Money raised ensures future of Exmoor Rural Health Hub
The Exmoor Rural Health Hub (ERHH) charity, established in 2021 has successfully raised the funds necessary to commence work on building bespoke health rooms at the Exmoor Farmers livestock market at Cutcombe, Wheddon Cross.
The successful fund-raising was achieved by generous grants from local private Trusts, a Somerset Community Foundation award, donations from local farming related businesses, private individuals and matched by the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF), a government grant to support businesses and communities across the rural areas of Somerset, specifically ‘funding for hubs to help address rural isolation, rural networking, access to health care, training and other services tackling some of the issues around social mobility’.
On Sunday 28th September, the ERHH charity hosted the Exmoor Big Breakfast at the Moorland Hall, Wheddon Cross which was a sell-out event. 120 breakfasts were served between 9-12 and together with an on-line auction of promises c.£3,000 was raised locally that day. A BIG Breakfast Thankyou is due to everyone who donated produce, time and promises for this event.
Groundworks are set to start on the new building on November 11th and it is hoped that the new health rooms will be finished and ready to open at the end of March 2026.
The new ERHH building will have three separate consulting rooms, a disabled toilet and a reception area. Having more than one consulting room will allow for two or more health practitioners to be on-site on clinic dates, making it easier for clients to get multiple benefits from a single visit.
Richard Webber, ERHH Chairman said “The new building has been funded and will be built by the charity for its exclusive use, but owned by the livestock market who will grant the charity a long lease with a nominal rent. The charity is indebted to Exmoor Farmers for supporting its work; our current portacabin premises is no longer fit for purpose and the new building fulfils the charity’s ambition to expand its services. We are so grateful to everyone who has supported this important initiative.”