We wish to acknowledge the following sources of information and sincerely thank the authors who have been so generous with their knowledge.
David Wilcox has helped set up local trusts and national programmes for a range of projects from tourism centres to community forests, and supporting small businesses, social enterprises and community groups. He was the main instigator of UK Communities Online, and acted as editor and director until early 1998. He then set up Partnerships Online. This Guide has incorporated many of the ideas presented in his website. (http://www.partnerships.org.uk/part/index.htm)
Co-operation Ireland in 1999 produced the Cross Border Support and Funding Handbook. Some of the material in this Handbook has been incorporated into this Guide. (http://www.cooperationireland.org)
ruralnet|uk is the lead partner of the DirectSupport Consortium that is funded by DfES to provide a programme of support to Voluntary and Community UK online centres. We are indebted to ruralnetuk for the use of their material in Section 11 (Project Planning), which we have adapted. (http:// www.directsupport.org.uk)
Our facilitators
During the course of this project, a number of facilitators have worked with us to deliver a programme of facilitated sessions designed to help new partnerships through the challenges of establishing relationships with groups from another jurisdiction, facilitating them to recognise good practice in building relationships and helping them to identify aims, objectives, goals and targets for these new partnerships. We are in debt to these facilitators who have willingly given time and commitment to the project and who have encouraged the project team from the start of the project. Many thanks.