Launch of guide to groups and causes
Directory of voluntary groups helps ‘join the dots’
A community champion in Windsor has answered resident calls and put together a directory of community groups and charities in the area.
Former independent Royal Borough councillor Jon Davey started his project, entitled Windsor Directory of Community Groups and Charities, last summer in a bid to make it easier for people to be able to contact and find organisations to volunteer for.
Jon, who runs the website I Love Windsor Community News, said: “People who were looking for solutions to things and people who were looking to do some volunteer work, but they didn’t know where to start, so I’d ask them a few questions about what they were about and then I’d point them in the direction of a couple of people and leave it at that.
“Then I thought it would be really handy if I had a booklet of all these different groups.”
He added: “What I wanted was a compendium. I wanted something a bit more than a directory, something that told me about organisations.”
The free booklet has a page dedicated to each organisation and includes contact details and information about the organisation and its volunteers and supporters.
“People over 50 don’t necessarily want to look at things online, they’d quite like to just sit down with a little book and have a read,” he said.
The free booklet features more than 80 organisations in the area and the first print run has been funded by the RBWM Innovation Fund.
After spending the last few months bringing the directory together, in line with the spring equinox, Jon launched it at Windsor Guildhall with the help of Royal Borough Mayor Cllr Neil Knowles on Wednesday, March 20.
About 40 attendees from a host of organisations came to support the launch and Cllr Knowles also gave a speech praising the initiative.
“I think what’s going to happen is a lot of the local groups will actually use it as a tool to help them to find the right people to talk to.
“It speeds up that joining of dots,” Jon said.
Discussing the launch, he added: “It was excellent. I’m pleased as punch because it really does add value.
“This is a booklet that actually provides solutions to people and therefore it really is an asset.”
Cllr Neil Knowles said: “The most common questions asked of councillors is how to contact voluntary groups.
“[So] to have all that information in one place is a giant leap for RBWM.
“Volunteers and their groups are the beating heart of our community and thanks to Jon Davey and these listings they’ll attract more volunteers and enable more residents to access their services.”
The booklet comes as a printed hard copy and there is also a digital version available.
The booklet will be available in other locations including the Craft Coop in Windsor, Tesco in Dedworth, libraries and churches in the area from the beginning of April.