Useful information – w/c 22/09/25
September 22, 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: 22/09/25 – 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 and news? Check out Focus on Funding here
Training and Events
Business drop in
22nd September, Kendal. Stricklandgate House are hosting a money related business drop-in day, where a number of local businesses will be available for an initial chat with anyone who wishes to find out more about utilities, financial planning, and more.
Please do feel free to stop by and please share more widely.
Practical uses of AI for your charity
23rd September, 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.
How to handle volunteer concerns and complaints
Tuesday 23 September, online. Managing concerns and complaints from volunteers is essential for maintaining trust, safeguarding wellbeing and strengthening your volunteer involvement. In this session, NCVO will look at how to create a safe environment where volunteers feel confident to raise concerns, and how to respond appropriately when they do.
You will learn practical advice on setting up proportionate procedures and ensuring your processes reflect your organisation’s values. You’ll also hear how other organisations have successfully handled volunteer complaints to improve practice and culture.
This session is suited to volunteer managers and anyone responsible for volunteer engagement and safeguarding.
Contracts Training for Charities
23rd September, online. For a charity entering into a contract with any other party, there are a number of key factors to consider.
In this half-day session Ed Rimmell, partner at VWV, will share his expertise on managing charity contracts effectively to ensure risks are mitigated, all parties fully understand what has been agreed and what to do if a dispute arises. Ed will also guide you through some common and important contract clauses which are often poorly understood.
Bridging Barrow
23rd September, Barrow. Capgemini are delighted to bring our Digital Inclusion Ambassadors to Barrow for this FREE informative event.
What to expect:
- Specifically designed to find out how we can engage and support local SME’s, Charities and Schools
- Explore digital exclusion and how we can all make a difference in an interactive workshop
- Make connections, get inspired and create plans to get the help you need
- Join us for a networking lunch
More information in this leaflet, along with details of Barrow Techy Tea Party, and event for the public on the same day.
How to handle volunteer concerns and complaints
Tuesday 23rd September, online.
Managing concerns and complaints from volunteers is essential for maintaining trust, safeguarding wellbeing and strengthening your volunteer involvement. In this session, NCVO will look at how to create a safe environment where volunteers feel confident to raise concerns, and how to respond appropriately when they do.
You will learn practical advice on setting up proportionate procedures and ensuring your processes reflect your organisation’s values. You’ll also hear how other organisations have successfully handled volunteer complaints to improve practice and culture. This session is suited to volunteer managers and anyone responsible for volunteer engagement and safeguarding.
Getting set up with Microsoft 365
24th September, online. The course uncovers everything you need to know about Microsoft 365.
The first half of the first session looks at the functionality 365 includes, helps charities to make sense of registration process and domain authentication, explores eligibility, and so much more.
Unifying Data & AI with Microsoft Fabric for Nonprofits
24th September, online. Join Qlic for a practical webinar, designed to help charities adopt AI responsibly. Led by Caroline Broadway, founder of Dandelion Applied AI, this session will explore free and low-cost tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot, ChatGPT, what good governance looks like, and how to build or update your AI policy.
Perfect for charity leaders, IT teams, and anyone curious about using AI effectively and ethically.
Master fundraising in three shapes
Wednesday 24th September, Online. Join Cranfield Trust for this free charity webinar. Do you find fundraising overwhelming? Are you unsure how to best use the limited time you have for fundraising? Or maybe you are struggling to hit your fundraising goals?
In this webinar Fundraising Consultant Stuart Chell will help you focus on what really matters in fundraising.
Preventing charity fraud
25th September, 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.
Introduction to Improving Quality
Thurs 25th September, 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. This event is free but you will need to book.
The focus formula: How to boost productivity
25th September, online. Feeling overwhelmed by emails, meetings, and admin? Join productivity expert George Knight from the Directory of Social Change for a hands-on webinar designed to help charity professionals take control of their workday.
Learn simple, proven strategies to organise your inbox, prioritise tasks, and create mental space to focus on what really matters.
NCIC Annual Members Meeting
Monday 29th September, Carlisle/online. Members of the public are invited to join North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust’s (NCIC) Annual Members’ Meeting (AMM).
It’s an opportunity for members to learn more about our achievements and challenges over the last 12 months and the current financial position, which you can find out more about in our annual report 2024/25 now on our website.
Those attending will also find out more about our most recent developments and hear about some of our plans for the future outlined in our clinical strategy. There will also be an opportunity to have your say on our future plans as we ask members to get involved in some of the changes we need to make to improve healthcare in north Cumbria.
How to master email marketing
30th September, online. This course aims, in just three hours, to boost your email marketing.
The course provides a hands-on approach, showing charities the basics of email marketing, the best platforms, strategies for effective list-building, the importance of segmentation, tips and tricks for crafting effective emails, the best way to write a subject line, the virtues of personalisation, and so much more.
