Launch of Bucks Data Exchange website
A new website was unveiled at a special launch event at The Dairy in Waddesdon on 6th September. Over 90 people gathered to mark the launch of the site which will provide an unprecedented opportunity for the voluntary and community sector to use solid data on the needs of local people to make strategic decisions.
The event, kindly hosted by the Rothschild Foundation provided the opportunity for charity leaders, community groups and data enthusiasts to hear how smarter use of data can strengthen our decision making and investments.
On the website, visitors can view data on population, carbon emissions, recycling rates, broadband speeds, life expectancy, rates of smoking, community safety and much more.
The published data is the most recent available, focuses on Buckinghamshire and is aggregated so it contains no personal information.
This platform, built by Aylesbury based agency Framework Digital, is the result of months of hard work and collaboration between the Rothschild Foundation, Buckinghamshire Council, Leap, Heart of Bucks, Buckinghamshire’s Local Enterprise Partnership, Thames Valley’s Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Bucks VCSE Partnership Board.
Ellie Stout, Head of Grants at Rothschild Foundation, who have provided funding for the project commented, “The Rothschild Foundation is proud to be supporting the Buckinghamshire Data Exchange through our role as funder, project partner and contributor of data. We believe that through sharing our data we can help make grant-making and service delivery in the county even more effective and joined up. Through the process of gathering and publishing our data we can better understand ourselves and where we need to focus. That’s why we’re passionate about supporting more organisations to join the Bucks Data Exchange community.”
Attendees at the event also heard from data ambassador, Danny Kruger MP. The MP for Devizes, Charity Chair and Former Charity CEO spoke about the vital role data plays through a video interview.
Mark Ormerod, Chair Buckinghamshire VCSE Partnership Board and CEO of Leap added, “I believe partnership and collaboration is critical to address the most stubborn inequalities and challenges facing society today. The Buckinghamshire Data Exchange will enable key organisations across Buckinghamshire to distribute and share their intelligence, and collectively we can work on new solutions to address perennial problems.”
Project organisers are encouraging charities, community organisations and anyone with an interest in Buckinghamshire to visit the Bucks Data Exchange website, sign up for updates and follow the Bucks Data Exchange online. They’d also love to hear from organisations who might have data to add to the platform.
