History and Track Record

HISTORY

ECI, formerly known as Exeter Community Umbrella Ltd (ECU), was set up in 1993 as a registered charity and company limited by guarantee to provide an umbrella charity for local community projects working in Exeter. At that time, Palace Gate Project (a community and project development agency set up by local churches in 1991) was initiating a number of church-related and other community work initiatives across Exeter which had no proper legal framework or overall structure to relate to. The Exeter Diocesan Board for Christian Care (a church social action agency) organised a meeting between a group of people representing some of these different initiatives to plan the development of an umbrella organisation.

The organisation revised its statement of purpose, aims and priorities and changed its name to Exeter Community Initiatives on 1st July 2002 to more actively reflect the pro-active development role it plays within Exeter.

When ECI was set up, three already-existing projects became part of the umbrella. These were Palace Gate Project, Turntable Furniture Project and Exeter Homes Committee (a rent and deposit guarantee scheme).

TRACK RECORD

The following are some of the highlights of what has been achieved by Exeter Community Initiatives (pre-1993 under the name of Palace Gate Project):

• 20 major new projects established as part of ECI including Turntable Furniture, Exeter Homes Committee, St Petrock's Centre, St Sidwell's Centre, PORCH Project, Flying Start Children's Centre and Farm Hill/Kinnerton Way Project.
• 2 other major projects established as sub-projects of Palace Gate Project (Palace Gate Counselling Service and Exeter Homemaker Project)
• 7 projects supported to become independent of ECI (Exeter Homes Committee, St Petrock's Centre, Exeter Homemaker Project, Turntable Furniture Project, Palace Gate Counselling Service, PORCH and St Sidwells Centre)
• Over 100 other local community groups, initiatives or networks supported
• 839 households helped to gain tenancies by Exeter Homes Committee's rent deposit scheme
• Over 1,300 people have received counselling
• 17 partnership initiatives established with our support and involvement (including Clothes Store, Drop-In Service, Christmas Care, Elderly Day Care, Clothes Voucher Scheme, Exeter Credit Union, LINKS Project, Meaningful Occupation Project, Devon Furniture Forum, Diverted Giving Scheme, Exeter Smart Move, etc)
• 470 households supported in maintaining their tenancies through Exeter Homemaker Project
• Over 30,000 food vouchers issued to help homeless people get a good meal without begging
• Over 2,500 homeless people have been provided with food, clothing, nursing support, advice, training and help with accommodation as part of over 115,000 individual client sessions at St Petrock's
• Over 600 families on low incomes each year have been provided with furniture at Turntable