Information and Advice for the Lancaster District’s Third Sector – 16 February 2023

Lancaster District Directory
On 22 December we were delighted to “soft launch” the Lancaster District Directory with an email to our stakeholders and colleagues in the voluntary and statutory sectors, inviting them to use this new resource to support communities over the Christmas and New Year holiday period. 

With the return to work for 2023 now fully upon us, we are working to promote directory.lancastercvs.org.uk far and wide across the district, making sure that it reaches everyone who stands to benefit from the platform. 

Over the next few weeks, we will be distributing thousands of promotional postcards and posters to a variety of locations including healthcare sites, local authority buildings, and all our voluntary sector organisations with a directory listing. 

You can also look forward to features in our local media, a social media campaign including graphics which we will distribute for you to use with your own accounts should you wish, and some new videos highlighting the features of the website. 

We’re also working to complete the process which integrates general practice staff into the project, meaning that before very long we will be receiving our first referrals and signposting people to support. Organisations that have indicated they would like to take digital referrals through the online platform will receive initial offers of training and support very soon.  

The project will continue to grow and develop through 2023, so if your organisation is already taking part, please do keep us up to date with your service information and send us your comments and suggestions.  

The directory is a shared resource among our members, partners and communities, so by working together we can make sure it becomes well-used across the district and continues to improve. If you’ve not yet claimed a listing, it’s never too late – just get in touch with Jenny by email at [email protected] or call 01524 555900.  

Volunteer Fairs February 2023
In the first quarter of 2023 are hosting two Volunteer Recruitment Fairs.  Our Morecambe event was a success and many connections made.  If you missed it, you still have the opportunity to visit our Lancaster event (details below).

• Morecambe Arndale on Monday 6th February, 10.30am to 1.30pm. 
• Lancaster Library on Thursday 23rd February, 10.30am to 1.30pm

These will be opportunities for local volunteer involving organisations to come along with their banners, leaflets, and other promotional materials to speak directly with people who are interested in volunteering. We will be inviting a variety of people from the local areas to come along and we hope that each will be a busy and worthwhile day.

Invitations to organisations have already been sent out but there is still room if you would like to book a space (it’s FREE). If you would like a copy of the event poster for your own marketing use email [email protected].

We want to accommodate up to 15 organisations with tables at the events, but if you can’t attend on those dates or if you miss out on a space, you can still have your roles represented. Simply make sure that you are registered on our website, with your volunteering opportunities uploaded, and send electronic or hard copies of your promotional materials to Mark at Lancaster District CVS.

Eric Wright Charitable Trust – Additional Application Deadline Added
There has been an application deadline added for the Eric Wright Charitable Trust’s fund upcoming round.  Along with the 24th February deadline the additional date of 16^th March 2023 has now been included. The fund administered by Lancaster CVS on behalf of the EWCT aims to support community projects that are charitable in nature and provide social activities. Applying is easy and we would like to encourage all small groups around the Lancaster District to consider whether they could benefit from £500 towards a project. Grants are awarded to organisations with income under £50,000, providing activities that can make a positive difference to people’s lives.

The additional deadline added is Thursday 16^th March, 2023, 5pm

If you have any queries about the fund or how to apply, get in touch by email at [email protected] or by ringing CVS on 01524 555900.

Find out more and apply

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Cost of Living Grants
Over recent months an increasing number of UK households have been struggling with rising prices for food, fuel and other essential goods leading to a cost of living crisis. To alliviate the impact of the cost of living crisis, support organisations such as charities and community groups, as well as individuals can apply for a range of grants. Funding may be available from a range of sources including Central Government, Local Authorities, Community Foundations and other Grant Making Bodies.  Here are a list of useful resources:

Government Support
In response to the cost of living crisis, the Government has launched a support package targeted at those most vulnerable households.

