We are pleased to announce our partnership with the Nottingham Post and the Nottingham Project to re-launch The Robin Hood Fund. This aims to tackle food and energy poverty this winter. You may recall the Fund from the early days of the pandemic, which raised over £100,000 to shore up food banks and other local provision during uncertain times.

In just under two weeks we have raised nearly £4,000 on the Go Fund Me platform and, on Monday, the Nottingham Post will be announcing a very generous donation from a local author. Details of the fundraising campaign can be found here.

The first phase of the campaign will distribute funds to our local Advice Centres and Food Banks. This will ensure that local people in need have access to supplies to see them through the current cost of living crisis. Early in the new year we will announce the details of a small grant programme for local groups and charities facing rising energy costs. We will be developing further guidance and information about the Fund in the coming weeks.

Read an interview with Jules Sebelin, CEO of NCVS, in the Nottingham Post.

If you would like to know more about the campaign or how you can get involved in raising funds please get in touch with juless@nottinghamcvs.co.uk.

Join us for a face-to-face networking opportunity to meet representatives from The National Lottery Community Fund, Lloyds Bank Foundation, Severn Trent Community Fund and more.

This is your chance to: 

• hear presentations about the latest funding strategies and calls for applications
• ask questions and provide feedback on the funding needs of the VCSE sector 
• network across the sector, meeting new organisations and people 
• learn about the group development and funding support which NCVS may be able to offer your organisation / community group.

Please register to attend this free event. It will take place in 03 Committee Room on the Ground Floor of Loxley House, Station Street, Nottingham NG2 3NG. Full instructions about accessing the venue will be sent to all registered participants. 

Monday 23 January 2023, 1pm-3pm

If you have any questions about this event, please mail ncvs@nottinghamcvs.co.uk

This is a fortnightly, short get-together, for networking and sharing around what is happening on the ground from the cost of living crisis organised by Emma Bates, lead for Nottingham Financial Resilience Partnership (NFRP)

This networking opportunity, for hearing and gathering what is actually unfolding on the ground/ in experience, is to help ensure we can all respond to the crisis as well as possible within the city.

There is no expectation of attending - it is there as an opportunity due to the fast moving situation.

It does not replace existing meetings such as the NFRP main meeting, or any of its sub groups. It is for more immediate front line, on the ground issues from this crisis only and listening - as relevant, any issues will be fed in to NFRP/ its sub-groups.

The dates are fortnightly on a Friday, next one 2 December 2022 up till Christmas and then it will be reviewed. Emma Bates will be logged in every fortnight at 10am. She will log out by 11am. 

Lloyds Bank Foundation has just launched their specialist programme. The focus is to support small, local, specialist charities with an income of £25,000-£500,000 where a 3 year unrestricted £75,000 grant and support to develop can make the greatest impact. 

Nottingham CVS is holding a meet the funder event (see News and Views section above) on Monday 23 January 2023 from 1pm-3pm at Loxley House NG2 3NG. You can register to attend here.

Alternatively, Lloyds will be holding a Funding webinar and Q&A on Thursday 12 January 2023 to go through the eligibility criteria and answer any questions that you might have. You can register for the webinar here. If you would like to speak to someone from their team before you submit an application, you can schedule a time by following this link.  

You will then complete a quick eligibility quiz to find out if they are the right funder for you. If so, you’ll need to fill out a short contact form and will receive an email with a link to complete an application form online.

This website has a number of small funding programmes. They assess and award targeted grants to grassroots community groups, charities and social enterprises to support the people that need help most. Their aim is to make Nottinghamshire a better place to live and work and create positive change for one and all.

Grants available: From £500 to 20% of organisation's annual expenditure

Deadline to apply: 6 December 2022

This fund is open to all foodbanks across the UK with an annual turnover between £25,000 - £1m. Applicants must be not-for-profit organisations that have been running a foodbank for at least six months that gives out emergency food at least once a week. Priority may be given to organisations that are located in highly deprived areas. 

Aims to release all funds by 23 December 2022, although high demand may mean not all applications can be processed before Christmas.

One of the secrets to a vibrant, successful volunteer programme is planning ahead.

When you’ve been supporting volunteers for a while, you’ll notice that there seem to be a couple of times in a year when volunteer enquiries see a boost in numbers. We’ve come through the autumn volunteer rush as summer holidays ended, students returned to Nottingham’s two universities, Duke of Edinburgh Award participants have looked for opportunities, etc. But before you relax, you need to be ready for the next flurry of interest in volunteering – the New Year resolution enquiries.

On the NCVS website, there are around 300 active volunteering opportunities. There are also approximately one hundred that are not showing and have become inactive because they’ve been on the site for over a year and not yet been renewed. Please check to see if your opportunities are active on the website.

Visit Search for Opportunities and track down your opportunities using the search that potential volunteers would use to find your roles.

