The Wave Project

If you are LGBT+, live, work or play in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and are aged 50-100 or more, then you can join SAND in The Wave Project to make older and old LGBT+ people across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin more visible.

SAND (Safe Aging No Discrimination) is an inclusive LGBT+ community-facing organisation working across sectors in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin to enhance LGBT+ health & wellbeing in later life.

At the moment SAND is putting photos on their website as they come in - in June 2023 they are planning an exhibition at Shrewsbury's Museum & Art Gallery!

Photographs can be of individuals or of groups. SAND is aiming for 100 LGBT+ people and ultimately they would like to host an exhibition of your many waving hands.

And if you'd like to help, then please spread the word to family, friends and colleagues!

For more info, to view a gallery of photos collected so far, and to submit your own photo visit the SAND website.

Introducing Jo Wheatley, New DBS Regional Outreach Adviser

At its last Board meeting on 13th January, the VCSA heard from Jo Wheatley, who has recently started in a newly-created role within the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). 

The new Regional Outreach Adviser roles were created as a means to implement the new five-year DBS strategic plan, which aims to make recruitment safer "By being a visible, trusted and influential organisation, providing an outstanding quality of service to all our customers and partners."

As the West Midlands Regional Outreach Adviser, Jo can support VCS organisations in several ways, including:

• Answering DBS-related queries and providing advice via phone/email
• Attending meetings, training and conferences, or visiting your organisation to have a face-to-face discussion
• Developing and delivering presentations, workshops, webinars or discussions to provide an overview of DBS
• Collating feedback, suggestions or comments and feeding this back into DBS
• Informing organisations and employers of their duty or power to refer
• Being available for consultation around difficult safeguarding issues that should be referred to DBS including on the “power to refer”
• Supporting information gathering initiatives.

She also offers free monthly training workshops on DBS eligibility as well as Barring and Legal Duty to refer, which you can sign up for via Eventbrite, or contact Jo directly if you would like her to deliver the workshops exclusively to your organisation.

All of Jo's advice and workshops are free to access. 

You can email Jo with your questions, or check out her full PowerPoint presentation to the Board for more information.

Warm Welcome Offered at County Fire Stations

A handful of Shropshire fire and rescue stations are opening their doors as Warm Welcome venues in the coming weeks, offering local residents a place to socialise, enjoy a coffee and a chat and receive a mini health check if they wish.

Over 70 community venues across the county have registered as Warm Welcomes this winter, as part of Shropshire Council’s cost of living campaign. Locations are listed on Shropshire Council’s website, alongside opening times and the facilities that they offer. These include libraries and museums, as well as community halls, charity premises and faith buildings. Many offer a place to sit and relax, whilst others offer a hot drink or access to wifi.

Shropshire Council and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service have worked together to identify areas of the county with little to no Warm Welcome provision, and have created a plan to make use of the fire stations to provide a solution. The first locations to open their doors will be Hodnet, Prees and Clun, with more expected to follow.

The Warm Welcome sessions will be held once a week and will include a hot drink and a chance to chat with a member of the community wellbeing outreach team, as well as the opportunity to have a blood pressure and Atrial Fibrilation check.

Dan Quinn, assistant chief of Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, said:-

“We are really pleased to be continuing our partnership with Shropshire Council following our successful collaboration with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Fire stations are a key feature of rural communities, and the perfect venue for people to come along, socialise and get some valuable advice from the outreach team.

The next fire station Warm Welcome will be held at Hodnet Fire Station on Monday 30th January 2023 from 11am to 4.30pm.

Check the Warm Welcome page on Shropshire Council’s website for the full list of locations.

Read the full story in the Shropshire Council newsroom.

Pharmacy, Optometry and Dentistry Services to be Planned Locally from April

On 1 April 2023, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board (ICB) will become responsible for the commissioning of community pharmacy, community optometry and NHS dental care services across our system.

These services have previously been commissioned and managed by NHS England in the Midlands.  However, delegation in April 2023 will allow Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB to consider how those services can best serve our local populations and will be integral to the ongoing development of the system’s Integrated Care Strategy.

Staff at NHS England in the Midlands who are currently responsible for commissioning and managing these services will continue to do so as part of the delegation agreement. They will be responsible to a group of ICBs who will come together in committees in common, rather than directly for NHS England.

In April 2024, further specialised services such as cardiac and kidney services, currently commissioned by NHS England in the Midlands, will also be delegated to ICBs. This will again enable Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB to shape these services to better fit our local populations, together with the insight of ICP partners.