The support available includes:

• £15 billion energy bill rebate package
• £650 Cost of Living payment for those on benefits
• £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment
• £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment
• The Warm Homes Discount
• Winter Fuel Payments
• Cold Weather Payments

Read more about this government support

Community Foundations
Within the UK there is a network of 47  Community Foundations.  These cover specific geographic areas ranging from countries like Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales to smaller areas such as specific counties or cities. Community Foundations are grant making bodies that exist to benefit disadvantaged communities.  Grants are awarded to charitable, community or voluntary organisations.

Learn more about Community Foundation

Local Authority Help
Local councils may be able to help individuals to pay for things like energy and water bills, food and essential items such as for example clothes or household items. This help is known as ‘welfare assistance’ or the ‘Household Support Fund’. Each council runs their own scheme. The help they offer and who can get it varies.

Lancaster City Council provide Financial Support for Households. Visit their webpage to find out more.

Latest Funding Opportunities

National Lottery Community Fund – Awards for All (England)
The National Lottery has announced that this year, funding will also be available through the Awards for All England scheme to help communities mitigate cost-of-living issues.

Learn more about this fund

Cash for Kids – Cost of Living Fund (UK)
A new £1 million fund has been launched to support the UK’s most vulnerable families during the cost-of-living crisis. The Cash for Kids Cost of Living Fund will target families who have a genuine need for support and are suffering from disadvantage due to the crisis, allowing them to apply for grants of £50 per child which can be used for basic essentials such as food, heating, clothing, and school uniform.

Read more about Cash for Kids Grants

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Fifth Round of England’s Urban Tree Challenge Fund Now Open
Funding is available for planting trees in urban areas, helping to support people’s health and wellbeing, as well as wider environmental benefits. The Urban Tree Challenge Fund (UTCF) was first developed in response to the Government’s commitment to provide millions of pounds for planting trees in and around England’s towns and cities. Funding is available for planting trees in urban areas, helping to support people’s health and wellbeing, as well as wider environmental benefits. The Fund will now provide 80% funding of standard costs for planting large trees and their establishment costs for three years following planting, compared with funding 50% of standard costs in previous rounds. There is a minimum application value of £10,000.

Round 5 is open for applications. Those wishing to plant trees in 2023/24 must submit their applications by 30 June 2023 (23:59 BST).

Read the Government’s Fund Guidance on this Fund

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Launch of £32m Heat Network Efficiency Scheme for England and Wales
Grants are available for organisations operating across the public, private and third sectors in England and Wales for upgrading existing heat networks to reduce emissions and energy costs. The Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES) provides funding to support improvements to existing district heating or communal heating projects that are operating sub-optimally and resulting in poor outcomes for customers and operators. HNES has an overall budget of £32 million, which will be distributed through capital and revenue grants. There is no upper or lower limit for capital grants, and up to 50% of eligible projects costs can be funded. Revenue grants will typically be in the range of £15,000 to £24,000 per project, covering up to 100% of eligible costs.

The scheme will run multiple funding rounds, which will take place approximately bi-monthly. The deadline for Round 1 is 31 March 2023.

Find out more about this scheme

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Windrush Day Grant Scheme – Deadline Reminder
Funding is available to celebrate, commemorate and/or educate about the history of the MV Empire Windrush and the contribution of the Windrush Generation to life in Britain. Groups have around two weeks left to apply to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC)’s Windrush Day Grant Scheme. 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HM Windrush in the UK, with a funding pot of £750,000 on offer for commemorative projects. The grants available are as follows:

• Tier 1: smaller projects between £5,000 and £24,999.
• Tier 2: larger projects between £25,000 and £50,000.

The deadline to apply is 22 February 2023.

Learn more about the Windrush Day Grant Scheme

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Centre for Social Justice Awards Back with Doubled Prize Fund
The 2023 application window for the Centre for Social Justice Awards is now open. The awards celebrate grassroots organisations tackling poverty in Great Britain. This year, instead of the usual £10,000, four winners will each win £20,000 to scale up their impact.

Each year, the award judges look for organisations that:

• Focus their work in the most deprived areas of the UK.
• Tackle the root causes of poverty.
• Intervene early to prevent poverty.
• Are ambitious for the lives of their clients.
• Find innovative ways to combat poverty.
• Are working with people living in Britain.

