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• The History of WECIL

  WECIL was formed as a result of campaigning by Disabled people in Bristol. In 1989 a group of Disabled people formed the Avon Coalition of Disabled People (ACODP). Four years later ACODP gained funding to employ a CIL Project Worker and, in 1994, this resulted in an agreement with Avon County Council to operate the Independent Living Scheme Avon (ILSA). This scheme provided advice, information and support to Disabled people who wanted to live independently by employing their own Personal Assistants (PAs).
  
  The existing Disability Arts Agency (DAA) and Disability Advice Centre (DAC) in Avon moved to be managed by the Coalition and talks took place about splitting ACODP into two parts, one being a community development organisation focusing on campaigning and consultation and the other, which was initially known as the Avon Centre for Independent Living (ACIL), providing specific services for Disabled people. Avon County Council provided funding to enable the newly-formed CIL to rent and make accessible a building which had been the residential hostel of Courtland’s School in Knowle and ACIL moved there in December 1994.
  
  By April 1995 we had changed our name to the West of England Centre for Independent Living (WECIL) and ACODP had altered theirs to the West of England Coalition of Disabled People (WECODP). WECIL became a limited company and a Director, Finance and Buildings Manager were appointed. We were officially launched in September 1995 by Jane Campbell, then Chair of the British Council of Disabled People and a highly respected campaigner for the rights of Disabled people.
  
  In 1996 Local Government Reorganisation took place and Avon was split into Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. This meant we had to negotiate with four local councils, all of whom required something different from each other. WECIL rose to the challenge and gained contracts in each one. We changed our name to replace ‘Independent’ with ‘Integrated’. Eventually this changed again to the current ‘Inclusive’ which better reflects the work we now do.