VCSA Newsletter Week of 4th July 2022

VCSA logo

Newsletter for the Week of 4th July 2022


News


IT Support Group at the Roy Fletcher Centre

The IT Skills Support Group meets at the Roy Fletcher Centre main meeting room every Thursday morning

The Roy Fletcher Centre – Building and Supporting Community Service in Shrewsbury

On 1st June, the VCSA Board held its latest meeting at the Roy Fletcher Centre’s (RFC) main meeting room. Lit by the natural skylight of the room, the Board – as well as guests from SALC and Shropshire Council – worked through their packed agenda at what was only their second time in-person since the start of the pandemic.

This was the first time the VCSA Board has met at the Roy Fletcher Centre, but this space is familiar to many on the Board, since it has long been a welcoming and supportive place for local charities, voluntary organisations, CICs and other community-focused groups.

Located in a beautiful brick building in the heart of Shrewsbury Town Centre, the Roy Fletcher Centre was the brainchild of Roy Fletcher. Jenny Taylor, the Centre’s Chief Executive, tells the story behind the vision:

“Roy Fletcher was a builder and through this work he came into contact with charities and learned of the adverse financial problems they could experience.  He had a vision of creating a building to provide good quality, low cost, fully serviced office accommodation to charities who provided a service to the people of Shrewsbury.  The Roy Fletcher Charity Trust (RFCT) was established and administered by his three daughters and son.  The search started for such a building to convert and so The Roy Fletcher Centre came into being. As with all new ideas, charities took some persuading as to the advantages of the arrangement but eventually they recognised the benefits.   The space proved to be so popular that the Trust acquired and converted another building, Fletcher House on College Hill, just a decade later. The RFC has gone from strength to strength led by a very dedicated Board of Trustees. The RFCT has since donated millions of pounds in grants/donations to many charities across Shropshire.  Sadly, Roy Fletcher died before the RFC was completed. At the time of opening, it is believed the RFC was one of the first of its kind.”

To become a tenant charity at the RFC your organisation must provide a service to the people of Shrewsbury.  However, meeting and counselling rooms are available for hire by any charity, voluntary/community group and other organisations..

In addition to its beautiful main meeting room, The Roy Fletcher Centre offers a full range of office services such as printing and scanning for voluntary groups and other organisations to produce their newsletters, as well as five counselling rooms, and a Go-To Internet Resource Centre – all available for hire at very competitive rates.

The Centre is run by a small team of dedicated employees who go the extra mile for all their tenant charities and anyone who walks through the doors in need of help. They are complemented by an equally enthusiastic group of volunteers and are always very grateful to anyone who would like to volunteer at the Centre (see volunteer opportunities section below).

The RFC remained open during the pandemic in order that its charities could continue to support their clients. However, all meeting room hire had to cease, this badly affected their main source of raising additional revenue. Gradually people are returning to the meeting rooms but other groups have found alternative ways of ‘meeting’. The Centre is very keen to build up this service again. 

Pauline Briand, who manages the current IT Skills Project, is especially keen to recruit volunteers (see volunteer role description below) for their IT tuition service, providing free one to one sessions for the 65+ age group every Monday from 10am – 2pm. There is also a drop- in I.T. Skills Support Group which meets on Thursdays from 10:30am – 1pm.

Generously supported by Shropshire Council, these services are designed to help tackle digital inequalities in the local community, particularly as more and more Councils and other crucial community services begin to move to digital only access.

But, as Pauline explains, this service is not only about helping senior members of the local community with I.T. skills, “what we offer is also about tackling isolation.” Anyone can drop in on a Thursday for IT help and a cup of tea or coffee a biscuit and a chat with like-minded people, plus the prospect of other activities in the pipeline.

Whether it’s offering office accommodation, meeting/counselling room hire, or hosting digital support services, that’s what the Roy Fletcher Centre is all about - building and supporting the local community.

 Interested in learning more about the RFC services or booking a space for your next meeting? Email the Roy Fletcher Centre Team or phone them on 01743 341300.


New ICS logo

Embedding Shropshire’s ICS Within the VCS

On Friday, 1st July, integrated care systems officially kicked in as statutory bodies – marking one of the biggest transformations in health and care since the NHS was founded in 1948.