The deadline to apply is 6 March 2023.

Find out more about the CSJ Awards and application

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Cost of Living Support Available for Youth Organisations across the UK
Charitable and not-for-profit youth organisations delivering high-quality youth provision whose work is being hindered, curtailed, or cut back due to rising core costs can apply for funding to address these unprecedented demands. UK Youth, in partnership with Pears Foundation, is offering unrestricted multi-year grants for charitable and not-for-profit youth organisations across the UK with an annual turnover of less than £500,000 to help them cover rising prices and increased costs due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Applications can be submitted at any time.

Learn more about this grant programme

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TRANSforming Futures Fund Now Accepting Applications
National Lottery Community Fund is supporting the five-year TRANSforming Futures project to provide solutions to the issues in healthcare and justice for transgender people across England. The focus of the Fund is communities-led, grassroots organisations that are led by and for trans people. Broader LGBTQ+ organisations undertaking trans-specific activity that is being run by trans people will also be considered. Projects should seek to improve existing outcomes, make changes to current systems or pursue different kinds of systems altogether. There is a funding pot of £100,000, from which grants of up to £25,000 will be made.

The deadline to apply is 20 March 2023.

Find out more about the TRANSforming Future Project

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Asda Foundation’s Investing in Spaces and Places Grants Programme Opens 6 February
For a second year in a row, the Asda Foundation is offering large grants of up to £25,000 for local groups across the UK who are working to improve spaces in the heart of their local community. In 2023, there is a total funding pot of £500,000. Grants of between £10,000 and £25,000 are available to cover between 25% and 75% of the total project costs for projects that address specific criteria of improvements to community spaces.

Applications will be accepted from 6 February 2023 to 19 March 2023.

Learn more about the ASDA Foundation

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Rookhow Retreat Away Fund Next Round Deadline
The Retreat Away Fund subsidised stays for mental health groups submission date is fast approaching for the next upcoming round. The fund subsidises residentials and therapeutic work with people with mental health problems. New applications are welcome but previous applicants will also be considered. The fund will pay for part (or all) of your accommodation costs.

The next round application deadline is Wednesday 15^th March 2023

More about this funding opportunity

Go straight to the application form

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IUK Announces Safety Tech Challenge to Disrupt Sharing of Child Sexual Abuse Material
Grants are available for UK organisations carrying out projects that help protect children by identifying and disrupting the sharing of links to child sexual abuse material online. The aim of this Innovate UK (IUK) competition is to enhance UK capabilities in protecting all users online, but in particular preventing harm of children online. Proposals must help in identifying and disrupting the sharing of child sexual abuse links to further develop a ‘safety by design’ culture in advance of upcoming regulatory changes. IUK has allocated up to £700,000 to fund innovation projects in this competition.

The programme opens on 7 February 2023. The deadline for applications is 15 March 2023.

Find out more about this programme

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Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust Opens for First Round of the Year
Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust provides funding to support those in society who face the greatest challenges and whose opportunities are the most limited. Registered and exempt charities in the UK can now apply for a grant of £1,000 to help tackle social disadvantage and support vulnerable individuals. The Trust operates a three-year rotation system, with different fields of interests being funded each year. During this round, the focus is on rehabilitation of prisoners, ex-prisoners and those at risk of offending.

The deadline to apply is 28 February 2023.

Read more about this fund and how to apply

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Innovation for All Grants Now Available
Kilburn & Strode LLP is a leading practice firm of intellectual property attorneys. Annually, it donates 1% of profits to its charitable arm, the Innovation for All Foundation. Grants from the Foundation are intended to support technological innovation as a tool for community benefit, including through improved wellbeing, greater access to opportunities and improvements to community safety. This year, a number of grants of £10,000, £20,000 and £30,000 will be made.

Applications are open until 31 March 2023.

