Shropshire VCS Orgs See Impacts on Volunteers, Staff Related to Cost of Living 

Thank you so much to those organisations that participated in the first wave of questions from the VCSA Cost of Living Survey about cost of living impact on staff and volunteers.

A full report from Wave 1 of our survey on the impact of the cost of living crisis on volunteers and staff will be released soon in this newsletter and on the VCSA website. Just some top-level highlights:

• 65% of survey respondents reported a decrease in the number of volunteers, volunteer hours or volunteer applications 
• 95% of respondents reported feeling "somewhat" or "very" concerned about staff stress, burnout and wellbeing
• 68% of respondents have concerns about staff leaving their organisations because of low pay
• 80% of respondents have struggled to recruit in recent months

Wave 2 of the survey focuses on increases in expenses for VCS organisations. Again, this survey takes an average of just 3 minutes to complete, so please take a moment to do so, and then pass it on and get other organisations to take it as well!

You can participate in Wave 2 whether or not you took part in Wave 1.

Please take just a moment to respond to these few questions and help inform the sector decision-makers in the council and the sector about the impacts of the crisis on organisations like yours.

WAVE 2 NOW OPEN! (through 16th November)

Shropshire's Warm Welcome Offer

To help residents stay warm and safe this winter, Shropshire Council and partners have compiled a range of venues, including libraries, village and town halls, community centres and faith buildings, where residents can go during each venue’s normal opening hours, enjoy the facilities and keep warm. You can find a list/ map of all the venues on offer here.

Each venue has different opening times and facilities. You can just turn up and find a place where you feel comfortable to relax. 

At all Warm Welcome venues, you’ll find:  

• A warm welcome where you can enjoy the venue’s facilities alongside other users 
• Easy access for all  
• A warm environment where you can sit and enjoy a peaceful activity 
• Most venues have toilets either in the building or close by. Please check directly with the venue before your travel
• Information to help with rising energy costs, financial support and the rising cost of living

If you run a community building that you'd like to offer as a 'Warm Welcome' venue this winter, please email shropshirecostofliving@shropshire.gov.uk to find out more.

Large Coalition of National Charities Publishes Open Letter to the Chancellor Ahead of Oct 31st Statement

A group of 29 national charities have written an open letter to chancellor Jeremy Hunt, calling for action to support their work and that of local authorities.

The coalition, which includes big names such as NCVO, Disability Rights UK, and the Directory of Social Change, among others, is also demanding an inflation-level universal credit uplift and more funding for local authorities.

The letter warns Hunt: “Charities are doing as much as they can to directly help people facing poverty, but we know demand for help is higher than the resource available.”

It adds that "councils and their local partners are struggling to deliver the bare minimum as year on year they are expected to deliver more with less. This has gone beyond efficiency and value and has now resulted in poor services and instability."

The letter urges Hunt to support charities when he announces his medium-term economic plan on 31st October. The situation is “not sustainable” and “charity finances cannot replace government funding”, the letter says.

Read the full story on the Civil Society website, and you can also read the full letter to the Chancellor here.

Current VCSE Engagement Opportunities

***

Shropshire Healthy Weight Strategy Consultation: Shropshire Council and its partners are developing a Healthy Weight Strategy to help Shropshire residents achieve and maintain a healthy weight and this will be informed by the views of those who live and work in Shropshire. The consultation includes two short online surveys, one is aimed at members of the public and the other is intended for NHS, Council and staff from stakeholder organisations such as voluntary and community groups. Closing 31st October 

• Public survey link
• VCS/stakeholder survey link
• Download flyer for distribution
• Download informational slides
• Email for print version of the survey

Shropshire Healthwatch - Getting a GP referral for tests or support: Healthwatch Shropshire wants to hear from people about their experiences with GP referrals. Please share the link below with your service beneficiaries who might be interested. Closing date TBD

• Survey link

Shropshire Council Warm Hubs Questionnaire: Is your organisation planning to run a "warm hub" this winter, or are you thinking about doing so? Shropshire Council would like to help you get the word out about your hub. Closing date TBD

• Questionnaire link
• Email for questions

Open consultation Down Syndrome Act 2022 guidance:  This call for evidence will inform the development of the Down Syndrome Act statutory guidance. The Department of Health and Social Care are seeking your views on what should be included within the guidance. They will consider those views when producing draft guidance which we intend to publish for full public consultation. Closing 8th November

• Read the full guidance document 
• Survey link
• Easy read version of the survey
• Email feedback

Free Day-Long Online Carbon Literacy Course

November 7th

In honour of Carbon Literacy Action Day, the Carbon Literacy Project is funding a free, day-long carbon literacy training course through your local CLP training providers, Save Our Shropshire. 