But what does it all for the voluntary and community sector in Shropshire?

Friday 1 July 2022 might be a landmark day, but the citizens of Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin will notice little to no immediate difference as they continue to access services.

Our health is affected by many things – housing, unemployment, education, poverty, and lifestyle choices. These are things that can be addressed through a partnership between the NHS, local government and the voluntary and community sector.

The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, along with all CCGs in England, officially ceased to exist on Thursday, 30th June. In its place will step in NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (NHS STW) – a new body headed by Interim Chief Executive Simon Whitehouse, which will take on all the commissioning responsibilities of the old CCG, as well as some additional roles.

NHS STW is one of two statutory elements to the Integrated Care System (ICS). It will be responsible for developing a plan for meeting the health needs of the population in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, managing the NHS budget and arranging for the provision of health services in the ICS area.

Sitting alongside it will be an Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) – a statutory committee jointly formed between NHS STW and the two unitary councils within our footprint: Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council. It is the two councils who will take the leading role on this body. The ICP will bring together a broad alliance of partners involved in the delivery of health and care services.

With these governance foundations in place, the actual work of delivering health and care services will be done at both neighbourhood and place level.

At place level, several neighbourhoods are brought together. Within our ICS there are two places – Shropshire, and Telford and Wrekin, having the same boundaries as our council areas. Our place-based partnerships are where local hospitals, care providers, local councils, doctors, and the voluntary sector will come together to discuss key health and care issues in their place. These partnerships are known as SHIPP (Shropshire Integrated Place-based Partnership) ​and TWIPP (Telford and Wrekin Integrated Place-based Partnership).

As the new ICS structure begins its work, members of Shropshire’s VCSA have already put in hundreds of hours helping to develop strategic working partnerships between the new structure and the voluntary and community sector in Shropshire Telford and Wrekin. 

The ICS structure is about systems-thinking. About bringing together all factors that impact health and wellbeing and functioning on a place-based approach. The voluntary and community sector in Shropshire is already here on the ground providing many of these necessary services, particularly in the areas of prevention and post-discharge holistic services.

Partnership working and increasing the voice of the sector is what the VCSA is all about. As the Shropshire Telford and Wrekin ICS makes its official debut, the VCSA is fully prepared and positioned within the partnership, ready to play a central and active role in the future of Shropshire Telford and Wrekin’s health and wellbeing services.


Girls running HAF programme

Launch of Shropshire Summer HAF (Holiday Activities & Food) Programme

Following a successful Easter holiday programme, which saw 1,233 children and young people aged 4 to 16, take part in four days of activity at over 46 venues from across the county, bookings are now open for the summer Shropshire HAF (Holiday Activities & Food) programme.

Shropshire Council is working with 30 local schools, voluntary and community organisations, and childcare providers to run an exciting HAF programme this summer. 

There are free places available on the programme for over 1,600 children and young people aged 4 (reception class age) to 16, who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals and for those who have been referred onto HAF by a professional. Places are also available for Ukrainian families, currently staying in Shropshire with host families.  

During 25 July to 2 September 2022, children and young people are invited to take part in a range of fun activities, happening at over 58 venues from across the county. 

There is something on offer for everyone, including; sports, arts, cooking, forest schools and other exciting opportunities. Free nutritious meals will be provided at each session, as well as information on nutrition to benefit the whole family.

All bookings are now being made through a new centralised booking system.

Information on how to book, codes, links to What’s On Guide etc are being distributed via schools and various professionals who are working with the families.

The Summer What’s On Guide, details of how to book, most recent version of the timetable and eligibility criteria for who can access the HAF programme are also available online here

The What’s On Guide and information flyer are being translated into Ukrainian, Arabic, Polish and Bulgarian. These too will be available online and will be widely circulated, once they are available.

Some of the holiday programmes include spaces for children and young people who are not in receipt of free school meals.

Organisers ask that VCS organisations please help signpost the families you work with to to the HAF programme.


Census 2021 logo

First Results from Census 2021 Published 

The first results from last year’s Census have been published, giving communities across Shropshire a glimpse of how the population has changed.

Released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the results provide estimates on the population of England and Wales, as well as age and sex profiles of local authorities.