At present, colleagues at Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB and NHS England in the Midlands are working together to help smooth the transition, sharing information and data, finance and contracting details as well as setting up governance and quality procedures.

Simon Whitehouse, Chief Executive Officer of Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB, said:

“Teams have been working for more than two years on how to delegate these services and to ensure they are smoothly integrated into our organisation. It makes perfect sense.

“I look forward to working more closely with local pharmacies, optometrists and general dental practices from April and continuing to develop an approach that aligns to the needs of our population.”

To find out further information about the delegation of pharmacy, optometry and dentistry services, and what it means to you, please see this presentation provided by NHS England.

Final Wave of the VCSA Cost of Living Impacts Survey Open Now

The final wave of the VCSA cost of living impacts survey is now open!

Whether you took part in Waves 1-3 or not, please take just 5 minutes to complete these questions and help inform the sector, funders and other stakeholders as to how the cost of living crisis is impacting the VCSE sector in Shropshire.

Wave 4 focuses on income and funding impacts. Take it now! 

Closes Wednesday, 1st February.

VCSA 2023 Membership Refresh

This year, the VCSA is changing the way it handles membership.

• Do you want to be contacted with opportunities and news that is specific to your organisation's area of work?
• Do you want to easily find data on the sector in Shropshire that is up to date and helpful for funding or reporting?
• Have you ever wondered who else is a VCSA member?
• Do you wish that the annual State of the Sector survey took a little bit less time to complete?

Then these are all great reasons to renew your membership today! 

The new membership form is now available online, and can be completed by visiting the VCSA website. Each organisation only needs to fill out the form once, and additional contact names can be added whenever you want. Please note, that if you are currently a member and want to continue your VCSA membership, you will need to complete this new form.

Updating your information will also be easy. Each year, you will receive a reminder to check your membership information is up to date, and you will only need to correct any information that has changed. There will be an "update your membership" link on the website very soon, and you can do it at your leisure. It's that simple!

Not a member yet? Then join us! Any voluntary and community sector group or organisation working for the benefit of Shropshire can join free of charge. Your group or organisation can be as active as you choose.

The Assembly allows VCS groups and organisations to:

• Meet and exchange information, ideas and good practice
• Discuss common issues and support each other in delivering services
• Develop shared plans
• Work more closely with public sector bodies such as Shropshire Council and the Integrated Care System

VCSA members can benefit in many ways, at any level of involvement

• Hear of networking and funding opportunities
• Have the opportunity to have a say through local consultations
• Voice issues and concerns
• Access helpful reports, analysis and information on the sector
• Network with other VCS groups and organisations
• Express an interest in getting involved in local projects or bids
• Join in at the annual event and attend other VCSA events and workshops

Ask an Energy Advisor - for Front Line Workers

Marches Energy Agency want front line workers to be aware of up to date information on what support is available for people during the energy crisis.

Unsure of what energy advice and support is currently available? Come along to their FREE 'Ask an Energy Advisor' event for front line workers on Thursday 2nd February at 2pm.

They want you to be aware of up to date information on what support is available for people during the energy crisis, and share some top tips to keep homes warmer and costs down.

Register free via Eventbrite

Wide Range of Free Specialist Domestic Abuse Training Available for Professionals and Organisations Across STW

Beginning this month, Stay Telford are offering a wide range of free specialist advice and training sessions for VCS organisations and social care professionals across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin.

Courses include:

• VAWG: Understanding Violence Against Women & Girls
• Understanding and Responding to Rape & Sexual Violence
• Coercive Control
• Honour Based Abuse and Force Marriage
• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Other Harmful Practices
• Elder Abuse
• How to Understand, and Use, the DASH Risk Assessment

Download the full course descriptions here and the full training calendar here.

Want to sign up? Email training@staytelford.co.uk

Shropshire Libraries Hosting Friendly Banking Advice Sessions

Libraries across Shropshire are hosting expert advice sessions to help people protect themselves from fraud, manage their money and learn about digital banking options.

Teams from HSBC will be delivering free information sessions which are open to everyone at libraries in Bishop’s Castle, Church Stretton, Much Wenlock, Oswestry and Shrewsbury (main Library) this month and into March 2023. Some sessions have already been held and well received.

