1 00:00:25,039 --> 00:00:26,839 We run a number of programmes where 2 00:00:26,839 --> 00:00:29,239 we're delivering services, such as 3 00:00:29,239 --> 00:00:31,480 our community transport, taking people 4 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:34,000 to hospital or day centres, based 5 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,920 on electric rechargeable vehicles. 6 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:39,840 We have a community newspaper 7 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:40,840 called Watchet Connects. 8 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:42,200 We produce and deliver to 9 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:43,359 every house in Watchet. 10 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:45,159 And we have a programme with young 11 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:46,920 people called Strives, where we're 12 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:48,000 working particularly with those 13 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:50,159 kids who might not go to education 14 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:53,000 or youth club, to do activities. 15 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:54,759 We also help other groups 16 00:00:54,759 --> 00:00:56,679 identify and potentially apply for 17 00:00:56,679 --> 00:00:58,479 funding for their own programmes. 18 00:00:58,759 --> 00:01:00,719 We support local organisations, 19 00:01:00,719 --> 00:01:01,880 with things like upskilling. 20 00:01:02,159 --> 00:01:03,159 We've recently started 21 00:01:03,159 --> 00:01:04,280 up a women's group. 22 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:07,000 We also work in the library with 23 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,480 Sparks IT, helping sometimes 24 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:11,439 older people, get used to using 25 00:01:11,439 --> 00:01:13,959 things like computers, smartphones. 26 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,719 There's the community bookshop which 27 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:19,480 we renovated and we now rent that out 28 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:21,120 to the people who run the bookshop. 29 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,400 That brings a profit in for us, which 30 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:25,359 we then plough back into the community. 31 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:27,439 When the lottery funding came 32 00:01:27,439 --> 00:01:29,120 through, that's meant that we can 33 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:32,239 expand into two rooms rather than one 34 00:01:32,239 --> 00:01:34,400 room and put out a lot more stock. 35 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:36,840 Previously it was damp, it was 36 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:38,959 cold, it felt very restrictive. 37 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:40,319 It's a great building to be in 38 00:01:40,799 --> 00:01:42,239 and very welcoming to visitors. 39 00:01:43,439 --> 00:01:45,920 The Quantock Foodbank serves a 40 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:49,599 very rural and coastal population. 41 00:01:49,599 --> 00:01:51,760 We have changed the whole of our 42 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,239 operation from just being a food bank to 43 00:01:55,239 --> 00:01:58,439 actually operating through our pantries. 44 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,359 One is static and the other is 45 00:02:01,359 --> 00:02:03,480 a fully electric mobile vehicle 46 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:04,920 which goes round the villages. 47 00:02:05,319 --> 00:02:07,640 Those who have been referred 48 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,400 without funds can still access 49 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:11,879 the pantry free of charge. 50 00:02:11,879 --> 00:02:14,439 However, those who are struggling 51 00:02:14,439 --> 00:02:16,199 with the cost of living, pay a 52 00:02:16,199 --> 00:02:18,439 membership subscription of four 53 00:02:18,439 --> 00:02:21,000 pound a week, and for that they're 54 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,360 receiving 35, 40 pounds worth of food. 55 00:02:25,199 --> 00:02:27,439 Watchet Connects is a bi-monthly 56 00:02:27,439 --> 00:02:29,400 magazine that is free to 57 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:31,039 everybody who lives in the town. 58 00:02:31,039 --> 00:02:34,199 The whole process is done by volunteers. 59 00:02:34,319 --> 00:02:35,840 It tries to publicise everything 60 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:37,240 that's going on in the town. 61 00:02:37,599 --> 00:02:40,159 Both the opportunities for volunteering, 62 00:02:40,159 --> 00:02:42,360 but also the options that are available 63 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:44,599 for people to enjoy themselves, to join 64 00:02:44,599 --> 00:02:47,120 groups, to become part of the community. 65 00:03:04,599 --> 00:03:06,879 The people that we see, a lot 66 00:03:06,879 --> 00:03:08,240 of them are very vulnerable. 67 00:03:08,439 --> 00:03:11,719 A lot of them are in severe ill health. 68 00:03:12,199 --> 00:03:13,879 They come in very shy. 69 00:03:14,319 --> 00:03:20,120 And we have seen remarkable changes to 70 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:22,639 a point in time when they say that they 71 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:25,039 are ready to stand on their own again. 72 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:27,080 And they have developed 73 00:03:27,199 --> 00:03:29,199 confidence in dealing with people. 74 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:30,560 Helping these projects 75 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:31,680 makes me feel proud. 76 00:03:31,719 --> 00:03:33,560 It makes me feel part of the community. 77 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,159 I enjoy making a magazine because 78 00:03:36,319 --> 00:03:37,800 I like the feeling of connecting 79 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:39,319 people together, that's one of the 80 00:03:39,319 --> 00:03:41,520 reasons for the name and it works 81 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:43,240 in my head, it works for me as well. 82 00:03:43,759 --> 00:03:45,400 It's a great place to volunteer. 83 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:46,840 It keeps you in touch with local 84 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:48,599 people but it also enables you 85 00:03:48,599 --> 00:03:50,599 to meet lots of other people. 86 00:03:50,599 --> 00:03:53,120 Also, it's raising funds 87 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:54,360 for local good causes. 88 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:14,240 Through connecting all the different 89 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:16,160 groups in Watchet, we're stronger 90 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:18,040 together than we are individually. 91 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:19,079 And so building 92 00:04:19,079 --> 00:04:20,959 cohesion of different groups and 93 00:04:20,959 --> 00:04:22,759 individuals making them feel more 94 00:04:22,759 --> 00:04:24,759 part of the community and being able 95 00:04:24,759 --> 00:04:26,639 to participate in it and enjoy it. 96 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:29,800 We support the economic wellbeing 97 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:31,600 of the town through improving 98 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:33,879 the infrastructure, for example, 99 00:04:33,879 --> 00:04:35,120 refurbishing the bookshop. 100 00:04:35,879 --> 00:04:38,199 And we've got over 100 members 101 00:04:38,199 --> 00:04:41,439 of charities, businesses, other 102 00:04:41,439 --> 00:04:43,600 interest groups who help shape what 103 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:45,720 the people of Watchet like to do. 104 00:04:46,079 --> 00:04:47,600 We're working towards upskilling 105 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:48,879 people so that they can take the 106 00:04:48,879 --> 00:04:50,600 opportunities that's around this area. 107 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:52,639 The town's growing and young 108 00:04:52,639 --> 00:04:54,240 people are choosing to stay. 109 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:56,399 Watchet Connects is really 110 00:04:56,399 --> 00:04:57,759 important to Watchet. 111 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:00,040 It's a way of getting information 112 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:01,519 into every property in Watchet. 113 00:05:01,519 --> 00:05:03,079 We do have a significant number of 114 00:05:03,079 --> 00:05:06,079 people who don't have a computer. 115 00:05:06,079 --> 00:05:07,480 They often complain that they 116 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:08,639 don't know what's going on. 117 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:10,319 And so Watchet Connects is a 118 00:05:10,319 --> 00:05:12,920 tool that we can enable them to 119 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:14,399 know what's happening in Watchet. 120 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:16,560 I think over 6000 pounds this year 121 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:18,399 has been donated to local causes. 122 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:20,439 And the building is available for 123 00:05:20,439 --> 00:05:22,800 community groups, and also used by 124 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:24,600 some of the Ukrainian immigrants 125 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:26,480 who are having English lessons. 126 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,519 And they also share some of their skills 127 00:05:29,519 --> 00:05:30,800 with some of the local community.