South Leicestershire CVS serves the Harborough District Council area which is the largest district in the county of Leicestershire. The District comprises 93 parishes and, due to new housing and employment development, has a population fast approaching 80,000. Market Harborough is one of the fastest growing market towns in the country.

The Harborough District is predominantly rural, with agriculture playing an important role in the local economy. Manufacturing, distribution and the service sector are however, increasing their roles. Today the area is seen as one of prosperity based on the diverse economic infrastructure. There are three main centres of population at opposite ends of the District which have distinct communities and needs: Market Harborough, Lutterworth and Broughton-Astley. There are several large villages and the smaller communities range in size down to very small hamlets.

Despite its outward signs of prosperity, the area shares the classic rural problems, e.g. lack of services and resources, poor transport, isolation, closure of amenities and difficulty in accessing some sources of funding. Problems such as homelessness, poverty and domestic violence are hidden but are present and there are voluntary sector projects working with these issues.

The South Leicestershire CVS was set up in October 1993 as:

• a co-ordinating body for the voluntary sector,
• to provide support and resources to voluntary organisations, and
• to undertake development work.

The core functions of SLCVS are funded on a 50/50 basis by Leicestershire County Council and Harborough District Council. SLCVS has since been awarded funding from a variety of sources and has six major projects underway at present. At July 2004, SLCVS had a staff team of sixteen with occasional volunteer support. The SLCVS Executive Committee membership is drawn from a number of agencies from all parts of the district and from funders and statutory agencies. Membership stands at almost 170 groups and agencies.

The Voluntary Sector in the Harborough District is diverse and the infrastructure has strengthened considerably over the last few years. There is a strong network of communication although the size of the area and the presence of several large communities mean that networking is an ongoing priority for SLCVS.

There are two Volunteer Bureaux serving the District with which SLCVS has a close working relationship. The Lutterworth Office is based in the One Stop Shop in Lutterworth - a community building set up in 2003 after many years of work from the voluntary sector and a project we are very proud to have been involved with.

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