Useful information – w/c 20/04/26
April 20, 2026
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: 24/04/26 – 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 and news? Check out Focus on Funding here
Charities SORP Training: Tiering, Reporting, Reserves and Investments
Tuesday 21st April, online. The Charities SORP 2026 comes into effect for accounting periods starting from 1st January 2026 and it contains a number of important updates.
Led by charity finance experts from accountancy firm BDO, this online session will focus on the new three-tier reporting system, refreshed trustees annual report requirements, and further guidance on reserves and investments.
Co-operatives & Mutuals
Tuesday 21st April, Online. We’re seeing growing interest in co-operative and mutual models as organisations look for more inclusive, community-led approaches.
This session, delivered by Co-operatives UK, will introduce different ownership models, governance approaches and routes to raising finance, including community shares.
Ideal for anyone exploring new structures or thinking about long-term sustainability.
How to manage charity finances – CPD Accredited
Tuesday 21st April, 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.
Reserves: What They Are and How to Calculate Them
Tuesday 21st April, 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.
UK Giving 2026 – Join the conversation on the state of the nation’s giving
Tuesday 21st April, Online. Charities Aid Foundation’s latest UK Giving 2026 report reveals significant shifts in how people across the UK are choosing to give. Public generosity remains strong, yet there are now six million fewer donors than a decade ago, leaving charities increasingly reliant on a shrinking donor base.
Join CAF for this webinar, which will provide an in depth overview of the key findings from the UK Giving 2026 report. The session will examine current trends in public giving, the challenges facing the sector, and the implications for long term fundraising sustainability as well as opportunities in an evolving environment.
Your Voice, Your Story: Intro to Community Podcasting courses
Each course runs for 6 weeks: – Tuesday 21st April – Tuesday 2nd June (no session Tuesday 26th May) or Thursday 23rd April – Thursday 4th June (no session Thursday 28th May).
Have a story to tell or voices in your community you’d love to share with the world? This course is all about helping beginners and community groups start their very own podcast. You don’t need to be a tech expert — we’ll show you everything step by step.
This CPD course uses a blended learning approach, which means you’ll get practical tasks to complete at the end of each session. Step by step, you’ll be working on your own podcast as you learn, building both your skills and confidence along the way. By the end, you’ll be ready not only to produce, share, and promote your own podcast, but also to guide a group through the process in the future. Click on the links below to see examples of podcasts we have produced with communities.
This course is perfect for youth and community workers, or anyone interested in creating podcasts for positive impact in a community setting.
Find out more and book your place here
Building Resiliency in Mid-Level Fundraising: Strategy and Sustainability
Wednesday 22nd April, online. Join Veritus Group for an in-depth panel discussion on mid-level fundraising focused specifically for UK fundraising professionals navigating declines in giving. With economic concerns and evolving donor expectations shaping today’s environment, this session will provide practical guidance on how to build a strong mid-level programme that can grow revenue and better retain donors.
You will leave with actionable strategies to strengthen their programmes from the inside out, equipping their teams and donor relationships to not only weather uncertainty but to emerge stronger and more connected than before.
Find out more and register here
Legal Sector Session for Social Enterprises
Wednesday 22nd April, Kendal. Strong governance and a clear understanding of legal responsibilities are essential for any social enterprise — but they’re often only revisited when problems arise.
This practical session with Laura Moss (Partner, Wrigleys Solicitors), is designed to help you stay ahead of common legal risks and challenges.
Drawing on real examples from the sector, the session will cover:
- Directors’ and trustees’ duties in practice
- Key elements of company and contract law
- Common pitfalls such as conflicts of interest, outdated governing documents, and contractual issues
- How legal issues can impact day-to-day operations and long-term sustainability
AI Masterclass: Getting Unstuck with AI
Wednesday 22nd April, Online. Join Hart Square for this free webinar.
The session helps non-technical leaders and teams understand what AI really means for the NFP sector, where it can add genuine value, how to use it safely and responsibly, and how to integrate it into everyday work in ways that align with mission, culture and capacity.
