Useful information – w/c 07/04/25
April 7, 2025
Events, training, charity news, surveys, research, feedback, reports, services and much more – in one handy place!
This page will be updated with new information as we receive it during the week. Please check back regularly. (Last update: 07/04/25 – items added on this date are marked as [NEW])
You’ll also find the latest Health and Wellbeing news, events and opportunities in the current post on our News page here.
You can view previous Useful Information posts here to catch up on our archive of information.
For useful resources, information, news and events, updates on our climate commitment, blog posts from colleagues about what they’re doing (in a work capacity and privately) to minimise environmental impact and more take a look at Cumbria CVS Green
If you’ve seen something you think we should be sharing, let us know! Email us: info@cumbriacvs.org.uk
Looking for funding information? Check out the latest edition of Focus on Funding here
Training and Events
[NEW] Trustee Training Modules
Learn essential skills for charity trustees with six free training modules from ICAEW, designed for all levels of experience. ICAEW’s online training modules provide an overview of charity trustees’ legal and financial responsibilities and their strategic and operational considerations.
Introduction to Legacy Fundraising Workshop
Monday 7 April 2025, online. This 60 minute workshop will highlight what legacy fundraising entails and provide you with a sample of the crucial information for improving your income from legacies.
5 key steps to boosting fundraising with data
8th April, online. You’ve heard it before, “Data driven decision-making is the key to raising more funds”. But what data should you gather? How do you manage it, make it usable, and how do you turn it into more income for your charity? That’s the magic that often separates high-performing campaigns from the rest.
And that’s what we’ll unpack in our next webinar, The 5 Key Steps to Boosting your Fundraising with Data.
Introduction to Bid Writing Workshop
Tuesday 8 April 2025, online. This 60-minute workshop will give you an introduction to what Bid Writing for Charities and Community Groups is about.
It will enable you to meet Get Grants Experts, get top tips and expert advice and build confidence in your own skills.
Practical uses of AI for your charity
8 April, online. This course aims, in just three hours, to boost your everyday use of AI.
The course takes a hands-on, practical approach, showing charities how to use AI to improve meetings, boost email marketing, smash data analytics, enhance workflow efficiency, and so much more.
Blueprint for change: Planning your resources for digital change
Thursday 10th April, Online. When it comes to delivering a digital project, successfully navigating the financial and strategic aspects of the project is key.
This free webinar from Hart Square will guide you through the process of understanding how to budget for change. We’ll explain how to create a robust budget and plan that aligns with your organisation’s digital goals and reflects the true costs of delivering your project including the often-underestimated costs around resourcing and people. You’ll come away with a solid understanding of what goes into a change management budget and plan – from how you will invest in effective communication and training, to systems development, implementation, and evaluation.
Introduction to Improving Quality
Thurs 10 April 2025, online. Improving Quality is a clear, simple system, and focuses on the key issues that make a difference for charities. IQ can either be used for self-assessment or accreditation, and has international recognition: a number of organisations in the UK and the Republic of Ireland are already accredited to it.
Find out more about it at our free online workshop.
Cyber Essentials Training: Mastering the Five Key Controls for Digital Security
15 April, online. This three-hour workshop offers an accessible introduction to Cyber Essentials, a government-backed framework designed to help organisations protect themselves from the most common cyber threats. Over two engaging sessions, we’ll break down the scheme’s five critical controls and run a live hack, including reconnaissance and initial access, where you will play a lead role in the operation.
By the end of the training, you’ll be equipped with actionable strategies to strengthen your organisation’s digital defences.
Free Storytelling Photography Workshops
April, Barrow. Join Signal Film & Media and Photographer Nicholas J.R. White for a series of free creative photography workshops!
Explore the Sankey Photography Archive and learn photography narrative techniques. Create your own photographic series and showcase your work. For 18+ years. No experience necessary,
Mental health at work
Thursday 17th April, Online. Workplaces can have an impact on our mental health, as we spend roughly a 1/3 of our life at work. The way in which we address mental health in the workplace will determine whether that impact is positive or negative.
Join Acas for this webinar exploring how employers can positively support mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Charities SORP consultation
17th April, online. The joint SORP-making body has launched a public consultation on the upcoming version of the charities’ accounting and reporting framework.
To help you navigate the changes, Charity Finance will host a free webinar on the proposed draft of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP). Chaired by Tristan Blythe, editor of Charity Finance, the session will explore the key changes in the new SORP, the practical implications for charities, and what’s missing from the updated framework. The webinar will conclude with a live Q&A to address your pressing questions.
