April 30, 2025

Gordon Henry, Bedrock Development Officer at Cumbria CVS, looks ahead to a busy May, and celebrates the work of the VCFSE sector in Cumbria:

The month of May symbolises renewal, growth and celebration and marks a time of rejuvenation and vitality in the calendar year.

So, amid everything you will be doing this month please try and take some time to celebrate the work of your organisation and the services provided to communities, groups and individuals across Cumbria and the vital networks of support we provide.

Here at Bedrock Basics Project, we work with non-profit organisations and community groups delivering some or all of their services in west Cumberland. We provide a wide range of 1:1 support and advice as well as a range of group training and development opportunities. We have already supported 350 organisations on a range of topics including:

• Business Planning
• Digital Skills
• Funding and Fundraising
• Governance
• Health and Safety
• Organisational Development
• Policies and Procedures
• Social Impact
• Social Media
• Volunteers and Volunteering

Over the next 2 months you are welcome to join us at any of the following:

New training! Introducing new Canva training – the Canva ABCs for non-profits.

This training session is aimed at people who are digitally confident but struggle with creating visuals within an image editing platform like Canva. We have identified a need for some basic walkthroughs on how to create a new design, how to edit shapes, photos and text and how to share the design. That’s it! Just nice, clear practical guidance to get people started. If you feel this is for you, please book onto one of our sessions:

Join our first session on Monday 12th May 1pm until 2pn – Register your place

 

Upcoming Introduction to Canva for non-profits.

This is a free, online learning session which focuses on exploring the image editing platform Canva (www.canva.com). It is beginner-friendly and aimed to boost the confidence of attendees who need to create engaging visuals and reports for their non-profit, we will also be looking at how to apply for a free pro-account for non-profits.

Join our free online session for a beginner-friendly walkthrough of Canva, the powerful design platform that helps you create stunning visuals with ease.

Tuesday 13th May at 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Register your place
Wednesday 11th June at 9:30 am – 11:00 am – Register your place
Friday 11th July at 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm- Register your place

 

Volunteers’ Week 2025 takes place from 2nd – 8th June and celebrates and recognises the amazing contributions of volunteers to life in communities across the United Kingdom. Here in west Cumberland we are hosting Keswick Volunteering Fair – Saturday 7th June – 10.30am to 12 noon – Keswick Museum. To find out more and to book your place please click here

On the morning of 4th June, we will also be holding free GDPR and Cyber Security training with Morgan Sindall Infrastructure. More details will be announced shortly.

 

We are hosting our first ever Digital Skills Fair – Bedrock Basics Digital Fair – Free in-person event on Wednesday 25th June at the Beacon Museum, Whitehaven.

Morning session opens at 10am until 12noon, afternoon session from 1 – 4pm. Digital resources will be shared after the event. Register your place and interest here

Join us for an exciting information-sharing morning and a practical afternoon tackling digital tasks! Connect with digital experts and providers to discover valuable insights on digital volunteering, digital champions, cybersecurity support, Cumbria broadband and internet, accessibility, Virtual Reality, digital funding, and more. You’ll also have access to resources and templates to help streamline your daily tasks as a charitable organisation. Don’t miss the chance to enhance your cybersecurity skills with the Cyber Security Escape Room, hosted by Cumbria Police and the North-West Cyber Security Centre.

 

We will also be starting training sessions on Recruiting Trustees and Good Practice In Volunteer Management in June. More details will be announced shortly.

If we have not worked with your group or organisation, we would be delighted to hear from you to find out how we can assist you. Please e-mail Gordon.henry@cumbriacvs.org.uk

I hope that May 2025 is a month of renewal, growth and vitality in your work and one of rejuvenation and vitality. If all else fails May is the month of not one but two Bank Holidays and I hope you find time to relax, recharge and to enjoy those.