Useful information – March 2022
March 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
Bridging the access gap for people with disabilities
A new initiative to encourage more voluntary groups, charities and volunteers to take up sign language as an extra language and skill, is now available locally.
The Signs4Life scheme is to help people to communicate and engage with vulnerable service users, members of the public, and colleagues, who may be hard of hearing.
For more details on the Spring community programs, please sign up here
Fully funded courses – Mental Health Awareness, SEND, Autism Awareness, Behaviour That Challenges, Self Harm & Suicide Prevention
Impact Futures are delivering qualifications fully funded through our Adult Education Budget, to anyone aged 19+ and regardless of their employment status. The courses are specifically designed to raise knowledge and awareness of the subject area to support others, and can be completed by staff, volunteers, parents, friends, and family within your community.
We offer qualifications in childcare & education, healthcare, business, IT and team leading. AEB qualifications overview factsheet
To book, call or email Andrea Swales on 01753 596004 / Andrea.Swales@impactfutures.co.uk
CADAS weekly health walk in Kendal
Walks take place every Thursday at 12:30pm.
They are open to anyone who is interested and would like to get out in the fresh air.
To register, or for more information, contact loiss@cadas.co.uk / 0300 111 4002.
NIHR ARC NENC Inequalities and Marginalised Communities theme, Networking Event
Save the date – 27 April 2022, approx. 12noon – 4.30pm
The NIHR ARC North East and North Cumbria Inequalities and Marginalised Communities Theme will host a Networking Event, at The University of Cumbria, Fusehill Street campus.
This is a face-to-face event, including lunch, to introduce the ARC NENC Inequalities and Marginalised Communities theme, showcase the research projects taking place within it, and to discuss topics such as implementation, public involvement and community engagement and to strengthen research links within the ARC across the North East and North Cumbria.
Environment Agency ‘Check for Flooding’ service training
The sessions will cover the same information so you only need to attend one. Please arrive 5 minutes before the time listed below so we can begin promptly:
Thursday 3rd March 10am – 11:30am – sign up here
Tuesday 8th March 7pm – 8:30pm – sign up here
If you are unable to access MS Teams or are not able to attend either of the slots then we will be uploading a recording of one of the sessions to The Flood Hub.
Advantage! heading up Winter Wellness Campaign
Advantage! Barrow Raiders Community Foundation have received funding from Cumbria CVS, via Morecambe Bay Clinical Commissioning Group, to deliver of a number of activities, events and services in relation to the Winter Wellness programme 2022.
Two major events at The Matt Johnson Prestige Stadium will take place; A Family Festival Day On Sunday 20th March, and on Sunday 3rd April a Veteran’s Well Being Day.
University of Cumbria – Creating a Culture of Innovation event
4th March at Energus, Workington.
What makes some businesses more consistently innovative than others? What can you do to enable more innovation in your business to keep delighting your customers and do things differently to meet a changing world?
We’ll explore what having a Culture of Innovation means, why it’s important and what the barriers and enablers are to consistent innovation in any organisation.
Find out more, and book a fully funded place here
CancerCare inviting people to walk through fire
CanceCare is inviting people to strip off their socks and prepare their piggies for a unique fundraising challenge for only the bravest of “soles”.
The charity, which provides free professional therapy for people affected by cancer and bereavement, will be holding its Feet of Endurance event, a barefoot walk over burning coals and shards of glass, at Barrow Island Community and Sports Hub on Saturday 9 April.
Host a Musical Tea
It’s time to get together, put the kettle on and line up your favourite music! Host a Musical Tea this April and share the joy of music and memories.
Musical Teas are a great way to connect with family, friends and colleagues. By hosting a Musical Tea you’ll help raise awareness of the power of personal music for people living with dementia. Register for your free Musical Tea resource pack for ways to spread joy through the power of music and how to host a fun and safe Musical Tea.
Three West Cumbrian Charities receive major funding boost
Age UK West Cumbria, Cumbria Youth Alliance and Together We CIC have received a share of over a quarter of a million pounds to continue to play a vital role in supporting local communities.
The money was awarded from the Bedrock Awards programme, part of Transforming West Cumbria, which was developed by Cumbria Community Foundation and funded by Sellafield Ltd, to build the resilience, capabilities and financial sustainability of charities and community organisations in West Cumbria.
Read Cumbria Community Foundation’s press release here
Running a shadow board programme
Did you know that trustees of charity Boards are predominately white, male, and that the average age of a trustee is 61?
One of the main issues preventing board diversity is the recruitment process for trustees. Dr Ambreen Ashah, a trustee at the Smallwood Trust, has been championing a shadowing programming to provide people with lived experience the opportunity to shadow existing Board members at the charity. Based on this work, she has produced some useful resources:
Board Shadowing Webinar: What it is, how it benefits charities and getting involved
Running a Shadow Board Programme – FAQs
Live Well Award – Wellbeing programme
iCan’s 8 week WeCan Live Well Award is specifically designed for 18-24 year olds who want to improve their lifestyle as well as make and achieve new goals.
You will work alongside a small group of peers at our new Wellbeing Centre in Carlisle and have the opportunity to connect with the outdoors to gain life skills, increase confidence & improve
your emotional & social wellbeing! More information in the attached flyer
Free office furniture and equipment
Disability Association Carlisle & Eden is closing at the end of March and have a lot of office furniture and equipment to dispose of.
Free to local organisations who might need something, it must be collected by the receiving organisation.