Data Protection Training for Charities
22 April 2025, online. It is important for every charity leader to ensure their organisation is fully compliant with the latest data protection regulations. This half-day course will guide you through the key points to consider and what measures you should have in place.
You will also learn how to avoid some common data protection pitfalls.
Fundraising Everywhere Face-to-Face Fundraising Conference 2025
23rd April 2025, Online. This conference will equip you with the insights, strategies, and best practices you need to grow and future-proof your F2F fundraising.
What you’ll gain by attending:
- Actionable strategies for recruiting, training, and retaining high-performing F2F teams
- Real-world case studies from charities successfully managing in-house and outsourced teams
- Data-driven insights on improving donor retention and lifetime value from F2F acquisition
- Ethical and compliance best practices to protect your brand and maintain public trust
- Agency vs. in-house comparisons – how to make the right choice for your charity’s goals
Understanding Governance Stage 1: The Trustee Role
23–24 April 2025, online. Governance fundamentals for new and experienced trustees.
If you are new to the role of being a charity trustee, this course will provide the perfect introduction, while experienced trustees will also benefit from a refresher of their responsibilities and comprehensive updates on evolving elements of the trustee role.
A Nature for Health Approach Across Cumbria
Thursday 24 April, Carlisle. We know that high quality health and wellbeing, supported by a healthy environment, are the basis for thriving local places and people. And yet, we also know that organisations across our county are grappling with a challenging range of issues, from greater pressures on local services, to nature & climate emergencies and health & wellbeing crises.
As Cumbria looks forward to a period of further devolved powers and responsibilities, it seems an appropriate time to foster conversations that are rooted in cross-sector working, to achieve multiple goals for the health of people & nature.
We would welcome representatives from a variety of sectors and agencies, to join this initial event and participate in structured workshops to establish key areas of focus for Cumbria. Your thoughts, engagement, and outlook as to how we create and sustain positive change, will be key.
Media Trust: Social media accessibility for charities
Thurs 24th April 2025, online. This masterclass will give you the tools to create clear, inclusive social media content that reaches more people and focuses on building a great user experience.
From improving readability to ensuring good colour contrast on graphics, we’ll cover practical steps to remove digital barriers and make your social media user-friendly for everyone.
CRFM 1st birthday party
25 April, Carlisle. We want to celebrate CRFM 1st Birthday as a community, because we are a community radio station! Can you believe that CRFM have been on air for a year as of April the 15th 2025? …..
No neither can we, so to celebrate CRFM are holding a listener 1st birthday party at the Box Arena in Carlisle. Doors open at 7pm with presenters playing music and the show starts at 8pm. On stage will be a host of CRFM presenters with some fun and games as well as playing a great mix of music to dance to.
There will also be three performances from the top tribute acts. Britney Spears, Steps and The Venga Boys just to make the night that little bit special. Plus giving away prizes all night. If you would like up to a Max 6 tickets, just fill out the form here. First come first served up to 100 free tickets available.
Where Are Your Next Generation of Volunteers
Tues 29 April, online. Volunteer numbers have been falling since 2020. Considerable changes have occurred in how the public wants to volunteer. There has also been a rise in younger people wanting to give back to their communities, contribute to their environment, and make a difference in their neighbourhoods.
It is important for any group to start thinking about how it can adapt and remove the barriers so that younger people can get involved in volunteering. This session will offer you some practical ways to make volunteering for your organisation more appealing to younger people.
Board Leadership Stage 1: High-Performance Boards
29–30 April 2025, online. A course on governance for both experienced and new chairs and chief executives.
The course is for both experienced and new chairs and chief executives (ideally attending together). Taking place over two mornings, it will help you in your role of building a high-performance board, delivering valuable insights into the key areas of responsibility for chairs and CEOs and providing you with ideas to keep your board moving forward.
Understanding Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Creating an Inclusive Environment
30 April, online.
[NEW] Supercharge your use of social media
6th May, online. This course aims, in just three hours, to supercharge your use of social media. We’ll explore how you can pick the right platforms for your charity and how to know whether you should invest, or divest, in other platforms.
We’ll show you how to increase social media engagement, how to extend your reach, and how to ensure you target the most rewarding demographics.
GDPR and Data Security
Tues 13 May, online. Who is trying to access your data and what are the implications of this?
Also, what can you do to make it more difficult for people to steal your data.
How to manage charity finances
20 May, online. This course aims, in just three hours, to help you make sense of your finances. It provides a simple, straightforward, plain-English introduction, covering budgeting, reporting, governance, sustainability, futureproofing, and so much more.
In two back-to-back sessions, each lasting approximately 80 minutes, the course offers key insights into the essential elements of charity finance.
