June 13, 2024

Gareth Cavanagh, gives us an update on his early months in post as our Development Officer, and the support he’s been providing in the Allerdale area:

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I am approaching three months in my role as Development Officer for Allerdale at Cumbria CVS and community development is proving to be an exciting, interesting challenge for me.

Voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in the area are accessing my support to help them reach their goals, whatever they may be. This includes finding funding to make their dream project possible, bringing in more volunteers so that they can continue their critical work and developing the skills of their team members.

I have wasted no time, taking on my first client in March, a bowling club based at the heart of the community. Working alongside two of the club’s tireless volunteers has been really interesting. They approached us for help to find funding for redevelopments at the club grounds. Having recently received training in bid writing, I put my new skills to good use supporting them with their funding application to Cumbria Community Foundation.

Working in the Third Sector is an opportunity to see community spirit first-hand as well as the positive impact it has on people’s lives. Recent work with a new charity based in Northside has been an opportunity to do this. I supported the founder to formally register her charity, hearing about their amazing work to-date and their big plans for the future.

It was a great feeling to help them get their application over the line and I am really excited to see what they do in the future.

However, I am finding that the role is an opportunity to develop myself and my own skills as well as the groups I work with. Learning about how charities should be governed properly has been a really interesting learning curve for me; supporting groups with their policies and procedures has also taught me useful new information.

The list of non-profit groups and organisations I have worked with so far is really diverse and varied from community centres and upcycling schemes to sports clubs and a reading room. I am looking forward to working with more of Cumbria’s voluntary and community sector going forward.

If you run a community group or charity in the Allerdale area and would like my support, email me at: Gareth.Cavanagh@cumbriacvs.org.uk or call 07356 148 808.