The results show that the population of Shropshire rose to 323,600 - up from 306,100 in 2011.

These results are the first of many, which will be released in phases over the coming months and into 2023. They will all be available on the ONS website, along with information and analysis to explain their importance, and will include data on ethnicity, religion, the labour market, education and housing. For the first time, they will also include information on armed forces veterans, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Shropshire Council will be producing information and analysis for the county as the results become available, which in turn will be used to plan local services, develop policies and plans, and help to allocate public funding and resources so that funding and services go where they are needed the most.

For further information, and to find out more about the Census 2021 results, people should visit the ONS website.

Further information and analysis for Shropshire will be added to the Shropshire Council webpage Shropshire Facts and Figures as it becomes available.


pregnant woman clipart

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust Notes Progress Against Actions of Final Ockenden Report

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) has implemented 10% of actions from the final Ockenden Report three months following its publication. It follows the Trust delivering all actions it has a lead on from the first Ockenden report.

The first Donna Ockenden Report, released in December 2020 set out 52 actions for delivery, and 100% of those actions, which the Trust leads on, have now been delivered. The remaining six actions all have external leads and dependencies, which the Trust is working with external partners to deliver. 

The final Independent Review into Maternity Services at SaTH by Donna Ockenden, released on 30 March 2022, set out 158 extensive and thorough actions for the Trust to deliver, to help ensure the highest standards of maternity care are upheld, improving outcomes for women and babies. Presented in the June Ockenden Report Assurance Committee (ORAC), the Trust shared that of the 158 actions, 18 (10%) have been implemented so far.

The 18 actions implemented cover a range of themes including ensuring clinical practice, guidelines and audits are up to date and based on the best evidence, driving forward improvements in patient safety and quality of care, learning from complaints and compliments, and improving the Trust’s bereavement support.

The progress made by SaTH’s Maternity Transformation Programme team over the last three months builds upon the improvement work that has been carried out following the release of the first Ockenden Report in December 2020.

Alongside this, the Trust has introduced other initiatives such as the User Experience (UX) System to help shape improvements within Maternity Services and ensure that the voices of women and families are at the heart of care provided.

The Trust continues to work closely with Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP) Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, which helps to ensure that the Trust’s services are responsive to the needs of service users.


image of a person taking a survey

 

Current VCSE Engagement Opportunities

The VCSA newsletter will now contain a regular feature highlighting current open surveys and engagement opportunities that are relevant for VCSE organisations and their beneficiaries.

Flyers/materials for distribution will be made available for download as well as any relevant links. If you have engagement opportunities to share/list here please email Sarah Hampson, VCS Insight and Engagement Officer at Shropshire Council to have it included in an upcoming newsletter.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Consultation: The government has committed to develop a new cross-government, 10-year plan for mental health and wellbeing for England to support its leveling up objectives. It has therefore launched this discussion paper and call for evidence to ask the public a range of questions to help develop the new plan Closing 7th July 11:45pm.

Workforce Development Fund Impact Evaluation: The Workforce Development Fund is a fund to support learning and development in social care that Skills for Care disburses on behalf of the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC). The evaluation is intended to assess the positive outcomes that the funding has generated for social care providers and their staff, together with any aspects that could be improved. Closing date TBD

Lingen Davies Cancer Support: Lingen Davies Cancer Fund is surveying stakeholders to assess the needs of those affected by cancer. Closing 16th July

Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Canal and River Trust and Energize Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are coming together to empower people to make use of their local green spaces, (the canal networks) for their health and wellbeing in the Whitchurch area. They want to understand your thoughts and barriers to being active in green spaces and understand more about the challenges people might face in your area. Closing 19th July

Libraries strategy 2022-2027: Provide your feedback on the draft strategy, which describes the changes the Library Service will make to be at the forefront of the council’s future relationship with its residents, and how the service will work in partnership with others to deliver the county’s priorities. Closing 3rd August

Charities Commission Annual Return Consultation: A consultation on its proposed new approach to the annual return, and a new set of up to 16 questions it plans to include. These changes would come into effect from 1 January 2023. Closing 1st September

Healthwatch: 999 and ambulance services feedback. Healthwatch want to understand how the current strains on the ambulance service are impacting people’s health and lives. No closing date