There will be three topics:

• Together against fraud – Covering types of frauds and scams, what to look out for and how to protect yourself online and over the phone.
• Financially fitter – Covers budgeting, credit score, savings and investing.
• Banking beyond the branch – A useful session for towns where there are no banking facilities – and anyone wanting to bank in a more modern way. It covers digital banking, telephone banking and using the post office to bank.

The sessions are booked for:

• Bishop’s Castle Library – Wednesday 8 February, and Wednesday 8 March at 10.30am
• Church Stretton Library – Thursday 2 February, Thursday 9 February and Thursday 16 February at 10.30am
• Oswestry Library – Friday 10 February and 24 February at 10am
• Much Wenlock Library – drop-in session on Thursday 9 March 2023 from 10am to 1pm.

Involving People and Communities Workshop

Free Maths and Numeracy Courses for Adults

Shrewsbury Colleges Group is offering a series of new free numeracy and maths courses for adults. 

Multiply offers FREE numeracy courses to help individuals brush up their maths skills and help them become more confident with numbers, whether they need help in managing your bills, budgeting or they want to improve their potential at work. 

Courses start as early as February 2023, and include:

• Support your child with their maths homework
• Getting to grips with numbers
• Manage your money
• Numeracy upskill for ESOL adults

To qualify participants must be aged 19+, a resident in Shropshire and not already have a GCSE at grade C (or equivalent) in maths.

Find out more and sign up on the Shrewsbury Colleges website.

Health & Inequalities - Bitesize Trainings

The Bite-size talks and training seeks to empower residents to have practical, everyday conversations around preventing and living better with long term health conditions. These conditions affect individuals and communities very differently, often resulting from health inequalities, which will also be discussed.

The training will initially be covering in separate sessions: Type 2 Diabetes, Mental Health, Cardiovascular disease, COPD, and Cancer, before they open up to other health areas. The sessions will look at national and local data, and local interventions to which they can signpost.

Sessions will be hosted by Kingston Voluntary Action with guest clinical / professional speakers and a short Q&A to best support those around us.

These sessions are for small VCSE groups, Community Champions or Coaches and anyone who wants to increase their knowledge of the five long-term health conditions that Core20PLUS5 is focusing on. Each session covers one of the long-term health conditions.

Upcoming dates:

Thursday 16 February 2023 from 11:15-12:15

Thursday 16 March  2023 from 11:15-12:15

Thursday 20 April  2023 from 11:15-12:15

Register here via Eventbrite.

Community Resource Functional Fitness MOTs

Upcoming dates & locations:

• 18^th February, Newport, Cosy Hall         
• 21^st February, Church Stretton, Leisure Centre

Download printable flyer here

To book a FREE 2.5-hour appointment call 01743 360641 or email enquiries@community-resource.org.uk

Energize Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin: Project Administrator

Energize Shropshire Telford & Wrekin are currently looking for a Project Administrator.

This will be a key role in their team aimed at supporting their Schools and Empowering Communities teams and their Elevate programme. This role will be involved in the administration concerning these areas and provide vital support to enable the efficient and effective management of these projects and programmes.

Salary: Up to £19,664 per annum depending on experience. The post will also be eligible for winter cost of living payments of £175 (gross) per month to end of March 2023 and there is a pay review pending from April 2023.

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

Location: They currently work a hybrid system working from home on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with Tuesdays and Thursdays allocated as office days. Their office is in University Centre Shrewsbury in Shrewsbury Town Centre

Contract: This is a fixed term contract until 31 March 2025.

To apply for this role

Please read the job description and if you are interested in applying please send your CV and a covering letter explaining why you believe you have the right qualities for this role to: recruitment@energizestw.org.uk

Link to the full job description 

Closing date: 12 noon on Monday 13th February 2023

Interview date: In person interviews will be held on Tuesday 28^th February 2023, at our offices in Shrewsbury

If you have any questions, please contact Katy Warren, Head of Operations on 07958 318915 or katy.warren@energizestw.org.uk

Citizens Advice Shropshire: Community Advisers

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

Citizens Advice Shropshire are looking to employ experienced Community Advisers to work in community venues, including foodbanks, in either the north or south of the county.

They encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and will consider trainee positions if you don’t have advice experience.  They will also consider job share.

Salary: £24,188 to £25,668 pro rata depending on experience

Contract: Full time 37 hours per week, permanent.

Location: The successful applicant must be able to work flexibly across the county

Start: As soon as possible

Post may be subject to a DBS check.

Further details and application form (no CVs) are available from the Citizens Advice Shropshire website:

Closing date:           12:00 midday on Wednesday 15^th February.