This one-day programme will:

• Explain why there is a problem with Climate Change
• Show how it will impact you and everyone else
• Explain why we must take action now
• Help you measure your "Carbon Footprint"
• Give you tips and tricks to live well for the planet
• Show you how to deal with the cost of living crisis at the same time

This is an incredible opportunity for VCS organisations to explore how they can begin their zero-carbon journey, or just to find ways to start to take action on the climate in whatever way they can. Send your organisation's representatives to this training for free!  Reserve a place now!

ST&W Community Mental Health Transformation VCSE Engagement

8th November 2:30-4pm

Online Event

The purpose of this workshop is to brief interested organisations in the scope of the programme for young adults, adults and older adults with SMI, and how you can join the NHS in meeting the community mental health needs of the population in new and innovative ways that supports the recovery of people within the communities in which they live.

The NHS Long Term Plan requires Mental Health Trusts to transform their community mental health services in partnership with primary care; local authorities; the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector; and service users, families and carers, to create a new proactive model of community-based mental health care, in line with the new community mental health framework.

The ambition is an integrated approach to service delivery; working together, and with local communities, to improve the mental and physical health of populations. They want the wider voluntary sector not just to be involved in their plans, but to be a central feature. They would like to hear from community, charity, voluntary and social enterprise organisations across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, about the best ways for them to mobilise this approach.

Register here via Eventbrite

Age UK AGM

10^th November 2 - 4.30pm

Hadley & Leegomery Community Centre

You are cordially invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin, which takes place on Thursday 10^th November 2 - 4.30pm at Hadley & Leegomery Community Centre, 30 High Street, Hadley, Telford, TF1 5NL

There is limited car parking at the community centre but they have overflow parking at the Hadley United Services Club, High St, TF1 5FB and is a 5-minute walk to the community centre.

This year the meeting will start with a performance from members of their line dancing classes, their newest wellbeing activity. They hope to see you there and after two years of virtual meetings, they look forward to having their AGM in person and updating you on the work of the previous year and future plans. 

Please RSVP by emailing Angela Goodman or phoning (01743) 233123.  

Dementia Awareness Events In November

Community Resource is holding Dementia Awareness events in St Martins, Gobowen and Weston Rhyn in early November. 

Download the event flyer here!

The Dementia Awareness sessions are aimed mainly at families and carers of people with, or at risk of developing, dementia so they have offered different times in the three locations.  The events are free of charge but they do ask people to book in advance.

10.00 am on Wednesday, 2^nd November in St Martins 

7.00 pm on Tuesday, 8^th November in Gobowen

2.00 pm on Wednesday, 9^th November in Weston Rhyn.

The free, 90-minute session includes:

• Useful tips and practical support on how to best support
  a person with dementia –featured speaker: Jacquie Pomeroy, Alzheimer’s Society
• A short, chair-based exercise taster
• Attendees will also be provided with a directory of local services to support people living with dementia and their carers.

Book now: Call 01743 360641 or email enquiries@community-resource.org.uk

Community Resource AGM

 23 November 2022 3.30pm
 Bayston Hill Memorial Hall

New CEO Bev Baxter will share future plans, they will reflect on our past achievements and highlight the stories of their volunteers, who play such a key role in their work supporting communities.

Community Resrouce will also be welcoming Chief Officer at Cheshire Association of Local Councils and viral sensation Jackie Weaver, who will be talking about her unusual rise to fame after the now-infamous Handforth Parish Council recording, and how she supports the idea of communities supporting communities.

Jackie will also be joined by Community Resource Board member Simon Broad who will host an audience Q&A session.

To attend, please RSVP to enquiries@community-resource.org.uk by Wednesday 16 November.

If you would like to submit a question to Jackie beforehand, please also include it in your RSVP.

Shropshire Charity Network Meeting

Shropshire Charity Network are pleased to announce their final event for 2022 will be an in-person networking event which will be held at the Peach Tree on Monday 28^th November 2022.

Please join them between 5pm and 7pm for some informal networking, festive activities and a much welcomed chance to meet in person once again.

They will be using the upstairs meeting area, which unfortunately is not accessible for anyone not able to use stairs. They will endeavour to ensure all in-person meetings are fully accessible in future.