Charity Digital Academy: How to master strategic planning
28th May – 4th June 2025, online. Master your long term planning with this two part course
Our course, in two three-hour sessions, inspires charities to embrace long-term planning. The course will allow you to think strategically, understand the importance of charity governance, develop an in-depth strategic plan, understand the tensions that arise between operational and strategic priorities, keep your strategic plan on track, and so much more.
Getting to work on Modern Slavery in Cumbria
Thursday 29 May, Penrith. Our keynote is from Causeway who provide a range of services which support survivors of modern slavery to recover from trauma, be protected from further harm, and develop safe and fulfilling lives.
They receive referrals from the Salvation Army, who are the government contract holders for adult victims of modern slavery in England & Wales.
How to use Canva for Social Media
Monday 9 June, online. Canva is the great free-to-use online graphic design tool which you can use to create great graphics as well as presentations and videos amongst other things.
This is an introductory session about Canva with a few tips about using it for social media.
Reimagining Service Delivery Summit
12 June, online. A free online event for charity professionals to unlock new perspectives on service delivery and help maximise value to service users.
Whether you’re a charity leader or a volunteer, working in service delivery, fundraising, or marketing, this event will have something for you. Sessions will help you re-evaluate the relationship between charities and their service users, consider how digital can help charity services go further, and make more room for hope and optimism in service delivery for meaningful change.
Find out more and register here
Reimagining Service Delivery Summit
12 June 2025, online. Free online event, to explore collaborative and user-cantered service delivery.
Explore how charities can make the most of their resources to deliver the best services. We will also discuss ways to shift perceptions of service delivery, ensuring users remain at the centre of these conversations and much more.
Introduction to Engaging with Businesses: Five Things I Wish I’d Known
Tuesday 17 June, online. A basic introduction to engaging and connecting with your local business community.
This session is aimed at small charities and voluntary groups, whether they are at the beginning of their journey in engaging with businesses or wish to develop stronger contacts.
Reserves – What They Are and How to Calculate Them
Tuesday 8 July, online. Reserves are a critical element when building small charity resilience. However, they are often, for very valid reasons, miscalculated.
The session will look at Why we hold reserves, how to calculate reserves, what a good reserves policy looks like and how to report on reserves.
VCFSE News and Information
[NEW] NICs rise will have ‘catastrophic’ impact on charities, warns Stuart Andrew
Shadow culture secretary Stuart Andrew has criticised the government’s “cruel” decision to increase national insurance contributions (NICs) for charities, ahead of the tax rise coming into force this week.
Writing for the Daily Express, the former civil society minister said: “This reckless and irresponsible jobs tax will have catastrophic consequences for our charities, who provide critical support to individuals who are facing poverty, illness, and injustice.”
Andrew noted umbrella bodies NCVO and ACEVO’s letter to chancellor Rachel Reeves, which received more than 7,000 signatures, estimating a £1.4m cost to the sector.
[NEW] Volunteers Week resources available
Volunteers Week resources are now available to download, including brand assets such as logos, Canva templates, social media posts and more.
[NEW] #DoWith campaign – get involved
Radical and hopeful change in how public services work with people and communities is urgently needed. #DoWith is a network of people and organisations calling for a radical shift in the public sector from ‘doing to’ to ‘doing with’.
#DoWith hosted a huge event last week, which you can catch up on here
Surveys, Research, Feedback and Reports
[NEW] DCMS asks charities whether reporting thresholds should rise with inflation
Charities in England and Wales have been asked to respond to a government review, which asks whether financial thresholds should rise in line with inflation.
The 10-week consultation, published today by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), asks whether all 21 financial thresholds in charity law should rise with inflation, increase partially or stay at current rates.
Potential changes include increasing the audit threshold from £1m to £1.5m in terms of annual income, which would mean around 2,000 charities would no longer be required to have their accounts fully audited.
[NEW] Recognise civil society as ‘critical national infrastructure’, government told
The government should regard civil society as “critical national infrastructure” in its crisis response preparedness planning, a new report has argued.
The report from the Young Foundation, commissioned by Local Trust, warns that the UK is not currently equipped to protect its citizens from crisis.
Supported by VCS Emergencies Partnership, the report says that the country depends on networks of trust, mutual aid and voluntary infrastructure that mobilise during emergencies.
[NEW] Vision for Volunteering next phase: share your views
The Vision for Volunteering wants to hear from leaders of volunteers to inform its next phase. If you have a view on the value of the Vision, what shape it should take next and how it relates to your volunteering programme, this short, anonymised survey is your opportunity to help shape its future.
Share your views here. The survey closes on 11th April.
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.
