the Fair Deals project, with Mike Lish as Project Officer, where we worked with the Hampshire Council of Community Service to promote improved management amongst voluntary organisations in the face of the move to contracts and service agreements.

Throughout these times, I was a regular attendee at the annual Rural Life Conference (originally chaired by John Cripps[…]) and the less formal Director’s gatherings both nationally and regionally. These were without fail stimulating and supportive, developing a real camaraderie. At the national Director’s gatherings, I often found myself facilitating workshop sessions including a notable one when we agreed the overall vision and aim for ACRE and the main objectives which were subsequently adopted.

In addition to the more formal sessions, there were many opportunities for informal activities including long walks into the hills around Losehill in Derbyshire and at least one trip to France as part of the Rural Life Conference. During lunch with the Mayor during the latter trip, Jack Ainslie, with his farming interests, asked a question about European milk quotas and the Mayor expressed no knowledge of these! I also was fortunate to be able to attend training courses regularly during this time including a notable one in Rugby for aspiring Directors in 1979 at which, in one of the sessions, I had to chair a group to solve in a limited time two jigsaw puzzles mixed together. Fortunately we achieved our task!

I was fortunate throughout my time as Chief Officer to have a series of excellent Chairmen, some of whom became good friends. These included:

• Tim Pape, who became Director General of the Shaw Trust (after modest beginnings in the Community Council as a project);
• Jack Ainslie, one time Chairman/Leader of the County Council and a leading Liberal Democrat in Wiltshire;
• Geof Banner, former Director of Social Services in the county, who sadly died whilst Chairman of the Community Council (and also Vice Chairman of ACRE) and his wife, Doreen, who subsequently became involved in the Rural Initiatives Fund to which she had donated some funding after Geof’s death;
• Rachel Bord, an experienced residential social worker;
• Clare Evans, a leading advocate in promoting the interests and views of users in social care; and
• Tony Mitchard, one time Chief Executive of Avon Rubber in Melksham.

They gave Margaret and myself a farewell dinner at the Lamb on the Strand at Seend.

Jack Ainslie was a great personality, chairman and friend but, being a leading Liberal Democrat on the County Council, this did undoubtedly affect our relations with members of the County Council from other parties who often (wrongly!) perceived the Community Council as being in some way related to the Liberal Democrat’s. However generally our relationships at officer level were excellent as they appreciated the advantages of working with us as partners. This was also the case with officers and members of the district councils prior to their abolition when Wiltshire became a unitary authority.

Retirement (Well that’s what it is called!)

In 1996, Margaret and I decided that it was an appropriate time for me to retire from full time work as Director of the Community Council and lessen my commitments by working part time as a consultant for voluntary organisations. I had a wonderful send off presided over by Jack Ainslie, with a large reception in Devizes Town Hall. Ted and Grete Harris were there and Tony Turnor, Vice Chairman when I was first appointed in 1968 and who chaired the selection panel.

It was very nice that the Chairman of ACRE (Alex Gannon) was also present. I was presented with a set of cut glass wine glasses and some excellent bottles of wine.

On separate occasions, my fellow Chief Officers presented me with a book ‘English Landscapes’ by Rob Talbot and Robin Whiteman at my final informal national gathering with them and in the South West they presented me with a pottery bowl and jug made by Paul Jackson, a well known Cornish potter.

Little did I know then that I would become involved in a number of new voluntary sector responsibilities! The first of these was to work on the Isle of Wight as part time Acting Director of the RCC to improve the management and especially the finances […] Fortunately Margaret and I had in 1989, following the death of my father, bought a flat in Lymington in Elgar’s Court in the High Street. This enabled me to stay there overnight whilst on the Island. When I left after some seven months, having successfully put the RCC on a firmer footing with a new Director (Keith Parfitt), the trustees and staff kindly gave me two pictures of the Isle of Wight. I also undertook some training for other voluntary organisations including the East Hampshire Council of Community Service (where David Clark’s wife, Margaret, worked!) until my retirement from paid employment in 1998.

I have not been idle since then but that is another part of my story which I have written up separately in my autobiography.

Very recently, I have been able to assist with the development of a national archive of the history of RCCs and ACRE to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the formation of the first RCC in Oxfordshire in 1920. I also find myself on the Steering Group for the ACRE/RCC Alumni Network now being established.

Peter Newell

24.12.20

In the mid-1990s the Government introduced the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme to offset big tax increases to community and environmental projects. The scheme was aimed at reducing the amount of waste ending up in landfill sites and it was intended that the funding would reduce over a number of years as the tonnage of waste produced – although the sums of money are less the scheme is still running in 2021.

Community First developed relationships with several landfill operators working in the area setting up a grant scheme that has sourced millions of pounds for village halls, play, sport and recreation and environmental projects that have been community led. The longest standing of these has been with Hills Waste, a family run business with roots embedded in Wiltshire and Swindon.

In 2012, The Jenner Hall Community Trust in Cricklade received a £46,196.00 funding boost from The Hills Group Limited.

The funding, together with a previous LCF amount of £6,000 from Hills, enabled the Jenner Hall Community Trust to finish the Total Repair of the Roofs Project. This project replaced all the Cotswold Stone roof tiles of the Main Hall and Schoolmasters House and repaired any timber structures that needed repairing. Persistent leaks over a number of years had caused damage and major restoration work on the roof was essential.

At the beginning of the project, John Hickman, Chair of the Jenner Hall Trust said: The Trustees are delighted that we had been awarded the large grant and it means a lot to the people of Cricklade. My particular thanks go to Vicky for her efforts obtaining grants and to her Team on the Raise the Roof Fundraising Committee for all their hard work. My thanks also go to Kate Crow, previous chair of the Trust for her work on grants.

Vicky McIntosh, Vice Chair of the Cricklade Jenner Hall Community Trust who applied for the grant said: We are all absolutely amazed that The Hills Group have awarded us this huge grant. What it means is that we can begin work at the beginning of September. Weather permitting we will be able to complete all the work on the roofs before winter.

Vicky went on to say that the Jenner Hall, built in 1652 is a Grade 11* listed building. It is one of the few remaining free school buildings and a fine example of its style of building and that she believed the Community had a responsibility to preserve its heritage buildings for future generations.

She said that the grant from Hills Group had enabled us to reach our fundraising target of £167,502.

The Jenner Hall holds a ‘Roof Celebration Party’ on Friday 24^th May. Amongst the guest speakers there will be Mrs Lesley Cowley, CEO of Nominet and Mr Harvey Faulkner-Aston, MA Historic Building Consultant.

Case study and appendix recounting the origins of the Shaw Trust, starting as a small project working locally to support disabled people in rural Wiltshire to access employment opportunities and how this grew into a Large national charity