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Village Fact File
County: Wiltshire
Village: Rowde
Location: Between Melksham and Devizes
Population: 1,100

For young people in Rowde, the recent launch of a youth club has been a particularly welcome addition to the village’s social scene. Founded by a few determined mothers, the aim of the club is to develop the social, creative and physical skills of its members, as well as encouraging them to get involved in the running of the club by incorporating their own ideas and interests. The parish council donated £250 towards the start-up costs of the club and it was launched on 29th April 2005. In general, there are a great number of activities and groups in the village catering for all interests and ages. Many of these make use of the village hall which is very well used and welcoming to all residents. The toilets are being modified to make them suitable for disabled users and the hall is also equipped with a hearing loop. The parish council has also commissioned a ROSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) disability report for the village’s playing field and playground to identify areas which need to be altered for the benefit of disabled children.

Rowde could certainly be described as a ‘caring’ community with many facilities for both adults and children with disabilities and special needs from the local areas and farther-a-field throughout the county. The CARE community in Rowde is a registered charity which provides a residential service for adults with learning disabilities. Residents are encouraged to live and work in an environment of independence, learning skills in food preparation, woodwork and textiles. The community has 31 residents and 40 members of staff, with facilities also available for day visitors, of which there are currently 24.

Support is also available for children with disabilities and special needs in the form of Rowdeford Charity Trust and Rowdeford School. The school, maintained by Wiltshire Local Education Authority and set in 20 acres of parkland in the village, is a successful special school for children with complex learning difficulties. The Trust, which is independent of the school and a registered charity, also provides additional facilities which benefit the school as well as other disadvantaged children from throughout Wiltshire and the adjoining counties. The parkland is set to become a local nature reserve to further enhance this area of tranquility.

The village lacks a shop or post office as sadly both closed down about three years ago due to lack of support. However, the aim of the current parish council is to re-invigorate the community and to get Rowde’s ‘community spirit’ back on track. In a similar exercise to the way the Building Community Life questionnaire is being used to focus communities across England on to how their residents are being provided for, a questionnaire is being used by Rowde parish council to find out from villagers exactly what they would like to see in the village and whether any new facilities would be well supported. The monthly parish council meetings are well attended by residents and there is always time set aside in the agenda for residents to put forward their ideas/suggestions and to ask questions.

Following the usual planning permission consultations, plans have been put in place to build a new school in Rowde along with the addition of 40 new houses to the village. The parish council is keen to ensure that both the construction of the school and the additional housing will be undertaken in the best way for the village, taking the views and needs of local residents into account. Villagers are also now looking to the future to ensure that newcomers, both to the village itself and as pupils to the new school, are made to feel welcome and are integrated into village life as quickly and effectively as possible.