Learn more about the Innovation for All fund

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Kellogg’s School Breakfast Club Fund Reopens for 2023
Schools across the UK can now apply for funding to support breakfast club initiatives for children. Kellogg’s, in partnership with Forever Manchester, is offering grants of up to £1,000 to schools to help fund breakfast clubs across the UK and ensure that children who need it most receive a morning meal. A limited number of grants are available with priority being given to schools that either:

• Have 35% and above of children eligible for pupil premium funding (for England) and eligible for free school meals (Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales); or
• Are based in an area which is classified as falling in the 10% of most deprived areas according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation.

Applications can be submitted at any time

Read more on the Kellogg’s Website

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Michael Tippett Musical Foundation Reopens for 2023
Grants are available for young musicians and composers across the UK to support the performance, recording, and promotion of the music of Michael Tippett. The Michael Tippett Musical Foundation offers grants of between £500 and £3,000 available to support the following objectives:

• To award grants to support the development of group music-making especially involving young people, with composing central to the project.
• To support the performance or recording of works by Michael Tippet.

The deadline for applications is 30 September 2023.

Find out more about the Michael Tippet Musical Foundation

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Together Fund Open for Applications
If you are a part of a Lancashire-based group or club that supports communities and individuals in being active, then you may be able to apply for funding to help run your projects. Following an initial round of funding, Active Lancashire have secured a further £208,000 from Sport England to help groups and clubs that have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, significantly impacting on their ability to support communities and individuals in being physically active. The Together Fund provides the opportunity for your community club or group to access extra funding (up to £10k) to help you incentivize attendance, purchase equipment, and more.

The application deadline for this funding option is 31^st March 2023

Learn more about the Together Fund and how to apply

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The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund
The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund helps support those affected by learning disability and those conducting research into it. The Fund operates two general grant funding streams, a General Grant Programme for appeals over £10,000 and a Small Grant Programme for appeals below £10,000.

The next application deadline for the next round is 1 March 2023.
Explore the Baily Thomas Fund here

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Naturesave Trust New Funding Window
The environmental charity Naturesave Trust has announced a new funding window closing at the end of the month. The theme for this funding window is tackling pollution and single use plastics. They will be looking for community projects who are running initiatives to tackle this issue. Available grants will be from £500 to £2500. 

The next round deadline for applications is 28^th February 2023

Learn more about the Naturesave Trust and funding application

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Community Action Fund
The Community Action Fund exists to support grassroots campaigning and community organising in the UK.  It will provide one-off grants between £2,500 and £20,000. These grants are available to grassroots organisations that are building the power of their community and campaigning for long-term change. All successful applicants will be offered support beyond funding. This will include the Civic Power Fund Governance Hub and optional, bespoke cohort and capacity building opportunities.

The deadline for application is 26^th February 2023

Find out more about this fund and apply

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Co-op Foundation’s Carbon Innovation Fund – New Focus for Round 2
The Co-op Foundation has published the guidance notes for the second round of its £3.5 million Carbon Innovation Fund. The new round of funding will deliver against the sustainability element of the Co-op Foundation’s youth-led vision and strategy by focusing on creating a more equitable and sustainable food and farming industry. Grants of between £75,000 and £200,000 will be awarded to organisations working to reduce the UK’s reliance on soy animal feed and/or synthetic fertilisers.

The Co-op Foundation is running a free webinar on 1 February (11:00 to 12:15) where it will share more information on the Fund and how to apply as well as providing an opportunity for groups to ask questions. Groups will need to reserve a spot on EventBrite.

Round Two will open for applications on 1 February 2023 (after the event concludes at midday) and close on 28 February 2023 (midday).

Find out more about Round 2 of the Carbon Innovation Fund

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Ofwat Launches £4m Water Discovery Challenge
Ofwat’s new Water Discovery Challenge is a £4 million competition for innovations that can help solve the biggest challenges facing the water sector; today and in the future. The aim is to directly support organisations with innovative propositions and facilitate their engagement with water companies. Successful applicants can win up to £500,000. Up to 20 finalists with the most promising entries will be awarded up to £50,000 to develop their innovation, with a range of expert support and access to mentoring from water companies.