The Power of Storytelling to Support Your Goals
Tues 30th September, online. It’s a really good idea to tell your stakeholders about your charity, both to promote your cause and to evidence that you are delivering its goals. The best way of doing this is to tell ‘stories’ about your organisation’s activities, which illustrate their impact and benefits.
This session summarises the first steps on your storytelling journey, offering a brief introduction on how to make the most of your stories.
Work-life balance and wellbeing in digital marketing
Tuesday 30th September, Online. Join HdK for this free webinar discussing how can we meet the demands of our campaigns, often with limited resources, while maintaining our personal health and happiness.
Throughout the webinar, we will be welcoming questions from participants to ensure you are able to get the best possible information for you and your organisation.
Introduction to Google Analytics 4
1st October, online. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is a powerful tool that can supercharge your charity. It provides an accurate and insight-rich understanding of your supporters and donors. It provides a complete view of user journeys and enables you to make effective data-driven decisions.
And, perhaps most importantly, it can drastically improve your marketing and fundraising.
This course aims, in just three hours, to help you get to grips with GA4. It explores recent changes to the platform, how to ensure you have the best data, the metric that you must know, and a general run-through of the interface, dipping into ‘realtime’ reports.
Cyber Essentials Training: Mastering the Five Key Controls for Digital Security
7th October, 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.
SEO Training for Charities
Tuesday 7th October, online. Do you want to boost your charity’s visibility online but you’re not sure where to start?
SEO Training for Charities is a practical, jargon-free course designed to help you understand how search engines work and ensure your content reaches the right audience.
The course will be led by digital consultant Matt Saunders who specialises in supporting charities in improving their impact online.
Get Grants free Virtual Conference 2025
7th-8th October, online. The Conference will provide two days of expert fundraising advice, top tips, Q&As, networking, peer-support, and lots of chat, bringing together thousands of Fundraisers from across the UK for a programme led by Get Grants Experts, funders, and other experts from across the sector.
Strategic Plans
Tues 14th October, online. Strategic plans are one of the key documents as an organisation starts to grow, especially in the current climate where organisations have to search wider for funding.
A good strategic plan helps keep an organisation grounded in its work and should help prevent mission drift.
Association of Volunteer Managers conference
15th and 16th October, online. Tickets for the Association of Volunteer Managers (AVM) annual conference.
The role of volunteer managers is ever evolving, and this year’s conference will provide delegates with the opportunity to delve into key aspects of our profession, providing the opportunity to gain insights from leading voices and learn about best practices alongside peers from across the sector.
Find out more and get your ticket here
Individual Giving Conference
16th October, online. Join us at the Individual Giving Conference for the vital tools and insights you need to supercharge donor acquisition, boost retention, and gain clarity on the future of individual giving.
Experience live Q&As, dynamic panel discussions, and compelling case studies featuring global experts and innovative leaders. They’ll share how they’re diversifying their individual giving programmes to break free from decline and drive real results – and how you can do it too.
New Social Media Platforms
20th October, online. In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, new social media platforms are emerging as tools for the not-for-profit sector.
Find out which platforms are being used the most and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
Data Protection Training for Charities
21st October, 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.
Getting started with Google for Nonprofits
21st October, online. This course provides an introduction to the Google for Nonprofits program, which offers eligible UK charities free access to a suite of Google tools, including Google Workspace, Google Ad Grants (a grant of up to $10,000), the YouTube Nonprofit Program, and Google Earth and Maps.
Explore these tools and find out how UK charities are already using them to enhance their operations and impact.
Making the most of M365 apps – tips and tricks
22nd October, online. This three-hour session shows you how to master 365 apps.
The first section will cover an overview of the apps available. It will explore web vs desktop applications, the joys of Copilot, the best way to use Microsoft Forms, and the secrets of Sway.
The second section is dedicated to Teams, exploring meeting and channel management, file storage, whiteboards and polls, and so much more.
Risk Management for Trustees
24th October, online. In an era of increasing concern regarding liabilities, litigation, regulatory compliance and reputational risk, charities are coming under greater scrutiny than ever. Boardroom competency in identifying, managing and mitigating risk is now a required skill and trustees must be able to scrutinise their executive and professional advisors’ management of risk, as well as being able to apply the same tools and techniques to their own decision making.
This course is a non-technical introduction to risk and risk management designed to enable trustees to understand and manage risk generally, but with a focus on risks related to governance, employment, assets, service users and third parties.
By the end of the day, you will be better equipped to interact effectively with professional advisors and regulators, hold your executive to account, improve your own decision making and govern your organisation’s risk management activities.
Stakeholder Engagement Event – Supported Housing Strategy
Tuesday 28th October, Carlisle. The Cumberland Council housing team are pleased to invite you to a stakeholder engagement event to present the priorities we have identified for our forthcoming Supported Housing Strategy.
