Bulletin Contents - 5th January 2012

HPCVS Telephones Out of Order

Partnership Impact Evaluation

Lottery's Awards for All

FREE Funding Workshop – ‘Reaching Communities’

VCI Passport Training

Future Needs 2012 Conferences

Free bootcamps to help grow your business on the web

Supporting Vulnerable People with Pat's Petition

What Would You Choose, Heating or Eating?

RAD Domestic Oil Heating Syndicate

HPCVS Telephones Out of Order

Apologies for any inconvenience to people trying to contact us by telephone, our telephones have been out of order on Wednesday and Thursday this week.

We have been advised that the phones will be up and running by January 6th but if you are facing difficulties please contact the emergency mobile on 07889 703 531 or contact the team by email where possible. Email addresses can be found on our contact page

Partnership Impact Evaluation

PIE Partnership Impact Evaluation - is a brand new, first of it’s kind evaluation project just completed by Liz Fletcher, Small Group Project coordinator, High Peak CVS and Sarah Paisley Development worker from Derbyshire Dales CVS.

This work has been to qualitatively access the development work of both CVS from the view point of the groups we serve. 20 interviews have been conducted with groups across both areas. Questions range from; “What did the worker assist your group with?" “How would you rate the quality of the support you received?” “How did this actually help your group?” to “Would you go back to CVS if you needed further support?”

The interviews were carried out by the partner CVS and participants were assured of confidentiality to ensure honest feedback. Sarah and Liz then conducted analysis and commentary on the findings of these interviews and have written up the project in a final report.

Liz Fletcher from High Peak CVS said "We believe this is the first work of this kind to be conducted between two CVS and we are hoping to receive interest and feedback from other organisations, groups, funders, researchers, and interested individuals."

If you would like to see the report, please click here, go the HPCVS website, or call Liz Fletcher 01663 736426 for a paper copy.

To offer feedback please call or email lizsgp@highpeakcvs.org.uk or sarah@ddcvs.org.uk

Lottery’s Awards for All

Looking for a grant of £300 - £10,000 for your group or organisation’s activities?

Could your group be eligible for funding from the Lottery’s Awards for All programme?

High Peak CVS is offering you the chance to come and discuss your group’s activities and funding needs with BIG Lottery Fund’s Development Officer, Matthew Rowe.

Each ‘Drop-In’ session will last ½ hour and will give you a chance of a 1-1 chat with Matt Rowe (our local Lottery Development Officer) and High Peak CVS’s funding advisor, Esther Jones about the project or activity that you would like funding for, its suitability for Awards for All funding (or signposting to alternative funders) and tips on what to emphasize in your bid.

Appointments need to be booked in advance - If there is enough interest we will run sessions in the afternoon as well as the morning!

To book a time please ring High Peak CVS on 01663 735 350 or email esther@highpeakcvs.org.uk with the name of your group, your preferred time of day and a daytime phone number.

Do bring a fellow committee member or trustee with you to this Drop-In if you would like!

FREE Funding Workshop – ‘Reaching Communities’

The BIG Lottery Fund also offers a larger grants programme called ‘Reaching Communities’. This offers grants to community organizations and groups of £10,001 - £500,000 for revenue projects and up to £50,000 and in some instances £500,000 for capital projects that help people and communities who are ‘most in need’.

High Peak CVS is joining forces with Derbyshire Dales CVS to offer a FREE workshop on the ‘Reaching Communities’ programme for groups and organizations who are going to apply or are considering applying.

The workshop will be lead by Matthew Rowe, BIG Lottery Development Officer, and will be very much an information-based workshop, focusing on the main points of the programme including how to describe and evidence the need and the outcomes of your proposed project.

Application to this funding programme is via a two-stage process and is highly competitive. If you are thinking of bidding to it, this workshop is highly recommended!

Places are limited. To book your place on this workshop please contact High Peak CVS on 01663 735 350 or email esther@highpeakcvs.org.uk with your name, the name of your group or organization and a daytime phone number.

VCI Passport Training

For volunteers who work with children or young people.

Volunteers must be aged 16 years +

This is a free five session course. The second High Peak course will take place on five consecutive Wednesday evenings, starting February 22nd, 6.30 p.m. – 9.30.p.m in the Adult Community Education Centre in Fairfield, Buxton and involves:

Participants who complete the course will receive a certificate and identity badge as an accredited volunteer recognised by Derbyshire Children’s Trust.

