Friday 25 October 2024
It's National Adoption Week this week, and to raise awareness, we've been celebrating the diversity of adoptive families today, to show that the journey to a family isn't always a traditional one.
Families come in all shapes and sizes, so perhaps there's no such thing as a 'normal' family these days.
Adopt South West's latest campaign features a new short film set onboard a train, following the stories of three adoptive families on their travels. Just like adoption, trains connect people to one another and act as a fitting metaphor for the adoption journey.
With fewer people coming forward to adopt, children can face delays finding their forever home. Across the south west, there has been a 22 per cent increase in the number of children with a plan for adoption who are not yet matched with an adoptive family. Right now, there are more children yet to be placed, than there are approved adopters waiting to be matched with a child.
Read more and watch the video in the story on our news page.
 AI cameras could be used to help save lives on a North Devon road
We’re proposing to use part of a recent road safety funding award to deploy the latest in AI (Artificial Intelligence) camera technology, to help save lives.
In March we learned that we had been awarded £5.04 million from the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Safer Roads Fund (SRF) to deliver safety improvements on the A361 in North Devon between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe.
The route was one of 17 roads in England designated by the DfT as ‘high risk’ in the latest SRF funding round, and Devon received the highest award.
Now, following evidence gathered during an AI camera pilot over the summer, we are preparing a business case, which we will submit to the DfT, to enable us to use approximately £600,000 of that funding on AI camera technology.
You can read more in the news story on our website.
National Care Leavers Week 2024 is next week, (Monday 28 October to Sunday 3 November), and this year, the theme voted for by young people, is 'All of us. We are one.'
The theme highlights the value of creating connections, and to celebrate this we’re planning some action-packed events for young people to connect with their community, have a good time, and get some free food!
These events will be for any care experienced people aged 16 years and over and will be completely free! Keep an eye on the Stand Up Speak Up Instagram account for more details.
“I picked “All of Us. We are One” as when I am with other care leavers, I really do feel the most understood. I really do feel like we are one.” (Care-experienced individual)
Follow Stand Up Speak Up on Instagram to find out more. Or jump straight to their list of activities with this link.
 Grants available to community groups that support people with the cost of living
Devon Communities Foundation is working with us again to distribute grants from the Household Support Fund.
Two hundred thousand pounds in funding is available for community groups working with households that find it difficult to access support elsewhere. The funding is aimed at alleviating immediate needs and helping those who are struggling to afford food, energy bills, and other related essentials.
The grants are targeted, acknowledging that some members of our community are under-served by other support programmes and are therefore likely to be impacted more severely by the cost of living crisis.
The Foundation is inviting applications from organisations whose work supports priority groups who are not accessing support through other channels. These priority groups are:
- minority ethnic communities and/or
- Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and/or
- people experiencing homelessness and those in temporary or insecure housing and/or
- households which include people with a disability, or those suffering ill-health which has a direct impact on household income and an ability to meet food and energy bills
Large grants, up to the value of £20,000, and small grants of up to £5,000 are available. All grants must be fully committed by Monday 31 March 2025 and fully spent by Wednesday 30 April 2025. More information about the fund and making an application is available on the Devon Communities Foundation website.
 Other funding available for community groups to increase vaccination uptake
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The Outreach Vaccination Fund has been established to support the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector to run innovative engagement activities that increase vaccination confidence and uptake.
A £30,000 access and inequalities funding pot has been made available through NHS Devon's vaccination optimisation team.
The fund is mainly focused on activities related to COVID-19 and flu vaccinations, but proposals are also welcome for other vaccinations such as RSV, MMR, HPV, and Pertussis (whooping cough).
The fund will need to be used to increase vaccine confidence and vaccine uptake among our vulnerable communities that are more likely to experience health inequalities in Devon.
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For more information and how to apply, visit NHS Devon's website. If you have any questions, please contact Aggie Szpinda.
A huge new section of Sherford's Country Park has been created and is now open to the public.
The extensive green space now covers 92 acres of land and more than quadruples the size of Sherford's previous Country Park.
Work has taken place to make the park easy to access and a joy to visit, including an accessible new entrance, over two kilometres of new paths, ponds, wildflower meadows, woodlands and more.
The Country Park still has room to grow and will eventually span more than 500 acres, and will integrate into the town through wide planted corridors that sweep into the development.
Read more in the story on our news page.
With a look ahead to winter, thoughts for some may be turning to Christmas. While many people look forward to spending the festive season with family, the young adults, who have left our care and are now living independently, can find it a lonely and difficult time.
Every year we like to create gift hampers to ensure that all our care experienced young people over 21-years-old receive something nice at Christmas. For some of them, these gifts may be one of very few that they receive.
However, the gifts are not covered by statutory funding, so we rely on your generosity and support. Last year you donated more than £3,000 as well as various gifts and we packed over 250 Christmas hampers for our care experienced young people. Watch our video to find out more.
If you would like to donate this year, please visit our Just Giving page. The money will be spent equally across the hampers to include items such as soft blankets, large towels, toiletries and other appropriate gifts. Or you can select a gift from our Amazon wish list (it is limited to ensure the gifts are fair and consistent for each young person).
Thank you for your support.
The Government is encouraging pensioners to check if they qualify for pension credit, and if so, to apply for it in order to receive the winter fuel payment.
If you get Pension Credit, you can also get other help, including:
The deadline for applications in order to receive the winter fuel payment this winter is Saturday 21 December. You can apply online, over the telephone, or by post.
To find out if you are eligible for Pension Credit, visit the Government’s website.
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