Useful Information – May 2022
May 2, 2022
Events, charity news, surveys, feedback, reports, services and much more – in one handy place!
If you’ve seen something you think we should be sharing, let us know! Email us: info@cumbriacvs.org.uk
Free Workshop: Celebrating Pride
This free Ideas Box workshop on 19 May (online) will be fast-paced with ideas for celebrating Pride month (June) with families. During the session, we will share resources, signpost quality resources, show you quick wins and, you’ll have an opportunity to share your favourite resources with others.
This workshop will be delivered by John Beattie from Campaign for Learning.
Carer Champion training sessions – West Cumbria
Open to people in Copeland and Allerdale, the training is for people in front facing services who would ideally signpost people to West Cumbria Carers.
There are two dates to choose from: Tuesday 10 May, 10-11am or Tuesday 7 June at 2-3pm.
The aims are to gain a better understanding of what it means to be a carer, identify the signs of someone who perhaps unknowingly, is an unpaid carer, become more aware of the stresses and strains a carer can face, and learn how to assist carers in taking the first steps to seek help and support.
For further information, contact susanhogg@westcumbriacarers.co.uk.
Family Learning Festival: Free planning workshops Throughout May
The Festival brings families, communities, and organisations together to celebrate learning. This year’s festival will run from 15 – 30 October 2022. Find out more at the free planning workshops.
Charity Ball in aid of Eden Valley Hospice
14 May at the Halston, Carlisle.
3 course meal, charity auction and entertainment by Ian Milburn & Zing Choir.
(Click the thumbnail to view details and how to get tickets)
Volunteer Expo Live: 6-7 May
The UK’s national volunteering show is coming to the NEC, Birmingham – the only event of its kind, it brings civil society together to celebrate the impact of volunteering and help people find ways to give back.
The event includes speaker sessions with celebrity campaigners and volunteer heroes, alongside interactive workshops, networking opportunities and more.
Find out more about exhibitor opportunities here, or book free visitor tickets here
Supporting mums at risk of child removal
The Motherwell Charity is a Womens and Girls mental health charity, and their Believe project supports mums at risk of child removal, by offering one to one support through the Believe toolkit.
They run the Believe Ambassador Training programme, to train others to use the toolkit and offer the support to mums that need it most.
Their next training is on 10 & 11 May online, and there will be another on 10 & 11 July.
Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) invites you to BGKT’s Vesak Puja
Vesak commemorates the Birth, Enlightenment, and Final Passing Away of the Buddha. The Puja will consist of a short ceremony, followed by Dana (the traditional sharing of food).
16 May at Kendal Unitarian Chapel Hall. More information here
We Move: Race Equality & Migrants Rights Summit – 2-4 September 2022
Organised by the Runnymede Trust, this in-person event in Leeds will bring together academics, corporations, policymakers, trade unionists, civil society, journalists, students and the general public to explore how we harness the opportunities for positive change, address the threats to, and maintain the recent momentum for, racial equality.
You can find out more about the summit here, and register your interest here.
South Lakes Citizens Advice Mid-summer Foodie Fundraising Cruise
Not many people are aware that South Lakes Citizens Advice is a charity that has to raise its own revenue to keep going. Their first major fundraising event since March 2020 is a Foodie Fundraising Steamer cruise on Ullsawater, on 23 June.
Click on the flyer thumbnail for more details and information on how to book.
Leading in uncertainty: Peer support sessions for charity leaders
IVAR (Institute For Voluntary Action Research) is running a series of free workshops for charity leaders on three different topics: Wellbeing and supporting your team; Working in partnership, and; Social tech and digital inclusion.
Read more about the workshops and sign up here.
BHP, Chartered Accountants: Trustee Training Sessions
BHP are running free webinars for new and existing trustees, ensuring they are fully aware of their legal and financial responsibilities. The advanced sessions look in further detail at some of the key responsibilities for charity trustees.
9 May 10am – Introductory Session
9 May, 2pm – Advanced Session or 17 May, 10am – Advanced Session
Trustee Leadership Programme courses
This national programme is run by Cause4, in partnership with the Clothworkers’ Company. It trains people of all backgrounds to become charity Trustees, giving participants the skills and confidence that they will need to join a charity as a Board member, first-hand insights from senior charity experts, and linking participants with charities seeking new Trustees.
The next programme will be a virtual 2-part course, taking place on 18 May and 19 May.