Numbers are limited so please do book your place using the Eventbrite link.

DWP Information Sessions:

Health Adjustment Passports

You are invited to join the DWP for an information session to find
out more about: HEALTH ADJUSTMENT PASSPORT

This is the latest support tool to help people with disabilities
move smoothly into the world of work. All are welcome.

They will be holding 3 x 40 minute online sessions via Teams
on the following dates. Click on a date to join the meeting.

• Tuesday 8th November 11-11:40
• Friday 25th November 11-11:40
• Monday 12th December 2-2:40

Safeguarding Adults Week 21 – 27 November 2022, will focus on the theme ‘Responding to Contemporary Safeguarding Challenges’  

Safeguarding Adults Week is a time for organisations to come together to raise awareness of important safeguarding issues.

Telford and Wrekin Safeguarding Partnership, Shropshire Safeguarding Partnership and Shropshire Partners in Care are delivering a week of events to support organisations and individuals to explore different elements of adult safeguarding including exploitation, predatory marriage, the abuse of older people, self-neglect and creating Safer organisational cultures.

The events are available to the workforce and interested individuals in Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin.

Download the full timetable of events here.

Lingen Davies Seeks Acting CEO

Lingen Davies CEO Naomi Atkin is going on maternity leave in early 2023, and the charity is looking for an Acting CEO to cover her absence for around 12 months.

Lingen Davies Cancer Fund exists to enhance cancer services and improve lives in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, and Mid Wales. Founded in 1979, with the aim of bringing cancer services to Shropshire for the first time, their work is now focussed in three key areas: cancer prevention and early diagnosis, excellent treatment delivered locally, and living well with and beyond cancer.

Following a very challenging time during the Covid pandemic, they have recently reported their first ever £1m+ year, and they are about to publicly launch a new five-year strategy. Alongside their traditional grant making work, they have developed a service delivery team within the charity and are currently working with NHS partners to deliver cancer screening awareness work in the community. They expect this area of work to grow and be a particular focus for the coming year.

Full details of the role and how to apply can be found on the Lingen Davies website.

For an informal conversation about this opportunity please email Naomi Atkin or phone her on 07921 369981. Applications close 25^th November and may close earlier if a suitable candidate is found prior to this date.

Poppy Appeal Volunteers Needed for  Shrewsbury Town Football Match

Could you help the Royal British Legion raise funds at the Shrewsbury Town FC Remembrance match on the 12th of November?

They are looking for football fans to don a Poppy Appeal t-shirt and take donations for poppies before the match. All participants get a free ticket to the match afterwards!

Children are welcome to collect with a parent or guardian. Please email Jenny Komatis to register.

Volunteer with the NSPCC

Be a ‘Speak out. Stay safe.’ volunteer

NSPCC ‘Speak out. Stay safe.’ volunteers are returning to primary schools.  They are looking for new volunteers to join them and help us protect a generation of children from abuse and neglect. As a ‘Speak out. Stay safe’ volunteer, you will visit primary schools to deliver ‘Speak out. Stay safe’ workshops that teach children about the different typed of abuse and how they can speak out to stay safe.

Their ‘Speak out. Stay safe’ workshops are age-appropriate and memorable and need energetic and enthusiastic people to deliver them.  You’ll work alongside other ‘Speak out. Stay safe’ volunteers to make sure at the end of each session, children feel empowered and know who to speak out to if they are worried.

If you are interested in volunteering as a ‘Speak out. Stay safe’ volunteer and want to find out more about the role, the next step is to attend a Volunteer Information Meeting which is a fantastic opportunity to:

• Meet with staff as well as volunteers to ask any questions you may have
• Learn more about the application process and your volunteer journey

Their meetings are designed to help you decide whether you want to apply -there’s no obligation that you will apply if you attend one.  At the meeting you’ll also receive information on other ways you can become a supporter of the NSPCC.

Download the role profile

If you have any questions or experience any issues, please email the Volunteer Recruitment Team.

Save Our Shropshire Seeking Community Engagement Volunteer and Multiple Trustees

Save Our Shropshire (SOS) is a dynamic charity delivering training to Parish and Town councils to help them tackle the climate emergency.

The training – approved by the Carbon Literacy Project – is directed at clerks and councillors of Parish and Town councillors to support their work in putting together a practical plan of how to both make their own property “carbon-neutral” and get involved in engaging their communities in changing their lifestyles.

