Two of Richmond's non-profit community groups joined forces in September 2024, bringing the town's Information Centre into the Richmond Yorkshire CIC family.

The volunteer-run Richmond Information Centre (RIC), based in the Market Hall, welcomes over 35,000 visitors and locals a year, open 360 days annually - more than many professionally staffed city tourist offices. It publishes walking guides, local histories and a bi-monthly What’s On magazine, runs free guided walks three times a week, and has long lived up to its aim of “welcoming visitors and locals alike.”

Richmond Yorkshire CIC, established in December 2023, shares those same values but with a broader remit - driving incremental improvements across the town, from Amazing Neighbours to the restoration of the Market Place railings. The two organisations had already been collaborating closely, so bringing RIC formally into the CIC was a natural next step, giving it a more robust legal and financial framework to build on its excellent reputation and local knowledge.

“This really is a case of two plus two equalling five,” said Ian Woods, Chair of the CIC and, until recently, Mayor of Richmond. “Involving the Information Centre, with its excellent local reputation and contacts, helps both groups to better coordinate their ambitions.”

Judith Harwood, RIC’s Chair, agreed: “Joining forces with the Community Interest Company builds an even stronger and more complementary range of talents between us, and gives us access to local government initiatives, back-office services and a more robust corporate status. This will really help us to become more sustainable and expand what we do.”

The move reflects a wider ambition: encouraging Richmond's community organisations to work together rather than duplicate effort, so that volunteers' goodwill is matched by proper professional support behind the scenes.