In September 1973 our charity was born at an inaugural meeting and the decision was taken to establish Berkshire Community Service Council. In 1974 a submission to Berkshire County Council for grant aid was agreed and we were able to appoint our first member of staff – a Countryside Liaison Officer. The past 50 years have seen us change office locations, CEOs, Chairs, our name, and areas of project delivery/specialism a variety of times but the heart of our work has always focused on community development and providing help, advice, and guidance to rural communities in Berkshire.

Here we will take a very brief look back at the highlights of our 50 years and what we have been most proud of achieving for the county of Royal Berkshire in this time. So, in no particular order here we go….

1. Supporting Flood Resilience in Swallowfield – working with the Swallowfield Flood Resilience Group in 2016/17 we produced and shared a guide to help communities form and operate a flood resilience group. This work, and groups like it, will be needed more and more as we operate under a climate of intense weather patterns in the next 50 years.

2. Setting up an Oil Buying Group – Over 10 years ago the CCB Oil Group was set up to help individuals who rely on heating oil (usually in our more rural areas) to access the discounts and support of a collective buying group and continues to support rural households today. In the last 5 years, we have saved our oil club members over £56,000* (*compared to standard heating oil pence per litre prices)


3. Berkshire Association of Local Council Service – For two lengthy periods over the last five decades CCB employed a Berkshire Association of Local Councils Executive Officer to provide first-class support, advice, practical help, and training to members of BALC – Berkshire’s parish and town councils.

4. Village Halls Conference

We have regularly run an annual Village Halls Conference offering training and workshops on relevant information to trustees, volunteers and committees that run our fantastic community buildings. Below is a montage of our previous conferences over the years.

5. Annual Conferences for Parish Plans

Our annual ‘All You Need to Know’ conferences brought together parish planning and community groups from across the county to share knowledge and experiences.

6. Community Action West Berkshire

From 2003 – 2009 we ran the West Berkshire Council for Voluntary Service – providing expertise and support to volunteers alongside our rural community development work in this geographical area.

7. Trailblazing the need for affordable, green energy

Back in 2007/8 we ran two conferences in Berkshire focusing on green energy stating that ‘the era of cheap energy is behind us and the implications are still not understood by many people.’ How true that statement feels in 2024!


8. Asian Women’s Project in Thatcham

In the mid-noughties, we ran an Asian Women’s Project – open to Asian women of all backgrounds and their preschool children and aimed at providing family learning opportunities.

9. Parish Planning Throughout West Berkshire

Parish Planners may remember our fantastic connector of people Sarah Ward who worked with volunteers to give local people the chance to develop a 5-year action plan for the community. These plans covered a range of issues from transport to youth activities, safety to improvements to the local environment. During the lifetime of this project 48 Parish Plans were launched in communities from Lambourn to Beech Hill in the west of our county. This project helped ensure that our rural communities thrived and helped establish many assets that are still enjoyed in 2024 – play parks, village markets, village hall improvements, youth projects, environmental improvements and more.

10. Home Safety – In the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead we led a campaign to make the homes of 1,000 vulnerable residents safe and burglar proof. The project saw us working in partnership with a range of other organisations including Neighbourhood Watch Groups, Thames Valley Police, local housing associations and Age Concern.

11. Affordable Homes Built in Woolhampton – In 2015 eight affordable homes were officially opened on a rural exception site in Woolhampton (Hill Place) – affordable homes for local people in perpetuity. This was the result of eight long years of work partnering with local landowners, the borough and parish council and a social housing provider. It was all worth it though as one of the families that moved into a house highlighted at the time; “We are so thrilled to be able to return to the village that my husband grew up in. We are now surrounded by family support, friends and lovely new neighbours. The stress has gone from our lives.”


12. Cookery Courses for Dads/male carers and children – In 2010 we enlisted three top local chefs to run some tasty cookery courses over in John O’Gaunt School in Hungerford with learners going away with some new techniques, information on nutrition and menu planning on a budget.

13. Big Society – It may be a buzzword that we no longer hear so much but back in 2010 it was a key political tagline, and we are proud of running a conference attended by 100 + delegates at Reading Uni that was packed full of workshops that empowered communities and provided opportunities for us all to build our social capital.

14. Growing Community Cinemas in Berkshire – Before the age of online streaming we helped Berkshire villages and rural areas set up community cinemas in the past, some of which still run very successfully in 2024. Many are/were run in their local village hall and offered residents the chance to enjoy a movie/night out without having to commute anywhere. “The club offers local residents and those in outlying villages a chance to see popular films at an affordable price.” Photos?

15. Warm in West Berkshire – Delivered alongside key partner organisations this project in the early twenty-tens increased access to NHS health advice on staying healthy in winter, and energy efficiency with the legacy of the project seeing the launch of the CCB Oil Club and In Case of Emergency (ICED) 4×4 Drivers to help provide transport during extreme weather conditions.