Healthwatch: Accessible Information Standard survey as part of the 'Your Care, Your Way' campaign. Closing date TBD


Interested in having your organisation's stories of success featured in our newsletter, website or social media? We want to hear from you! Contact: VCSAssembly@shropshire.gov.uk

 

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Events and Training Opportunities


Queen's Baton event click through for eventbrite

arts cafe

Shropshire Council Arts Café Event in partnership with Creative Lives

26th July online 6.30pm 

The session will look at:

  • Partnership working with other arts professionals, the community and other sectors
  • Researching and applying for funding
  • How art and culture can be a catalyst for positive change within a place or community

The Arts Council's new strategy 'Let's Create' emphasises the importance of creativity in everyday life, and challenges artists to think about how they can open up their practices to allow more people to embrace creativity. In this session, Nicola Winstanley- Creative Lives Development Officer (West Midlands)- shares some guidance on co-creation, creative placemaking and approaches to funding. The session will include case studies from across the UK, and there will be time to discuss ideas and approaches specific to Shropshire.

For a zoom link to attend this event, please email Barry Trench, Arts Development Officer at Shropshire Council.

The session aims to address:

  • Partnership working with other arts professionals, the community and other sectors
  • Researching and applying for funding
  • How art and culture can be a catalyst for positive change within a place or community 

Creative Lives is a registered charity that was established in 1991. They champion community and volunteer-led creative activity, and work to improve opportunities for everyone to be creative. In particular, they celebrate and promote people expressing themselves creatively with others, recognising the benefits this can bring. 


Beat the street

Beat the Street Game Coming to Shrewsbury

29th June to 10th August

Beat the Street is a free, fun initiative that will see Shrewsbury transformed into a giant game! 
See how far you can walk, cycle, run, scoot and roll in just 6 weeks. There are great challenges to enjoy and prizes up for grabs.

The game will start on Wednesday 29th June 2022 and end on Wednesday 10th August 2022.  
Getting started to play is easy - watch this video for the basics! You can pick up your card or fob from one of these locations.
Full details available on the event website - check it out now!

Energize logo

Energize Shropshire Telford and Wrekin to Host #TogetherWeMove Event

5th July Sunnycroft in Wellington 10am - 12:30pm

Energize's ambition is to eliminate inactivity focusing first on those who experience the most barriers to achieving an active lifestyle.

But they can't do this on their own.

They know it’s going to take a collaborative effort and they don't have all the answers.

And that is what #TogetherWeMove is all about.

Energize are so excited to kick-start this movement and to invite you to the first #TogetherWeMove event on 5th July taking place at Sunnycroft in Wellington from 10am – 12.30pm, followed by lunch and a chance to chat to 1.30pm.

This will be an opportunity to share, to learn and to work together on how all of this can be taken forward.

Please click on this link to register

If you would like any more information on this event, please email Suzy O’Shea Head of Engagement at Energize.


welcome to Telford sign

Telford and Wrekin at its Best 

July 6th 9:30am - 2:30pm at Meeting Point House in Telford

Come join the Telford and Wrekin Unlocking Potential Alliance for an event that they hope will inspire you, encourage you and help build on the strength of your knowledge and work within the borough.  

A full-day event to talk and share progress from the work of the Unlocking Potential Alliance and Lloyds Bank Foundation People and Communities; the opportunity to help shape and influence the next steps of the work; and to ascertain the role we all play in enabling the unlocking of potential for those living and working in the borough by sharing successes, work being undertaken and further opportunities.   

The event will include a light network breakfast and lunch followed by opportunities to understand other ways to engage, benefit and be involved in areas of Lloyds Bank Foundation work within the borough.   

This event is open to all: those familiar to the work of the alliance; those new to the work and want to learn more or those who want to be engaged in its development.  

More detail and a link to register for this exciting event can be found on their Eventbrite page. 


save the date

All voluntary and community sector groups are encouraged to attend this workshop to hear more about the Draft Health Inequalities Plan for Shropshire. 

The workshop will be an opportunity to hear about the draft plan and to provide feedback.

If you are interested in attending, please email Sarah Hampson, Insight and VCS Engagement Officer with Shropshire Council to receive a link for the meeting.