We will need to ensure that volunteers are CRB checked at enhanced level and will have to a supply CRB registration number. If you are someone who is considering volunteering, and are not yet CRB checked, the identity badge will not be issued until you have received your CRB and started volunteering

Places are limited to a maximum of 20 per course. If interested please contact David Shaddick at the Buxton Volunteer Centre, 16 Eagle Parade, Buxton SK17 6EQ. Tel 01298 23970. E-mail david@buxtonvc.org.uk Or to find out more about this course go to the County Council website

Future Needs 2012 Conferences

Financial Inclusion Derbyshire Future Needs 2012 Conferences: 20 & 26 January 2012

Financial Inclusion Derbyshire is hosting two events to celebrate the work that has been done already, and to provide an opportunity to identify key financial exclusion needs/issues in Derbyshire, for 2012 onwards, and plan future priorities.

This will lead to a new financial inclusion strategy. The Financial Inclusion Derbyshire Partnership has been working over the last couple of years to address issues of financial exclusion in the county including: access to affordable credit; banking and savings; debt and income maximisation advice; financial capability/education. The two events are being held on Friday, 20 January near Matlock and Thursday, 26 January in Ripley.

More information and booking details can be found here

Free bootcamps to help grow your business on the web

17th January 2012 Manchester

At this free bootcamp you will learn all the key concepts you need to know to make the right decisions:

Places are limited. To register visit the Web Fuelled Business Website

Supporting Vulnerable People with Pat's Petition

This is a petition placed on the government's own website. It calls for the government to "Stop and review the cuts to benefits and services which are falling disproportionately on disabled people, their carers and families". The link is here

This petition has come from a group of ordinary volunteers, who are carers and / or disabled who are alarmed by the number of changes taking place and their effect on society's most vulnerable. We judge our society, and our government, by the care and support they offer to those who need it.

The petition is gaining support from charities - Mind, RNIB and Scope are three of the largest to offer their support. A full list is available on the carerwatch website

The petition needs to reach 100,000 votes in order to generate debate in parliament. It will only do this if a broad range of organisations from across the country work together, passing the link to their members and encouraging people to vote and share.

Please help to promote Pats Petition by sharing this information and joining the petition today.

What Would You Choose, Heating or Eating?

As fuel bills rise and household incomes fall, it’s a sad fact that some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Derbyshire will be facing the choice of ‘heating or eating’ this winter. As part of a campaign that seeks to tackle the impact of fuel poverty, Advice Derbyshire have developed an online database of food banks and schemes operating across Derbyshire.

The resource allows users, and in particular front line workers, to search for their nearest scheme by postcode, which will provide a detailed map and information about any available services. In the New Year Advice Derbyshire will extend this work to include the collection and distribution of food donations, and are eager to work with partners to identify and address any gaps in provision. To access the resource click here, and please do let others know it is there.

For further information about the campaign please contact Kris Ambler at kris.ambler@advicederbyshire.org

RAD Domestic Oil Heating Syndicate

Rural Action Derbyshire has launched a new social enterprise that it says “will be good for individuals, good for the environment and good for Rural Action Derbyshire.”

The scheme will use the model of a local buying syndicate for domestic heating oil but will roll it out across the whole of Derby and Derbyshire. Experience has already shown that it’s possible to get a discount of around £50 on a single order. Community organisations and businesses will be able to join the scheme, which will be run by Rural Action Derbyshire and based on a scheme in Oxfordshire. The environment benefits too, as the more deliveries made in one place, the less fuel is used.

Chief Executive Sylvia Green says ‘ local people who will collate the syndicate members’ oil orders once a month and pass the information on to us; and who will then let the local members know the cost per litre and the delivery date. That’s pretty much it. For doing this, they will get free membership of the scheme – an annual saving of £20”.

There’s more information from Rural Action Derbyshire via www.ruralactionderbyshire.org.uk/oil or email oil@ruralactionderbyshire.org.uk or call 01629 824797.

If your company currently supplies oil either to domestic or business users and you want to ensure your details are registered as a local distribution company you can also contact RAD on the above details.