Contact Fred Wilenius, Chief Officer, for more information on 07799 672597 or email: fwilenius.dace@aol.com
Coalfields Regeneration Trust
The Trust is keen to encourage more small-medium sized charitable organisations based in Allerdale and Copeland to join our Practical Support membership programme.
All members have to complete a short 10-15 minute survey and we will send you the link if you meet our eligibility criteria, please see the attached information for more details.
CCIP Practical Support Offer V7
Independent Custody Visitors wanted
Independent Custody Visitors are volunteers who come from many backgrounds and sections of the community. They must be over 18 and either live or work in Cumbria. The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner is not allowed to pay Custody Visitors to make visits but expenses are reimbursed.
All newly appointed Independent Custody Visitors receive induction training before making any visits.
Find our more about Independent Custody Visitors and apply here
People’s Health Trust – Active Communities Funding
Active Communities is a funding programme for community groups and not-for-profit organisations, with an income of less than £350,000 a year or an average of £350,000 over two years, seeking investment of between £5,000 and £40,000 for projects lasting up to two years. We’re looking for small and local projects, genuinely designed and run by local people.
Health Lottery North East and Cumbria applications will be opening on Wednesday 6 April at 1pm.
More information in this newsletter
Community cash available in Allerdale
Grants of up to £5,000 are on offer to community groups – the funding is part the Council’s drive to create more resilient communities and the aim is to promote healthy lifestyles, improve safety or address inequalities or hardship.
Applicants will need to demonstrate how their activities will meet that criteria and show how their initiatives will make a significant difference to the residents of Allerdale.
The deadline for applications is Tuesday 22 March 2022.
For more information about the grant criteria and to apply, click here
Get free essential goods for your beneficiaries
Following the challenges of the past few years and the further impending increase to the cost of living, the need in our communities will continue to grow. Giving World can help you to meet that need by providing business surplus stock free of charge, such as clothing, food items, toiletries, cleaning and household products as well as other useful items.
Goods can be collected directly from us, or we can arrange delivery at cost – you will only ever pay for transport.
To access these goods when you need them, simply register your organisation here.
Survey from the Ethical Property Foundation
The Ethical Property Foundation have launched the 2022 Charity Property Matters Survey. This research started in 2012 to chart the property trends, concerns and needs of voluntary organisations across England and Wales, and this sixth survey has been updated to reflect the harsh pandemic realities now bedevilling the UK voluntary sector.
You can complete the survey here.
Key parts of the levelling up white paper for charities and social enterprises
Plans about the Shared Prosperity Fund, support for young people and spending dormant assets were included in the government’s levelling up white paper last month.
At over 300-pages it’s a long read. But fortunately, or unfortunately, not all of it is relevant to charities and social enterprises. Civil Society have summarised the key points.
Charities need a ‘mindset shift’ to get the most from flexible working, report says
Charities need to develop cultures of trust and a focus on outcomes to properly embed flexible working, sector bodies said today.
Membership bodies NCVO and ACEVO, with Starfish Search, have published a report, Time to Flex, based on research and interviews by a working group formed last autumn.
Read the full article on Civil Society’s website here
Nectar points can now be turned into donations for charities
Nectar customers can now donate their points to charities through a partnership with fundraising platform Crowdfunder.
Nectar believes that up to £250m worth of points is now available from its 18m members. In 2020 a campaign encouraging people to donate points raised £1.7m for Comic Relief.
This article from Civil Society News explains more
Better Health Food Scanner App campaign
The new childhood nutrition campaign launched on the 10th January 2022 and focuses on using the Food Scanner app to help families make healthier food and drink swaps.
We’ve added additional resources to the Campaign Resource Centre to help you to encourage families to make healthier swaps.
There is still time to order take-home leaflets. These can be distributed from locations such as children’s centres, libraries, GP surgeries, pharmacies to children and young families in your area and encourages them to download the NHS Food Scanner app to find healthier food and drink swaps.
High Street Task Force announces further 68 local authorities to receive expert support
Civic societies identified as key groups to receive support to regenerate towns and cities.
Each selected local authority will be invited to put forward a high street or centre which can benefit from help to address local challenges and to develop strategies for positive change. The Task Force, which was appointed by government in 2019, will provide these locations with expert consultancy and training, working directly with local government and facilitating engagement with communities and civic societies.
A Good Thing: Matchmaking businesses who care with local charities
A Good Thing is a digital ‘matchmaking’ platform which aims to link charities up with local businesses that have things to donate. This includes surplus equipment, products and spaces.
All you need to do is sign up to the free app on the website and make a request for the things you need. The founders say that the process is: “as easy as booking a room on Air BnB”.
Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) Governance Consultation
One of the outcomes of Cumbria being divided in to two unitary local authorities is that the governance responsibility of CFRS needs to move to a new organisation as it currently sits with Cumbria County Council which will no longer exist as of 1 April 2023.
The PCC has developed a business case to review which of two viable options of governance transfer provides the best outcome for the residents and services of Cumbria. As part of the business case that will be submitted to the Home Secretary, the PCC has launched a public consultation for anyone to take part in.
How to create a robust risk register for your charity
Sarah Cox from Ansvar explains why having a risk register for your charity is so important, and offers advice on how to create one, in this article for Civil Society.
Local Government Reorganisation – Stakeholder Newsletter
Catch-up on what’s happening with Cumbria’s LGR via the online version of the February newsletter here, including information on the move to Phase 2, Design.
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.