The deadline for applications is 5 April 2023, 12:00 GMT

Learn more about this competition and how to enter

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Sea-Changer’s Coastal Fountain Fund Reopens for 2023
Sea Changers is offering grants of up to £2500 for community groups and other not-for-profit organisations to help prevent negative impacts on UK coastal and marine environments and species by reducing marine litter through the provision of well-located coastal water fountains that will significantly reduce the use of non-reusable plastic drinks bottles.

The deadline for applications is 28 February 2023.

Find out more about the Sea-Changers Coastal Foundation 

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National Lottery Awards for All Accepting 2023 Event Applications
The National Lottery Awards are offering grants to support communities with the things that are important to them, including mitigating the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and supporting them as they seek to recover, rebuild and grow following the Covid-19 pandemic. Groups applying to the National Lottery Community Fund’s Awards for All programme in England can request funding for the following major events in 2023:

• The Coronation of His Majesty the King on 6 May.
• The Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool from 9 to 13 May, and the UK’s role hosting it on the behalf of Ukraine.
• The 75th Anniversary of Windrush on 22 June, and the contribution the Windrush generation and their families have made to the UK.

Grants of between £300 and £10,000 are available for up to one year.

The application deadline for this is ongoing.

Learn more about the this funding opportunity

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Launch of the 2023 Ashden Awards for Climate Innovations
The 2023 Ashden Awards are being launched with the aim of supercharging climate innovation in the UK and low-income countries. The awards promote exceptional climate solutions and the environmental, social and economic benefits they can provide. For more than 20 years these awards have backed ideas delivering lower emissions, with grants and development support on offer to winners and finalists.

This year’s award categories include energy innovation, skills in sustainable land management, community nature adaptation, natural climate solutions, and more.

Winners will receive a prize of £10,000 or £25,000 and a package of supplementary support.

The deadline for applications is 8 March 2023, 23.59.

Find out more about the Ashden Awards and apply

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Large Grants Available from Charles Plater Trust
In the latest round of funding, Charles Plater Trust will distribute up to £400,000 to organisations throughout England and Wales for activities that contribute to one of its three aims:

• Leadership of Laypeople: Projects that deepen the awareness of Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Social Thought to better equip people to take on leadership roles in tackling poverty, exclusion, economic inequality and environmental concerns.
• Social Action: Projects that deliver tangible outcomes to tackle poverty, exclusion, economic inequality and environmental concerns for marginalised people and communities.
• Applied Research: Projects that develop and apply Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Social Thought, in partnership with those who are delivering social action work, to ultimately improve public policy and practice.

Grants of £5,001 to £60,000 will be made to registered charities with an annual turnover of less than £10 million. Applicants do not need to be Christian as long as their aims align with the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

Deadline for applications to be received is Friday 17th March 2023 by 5pm.

Discover more about the Charles Plater Trust and how to apply

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DWP Launches Second Phase of Funding to Reduce Parental Conflict
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is offering £3.6 million through this second phase of the Challenge Fund to support innovative projects that gather learning on what works to reduce parental conflict. The key objective of the Challenge Fund 2 is to produce products or resources which can be utilised by local areas to support a greater number of families at risk of parental conflict, including through digital support offers. The Challenge Fund 2 will build upon the evidence and learnings from Phase 1 of the Reducing Parental Conflict Programme (including the first Challenge Fund) and to help fill evidence gaps. Up to £3.6 million is available in total for initiatives that will generate evidence in the following two strands:

1. Universal Digital Support for Families (Digital Support)
2. Support for a diverse range of families who may have additional stressors for conflict (Supporting Diverse Families).

Organisations that have completed an eligibility check and have been invited to apply to the Fund will be able to access the online application portal between mid-January and 24 February 2023.

Find out more about the Challenge Fund and programme

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VCSE Contract Readiness Programme launching in February
Last Autumn, DCMS launched the £900,000 VCSE Contract Readiness Fund to help enable VCSEs increase their participation in public service procurement in England. The programme will primarily focus on providing training and support to VCSEs who are interested in bidding for public contracts with a smaller portion of the programme aimed at increasing commissioners’ awareness and understanding of the sector. The first part of the programme to support VCSEs will be launching this February.