Structuring your charity’s capital campaign
Thursday 23rd April, online. A capital fundraising campaign requires structure and discipline to ensure success for achieving financial goals. While charities look to increase donation income and manage the proceeds in respect of their liabilities, their donors are trying to make their giving more tax efficient.
Join Evelyn Partners’ charities team in collaboration with Gifted Philanthropy for the first in their series on Fostering Financial Resilience. This session will look at establishing a strong campaign structure, outline key tax implications and opportunities for major donors and consider how charities might effectively manage funds prior to deployment.
Suicide Prevention Conference
Thursday 23rd April, Rheged, Penrith. This year’s theme, “Take action. Prevent suicide.”, focuses on the practical steps we can all take to save lives and support those affected by suicide across Cumbria.
This full-day event brings together inspirational speakers, interactive workshops, and hands-on training to equip individuals, organisations, and community groups with the skills and confidence to help create a Suicide Safer Cumbria.
Whether you work in a school, a workplace, health or public services, the third or faith sectors, a sports club, or are attending as an individual – join us in our mission.
Does your charity need a property?
Thursday 23rd April, online. The Ethical Property Foundation (EPF) is pleased to continue their 2026 webinar series. Do charities need property? As the UK’s leading property advice charity for the voluntary sector, they offer this free webinar to help charities and voluntary organisations make informed decisions about property.
This practical and reflective session will support you to think carefully about the role property plays in your work. It will also help you decide whether having premises genuinely adds value to your mission.
Legal Essentials: Governance and Risk
Thursday 23rd April, Kendal. Strong legal foundations are essential for any organisation. This practical legal session delivered by Laura Moss, Partner at Wrigleys Solicitors, explores some of the key governance, compliance, and contractual issues affecting social enterprises today.
Led by an experienced legal partner, the session will cover:
• Directors’ and trustees’ duties in practice
• Key elements of company and contract law
• Common legal pitfalls and how to avoid them
Participants will gain a clearer understanding of their legal responsibilities and greater confidence in their governance arrangements.
Top tips for successful corporate fundraising
Wednesday 29th April, Online. Join NCVO for this free webinar.
In this session, you will get top tips on delivering successful corporate fundraising from two small charity leaders with a strong track record. You’ll get practical insights to help you build mutually beneficial relationships and create additional income streams.
Design high-impact emails to increase donations
Wednesday 29th April, online. Join Charity Digital for a one hour intensive masterclass on the fundamentals of exceptional email marketing. For just £20 per person, you’ll learn how to craft inclusive, visually engaging, and high impact emails from one of the charity sector’s leading experts.
The session will be led by Elizabeth Carter, Service Operations Manager at Charity Digital, who will guide you through designing email campaigns that are not only beautiful but fully accessible, including for people with visual impairments. You’ll also discover practical ways to improve open and click through rates using better email design.
During the masterclass, you’ll learn:
- How to design accessible, high impact emails
- Key tips for colour contrast, alt text, CTAs, and branding
- Common email design mistakes — and how to fix them
- Tools to test accessibility and boost engagement
Comms Practice Studio: Messaging Makeover
Thursday 30th April, online. If you’re looking for hands on support, peer feedback and space to think, join CharityComms in the Comms Practice Studio to give your messaging a makeover.
You’ll leave with clearer messaging, practical tools you can use straight away, and renewed confidence in how you communicate your charity’s work.
How to Make Your Social Media More Engaging
Thurs 30th April, online. Do you get the most engagement from your Facebook, Instagram or X (Twitter) posts? Why do some posts get more clicks than others?
How to increase engagement.
Finance for Non-Finance People
Tuesday 5th May, Online. Many trustees, directors and managers don’t come from a finance background — but still carry responsibility for financial oversight.
This practical session with Dodd & Co will build confidence in understanding accounts, asking the right questions, and identifying risks early.
Designed to help you make informed decisions and strengthen financial governance.
Understanding Governance: The Trustee Role
Wednesday 6th –Thursday 7th May, 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.
Getting to Work on Modern Slavery in Cumbria
Thursday 7th May, Workington. A Modern Slavery network building event for frontline workers in Cumbria. Keynote presentation from Streetlight UK.