Online Forum: Addressing the Risks of Exploitation for Displaced Ukrainians in the UK
5 May 2pm – 4pm. Join the Human Trafficking Foundation to discuss how to ensure the safety of Ukrainian refugees arriving in the UK.
Free First Aid Training
Take a look at the free training on offer (click on the thumbnail to expand) – Every day first aid training is particularly popular as it is uncomplicated and easy to remember. It is fun and interactive and can be delivered to 10 to 19 year olds and 19 years plus and we come to you… Dates are available on the booking form here
Nominate for the National Diversity Awards 2022
Nominations for the National Diversity Awards are officially open!
We have a range of award categories available, so don’t waste any time in nominating your local heroes, charities, and entrepreneurs as we prepare to celebrate the very best of British Diversity.
Nominations and voting will close on 20th May. Make a nomination or place a vote here
Pride of Cumbria Awards 2022
The Awards are currently being featured across all local newspaper titles in Cumbria to celebrate the very best of our local community heroes.
We will hail NHS staff, keyworkers, charities, good neighbours, care workers, volunteers and young people. We will also be recognising everyday heroes in all sectors from local charities to business and education.
All of our finalists will be celebrated at our celebration evening on Thursday, 23rd June 2022. Nomination form here
Cultural Sensitivity resource sheets
HealthProm have created some useful Cultural Sensitivity Sheets for people supporting refugees from Ukraine, giving useful advice on: what to do upon their arrival; religion; information on UK services; home comforts and differences; interpersonal differences; food; and more.
You can download them below, and they are available in:
Charity Sector Ukraine Resources
Please share these useful resources with anyone supporting Ukrainian people arriving in the UK, compiled by NAVCA.
Official guidance:
Welcome: a guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK
Homes for Ukraine: factsheet for Ukrainians
Homes for Ukraine scheme: frequently asked questions
Guidance: Move to the UK if you’re coming from Ukraine
Homes for Ukraine: sponsor guidance
Homes for Ukraine: record your interest
Guidance – Ukraine: migrant health guide
Other useful resources:
Q&A with the Home Office on the Ukraine visa process
Homes for Ukraine Sponsor Toolkit
Charity Translators – Ukraine-related language support (including volunteer opportunities!)
A Good Thing: matchmaking businesses with charities
A Good Thing has built an online matchmaking platform that links charities up with local businesses who have things to donate. Think Freecycle, but for charities and businesses.
Are you a charity in need of items in order to deliver your services better and more efficiently? Are you a business that has leftover things you’d like to find a new home for? Are you trying to avoid things going into landfill? If so, A Good Thing is for you!
Cumbria Community Foundation Welcome Fund
Looking for ways to support Ukrainian refugees coming to Cumbria but not sure how? Make a difference by donating to the Welcome Fund!
Providing a single point for collection of donations from individuals, families, businesses, charitable trusts and other organisations, the Fund assists the coordination of efforts in support of people in need. The Welcome Fund supports all refugees in Cumbria, not just those coming from Ukraine.
If you would like to get involved, download the free fundraising guide here
Support Ukrainian refugees by donating here
New Safeguarding Podcast
Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire have launched a ‘Are They Safe’ podcast series. The series will cover Roles and Responsibilities, Policies and Procedures, Recognising and Reporting Risk, and Recruitment and Criminal Record checks. The first two episodes have been released, with the rest coming very soon.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service
Every day, millions of people across the UK are making a difference by volunteering.
Each year, outstanding examples of this work are celebrated through the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS). Created in 2002 for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, QAVS awards have been shining a light on the fantastic work of voluntary groups for many years.
Equivalent to an MBE, QAVS are the highest awards given to local voluntary groups in the UK, and they are awarded for life.
Do you know a voluntary group in Cumbria that deserves recognition for the work it does? Nominations for the 2023 awards are now open, until 15 September 2022.
You can find out more, and nominate a group, here
Simple ways to support Mental Health Awareness Week: May 9 – 15, 2022
Watching WE WILL’s short films together is the easiest way to start a mental health conversation whether it be in the home, workplace, schools, community, in meetings & training or on social media & websites. More information in the flyer (click on the thumbnail to view) or go to www.ewanrigg.com/wewill
Pushed to the Edge: Poverty, Food Banks and Mental Health
Written by Tom Pollard and co-produced with the Independent Food Aid Network and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Pushed to the Edge: poverty, food banks and mental health is based on interviews conducted with people needing to use food banks in November and December 2021.