SOS focus on the fact that the Shropshire community (and everywhere) will only tackle climate change by changing behaviour in its daily life. People need to change the way that they travel, eat, buy, and power their homes. Behaviour change is very difficult with humans!

SOS would like people to help them follow through with their training for councillors and clerks in order to support them in their work of developing their plans and their community engagement.

They want to hear from people who have the following skills:

• Experience in developing relationships with “clients/partners” 
• Skills in managing projects and making them happen 
• Mentoring and consulting with “clients” to become a dependable resource
• An excellent understanding of how local government works. 
• Use of systems like “Customer Relationship Management”

They want enthusiasm to achieve net zero by 2030, and a commitment to bringing about the required behaviour change.

Visit Save Our Shropshire website for details on the open community engagement and trustee opportunities.

Shropshire Remap Looking for Volunteers: Especially in Shrewsbury and Telford

Remap is a charity which produces aids and equipment for people with disabilities/difficulties where there are no suitable alternatives. This service is provided free of charge and is delivered entirely by volunteers.

Remap volunteers are experienced engineers, crafts people or competent DIYers with access to a wide variety of skills and expertise. Remap Shropshire is one of 70+ local groups spread across the UK.

Each piece of equipment is tailor-made to suit the specific needs of one individual and is for their personal use only. 

Remap usually work with health professionals like occupational therapists to make sure that the equipment they provide meets the needs of each person.  It is best for those they are helping to involve their occupational therapist, or other health professional, from an early stage, but they do take self-referrals for simpler items.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, or would like more information, please email John or phone 07807 113285.

YSS Seeking Volunteers

YSS is a charity operating across Shropshire and Telford for over 30 years now. Their aim has been to support people in the local community to overcome obstacles, feel safe and be part of their local community. Volunteers have always been an important part of their operation, as they recognise the difference volunteers can make in supporting people alongside local practitioners.

YSS Volunteers can do a variety of tasks depending on their preferences and availability. The only certainty is that by volunteering, they can make a real difference in a person’s life while gaining valuable experience and knowledge.

For people who enjoy learning more about the criminal justice system and supporting young people navigate through it, you could act as an Appropriate Adult for YSS. All you have to do is support the young person while in custody and make sure all procedures are followed.

On the other hand, for people who enjoy supporting individuals on a one to one basis, they have volunteer mentors opportunities. Their volunteer mentors work with service users in their local area who could come from any of the services.

If you are interested in finding out more of what they do, their services and their volunteering opportunities contact YSS, talk to them and get to know them! Know someone who might be interested? You can also download their volunteer flyer here.

The YSS Volunteer Coordinator for Shropshire and Telford is always happy to have a chat! Simply email Pam Fenkli or call at 07815 961188

Grow and Thrive Grant Fund

VCS groups and organisations provide a wide range of community support to people in communities and they want to ensure that these groups can continue to develop, grow and remain active for as long as they are needed. The aim of the Grow and Thrive Grant is to give a modest amount of funding to help this process. They also want to encourage groups to look at new ways of working so they they can be more efficient, more effective, engage more with local people and offer local people more opportunities to volunteer.

Funding available:

Grants between £500 and £5,000 maximum

Eligibility:

For funded schemes in Shropshire that predominantly serve Shropshire residents and are:

• Working with individuals or groups of people to reduce loneliness, isolation and prevent the deterioration of health and wellbeing OR
• Working with groups or children/adults at risk in their community who have additional support needs AND
• Are, or will be, offering opportunities that will boost public participation, help stimulate the local economy and provide social value including opportunities to volunteer.

How to apply:

Application form - Apply here
Further information - Download here

Deadline:

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. The grants scheme will be closed once all available funds have been allocated.

Spark Up Grant Fund

The Covid 19 pandemic has shown that when one or two individuals recognise there is a need for a service or additional support in their community, a solution can be found but to make that happen some initial seed funding is required. Funded by Shropshire Council through the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF), Community Resource is making available small grants to help start up new initiatives, or new community support groups which can/ or will be delivering practical help and support to help people in their community. 

Funding available:

Grants between £50 and £300 maximum

Eligibility:

For funded schemes in Shropshire that predominantly serve Shropshire residents and from applicants that demonstrate:

• They are/will be working with individuals or groups of people who require some additional support or have an additional needs
• They are, or will be, providing practical help or support to people in their community e.g adult/children at risk, the elderly, children and young people, young families

How to apply:

Application form - Apply here
Further information - Download here

Deadline:

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. The grants scheme will be closed once all available funds have been allocated.