To confirm your place email jo@churchestogehercumbria.org.uk
Click on the thumbnail image view the flyer for the event.
Best Practice Reporting
Tuesday 12th May, online. In the current economic climate where fundraising from funders and the public alike is a tough ask, it is important that you sell your charity in the best possible light. We all know that funders will look at your statutory accounts and therefore they need to reflect well on your organisation to provide key messages in a way that encourages them to fund you.
Our half day online course will give the tips on best practice reporting in the sector and show you how to think about your Trustees report differently. It is much more than a compliance document and an opportunity to ‘tell your story’ in an engaging way.
Excel: Beginner
Excel is an incredibly useful tool to help you store, analyse and present your data. Even with basic skills there’s a lot you can do to help with your organisation’s monitoring and evaluation practice – but how do you get started?
➡️ Beginner: Tuesday 12th May, online. More information here
Digital Fundraising Summit 2026
Thursday 14th May, online. Back for its eighth year, Charity Digital’s Digital Fundraising Summit returns with a full day of action-packed insights from experts across the charity and tech sectors. The event featuring a dynamic programme of informative webinars.
The theme this year, Building Fundraising Resilience, reflects the need for fundraisers to adapt and thrive in continually changing conditions. They will be exploring how to prepare for the unpredictable, how to strengthen supporter relationships, and how to diversify income with speed and confidence.
Get Your Charity Featured in the Media
Thursday 21st May, online. Get your Charity Featured in the Media is a practical workshop for people in marketing and communications roles in charities who want to gain positive media coverage for their cause — even without prior media experience or big budgets. Over the course of the session, you’ll learn how to craft and share stories that grab journalists’ attention, how to pitch them effectively, and how to turn coverage into long-term impact for your organisation.
Whether you’ve never written a press release before or you’ve dabbled in media outreach but want better results, this session will give you clear strategies, real-life examples, and simple tools to help you approach the media with confidence. You’ll leave with practical techniques you can use right away — and the resilience to keep going until your story gets told.
Supporter Experience Conference 2026
Thursday 21st May, online. Join Fundraising Everywhere for a half-day conference dedicated to helping you smash your supporter experience strategies and raise more money with your supporters.
Join fundraisers from across the sector for a day dedicated to helping charities build stronger, more meaningful supporter relationships. Hear from expert speakers, explore fresh ideas, and discover practical strategies to improve supporter journeys, strengthen engagement, and boost long term loyalty.
Preventing Charity Fraud
Thursday 28th May, online. Combining 25 years’ expertise as a charity lawyer and governance trainer with frontline experience from various voluntary leadership sector roles, Claris D’cruz will lead this half-day training course to help your charity prevent and deal with fraud or suspected fraud.
This training is relevant to charity trustees, CEOs, finance directors, finance managers, charity advisors and anyone with responsibility for dealing with fraud in their charity.
Throughout the morning we will explore the types of fraud and financial crime to be aware of, the controls and procedures to prevent fraud and how to handle a fraudulent incident.
Data Protection Training for Charities
Thursday 11th June, 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.
Impact Reporting for Charities
Tuesday 16th June, online. Funders want proof of the difference your organisation makes. They want to understand your charity’s impact across services and locations, and what the benefit is of the services they have agreed to fund.
Amongst other things this session looks at ‘what is impact and how do you measure it’, ‘what does impact look like’ and how do you engage with your stakeholders to maximise impact.
Finance for Trustees
Thursday 25 June, online. How confident are you that you really understand your charity’s finances? It’s a complicated business, what with managing different types of funds and income, the accounting and reporting rules, as well as dealing with tax and VAT.
This course, lead by the team from leading accountancy firm BDO, will give you the tools to get to grips with how all that works in your own organisation, and includes time to chat with fellow trustees over the practicalities and challenges you face.
[NEW] How to beat crisis fatigue
Charity Digital explore practical approaches to help you feel less overwhelmed by today’s crises.
Dip in total donations to major newspapers’ Christmas appeals
Major British newspapers raised less than £6m collectively in their respective Christmas 2025 charity appeals, marking a decline from the previous year.