• If they are there, are they still up to date and relevant? Will people be attracted to your roles rather than all the others on the site?
• If they’re not on the website, or if you can’t find them, contact Dave Thomas to get this put right. Or you may already be able to log in to the site and do the updates yourself.
• If you can’t log in and would like to, especially if your volunteer opportunities change regularly, you can sign up for an account here.

If you would prefer the volunteer centre to help you by putting opportunities online on your behalf, please let us know.

Contact Dave Thomas, Volunteering Development Officer. Email davet@nottinghamcvs.co.uk or call 07564 040767

Green social prescribing is a way of connecting people to nature-based activities and green groups, projects and schemes in their local community for support with health and wellbeing. Often this will be through a referral from a Link Worker based at a GP practice or another primary care professional.

Our scheme in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, called GreenSpace, is one of seven government Green Social Prescribing Test and Learn sites. It's all about improving people’s mental health. Green providers, social prescribers, voluntary organisations and community initiatives will help connect many more people with nature-based activities, helping everyone to feel better.

We're heading into winter and there is still so much happening in our green spaces.
There are lots of winter and Christmas events happening in the local community
gardens, from wreath making workshops to Winter Wonderlands, there are plenty of
things to get involved in!

The Big Green Book is a directory of nature-based activities and opportunities around
Nottingham. Social prescribers and healthcare workers can find a wealth of information, organised by location, to help their clients to choose an activity that is suitable for their needs. The book outlines the facilities available and details of the level of mental health need that each group is able to support, to ensure the right referrals are made into the right organisations.

Nottingham City Council leaders have joined forces with leaders of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire County Councils and Derby City Council to make an application to government for a £1.14 billion devolution deal. If approved, it should mean more powers to make decisions locally and lever more resources to our area.

Devolution would create a new legal entity known formally as a Combined County Authority (CCA). This would include Derbyshire County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Derby City Council and Nottingham City Council and cover the areas of both cities and both counties. The four authorities would still exist as individual councils and would work together on a formal and legal basis to improve the region for our communities and businesses.

NCVS is hosting an online consultation event to give Nottingham voluntary and community organisations the opportunity to ask questions about what it means for the VCSE sector and local development. We will be joined by Sajeeda Rose, Corporate Director for Growth and City Development.

The consultation event will take place via Zoom on Thursday 15 December 2022 from 12.30pm to 1.30pm.

Please register here to attend and have your say 

If you're unable to attend our event on 15 December, a survey is now open (until 9 January 2023) on the East Midlands Devolution website and other public consultation events will be advertised there.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF)  has been tracking the impact of both the pandemic and the cost of living crisis on the financial position of low income households over the past 12 months. In this webinar and report, Senior Economist Rachelle Earwaker will provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the cost of living crisis for low income households. As we head into winter, this will highlight what needs to be done to ensure that struggling households are not burdened with cold homes, hungry children, and eye-watering debt in the months before support kicks in.

Free online webinar

Wednesday 14 December 2022, 10am-11am

Free workshop exploring the right to clothing and making clothing accessible to all

This workshop is run as a collaboration between Sharewear Clothing Scheme and the human rights charity, Journey to Justice, and forms part of an ESRC research project based at the University of Nottingham.

When: Wednesday 7 December 2022, 2pm-4pm

Location: Nottingham Trent University Djanogly International Centre, Room DIC015CR, Clarendon Street Nottingham NG1 5LP

Join the Iranian and Ukrainian communities of Nottingham for an afternoon of music, poetry, speeches and performances to stand with them in their fight against tyranny

Sunday 4 December 2022, 2.30pm-6.30pm

The Carousel, 25 Hockley, Nottingham NG1 1FH

Find out more about World Jam on their website https://www.worldjam.co.uk/

Thursday 12 January 2023, 10.30am to 12.45pm

An online course giving a basic understanding of roles and responsibilities in the safeguarding of adults and how to respond to concerns.

Cost: £25 per participant

Tuesday 31 January 2023, 10.30am to 12.45pm

An online course giving a basic understanding of roles and responsibilities in the safeguarding of children and young people and how to respond to concerns.

Cost: £25 per participant

Tuesday 28 February 2023, 10.30am to 12.45pm

An online course giving a basic understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead Person.

Cost: £25 per participant

Thursday 16 February 2023, 10.30am-11.45am

An interactive online session for Trustees (or members of Management Committees) of organisations whose activities put them in contact with vulnerable adults or children.

Cost: £15 per participant

Wednesday 25 January 2023, 10.30am to 12.30pm

This two-hour online session covers the basic information for all trustees, whether you are new to the role or long-established.

Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 22 February 2023, 10am to 12.15pm

A new interactive hands-on workshop for organisations and community groups who want to practice their skills and would welcome constructive feedback to further develop their skills in writing successful funding applications.
Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 15 March 2023, 11am to 1pm

Do you manage a space, office or building? This new two-hour online session will take your Fire Wardens and/or Fire Marshal through the basics. As a result, they will be better equipped to carry out these very important roles.

Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 18 January 2023, 10.30am to 12.30pm

This two-hour online session is intended for trustees who have completed our 'Being a Trustee' course, who want to further develop their involvement and awareness of trustee duties and improve their personal skill set.

Cost: £20 per participant

Tuesday 7 February 2023, 10.30am to 12.30pm

Are you acting as secretary or note taker, or do you need to record meetings? Learn how to take effective minutes and make your task easier. This two-hour online session replaces our previous face-to-face three-hour course and will take you through the process of producing a 'minute'.

Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 15 February 2023, 6pm to 8pm

This new two-hour online session will explain the basics of health and safety, then take you through the process of carrying out a risk assessment in an organisational environment.

Cost: £20 per participant

Tuesday 17 January 2023, 10.00am to 11.15 am

For organisations and community groups who are new to applying for funding, or for those in need of a refresher. Relevant for groups applying for COVID-19 funding and recovery support as well as other general funding.

Cost: £10 per participant

Wednesday 8 February 2023, 10am to 12 noon

For some time, we’ve been asked about training that goes beyond the basics of managing and supporting volunteers. In this new two-hour online session, we’ll explore some of the real-life issues that you are facing.

Cost: £20 per participant

Thursday 26 January 2023, 6pm to 7pm

A one-hour online session to help your volunteer role descriptions stand out, ensuring you attract enthusiastic volunteers.

Cost: £10 per participant

The PDU aims to promote and facilitate collaborative learning and the sharing of good practice among professionals and volunteers from all sectors, in Nottingham and neighbouring areas, who work with people experiencing multiple disadvantage (understood as a combination of mental ill-health, substance misuse, homelessness, offending and domestic abuse, among other issues).

Contact our PDU Programme Manager for more information: enquiries@pdunottingham.org

Join our free online hub www.pdunottingham.org

Follow us on Twitter @NottinghamCVS #PDUNottingham.

Are you interested in working more effectively to meet the needs of your autistic clients?

Why not join our Working with Autistic Adults CoP- a Community of Practice that focuses on working with autistic adults who do not have an intellectual disability.

We offer a safe space to come together with local professionals and advocates to share knowledge and discuss good practice, with input from those with lived experience.

Our next session is on Zoom on Thursday 9 February 2023 from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.

Theme: “Understanding Autism - Diagnostic Criteria and what this means in practice”

Our next Working with Autistic Adults CoP will focus on increasing understanding of the diagnostic criteria used to identify autism, specifically DSM-5.

Autism criteria can be confusing. It describes autism in terms of deficits which cause many people to misunderstand what autism is. It also fails to recognise areas of opportunity and strength. Because of the ways in which it is written, the DSM description of autism may not resonate with people who are autistic. In this session we will be discussing each of the criteria points and what this might look like for a person who is autistic.

This session hopes to give participants a better understanding of what autism actually is and debunk common misconceptions often associated with people who are autistic.

Email enquiries@pdunottingham.org to be added to the invite list.

Explores the role of employability and skills when working with people experiencing Severe and Multiple Disadvantage (SMD).

Our next session is on Zoom on Tuesday 6 December 2022 from 10am to 12pm.

Theme: “Strengths-based approaches to delivering employability”

Get in touch if you are interested in becoming involved.
Email enquiries@pdunottingham.org

NCVO are campaigning to ensure the government continues energy cost support for charities past March 2023. They are engaging with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)

They have drafted and co-signed a letter with the Civil Society to Grant Shapps MP BEIS Secretary of State.

They are asking if charities could download a letter provided to send to their MP and if possible tell stories to the media to highlight the issue.

The government has worked with a range of Internet Service Providers (IPSs) and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to deliver low-cost broadband and phone service packages, called social tariffs, for those on low incomes.

Social tariffs are available for people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits, with some providers offering deals from £15 a month.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is encouraging organisations to raise awareness of these products and has produced a stakeholder toolkit which includes social media materials, posters and leaflets to help organisations share this information across their communications channels.

The Help for Households campaign homepage brings together over 40 support schemes that the public may be able to access depending on eligibility. There are also online tools for the public to check the support they might be eligible for and how to access it. 

Social tariffs toolkit

Campaign

In Kind Direct distributes quality consumer products, donated by some of the UK’s best known manufacturers, retailers and brands, to charitable organisations – including charities, community groups, foodbanks and schools – who join the network for free.

Organisations can access a wide range of products to use as and when they need them, or to give away to the people they support.

Healthwatch is inviting you to take part in this survey to tell them about your experience with mental health services.

This information will help to understand how services can be improved.