The 2nd annual Rugby COMPACT celebration event held on the 7th November at the Benn Hall saw a fantastic demonstration of the power and impact that the voluntary and community sector can have upon our quality of life in Rugby when supported by the Councils, NHS and the Police.

Robert Musgrove, Chief Inspector, Rugby Police

---

Collectively voluntary and community sector organisations, groups and committed individuals deliver critical local support to people of  Rugby. The event was a celebration of the work carried out over the past year for local benefit that had been made possible, or had been better coordinated with the support of statutory agencies.

Stalls in the main hall

---

Paul Tolley, Chief Executive of Warwickshire CAVA stated 'The process of using a very simple planning process to identify key activities or arrangements that enhance the relationship between the sectors is a basic but very effective tool. In its inaugural year we focused upon relationships with the Borough Council which have flourished with the Council now committed to enabling the event to  happen every November during national COMPACT week. This year brought the wider range of partners together under the plan. The event is hosted every year by the Voluntary and Community Sector Forum which is chaired by David Foster and coordinated by Clare Montague - Warwickshire CAVA Locality Manager for Rugby.

Warwickshire CAVA merged the Council for Voluntary Service in Rugby and Rugby Volunteer Centre along with four other CVS and Volunteer Centre organisations in Warwickshire on 1st April this year. Paul Tolley said 'the local COMPACT action planning process is a prime example of best practice which we will be extending to the other districts and boroughs of Warwickshire throughout the coming year.