Most nationals with the biggest appeals reported a dip in donations from the year prior when more than £6m collectively was raised, but some reported increased giving.
The London Standard received the most money for its selected charities at £2.65m in its celebrity-backed winter appeal, but it was almost a million less than its 2024 total of £3.46m.
Third Sector Podcast: How to approach safeguarding
In the latest Third Sector Podcast, Lucinda and Dami hear why every charity should have concerns about safeguarding. This episode, the team are joined by safeguarding specialist Joanna Nicolas and Sebastian Rocca, founder and Chief Executive of the LGBTQI refugee support organisation Micro Rainbow.
Joanna identifies some of the most common safeguarding challenges facing voluntary organisations, which principally stem from the power imbalance between a charity’s trustees, staff and volunteers and its service users. Sebastian also shares how Micro Rainbow is approaching safeguarding in the face of increasing hostility towards the groups it supports.
Renters’ Rights Act resources
Generation Rent has produced some materials to help raise awareness of the new rights coming into effect from 1 May 2026.
With less than a month to go before the changes, they have developed posters and leaflets to grab renters’ attention in public spaces, provide some basic information and point them to their website for more details. These can be displayed on community noticeboards and information stands, in GP surgeries, libraries and schools.
Organisations are welcome to download them, print them out and distribute in your local area or with your networks – and if you have stickers with local contact details, feel free to add these before sharing.
Turning intent into action: the Civil Society Council begins
In April, the new Civil Society Covenant Council will have its first formal meeting at 10 Downing Street. Chaired by Kate Lee, CEO of NCVO, the council will work to ensure the principles of the Covenant are used to shape how government and civil society work together.
Ahead of this first meeting, members were brought together for an informal meet-and-greet, and they have made clear their ambition to put charities and the communities they serve at the heart of decision making.
Kate Lee has shared her thoughts on this first gathering in a new blog on the NVCO website.
Regulator emphasises that religiously motivated giving must adhere to its code
The Fundraising Regulator has published clarification on religiously motivated giving for charities, emphasising that donations such as in-service collections, offerings, and tithings are all still subject to its code of practice.
Its guidance comes after its recent Casework Insights and Trends Report found that many faith-based charities did not realise that fundraising carried out as part of worship, volunteering, or community life constituted charitable fundraising, and as such, did not always govern those activities in accordance with the code.
In a blog post published earlier this month, the regulator’s head of casework Nikki Renken said that the code applies to any request where the charitable gift is “freely given and nothing is received in return – regardless of the terminology or setting”.
NCVO did not fully consult small charities panel on restructure, umbrella body says
NCVO has said that it was keen to consult its small charities advisory panel (SCAP) on the umbrella body’s controversial recent restructure but was unable to do so fully.
In a recent social media post, NCVO’s chief commercial officer Saskia Konynenburg said the organisation wanted to engage fully with SCAP, NCVO’s 10-person panel set up in 2023 to uphold the legacy of the Small Charities Coalition (SCC), “about our plans but weren’t able to due to staff confidentiality”.
Concerns have been shared recently about NCVO’s ability to staff its small charity helpdesk, which it inherited from SCC and now plans to “evolve”, after some of its practical support team were made redundant.
Citizens Advice Carlisle & Eden Energy Outreach Program
Citizens Advice Carlisle & Eden receives funding to come out into the community and bring energy advice to those who may not otherwise be able to access it, or who may not know that such a service is available to them. This would be no charge to the venue, as they receive money for this externally.
These sessions can be delivered in two different ways, depending on what would best suit your group/venue. They can offer a talk, usually lasting 45-60 minutes, outlining the different areas of advice that their service covers, plus advice on tariffs, bills, how heat relates to health, and an overview of some of the financial assistance available. Alternatively, they can host more of a drop-in session; if you have a suitable space or event, CACE can set up a small stand that people can approach at will. From here, they will be able to provide basic advice and signposting, and take people’s details to put them in touch with the correct adviser for more in-depth, ongoing assistance. They have held these drop-ins in a variety of settings, including community centres, fayres in the city centre, and even in the foyer of the Infirmary.
