It’s that time of the year when many of us embark on new challenges – some of which may fall by the wayside, some of which may become lifelong, life-changing habits. Whether it’s going to a gym, eating more healthily,…
Lancaster District Street Aid is an easy and secure way for the public to help people who are determined to stay off the streets. You may have heard of Calico, Let’s BeFriends, Acorn and others who work alongside Lancaster City…
Sustaining a community organisation is a challenge at the best of times, but what happens when a group loses not only almost half of its income, but also a long-standing member of staff whose tireless efforts over years have made…
Just a few days before her departure from the Cabinet, Suella Braverman, described rough sleeping as a “lifestyle choice.” We asked Phil Moore, Centre Manager at Lancaster and District Homeless Action Service (LDHAS), for his thoughts. What follows is from…
One of the most popular volunteering opportunities is befriending, but despite its popularity, there is still a significant need for new befrienders. Not everyone is aware of what befriending is and what befrienders do, so we talked to some Bay…
A new funding scheme for Lancaster and Cumbria, developed by young people, is now open to applications from not-for-profit organisations working with and supporting young people aged 16-24. The grant is called Break the Mould and is divided into two…
As the dark nights creep in and the wind picks up it’s a sure sign that we are spiraling towards winter. For many people the coming months are far from cozy. Autumn and winter, up to and through Christmas and…
What is ‘community’? Growing up in the 1980s, community to me was my immediate neighbours, basically the street that I lived on. That sort of mindset has stayed with me, in most part, but working in the voluntary sector has…
All charities and not-for-profit groups and projects need money. Volunteers might do everything that they do for nothing, but funds are always needed, whether it’s to provide the infrastructure that allows volunteers to carry out their roles or to literally…
Is there a crisis in volunteer recruitment? Data from across the country seems to suggest that at the very least the number of people volunteering on a regular basis is going down. This is true for both existing volunteers stepping…