Further details on the programme and how VCSEs can sign up

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Social Entrepreneur Funding, Investment & Support from Unltd
UnLtd work with social entrepreneurs, individuals with bold solutions to today’s problems, working with the most impactful ventures.

They are a foundation that offers financial and business support to individuals who want to set up a social venture in their community, and specifically look for social entrepreneurs who have a venture that 

• is meeting a clear social need/issue
• is truly inclusive
• is sustainable/has the potential to be sustainable
• has impact and will make a difference

Help available includes funding, investment, one-to-one coaching, specialist advice, impact measurement, and other mentoring and pro-bono support.

To find out more, visit the UnLtd website.

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James Bond/Henry Welch Trust
Families of children with special needs and disabilities can qualify for help from a Lancaster district charity.

The charity, the James Bond/Henry Welch Trust, encourages grant applications to benefit children with special needs and also adults suffering from chest or lung disease.

Applications are encouraged from residents of the administrative area covered by Lancaster City Council who have limited income to apply for grants towards equipment or services to improve the quality of their lives.

If you would like further information or to apply to the Trust for help (preferably by email), contact details can be found on their  website.

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New £3m Platinum Jubilee Village Halls Fund Accepting Applications – Deadline of 20 January
Capital grants have become available for village halls in rural areas across England to enhance, upgrade, extend, improve, and construct halls so that, as a result, new activities can take place bringing communities together. The new £3 million Platinum Jubilee Village Halls Fund is provided by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and administered by the charity Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE).

Announced by Defra to mark the occasion of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in May 2022, the fund recognises the important role that village halls play in supporting rural communities. The £3 million funding pot offers grants of between £7,500 and £75,000 which will be 20% of eligible project costs. The total project cost can be more than £375,000 but the maximum grant available is £75,000. All project work must be completed by 31 March 2025.

The funding aims to support the modernisation and improvement of village halls, so that they are fit for purpose and can provide activities which seek to achieve one or more of their set criteria.

Read more about the criteria and funding application process

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Sport England Reopens Small Grants Programme
The Sport England Small Grants Programme has reopened with the aim to support local community sports projects that encourages people in England regardless of age, background or level of ability, to feel able to get involved in sport and physical activity. Grants of £300 to £15,000 are on offer for a twelve-month period to a variety of non-profit and community focussed organisations.

The application deadline is 30 June 2023

Learn more about this funding opportunity and how to apply

Find out more and apply

Volunteer Recruitment Fair – Lancaster Library
Our next Volunteer Recruitment Fair will take place at Lancaster Library on Thursday 23^rd February between 10.30am and 1.30pm. We have 16 local volunteer involving organisations registered to attend, and their representatives will be on hand to discuss volunteering with their projects. If any of your service users would like to find out about volunteering in Lancaster, please do tell them about this event. The CVS team will also be there to support people who might be interested in opportunities that won’t be represented in person on the day.

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Volunteer Opportunity Promotion and Recruitment
Have you registered on our website to promote your volunteer roles? By adding your opportunities to our website you will be making them available to the hundreds of people per month who check our site looking for something to do. You will also enable our team to easily and quickly signpost people to your roles, to give them the information that they need to decide whether they would like to apply.

Registering is quick and easy and you can do it here.

Once registered you will be able to add your roles. If you need any help, or have any questions, you can contact Mark by email at [email protected].

In addition to the website, the Volunteer Centre can promote your roles via our bulletins and newsletters; through attendance at in-person events such as volunteer fairs; in 121 meetings with potential volunteers; through visits to various support organisations; drop-in events at local Job Centres; by posting to our social media platforms (#LDCVSVolunteerTuesday); and through our bi-weekly column in the Lancaster Guardian.

If you would like to discuss any of this, including having space in our Lancaster Guardian column, please contact Mark.

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DBS Checks
We offer a DBS check service, working in partnership with Burnley, Pendle, and Rossendale CVS. If you need DBS certificates for your staff or volunteers, please visit our website here.