16. Focused support for children and young people in the Gypsy, Roma & Traveller Community – in the mid noughties we provided basic skills training in literacy, numeracy and IT for adults and young children at two GRT sites in West Berkshire.

17. Unpaid Carers Project – We were able to engage with 1600 unpaid carers from across Berkshire and provide a wealth of opportunities to access learning and wider support which left a legacy of new community groups and organizations to continue to support programmes of activities in the county.

18. West Berkshire Vibrant Villages – Provided support for eleven communities to develop projects ranging from essential repairs and renovations to village halls to the provision of play equipment for toddlers. In total, £70,000 was awarded to our rural West Berkshire villages through the delivery of this project.

19. Berkshire Rural Towns Project – this project allowed funding to support projects in Berkshire with an economic focus many of which can still be enjoyed by our communities today – the development of the community centre in Stratfield Mortimer and the revitalization of recreation areas in Eton & Eton Wick to name a couple.

20. Community Development Work – Always at the heart of our work! CCB was able to employ two Community Development Workers in the late 90’s thanks to National Lottery funding. Their work focused on supporting the most disadvantaged groups living in rural Berkshire.

21. Bringing Funding Support to Rural Areas – In the mid-90s we administered funding for the Berkshire Rural Action Network which assisted groups in rural areas to improve their environment and their community’s appreciation of it.

22. Community Care Forum – In 1994 we coordinated and administered the Berks Community Care Forum which amongst other outcomes ensured that voluntary sector representation was on the Hospital Discharge Policy Groups for both East and West Berkshire.

23. Digital Switchover – When the analogue TV signal was being switched off in 2012 it was an event that all communities in the county needed to be prepared for. With a team of community volunteers, CCB ensured that the word was spread through shopkeepers, churches, newsletters and face-to-face events at our libraries so that no one was left with a blank television.

24. Webinars – online training delivery – Before Covid made the world of online learning/meeting the norm CCB was ahead of the curve delivering regular funding workshops with the Big Lottery’s South East Awards for All Programme Manager to communities across Berkshire. In 2011-12 alone we delivered training to 160 adults piloting this new type of training delivery. “The response we received in feedback showed a very high level of appreciation for the workshops, especially with regards to the cost savings of webinar delivery.”

25. Helping Our Village Shops – In 2001 we were able to support rural retail outlets by providing free visits from an expert retail advisor to support improvements alongside helping them to apply for improvement grants. An outcome of this project was helping South Ascot Village Stores to successfully obtain a grant to combine the village shop with the post office.

26. Increasing Adult Community Learning Opportunities – Since 2010 we have delivered training opportunities for adults in West Berkshire, Bracknell Forest, Slough and Wokingham Borough. We continue to deliver these strengthening communities sessions today in West Berkshire on a variety of topics from Data Protection to Food Hygiene, from First Aid to Community Organising and many, many topics in between.

27. Seated Exercise Classes – After Covid and lockdowns affected us all mentally and physically we worked in rural communities to set up local gentle exercise and social interaction opportunities. We helped village halls set up, market, and offer these subsidized free opportunities to their local communities. We continue to support some of these classes in 2024 though many now continue without our help as they are self-sufficient and popular.

28. Community Buildings – Thanks to the work of our Village Hall/Community Buildings Advisors over the years we have helped support the creation of both new village halls (Englefield) and the upgrades to many village halls so that they remain vibrant, safe, and well used (recent examples Bucklebury, Beech Hill and Spencers Wood)

29. Enabling Local Orchards to Thrive – At the start of the twenty tens we successfully bid for a National Lottery Fund (at the time called Big Lottery) to establish community orchards in parishes of Twyford, Wargrave, Swallowfield, Shinfield and at Dinto Pastures. These orchards continue to flourish to this day.

30. Supporting Neighbourhood Plans in East Berkshire – In 2011 Neighbourhood Planning was introduced in the Localism Act 2011 and our Rural Housing Enabler at the time, Arlene Kersley, stepped up to immerse herself in the new framework to fully understand the evidence base required to get a neighbourhood plan through examination and stand-up to scrutiny. She shared her knowledge with groups that came forward in the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead

31. Supporting the Rural Economy in Berkshire – Our current CEO Tim has always been passionate about working with and representing the rural communities in Berkshire to identify local economic priorities. Tim has worked closely with the Thames Vallery Berkshire Local Enterprise partnership supporting rural economic development.

32. Transforming Local Infrastructure Projects – along with partners in the voluntary and community sector in West Berks we helped build capacity in the sector by delivering a programme of PTLLS (Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector) to 33 people helping them to develop their skills and increase their delivery activities.

33. Funding Rural Communities in Berkshire

Throughout our life as a charity we have helped fund and administer many grants including ;
• Berkshire Rural Action – funding for rural projects which help people appreciate and improve their local community.
• Countrywork – promoting employment opportunities in the countryside.
• Voluntary Sector Development Fund – to assist other voluntary organization with training or consultancy.

