Community Interest Statement

Declarations on Formation of a Community Interest Company

1. Please insert a short description of the community, or section of the community, which it is intended that the company will benefit, in the space provided below:

In particular, the company’s activities will be carried out for the benefit of those living and working in Needham Market and the surrounding parishes (primarily those covered by the Health Check: Badley, Barking, Battisford, the Creetings, Great Bricett, Offton, Ringshall and Willisham).

2. Please indicate how it is proposed that the company’s activities will benefit the community (or

a section of the community). Please indicate whether you expect the company to make a profit or surplus, and, if so, how that profit or surplus will be used to benefit the community.

Activity:

Provision of 'drop-in' Internet Access. This will include basic computer/internet training and advice, leisure learning opportunities and a range of facilities to enable printing, scanning, newsletter/website design and gaming.

Benefit:

Meet the needs of Young People (as per Market Town Health Check).

Meet the Leisure Learning needs of local people (as per Market Town Health Check).

Improve skills, employability and job prospects to unlock the energies of local people and let them determine the extent to which being online improves life in their community.

Tackle social exclusion and promote neighbourhood renewal.

Reduce rural isolation and exclusion.

Provide a comprehensive service of access and supported learning to develop community consultation, participation, capacity within the community and voluntary sector and ICT skill levels.

Provide economic strengthening, promote self-help and lifelong learning, test e-government services, and enhance school-home links.

Provide parents with skills and confidence to enable them to get involved and help their children with homework and out of school projects (as per Town Meeting).

Demonstrate how individual access to the internet can transform opportunities for people living in a rural area by supporting new ways of accessing education, work, leisure and other services.

Enhance local Social Capital by using new technology to strengthen and extend existing social networks.

Activity:

Provide drinks and snacks.

Benefit:

This will help to make the establishment more welcoming and help users to feel comfortable. The ability to remain at the premises over long periods - therefore encouraging self-directed, informal learning - depends on the availability of refreshments. This will also provide a base to build further activities, including leisure learning or formal culinary training.

Drinks and snacks will also provide some organisational income. This income will be used to pay staff salaries, to enable equipment updates and to encourage new programs and services. It will not provide a surplus because the income will be used to offset costs from other service provision that will be far in excess of the income from refreshments.

Activity:

Provide a Community Website.

Benefit:

The town currently has a very limited web presence, and there is little encouragement of Online community involvement. A community website will help groups within the town link-up. It will provide an up-to-date calendar of activities, a continuously updated contacts list, and a forum for people in the town to discuss local issues important to them. It will help provide a network for residents to get together and improve their own lives collectively.

Activity:

Provide "signposting services."

Benefit:

Formal and statutory bodies can be intimidating and unwelcoming, especially to those most in need. People don't know where they should go, and are consequently unlikely (or even unable) to access the very services that could help them most. As a non-statutory body we will will approachable and open, aiming to help local people to access the services that are available to them. This will be achieved by offering advice and support as well as contacting agencies to introduce people and explain situations.

The organisation differs from a general commercial company because...

There is no private profit motive. Our reason for existing is to improve the facilities in our community, to make ICT available and accessible for the people of Needham Market.

If the company makes any surplus it will be used for...

Furthering the aims of the organisation. It will be re-invested to expand and enhance services, to provide outreach to broaden the userbase and to improve facilities and premises.

- TB 12/03/06