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Job / Volunteer Opportunities


Energize logo

Energize: Head of Operations (Maternity Cover)

Do you want to make a difference and think you have the experience to contribute at a senior level to help system transformation?  Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin have a maternity cover opportunity to join our Active Partnership Senior Leadership Team as Head of Operations to help reduce inactivity and champion the life changing impact of an active lifestyle.

Location: Hybrid, working within the office in Shrewsbury (1 to 2 days per week) and from home.

Hours: Full time (37 hours per week). Part time options will be considered. The post has flexible working, with some evenings and occasional weekend work, but it is intended for the role to be mainly delivered during weekdays, office hours.

Salary£35,374 – £40,179 depending on experience

Contract: Fixed Term from mid-September 2022 for 9 months with potential to be extended to 12 months

N.B. Secondments will also be considered as well as external consultant fulfilling the role.  Please email Chris Child or phone 07960 855016 if interested or would like a discussion about this option

Benefits: Access to a pension scheme, flexible working, team away days. Annual leave: starts at 25 days for a full year.

Closing Date: 5.00pm on 14th July

Interviews: In person interviews will be held on 20th July

Download a copy of the Job Description and Person Specification

For more information and to apply, visit the Energize website.


Shropshire MHS logo

Shropshire Mental Health Support:

Paid and Volunteer Roles Available

 

Dual Diagnosis Outreach Support Worker:

30 hours per week

£10.30 per hour

Download full role description here.

Shropshire Mental Health Support is a multi-award winning charity based in Abbey Foregate. They support people living in Shropshire with their mental health needs. Due to demand and increase in the services they deliver, Shropshire Mental Health Support has some exciting opportunities for experienced staff who are committed, reliable and passionate about supporting people with their mental health.

For further information/discussion, to find out more, and to obtain an application form, please email Heather or email Katie or phone 01743 368647

Volunteer Opportunities:

Shropshire Mental Health Support is also looking for volunteers! Do you have some experience of working with people who live with poor mental health? Volunteering with Shropshire Mental Health Support can help you gain more understanding, to widen your experience and to find out about their person-centred approach.

Volunteer posts in Shrewsbury include:

  • Telephone support service
  • Various support groups
  • Walking groups
  • Calmer Café

If you are interested, please contact Shropshire Mental Health Support on 01743 368647


CAB shropshire logo

Tackling Food Insecurity in South West Shropshire - 

Community Project Coordinator

 Are you passionate about making a difference, making society fairer and working for an organisation that values diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination? 

This exciting role will involve working with communities in South West Shropshire to develop sustainable community-led solutions to reduce health inequalities by focussing on food insecurity.

The post is funded by the Health Foundation and Local Government Association until September 2024 as part of the Shaping Places for Healthier Lives Program. The project is a partnership between Citizens Advice Shropshire, Shropshire Council, Public Health.

They encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

Fixed-term contract until 30th September 2024.

Part-time 30 hours per week.

Salary £24,920 pro-rata (Actual £20,205)

To start as soon as possible.

The post will be subject to a DBS check.

Closing date:            12 midday Monday 4th July 2022

Interviews:               11th/13th July 2022

For more information and to apply visit the Citizens Advice Shropshire website.


Join our team

Lingen Davies: Health Engagement Coordinator

Are you a confident, friendly person with excellent communication skills and a passion for improving people’s health?

Lingen Davies are recruiting a health engagement coordinator to work with the Health Engagement Team, delivering on the ground cancer awareness within communities – they’ll be able to support cancer champions with opportunities to get out into communities should they so wish.

This is a public-facing role, getting out into the community at events and on high streets to raise awareness of cancer (early diagnosis, cancer screening and prevention), looking for new opportunities to engage with people from all walks of life, across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, and Mid Wales.

This role will focus on developing programmes of work throughout the region, using a range of activities and settings to effectively engage with the public, making maximum use of the Lingen Davies Health Promotion Van to take engagement activities out into the community.

Full details and application form can be found on the Lingen Davies website

Closes 21st July 9am.

For an informal conversation about this role please email Miranda Ashwell, Health Engagement Officer, or phone 01743 492396


lingen davies logo

Lingen Davies: Chair of Trustees Needed

An opportunity has arisen for a new Chair of Trustees to join the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund at a really exciting time for the charity as their current Chair steps down at the end of her very successful term of six years. Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, and other global issues, they have had a record-breaking fundraising year, and are looking forward to implementing some exciting new plans to enhance cancer services and improve lives in local communities.

