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Welcome to our latest edition of the VCSE newsletter.
In this issue I am pleased to share with you the launch of the Community Lottery Grant -Year 2, further details below.
Following your feedback from the VCSE survey earlier in the year, we have our first training course taking place next week. Who should sign up?
- If you are new to or have limited experience of writing grant applications
- If you struggle for time to write grant applications
- If you find you are regularly unsuccessful with grant applications
- If you are often asked for more information that was missing from your applications.
Ian from Charity Excellence will be sharing top tips. Sign up below.
Please also see very important information about changes to DBS checks for anyone working with young people, and a safeguarding training opportunity from Voluntary Action Leicestershire.
If any groups need any support, regarding accessing funding or making future plans please don't hesitate to get in touch with me; Dawn Deacon at grants@nwleicestershire.gov.uk
Community Lottery Grant Year 2 Launch
Applications open Tuesday 1 September 2026
We are excited to announce that North West Leicestershire Community Lottery Central Fund has raised £25,000 in the last year, which can be spent on local groups via our Community Lottery Grant.
This year we have increased our grant from £750 to £1,500 and widened the themes to allow even more organisations to benefit directly from the generosity of our lottery players across the district.
This year's themes for grant applications are:
- Arts, Culture and Creativity
- Health and Wellbeing
- Environment and Sustainability
- Sense of Community and Civic Pride.
Applications should relate to a project that links to one of our themes. We will support:
- New projects
- New equipment.
Check out the webpage for further details including eligibility and to apply.
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Important changes to DBS requirements
In effect from Tuesday 1 September 2026
From 1 September 2026, the law about regulated activity with children in England and Wales is changing. The current rule about the supervision of paid staff and volunteers carrying out specific activities with children will be removed from the legal definition.
If a person teaches, trains, instructs, cares for or supervises children often enough, or overnight, they will be in regulated activity with children even if someone else supervises them. This means an organisation will be able to ask for an Enhanced DBS check in the child workforce with a Children’s Barred List check. 'Often enough' is defined as:
- On more than 3 days in any 30-day period
- Once overnight, between 2am and 6am.
This includes, but is not restricted to circumstances involving:
- People who volunteer in schools, such as reading helpers who are supervised by a teacher
- People who coach children’s sports clubs, such as assistant coaches who are supervised by a head coach
- People who work or volunteer with children in outdoor activity centres, youth groups, charities or community groups, and are supervised by someone else who is in regulated activity with children.
What organisations should have in place:
Organisations should be ready before the change starts. They should have:
- Identifed roles where people teach, train, instruct, care for, or supervise children and are currently supervised by someone else in regulated activity
- Checked if the activity is done often enough or overnight
- Checked if the person’s current DBS certificate included a Children’s Barred List check
- Decided if a new Enhanced DBS check with Children’s Barred List information is needed in line with sector specific guidance
- Updated recruitment, volunteering and safeguarding steps so they include the change from 1 September 2026.
If a person’s role changes, or the way they do the role changes, organisations should check DBS eligibility again.
Full details can be found: Change to the definition of regulated activity with children from 1 September 2026 - GOV.UK
You must also ensure your safeguarding policies reflect any changes.
If you have not already put these changes in place, please prioritise them now and ensure that your organisation is not breaking the law in the meantime.
Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children Course
Voluntary Action LeicesterShire have partnered with the Leicester Safeguarding Children’s Partnership to deliver the Understanding Your Role in Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children training session
This course will provide participants with learning that will help them to meet the Core Competencies of the LLR Safeguarding Children Competency Framework. It is a foundation course for those who are in positions where they may spot safeguarding concerns, or someone may tell them that they are being harmed.
Who is it for: People who work or volunteer with children and young people and may be in a position to spot safeguarding concerns.
When: Tuesday 29 September. 9.30am - 1pm.
Cost: £10
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Free online training course - Thursday 10 September, 10 - 11.30am
We still have spaces available for VCSE groups and parish councils.
We have commissioned Ian McLintock from Charity Excellence to deliver an engaging and easy to follow course on guidance for bid writing, and how to use appropriate AI tools to reduce workload when applying for grants.
The course is free, but spaces will be limited, and so we can only allow one attendee per group.
We ask that you only register if you will definitely be attending, and we will have to charge any groups cancelling with less than 48 hours notice £10 per person.
Please sign up ASAP so that we can confirm numbers.
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 Don't forget to check your eligibility for our Community Grants:
- Small Grant up to £500
- Environment and Zero Carbon Grant up to £1,000
- Community Lottery Grant up to £1,500.
Grants are open until the assigned amount is spent, so do not delay in applying today.
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