The WAG House

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Community is at the heart of everything we do at Warminster Action Group.   

In March 2020 Warminster Action Group was born. A grassroots community action group, run entirely by volunteers to help those within our community that were having to shield during lockdown. That was 15 months ago and over that time we've had over 2000 phone calls, requesting help with prescription pick-ups, shopping, dog walking and many other one off tasks. We have helped hundreds of people that couldn't get support anywhere else.

Covid 19 exposed the fact that there is a real need in Warminster for care, compassion, support and action. Our vision is to work with other charities and local organisations across Warminster helping to create a more inter-connected society where mutual support is at the core of what we do. Part of that vision includes creating a community hub in the centre of town.

A community hub will enable us to not only continue to run our current services, but it will also give us a space to start helping people in a very different way to last year. A space to realise our vision for a more inter-connective mutually supportive Warminster, by having a meeting space for other charities and organisations. The hub will allow us to facilitate essential volunteer training, ensuring all of our volunteers are able to support the community in the best, safest possible way.

The Uniform Swap has proven itself to be a huge success, using preloved donated uniform that's then recycled and re-gifted for free to those that are really struggling to afford the expensive cost of uniform. Our plan is to use part of the hub for this project, providing a safe, non judgemental space for parents to bring their child/children to, to try on the uniform if they wish, and a drop off point for those wishing to donate their uniform that their child/children have outgrown.

As lockdown comes to an end we are excited to move our check and chat service to the next stage, face to face companionship. The hub will provide the perfect safe setting to enable this meeting to take place. Through our online survey and our many conversations through our well being calls it's become undeniably evident that loneliness in Warminster has increased significantly. Not just with the elderly, but all ages, having the hub will be invaluable in helping us tackle this issue. It will be in a central location and provide a homely setting for meet ups between companions and clients and for those that just want to pop in for a cuppa and a natter.

The community hub will really become an essential multiuse building in the centre of Warminster, a place that will provide IT training for the elderly, giving them the skills they need to stay independent for longer. Teaching them to do their weekly shopping online as well as how to stay connected with loved ones when they don't live locally.