Interviews:             Wednesday 1^st March 2023 at their Shrewsbury office (if date isn't convenient another may be arranged, depending on availability).

Volunteer Opportunity: School Exclusion Review Panellists

Location: Shirehall, Shrewsbury
Working pattern: Occasional – usually no more than 2 occasions per term

Are you interested in becoming a lay member of Shropshire Council's pool of independent review panel members? 

Parents can request that an Independent Review Panel be convened to review the decision made by a Governing Body to uphold the Headteacher’s decision to permanently exclude their child from school. Volunteer school exclusion review panel members hold hearings to review these decisions.

Shropshire Council is currently looking to recruit ‘lay members’ to the pool of volunteers, to act as Chair for Independent Review of Exclusion Hearings.

Download the full role description and application information here.

Volunteer ‘Buddies’ Sought to Help People Feel Less Isolated

Shropshire charity Community Resource is inviting people to volunteer to help those who are isolated become more active and to help alleviate inactivity and social exclusion.

Community Resource already has over 50 people volunteering for projects including supporting people with hearing and sight loss, helping at dementia support groups, assisting at ‘Functional Fitness MOT’ Falls Prevention events and acting as representatives for people in care homes.

The charity is keen to hear from potential ‘Buddy’ volunteers; individuals who would be interested in accompanying people who are feeling isolated and alone and need some motivation, support, or encouragement to get involved in local activities. Activities that volunteers participate in may include exercise classes, walking groups or yoga classes.

Download the Flyer Here!

Sue Chalk, Head of Service at Community Resource, said:

“Research has shown that physical activity is vitally important for the physical and mental health of people of all ages. Many of us would like to be more active but the idea of turning up at an activity such as an exercise class on our own can be very daunting.

“As a ‘Buddy’ you could provide the support that enables someone to take that crucial first step to get involved in something new. As a result, you are helping them become more active, more resilient, participating in their local community and meeting and socialising with new people with common interests.” 

To become a Buddy, volunteers will be given appropriate training and undertake a DBS check, which Community Resource will arrange. There are no set criteria for the amount of time someone needs to give, with flexible opportunities depending on people’s availability.

Sue added:

“You may be newly retired, have just moved to the area or would simply like to support your local community. Perhaps your New Year’s resolution is to volunteer and try to make a difference. If you have some spare time, think you could help and would like to get involved we would love to hear from you.”

To find out more and express your interest, please contact Community Resource on 01743 360641 or email enquiries@community-resource.org.uk

Adult Social Care Preventative Small Grants Programme: 2023-2024

This programme is designed to provide a grant funding opportunity for community-based activity that supports wellbeing and independence. Funding is up to a maximum of £5,000 per grant for activity delivered between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024. It is aimed at voluntary organisations and community groups working in Shropshire.

They're welcoming funding applications for community-based activities that enable people to stay physically and mentally well, and that support independent living and prevent avoidable admissions into hospital. Funding should contribute to growing existing activity and/or the development of new ideas and start up initiatives that support the wellbeing of Shropshire’s residents.

Community-based activities and groups are vitally important in maintaining our individual wellbeing and independence, and in creating strong and resilient communities. 

The funded activity must contribute to one or more of the council’s priorities for grant funding which include activity which supports:

• Admission avoidance
• Supporting discharge from hospital settings
• The cost-of-living pressures
• Health and mental wellbeing
• Falls prevention and reduced levels of inactivity

Furthermore, applicants will need to demonstrate how they support The Shropshire Plan and the Adult Social Care principles. These are:

•  Healthy, safe communities where I belong 
• Supporting our most vulnerable, disadvantaged adults, providing early support and prevention, before situations become a crisis 
• Living in a place I call home 
• Leading the life I want to live
• Putting Shropshire back in the community 
• Focusing on outcomes for customers 
• Providing value for money 
• Considering the impact of our activities on the climate 
• Empowering effective collaborations for positive change 

Applications will be reviewed and scored based on the extent to which the proposed activity supports these priorities and key criteria.

The grant application form and the guidance and information document can be accessed here: Adult Social Care Preventative Small Grants Programme 2023-2024 | Shropshire Council

For more information, please contact Ness Hicken or Lisa Middleton:

ness.hicken@shropshire.gov.uk

lisa.middleton@shropshire.gov.uk

Closing date for applications - Friday 3^rd February 2023 at noon.