Share your experiences of charity banking
Share your experiences of issues around bank accounts which have affected charities, voluntary organisations and community groups.
Charity infrastructure bodies CFG, NCVO, ACRE and WCVA are collecting as much information as possible about the difficulties organisations have encountered. If you can spare a few minutes to complete this survey, you’ll be adding your experiences to their collective understanding of the scale and scope of the issues.
Bay Health and Care Partners Digital Survey
Bay Health and Care Partners (BHCP) have developed a colleague Digital Survey to help us to understand what systems are working and areas where we need to improve further.
We are inviting all staff and volunteers from across Morecambe Bay’s Place-Based Partnership to participate in the survey which will be open until Tuesday 3 May.
Your feedback will help us to gauge understanding of the BHCP Digital Strategy and flag areas where further support and training may be needed for individuals and teams.
Common Call Fund – Social Investment research project
Together, we can build a more equitable future for the social investment sector. By contributing 10 minutes of your time, you will be able to feed into a research project run by Common Call Fund.
Answer a set of multiple-choice questions about your organisation’s experience of social investment, impact loans and other social investment vehicles. It doesn’t matter if you have never actually received social investment; it matters that you are in the sector, and the sector is supposed to work for everyone in it.
You can contribute until 12 May 2022.
What health issues matter to you in the Furness area?
Healthwatch Cumbria is an independent organisation set up to champion your views of health and social care in Cumbria. We are here to listen to your views and to share them to shape local services.
Currently we are undertaking a survey to discover what health issues matter most to the local people in the Furness area. The survey is running until Tuesday 31 May 2022.
Free COVID testing had ended in Cumbria for most people – what happens next?
Free widespread symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for COVID-19 has now ended in Cumbria. Free tests are now only be available for people who develop symptoms and are at risk of serious illness from COVID-19 and are eligible for treatments, along with NHS and adult social care staff and those in other high-risk settings.
Information on who can access free coronavirus (COVID-19) tests and how to get them can be found on the government website.
Fee reduction for DBS checks
Fee changes for DBS checks were introduced in April. Details of the new prices are available here
Sarah Vibert: ‘Charities should play our part in creating a different future’
NCVO’s new CEO talks about her vision for a collaborative sector that steps up to the challenges ahead, in this interview from Civil Society.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for the charity sector
The Charity Commission has published up to date coronavirus guidance for the charity sector.
Read the full guidance here, and please share with your networks so that the voluntary and community sector can operate safely and continue to help people during this difficult time.
Implications of the health and social care levy for charities
The health and social care levy act 2021 was introduced to pay for an increase in funding for health and social care. The implementation of the levy will occur in two stages, both of which will have considerable consequences for charities. This useful article from Charity Finance explains what charities need to know about the change, and what steps are available to help mitigate any impact.
Refugees and asylum seekers in Cumbria
The UK has an ongoing commitment to refugee resettlement, offering places of safety to vulnerable refugees in need of protection.
Cumbria County Council have updated their website to include an explanation of what the terms ‘refugee’ and ‘asylum seeker’ mean, plus FAQs, information about offers of support, and sections on Afghanistan and Ukraine.
UK Armed Forces Veterans mailing list
The Office For National Statistics (ONS) are keen to reach as many stakeholders as possible who have an interest in, or connection to, the veteran topic and the work that ONS is conducting in that area. Further information on the ONS commitments can be found in the Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan: 2022 to 2024.
To help our users stay up to date we would encourage you to sign up to the veterans’ mailing list
New images showing older and Disabled people getting active released
The photographs – which depict older and Disabled people in non-stereotypical, positive and authentic ways – are available for download and free to use, from the Centre For Ageing Better website.
Reset launches Homes for Ukraine matching and training service
Reset has launched a matching and training service to pair sponsors and refugees under the UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme. It has mobilised experts in safeguarding to assess sponsors and refugees to make sure that the matching is suitable.
Help to boost blood stocks – blood donation sessions in Carlisle
Crown & Mitre Hotel – Wednesday 11 May
Morton Manor Community Centre – Friday 27 May
As the NHS continues to catch up on delayed surgeries and treatments, we urgently need more donors to come forward to continue providing patients with lifesaving treatment. With Covid, coughs and colds still in circulation, we have seen a higher than normal number of donor cancellations.
Disclaimer
The information above is provided in good faith. Whilst every care is taken to ensure that it is correct, Cumbria CVS cannot accept liability for any omissions or inaccuracies and does not take responsibility for the quality for any services or products mentioned.
