about risc
Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC) is a Development Education Centre close to the heart of Reading's town centre. We work with schools and community groups to raise the profile of global issues and promote action for sustainability, human rights and social justice.

Anne Yarwood

We are sad to announce that Anne Yarwood the founder of RISC's parent charity World Education Berkshire has passed away. The charity was formed in the 1980's to raise issues of Global Citizenship with communities across Berkshire originally in a double decker bus before establishing a permanent base in London Street, Reading. RISC would like to offer their condolences to the family and friends of Anne. May she rest in peace.

Anne Yarwood Image

Our inspiration is summed up by Elvia Alvarado, a Honduran woman working with local communities to secure their rights to land, food, education and health care:

Elvira Quote


our work

education

RISC has an education team who work with teachers and schools to promote Global Citizenship in the curriculum. Their work ranges from training courses to RISC's own publications and more.

world shop

RISC is home to one of the UK's largest Fair Trade shops. A member of BAFTS (British Association of Fair Trade Shops), it raises awareness of fair trade through the products it sells as well as encouraging the use of eco friendly household products. A large section of the shop is devoted to a resource centre selling teaching packs on global citizenship, and non-fiction on various global issues, as well as fiction from majority world authors, and a large selection of children's books further promoting global citizenship at an early age.

global cafe

The Global Cafe is a fully licensed venue providing daytime and evening drinks to Reading using fairly traded and local products where possible. The cafe frequently hosts live music and events and the Global Kitchen provides vegetarian/vegan food from lunchtime through to the evening.

gardens

RISC also works on various other projects with a focus on sustainable development and food security. This work begins on our edible roof garden and continues with projects that work with local community groups and schools.

events

Various events take place in RISC on a wide range of subjects and formats, all with the aim to raise awareness and understanding of development education issues.

volunteer

RISC provides many work opportunities to volunteers coming from a wide background. Volunteers are at the foundation of RISC, without their work we simply could not function as we do.

room hire

RISC houses several function rooms including a large conference hall, available for the public to hire.


history

Reading International Solidarity Centre started life as World Education Berkshire, an educational charity set up by Ann Yarwood in 1981. A double-decker bus, colourfully painted with the slogan ‘Think Globally – Act Locally’, toured schools and community groups from its base at Burnham.

By 1987 it had become clear that WEB needed to have a higher profile in order to be more effective. The charity decided to find a place of its own, and rented 103 London Street naming it Reading International Support Centre. The centre activities increased and the building soon outgrew the needs of the charity, with its small fair trade shop, tiny offices and a small meeting room.

RISC needed to move to larger premises, and the organisation turned its attention to the seemingly impossible task of buying the old London Street Bookshop, which had lain empty for 6 years. We embarked on an incredible journey of hard work, setbacks and crisis. However, with the unselfish help of Michael Duerden, a banker who produced our business plan & helped us get over the first hurdle: getting a loan to buy the building and funds to do it up. By July 1995 we finally celebrated receiving the loan from the ethical bank Mercury (now Triodos).

The old London Street bookshop was owned by Blackwells and we found their agent Mr Thomas of Bristol, who had other interested buyers lined up. However by October 1995, we had managed, as Martin put it, to ‘crack the deal’. Again with help of Mike McCrae a community architect, the active support of Reading Borough Council and the Co-op Home Services, who took a 999-year lease on the three flats above the café, it was finally possible to start the renovation.

It was a Herculean task to restore the building, all 15,000 square feet of it. It was gruelling work – twelve hour days, seven days a week. The spring and summer was bright and sunny and we have fond memories of sitting in the sun, covered in dust and grime, having tea and lunch perched on planks of wood. With professionals guidance and help from enthusiastic young people from as far a field as Turkey, Spain, Russia and Lithuania on IVS work camps, plus over 200 local volunteers we managed to finish the work 18 months later.

Against the odds, RISC (renamed Reading International Solidarity Centre) moved into the premises on 16 September 1996 and opened the World Shop. On 19 October that year the leased Pangaea Café opened for business – two years later RISC opened it as the Global Cafe. The Conference room, three meeting rooms and seven offices were completed over the next few months. It now houses Reading Refugee Support Group, RVA, One World Week, Southern Ethiopia People’s Action Group and confidential help lines.

RISC has further developed since then including planting a permaculture roof garden in 2002, which adds to the spectrum of our educational activities and is the inspiration for some exciting local, national and international projects. The Centre is well established and has become an important part of Reading’s rich cultural, campaigning and educational life.


funding

RISC is funded by the following organisations:

Reading Borough Council

The Earley Charity

Quality or Quantity? Supported by the European Union

The Naturesave Trust

Food 4 Families