The priorities have been developed using evidence from the Supported Housing Study completed by Housing LIN last year.
This event will be held in the Cathedral Room at the Civic Centre in Carlisle, refreshments and lunch will be provided. Please reply to housing.developmentteam@cumberland.gov.uk no later than Tuesday 14 October 2025 to let us know whether you will be attending, and to advise of any dietary requirements that you have.
Protect Duty (Martyn’s Law) Workshop
Thursday 30th October, online. Now the Protect Duty (Martyn’s law) has been passed by parliament many organisations are now going to have to work out how this affects them.
This workshop will look at what you have to do in the standard tier (buildings with a capacity between 200 and 799 people) to meet the legislation and also simple things to make your life easier. Some of the things are also sensible to consider for those buildings who are not in scope of the legislation.
Festival of Trusteeship
3rd – 7th November 2025, online. The Festival of Trusteeship is a week of inspiring discussions, practical tools and bold ideas to reimagine trusteeship. Led by Eastside People, this event is part of the Festival of Trusteeship during Trustees’ Week 2025, proudly supported by the Institute of Leadership.
With online events on topics including engaging younger people in trusteeship, how to build confidence as a trustee, and how to deal with times of crisis, this is a collection of events to inspire and inform your trustees.
Festival passes are available now, and lots of the events are free. Find out more here, and please share with your board and your local networks.
Delivering energy advice in the community
Tuesday 4th November, online. Community organisations are well placed to provide trusted information and advice on energy in the community to support local residents to reduce their energy bills and carbon emissions in their homes.
This session will introduce why community-led energy advice and support is needed to tackle barriers to engagement, and support underserved and fuel poor communities as well as able-to-pay households.
The session will cover examples of energy advice activities, considerations and challenges to be aware of and options for funding and support.
Advanced Excel – tips and tricks
4th November, online. Join this 3 hour session to find out how to optimise your spreadsheets so they can do what they’re meant to be doing – saving you time, facilitating effective service delivery and enabling you and your team to get insight into the bigger picture.
This hands-on workshop will guide you through demos and practical exercises using a sample spreadsheet. Key features covered include:
- Smarter formulas that save you time
- Conditional formatting, data validation, and other techniques to keep your data tidy
- Using Pivot Tables to summarise and rearrange data
- Connect, clean & organise data from different sources using Power Query
Understanding Governance Stage 1: The Trustee Role
4th – 5th November, online. 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.
Digital Fundraising Summit 2025
Thursday 6th November 2025, online. For the seventh year in a row, Charity Digital are bringing back their incredibly popular online FREE Digital Fundraising Summit.
The summit will be particularly beneficial if you have a fundraising, marketing, communications, or a digital innovation role, but that said there will be plenty for everyone! Sessions will be tailored for all charity sizes.
You can find out more information here
Understanding Governance Stage 2: Governance in Practice
11th-12th November, online. Designed for experienced trustees, secure in their knowledge of the governance processes and what being a trustee entails, ‘Governance in Practice’ builds on the expertise gained from our stage 1 course ‘Understanding Governance: The Trustee Role,’ focusing on practical solutions to the challenges you face.
This course covers a wide range of governance issues and aims to help you improve the overall effectiveness of your board.
When Social Media Goes Wrong
Monday 17th November, online. What should you do if you are subjected to trolling online? When social media goes wrong, it can have serious consequences for your organisation and individuals.
In such situations, it is important to act swiftly and thoughtfully to address the issue and mitigate any potential damage. This session will cover damage limitation strategies.
The Art of Being an Effective Chair
18-19th November, online. The role of the chair of the board or a committee is more demanding and can be more complex than most people realise.
This course will help you to chair well and to ensure that board governs effectively and that board committees add value to the governance process. Scenarios and case studies help develop skills in practical ways.
Finance for Trustees
20th November, 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.
Managing Volunteers – The Nuts and Bolts
Tuesday 2nd December, online. Volunteers are a hugely important supplementary resource for charities. However, they must be supported and protected, and their contribution recognised.
This session summarises briefly the key elements and headline information your organisation must have in place to achieve this.
[NEW] How to excel as a charity trustee
9th December, online. Trustees are the backbone of every charity. But excelling as a trustee can often feel difficult, with so many demands and often little support.
In just three hours, this course aims to give trustees the tools and confidence to excel. We will explore the responsibilities of trustees, the expectations of them, and the core skills trustees need. It will help to clear up misconceptions about responsibilities and the time commitment typically involved. We offer guidance as to how to attain any skills you might not possess.
The course is perfect for trustees and people interested in becoming trustees. The course provides a safe space to ask questions of the presenter and explore how you can improve.
VCFSE News and Information
[NEW] How to support your team through redundancies
Redundancies can be tough for everyone involved. Charity Digital share some ways charities can support their teams when going through restructures and redundancies.
Surveys, Research, Feedback and Reports
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.