Lingen Davies have been through some major strategic and operational changes, and are looking for a new Chair of Trustees to lead the board, and to support and contribute to this work as they launch a new ambitious five-year strategic plan.

Lingen Davies Cancer Fund is strongly rooted in the community, here in Shropshire, Telford and Mid Wales.

They aim to ensure that people in the region have the best possible services and support during their treatment and beyond. The charity was founded in 1979 by Bernard Lingen, then Mayor of Shrewsbury, and local accountant Frank Davies, in response to the lack of local cancer services. Since then, they estimate over 100,000 people have had their cancer treatment and care improved by their work.

Throughout their appeal they have been building upon an existing base of highly successful community fundraising; growing their profile and links with local businesses and the wider health and charity sectors. They have big ambitions for the future, including developing their own non-clinical support services and growing their income to £1m+ annually.

They are looking for an exceptional individual to take on the leadership of our board of trustees, and complement the skills of the existing and highly valued board members. The trustees provide strategic direction and leadership, act as advocates for the organisation and support the CEO and staff team. They formulate and review strategy and progress made in its implementation, ensure that policy and practices are in keeping with their objectives, and that Lingen Davies strives to achieve best practice in meeting legal and financial obligations.

The most important quality they are looking for is a genuine interest in supporting the objectives of the charity. They also need the Chair to be an advocate for them, willing and able to form effective relationships both within and outside of the charity, ensuring that all opportunities to develop Lingen Davies Cancer Fund are fully realised.

For further information about the role and to receive an application pack please email Naomi Atkin, Chief Executive Officer.

Deadline for expressions of interest: 9am 12th July 2022

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to meet with the HR Committee in the week beginning 18th July 2022


Shrewsbury Ark logo

Volunteer Opportunity: Shrewsbury Ark

The Shrewsbury Ark is a day centre supporting homeless and vulnerable people throughout Shropshire from its headquarters in the heart of Shrewsbury.  They are actively recruiting volunteers to work across a range of roles. From supporting clients and cooking and cleaning in the day centre to office administration and helping out in the shop, whatever time or skills you have, they would like to hear from you!  

Please visit their website or call them on 01743 363 305. You can also email  if you are interested, or for more information.


desktop computer

Volunteer Opportunity: Roy Fletcher Centre

Digital Tutors

The Roy Fletcher Centre in Shrewsbury is looking for volunteer Digital Tutors to provide digital skills support to a 65+ age group who have little or no experience of the digital world.

Volunteers would help at their IT tuition service and IT support groups on Mondays and/or Wednesday mornings 10:30-12:30 or Thursday mornings 10:30-1pm.

Download the full role description here.

Interested? Contact Pauline Briand at the Roy Fletcher Centre on 01743 341300 


Do you have a job or volunteer opportunity you would like us to promote? Please send your information to VCSAssembly@shropshire.gov.uk and we will include it in our next newsletter!

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Grant and Funding News


Power to Change’s Powering Up Programme Re-Opens on 4 July

Mark your calendars, the Powering Up Programme, provided by Power to Change, is set to reopen to applications on 4 July 2022.

The programme supports community businesses in the key areas of digital growth, environmental sustainability, and financial resilience, with a cross cutting theme of equity, diversity and inclusion.

The initial phase of the programme focused on community businesses looking to learn how digital skills could help their business develop and grow. In 2022, the programme is expanding to include support to help community businesses become more environmentally sustainable.

It is anticipated that 30 community businesses will be supported in round two, with the focus of support being split between digital and environmental support. Of the 30 organisations who are successful in the forthcoming round, it is anticipated about 18-20 organisations will focus on environmental sustainability and approximately 10-12 will have a digital focus.

Power to Change will hold two webinars on 4 July (one at 13:00 and one at 18:00) to give people information about applying into the next round of Powering Up. Registration is via the Power to Change website.

Full details of the second round will be provided when the scheme opens on 4 July 2022.


Home Office Launches Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Fund

The Home Office is inviting voluntary sector organisations, either as a single organisation or multi-organisation consortium, to apply to this three-year, £4.5 million fund.

