A Short History of Box, Colerne, Rudloe LINK

Currently there are some 40 LINK Good Neighbour Scheme throughout Wiltshire and the concept has spread far and wide beyond our County boundaries. LINK brings much needed practical support to the local community offering a transport service to those unable to get out and about to appointments, shopping or to meet friends. With a wide diversity of volunteer support LINK is also able to perform helpful tasks such as changing light bulbs, collecting library books or a little light gardening.

LINK is also known for providing much needed company to the housebound and allowing for short periods of respite for their carers. LINK is an important part of 'Care in the Community', complementing health and social services, offering the sort of practical help and support that other agencies are unable to provide.

But where did it all begin?

Dr John McQuitty (1946-1979)
The son of a GP in Hampshire and educated at Monkton Combe School and St Andrews University, John qualified in Medicine in 1970 and trained as a GP in Cirencester. Keen to return to the Bath area, he joined the Box medical practice in 1973.The winter of 1978/9 was particularly harsh making many of the lanes impassable adding to the difficulties faced by the elderly, infirm and those with limited resources or transport in the rural community. This was very much a growing concern for Doctor McQuitty, who adopted what would now be understood as an holistic approach to patient care. He wrote; ''ideally there (should be) a sociologist in every home to evaluate the 'sick-role'. '' It concerned him that as a doctor he could only address an individual's symptoms and yet each individual occupies a role in society which must play a part in those symptoms.

By exploring the nature of the local 'society' he was able to see the wider need. During this time he was in discussion with Jacky Nicholas, a patient at the practice who had similar concerns for this section of the community. They worked hard together to identify the nature and extent of the problems and ways of addressing them. So it was that the idea of offering a volunteer service was born and in the week before the August Bank Holiday in 1979 Dr McQuitty went to visit Jacky Nicholas to discuss getting more people involved in the visiting that Jacky had started doing for him earlier that year.

Tragically Dr McQuitty died suddenly of an undiagnosed brain tumour on that very Bank Holiday Monday. Without John, Jacky continued to pursue the formation of the community project in memorial to him and it is thanks to her skill, hard work, enthusiasm and the commitment of those she gathered around her that LINK is the organisation it is today. With the involvement of the Parish Council and the WI the first committee was put together, meeting on 3rd December 1979 to decide on the objectives of the organisation namely 'to assist the lonely and sick and to additionally run errands.' A meeting was held to recruit volunteers. Jacky Nicholas became the first co-ordinator and Chair of the Box LINK, a position she held for ten years.. Dr Janet McQuitty (Dr Janet Bjorn) was unanimously nominated honorary President at the first AGM held on 28th November 1980, a role she still holds today. We are grateful for her continued involvement and that of Mrs McQuitty, the late Dr.John McQuitty's mother.

What's in a Name?
In deciding on a name for the new organisation the new committee members met with the existing LINK organisation in Bath on 11th December 1979. It was agreed to adopt the name Box LINK given that the new group were to follow broadly similar aims although there were to be no affiliations with the main Link organisation in Bath. By March 1980 discussions were in hand to extend the area covered to include Colerne and by May 1986 the group were formally renamed as the Box, Colerne Rudloe LINK.

Charitable status had been achieved by October 1981 allowing the committee to apply for grant funding. LINK had been granted £100 from Wiltshire County Council Social Services department the previous year but most of the money needed to run the service was collected by voluntary contributions and fund raising activities. LINK has had long associations with many sections of the local community such as the Parish Councils of both Box and Colerne, local WI groups, the churches, Box C of E and Box Highlands schools, the military (RAF) at Rudloe and Colerne and local scout troops. Links with the Selwyn Hall and Box Methodist Church (the home of our committee meetings, AGMs and Working Lunches) are long established. The community continues to support us generously through voluntary donations, fundraising events, envelope drops and the many 'LINK collection tins' to be found throughout the locality.

LINK's role in the Community
Right from the outset the aims of LINK were simple; to support the needs of the community in the immediate locality. In the early days two co-ordinators were appointed; a General co-ordinator later to be known as The Caring Co-ordinator; and the Transport Co-ordinator. It was not until 1991 that these roles merged. Both co-ordinators were volunteers and dealt with the telephone requests for help. In those days the role was an arduous one; 9am-5pm weekday office hours did not apply. In Jacky Nicholas's retiring Report to the AGM of 1990 she commented on the fact that in LINK's first year there were thirty calls for help yet in 1989/90 they were receiving some 20 calls per week.

Today LINK completes some 1300-2000 jobs a year. Given that each request for help can take upwards of six telephone calls to find an available volunteer, the task of telephone co-ordinator is no less demanding than in earlier times although co-ordinators are no longer on duty 24 hours a day. It was not until 1995 that a deputy was officially appointed to help with the telephone requests. Now some six volunteer co-ordinators share the mobile a week at a time. Technology has moved on and it has been interesting to chart the advance of answerphones, mobiles and computers through the 25 years of LINK history.

The coffee mornings at Box, Colerne and Rudloe (sadly, no longer the latter) have been running almost as long as LINK itself and have offered advice including legal advice at one stage and support to volunteers, clients and friends alike down the years not to mention their generous fundraising through raffles in support of LINK funds. The minutes show that there was a coffee-morning co-ordinator for many years and each of the centres of Box, Colerne and Rudloe had their own offices open on either a monthly, or a weekly basis, and offering a welcomed presence in each community. The Box LINK was also involved in the setting up of a luncheon club in Box and trips and outings were organised.

LINK today
From such small beginnings the scheme has grown from strength to strength. Jacky went to work for Community First in 1986 and drawing on her experience of setting up the BOX, Colerne Rudloe LINK, other similar schemes in Malmesbury, Corsham and Pewsey were soon established. With thanks to a Lottery Grant Marion Mason was appointed Wiltshire LINK Development Officer and now all Wiltshire's LINK schemes fall under the umbrella of Community First in Devizes. Mr Norman Haines, one of the early co-ordinators who first appeared in the minutes in 1986 worked for many years as the transport co-ordinator, retiring finally as vice-chairman. He received an MBE for his services to the community in July 2000.

It is impossible to mention all the names of those who have committed so much time, effort and energy into Box, Colerne, Rudloe LINK down the years and who continue to do so. The LINK scheme is very much 'for the community by the community' and long may that continue.

Acknowledgements
I am most grateful to Dr Janet Bjorn, Mrs Jacky Nicholas and Mr Norman Haines for their valuable contributions to the writing of this short history. I must also thank the current committee for their support and above all the many volunteers and clients I have met in my brief association with LINK whose commitment and enthusiasm has made the organisation what it is today.

Cathy Simon
Press & Publicity Officer