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Volunteering Opportunities

Role of Treasurer: Friends of Lancaster City Museum (FOLCM)
The Friends of Lancaster City Museum are looking to fill the role of Treasurer for the FOLCM to administer and report on the finances of the group. The role of Treasurer for the FOLCM offers a great opportunity for the applicant to acquire practical skills in financial management and reporting within a dynamic local heritage organisation. The Treasurer is a volunteer (unsalaried officer) on an Executive Committee committed to fostering closer links between Lancaster City Museum and Lancaster University.  This role provides opportunities to influence how a key heritage asset for Lancaster can serve the city and its visitors. 

If you are interested in the role please submit your 300-word expression of interest to [email protected] by 18^th February 2023, outlining why you wish to apply for this position and what skills you can bring to the role.

To read more about this role follow this link

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Key Unlocking Futures Charity Roles
The family support charity Key unlocking futures are seeking to fill two roles to become part of their team to drive their mission ‘helping people build better lives’. For more than 25 years, the charity have provided prevention and critical support to people across Lancashire and in the last year alone, Key has helped 2000 people take control of their lives.

Chair
The role of Chair will be responsible for bringing Key’s vision alive for the Board of Key and providing a clear direction on the role of the Board to drive the delivery of services and more. 

Learn more about this role

Trustee
The key duties of the role of Trustee involve ensuring organisational compliance with its governing documents, ensuring the organisation applies its resources according to its objectives, contribute actively to providing firm strategic direction and more.

Learn more about this role

Lancaster University Library – Community Membership
Anybody over the age of 16 is welcome to join Lancaster University Library as a Community Member to borrow books. Membership is free of charge. Members of the public are also able to use the library building without joining as a member. Currently the building is open for all to access from 8am – 8pm on weekdays and 8am – 6pm on weekends.

Joining as a community member online can be done on their online form or in-person at the library and completing a paper form. Members will be issued with a Community Card which allows borrowing of up to 6 books for 5 weeks. Proof of address must be provided in order to collect a Community Card.

To find out what resources you can access in the library, you can search their catalogue, OneSearch. Once in go to –  Refine my results > Show only > Available in the library. This filters the results to display only content that’s available for Community Members.

You can also access resources online, by visiting their Open Access Guide. More information about joining the Library as a Community Member can be found on their website here and here.

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Urban Forest Partnerships – Tree Planting & Tree Care Questionnaire
A research study is taking place at Myerscough college regarding the activities undertaken by those involved in the growth and management of urban forests and green space. Greenspaces’ economic, environmental, and social benefits have been studied extensively. Yet, the roles of those responsible for managing our greenspaces and the partnerships involved in effectively implementing tree strategies still need to be fully understood. You are invited to take part in the study to assist with the research.  It is targeted towards those who participate in tree planting and tree management activities.

Learn more about the study here

Take part in the questionnaire

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Household Support Fund – Lancaster City Council
As part of a community partner collaboration we are helping to support Lancaster City Council to deliver the Household Support Fund – a government fund provided by the department for work and pensions to support communities with the rising cost of living. It is available to help with household essentials and other bills such as food or fuel.

If you apply to the Household Support Fund you will need to supply a recent bank statement for each adult in the household. If you are on Universal Credit you will also need to provide the full breakdown of your award. As part of the scheme, you will get a phone appointment with an advisor from either Lancaster City Council or North Lancashire Citizens Advice. The Council team will help you through the whole process.

All calls are confidential.

It is easy to apply, you can do it online or by calling Lancaster City Council on 01524 582 000. They may also be able to offer other support, including connecting you with other local support services.

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Platform Places: Start a Local Property Partnership webinar
The social enterprise organisation Platform Places are hosting a practical online workshop to learn more about the Platform Places process and how to start a Local Property Partnership. Platform Places aims to help unlock town centre buildings for amazing ideas that help us live affordably, sustainably and together. They convene and support councils, communities and asset owners to bring buildings into long-term community use or ownership.