The funding is for proposed services and activities that directly support victims and survivors of child sexual abuse at a national level in England and Wales and take place over a three-year period.

This can be either or all of the following:

  • Children who have experienced sexual abuse.
  • Adult survivors of sexual abuse during childhood.
  • Non-abusing parents, carers and family members of children who have experienced abuse.
  • Family members of adult survivors of child sexual abuse.

The services should be offered over a large geographical area, which must be at least three Police and Crime Commissioner areas.

The total budget for this fund is £4.5 million with £1.5 million available in 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25. The minimum grant is £1,000. Although there is no set maximum level, applicants should keep in mind the Home Office wants to ensure that a range of services have the chance to receive funding.

More information and how to apply can be found on the Home Office website.

The deadline for applications is 12am on 25 July 2022.


Movement for Good Awards Accepting Nominations for September Draw

The Movement for Good Awards is an annual platform for giving, set up by all the businesses that make up the Benefact Group as a way to make a ‘tangible difference’ to the lives of the people and communities they serve.

For the past three years, Ecclesiastical Insurance, part of the Benefact Group, has run the Movement for Good Awards programme, giving away £3 million to great causes.

Anyone can nominate a registered charity, not-for-profit organisation, or community interest company in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man to be placed in a national draw.

The entries will be automatically entered into a draw. The first draw took place on 30 May 2022.

There are two more chances to win £1,000 in 2022:

  • The second draw will take place on 12 September, and the 250 draw winners will be announced from 19 to 30 September.
  • The third draw will take place In December, 120 draw winners will be announced every weekday between 1 December and 16 December 2022.

The terms and conditions and online form can be found on the Movement for Good Awards webpage.

The closing date and time for submitting a Nomination Form for each draw is 23:59 the day before each draw.

The deadline for the September draw is 23:59 on 11 September 2022.

The final deadline for all nominations for 2022 is 23:59 on 15 December 2022.


Pink Ribbon Foundation Announces Deadline for 2023 Applications

The next round of annual funding for UK organisations working in the areas of breast cancer support and research is now open for proposals.

Registered charities, community interest groups and social enterprises with a legal constitution and charitable objectives may apply.

The Foundation will consider applications from general cancer charities if any grant made will be used to benefit at least 50% of patients that suffer from breast cancer or for research into, or the dissemination of information about, breast cancer.

Projects should aim to:

  • Relieve the needs of people who are suffering from, or have been affected by, breast cancer by providing, or assisting in the provision of, information, care or emotional, practical and financial support.
  • Advance public education in the understanding of breast cancer, its early detection and treatment, in particular but not exclusively by commissioning, or conducting, research into the causes, detection and treatment of breast cancer and by disseminating the results of such research.

Grants should cover costs directly relating to a project. However, up to 15% of requests can be for unrestricted funding for the organisation to use as it deems necessary.

In 2023, groups with limited financial resources to deliver their activities will be given priority.

The deadline to apply is 26 May 2023.


Money Saving Expert (MSE) Charity Opens for New Round

Due to the cost-of-living crisis, MSE Charity has brought forward its usual September funding round and is now accepting applications under the theme of ‘Building and Developing Resistance’.

Small to medium-sized UK non-profit organisations with a constitution can apply, including UK registered charities, community interest companies, social enterprises and credit unions.

To be eligible, applicants should:

  • Have an annual income of less than £750,000.
  • Have unrestricted reserves that are less than six months of their running costs.

During this round, projects should focus on providing urgent money guidance and emergency debt help to those in need of support through the cost-of-living crisis.

There is particular interest in applications which use memorable, innovative, and or creative ways of delivering financial life skills which will make a lasting impact on the way people think, behave and manage their money.

The deadline to apply is 22 July 2022 (or as soon as 40 applications have been received). For more information and to apply visit the MSE charity website.


Don't forget to check out the VCSA's latest funding roundup, which is now available to view on our website, or you can click here to download a copy now.

Don't forget to check out our list of grants with rolling deadlines as well!

Don't see something on this list that should be here? Please contact us and let us know.

 

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To share your news with Shropshire Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly members and our partners email: VCSAssembly@shrophire.gov.uk