If you think that either of these options are a good fit for you, please get in touch to arrange a date. Email outreach@ca-ce.org.uk
BTO Birds in Greenspaces
British Trust for Ornithology’s Birds in Greenspaces is a citizen science project and relies on volunteers to go out and count the birds they can see in their local greenspace.
This new project has some fantastic resources to support including a Birds in Greenspaces resource pack and an activity pack and sticker book designed for families and young people.
Find out more and get involved here
Search Begins for Cumbria’s Inclusion Champions as Diverse Cumbria Awards Open for Nominations
From accessible hiking groups to inclusive wheelchair rugby teams, the stories of people breaking down barriers across Cumbria will once again be celebrated as nominations open for the 2026 Diverse Cumbria Awards.
The awards recognise individuals, organisations and community groups working to improve equality, diversity and inclusion across the county, celebrating the people whose efforts often transform lives but rarely receive public recognition. Nominations are free to submit, and every shortlisted finalist receives a complimentary ticket to attend the awards evening. It is a deliberate part of how the programme works: recognition should not depend on how much money you have to spend.
This year the Awards have the support of both Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Councils who have become the Principal Public Partners of the Diverse Cumbria Awards 2026.
Last year’s awards saw over 200 nominations submitted from across Cumbria, shining a light on work happening in communities, businesses, sports clubs and charities across the region.
AI Diversity Report: Race and Gender Bias in AI-Generated Videos
Kapwing has released a new AI Diversity Report analysing outputs from OpenAI’s Sora 2, Google’s Veo 3, Kling and Hailuo Minimax. The study looks at the vast disparities in how these tools portray people in high and low paying professions, and in everyday relationships and family settings – with interactive charts to compare model behaviour.
Amongst the key findings, the analysis found that on average, the top AI models represent people in high-paying jobs as white 77.30% of the time, and in low-paying jobs just 53.73% of the time. Overall, the top AI models represent women in high-paying jobs 8.67 percentage points below real-life levels – and the disparity is higher for some tools and job roles.
What does good local VCSE infrastructure look like?
Local infrastructure organisations can be described as the ‘hidden wiring’ of the VCSE sector. They bring people together, work in partnership with local authorities and health systems, amplify community voice and support organisations to grow and thrive.
Drawing on national research, sector insight and their Local Infrastructure Quality Accreditation, this new report from NAVCA highlights that good infrastructure isn’t defined by structure, but by relationships. Trust, collaboration, and shared purpose are what enable communities, public services and voluntary organisations to work effectively together, facilitated by local infrastructure organisations.
Seventh UK National Action Plan for Open Government: open call for evidence
The Cabinet Office has invited civil society organisations, other bodies and members of the public to share ideas to inform the next UK national action plan for open government (NAP).
Developed through a co-creation process between civil society and government, NAPs set out commitments to improve transparency, accountability, and participation in government, and provide a focal point for ambitious commitments to significantly move the open government agenda forward.
Find out more and how to submit your evidence on the gov.uk website
Hope in Collaboration – How campaigners are responding in the toughest year yet
The latest insights from the Sheila McKechnie Foundation’s Annual Campaigner and Changemaker survey have been published, and the report has described 2025 as the “toughest year yet” for campaigning amid growing societal divisions. Some 69% of changemakers and campaigners surveyed, responded that the environment for campaigning had worsened in the past year, making this the highest level recorded since the survey began in 2016.
However, even amongst concerns about the rise of the far-right, draconian protest laws, division, misinformation, and hate, one positive trend shines out. Campaigners are actively pursuing hope – not just as a feeling but as a tool. They are looking for ways to generate and sustain it, not just for themselves but for everyone.
Charities losing nearly £30m yearly due to ‘inefficient’ training, data shows
Charities and voluntary organisations are losing £28m each year due to inefficient staff training, according to data from a compliance training provider.
Skillcast’s Lost Hours Report found that the charity, voluntary and social enterprise sector accounted for 1.45 million lost hours annually, the fifth highest sector surveyed.
Charity, voluntary or social enterprise organisations surpassed those in manufacturing, information and communications, and financial services for lost training hours, unrealised spend and full-time roles lost.
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.