34. Friendship clubs – In the noughties we developed five friendships clubs in West Berks for people who had become isolated or lonely due to physical and mental health issues.

35. English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Project – In 2003 we secured funding to establish an ESOL Basic Skills in the workplace project which supported 184 learners to access skills development at local colleges and in community settings.

36. Berkshire Calor Village of the Year competition – In the early noughties we helped administer and organized presentation evenings for the Village of the Year competitions. This competition was judged on ‘a well-balanced, pro-active, caring community which has made the best of local opportunities to maintain and enhance the quality of life for all residents.”

37. Fuel Poverty Outreach work – Our Fuel Poverty work has been an integral part of our project delivery for over a decade now. Outreach work has helped create new opportunities to advise low-income families on how they can reduce their home energy costs with advice drop-in sessions, one-to-one telephone advice and practitioner training workshops.

38. Country wide delivery (PHOTO IMAGE FROM 1996 below) illustrating our delivery outcomes across six local authorities.

39. Village Initiatives Fund – In 1988 we launched this fund to encourage and stimulate voluntary self-help initiatives in rural Berkshire. Grants of up to £100 were distributed to village projects that benefitted the local community – the fund was sponsored by Shell UK, Digital, Marley Roof Tiles and Newbury Building Society – except for Shell UK how many still operate today?

40. Entering the computer age – In 1988 it was such an event that we acquired a second Apricot computer we mentioned in our Annual Report! This helped us develop a variety of databases including Parish Council information, membership and mailing lists.

42. Adult Community Learning partnerships – Over the years we have partnered with a number of other organisations to ensure that our training to rural communities in Berkshire is varied and useful. These included Tutors/experts from other organisations like Heartstart, Community Organisers, BALC, Royal Berks Fire & rescue, Volunteer Centre West Berkshire, Happiness Hub, Love Food Hate Waste, British Red Cross, Volunteer Centre West Berkshire, Databasix UK, social media and marketing experts, grant providers and many more! Thank you for sharing your wisdom and expertise.


43. Rural Access to Services Programme (RASP) – Between 2008 and 2011 CCB worked with other Rural Community Councils in the South East on a programme to invest in projects to improve access to services. A total of £171,000 in funding from the South East England Development Agency was invested in projects in Berkshire to improve access to healthcare, access to skills and advice, and improved community transport and accessibility projects from parish plan action plans.

44. Transport West Berkshire – In partnership with the West Berkshire Library Service, CCB raised funds to introduce the Community Learning and Information Vehicle: CLIVe. The converted lorry became a mobile hub for outreach community learning across the District, supporting our Traveler Education project, promoting the uptake of broadband internet with the Connected Berkshire Partnership and taking information on CCB’s services out into the community, including at the Newbury Show.

45. Transport East Berkshire – With funds from the Countryside Agency to increase sustainable travel, CCB implemented a project to install cycle lockers at several sites across Wokingham and West Berkshire. With a focus on railway stations, the project encouraged people to cycle and leave their bikes secured at the station.

46. West Berkshire Funding Fair at Newbury Racecourse in September 2009. We planned and delivered a variety of workshops centred on helping community groups and voluntary organisations find funding. The outcome of this successful networking day was empowering West Berkshire charities to access new funding streams for their community projects and receive information, support, and advice on fundraising for their charity/community building.

47. In 2001 CCB took over the administration of the Environmental Trust for Berkshire. The Trust oversaw a £600,000 investment in environmental projects and worked with the newly-formed Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd (WREN) to advise on applications received by this new fund for Berkshire. Projects supported by the ETB cover all six unitary authorities in Berkshire and include the renovation of churches and historical monuments, improvement of local parks, nature reserves and other amenity areas and education on recycling and sustainable waste management.

48. In 1977 our ‘Your Village – What Future’ Conference heralds a year of activity and self-help in Berkshire villages. Declining rural services and growing rural populations are recognised as an increasing issue for rural communities as Central and West Berkshire are designated growth areas for new housing. A parish survey, interviewing Parish Clerks, provides basic information on settlement in rural Berkshire.

49. In the early 80’s unemployment is a serious problem within Berkshire and CCB supported employment initiatives with Berkshire County Council. Berkshire Youth Action (now Berkshire Youth) is established and we help search out projects which can be undertaken by youth teams across Berkshire. CCB sets up the Newbury Resources Centre for the Unemployed to assist the rural unemployed get access to information and advice.

50. In the late 1990’s (1998) Berkshire County Council was no longer and our charity had to develop to reflect these changes so our delivery adapted to a project-focused approach. We launched ‘Rural Areas: People and their issues’ and a review of Youth Homelessness in ‘Young People Living in Our Community’. Seven Neighbourhood Forums are developed and new initiatives in supporting local mental health groups and users of housing association-supported accommodation begin.