Chris Cowcher
Rural Adviser
christopherc@grcc.org.uk
01452 528491
Chris joined GRCC in 2007. He coordinates the Gloucestershire Rural Services Support Group, which is a partnership of number of organisations from Gloucestershire and beyond, committed to supporting local services within communities. As a SFEDI accredited Social and Community Enterprise Adviser, Chris works directly with projects and rural service providers throughout Gloucestershire, providing advice relating to business planning, legal structures, project development and management and income generation. He is also a mentor to village shops in Gloucestershire that are registered on the Store is the Core programme.
Chris's Community and Social Enterprise Advice (CASE) is provided in partnership with all other RCCs in the South West of England, as part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). He coordinates the South West CASE Adviser Network and is also part of team of assessors for the Forest of Dean Local Action Group, an RDPE funded grant programme.
As part of the GRCC Advice Team, Chris works with communities to develop and refresh their community led-plans. He supports groups by providing advice and support throughout the process, helping communities to build on their current assets (people, skills, facilities and services) and come up with realistic action plans for future activity.
Chris is GRCCs Broadband Champion, working closely with a network of volunteer Broadband Champions recruited from Gloucestershire’s rural communities throughout the last year. Together they aim to spread the word about a major project in Gloucestershire, being led by GFirst which aims to bring consistent high-speed broadband in the county’s rural communities.