During this webinar, attendees will:

• meet some of the people behind Platform Places
• learn how to start the journey towards a Local Property Partnership in your town centre
• meet others looking to do the same where they are
• get your questions answered
• Multiple dates, free of charge

Find out more and sign up to this webinar

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Eden Project £50m Levelling Up Fund Green Light
You will likely have heard the good news about funding for Eden Project Morecambe. Read about the first part investment of the coastal-themed project here.  For updates about the project, including community consultation, construction and recruitment information, see the Eden Project’s page.

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Charity Commission Cost of Living guidance for Trustees
The Charity Commission recognises that many charities are facing difficult circumstances resulting from rapidly increasing costs, from their own cash flow to the issues faced by their staff. Some charities are also experiencing increased demand, particularly charities providing services to people in need. The Charity Commission has published new guidance for trustees, especially trustees of smaller charities, who may need help when facing difficult decisions about their charity’s financial position.

View the guidance here

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Cheaper broadband and mobile deals available through social tariffs
The Government is raising awareness of reduced broadband prices and mobile deals through a UK-wide public awareness campaign. The campaign promotes cheaper, reliable packages being provided to people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and other benefits. The social tariff deals will help people to save money on bills and pay less to stream, chat and shop online.

Learn more about the campaign on OfComs webpage

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SEUK State of Social Enterprise Survey 2023
From late January, SEUK will begin to collect data for the State of Social Enterprise Survey – the most comprehensive UK research on social enterprise. This vital evidence helps shape local and national policy, influence support, funding and finance to grow the social enterprise movement. The State of Social Enterprise survey runs every two years and is the most comprehensive survey of UK social enterprise.

Social enterprises can register interest to take part by emailing [email protected] and will then be contacted by BMG Research to take the survey.

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Lloyds Banks Foundation Charity Support Free Tools & Resources
Lloyds Bank Foundation have provided a number of  free tools and resource links for service users to help manage their money and budgeting to help with the rising cost of living.

There are free tools and resources available from the Money and Pension Service across the UK which might help your staff support your service users.  There is also access to free (City & Guilds accredited) learning modules for staff giving non-regulated money guidance and support to individual service users and clients. They call this support for Money Guiders.

These are in addition to the free resources around Money Management on the Lloyds Bank Academy website too.

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Third Sector Trends in England and Wales 2022 – Third Report
Earlier this year, we asked our members to complete the Third Sector survey. Third Sector Trends has been running since 2008. The study has been surveying the sector every three years since 2010 and as such is the largest survey of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in England and Wales.

In 2022, 6,071 responses were received across England and Wales (an average of ~600 responses in each region). Designed to complement NCVOs UK Civil Society Almanac, it is the only fully representative longitudinal survey which can produce robust and detailed comparative analysis at a regional and national level.

Third Report – Finances, Assets & Organisational Wellbeing
Reflecting on the report, Rob Williamson of Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland said:

“This report shows that the push since 2010 for the future income of the third sector to be based on trading, contracting, social finance and digital fundraising have amounted to very little. We still see the continued importance of grant funding, indeed the model of social finance has evolved into a blended model relying on a mix of grant funding and social finance.

“The pandemic sped up the modernisation of grant funding through trust-based, less restrictive models increasingly focussed on core funding which is a good thing. As funders we need to continue to work and flex alongside the sector to ensure the best outcomes for our communities.”

Read the full report here, and report author Tony Chapman’s blog on the findings here.

Previous reports can be found on the Community Foundation website.

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The Herbert Protocol
The Herbert Protocol is a national scheme being implemented by Lancashire Constabulary in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Services and North West Ambulance Service.

It involves carers compiling useful information which could be used by Police and other agencies to search for and locate a loved one in the event of them going missing.

Carers, family members and friends complete the form in advance, giving all vital details including medication required, mobile numbers and places known to visit, along with a recent photograph.

Should that person then go missing, the form can be quickly and easily used to assist the search process.

Find out more on the Lancashire Constabulary website.

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Free Cost of Living Support and Advice for Community Businesses
As part of the Resilient Communities Fund, launched last year, Power to Change is offering bespoke advice and support to help community businesses navigate the cost of living and energy crises, build resilience and strengthen local communities in the shift to a fairer, greener future.

Power to Change grantees can book sessions for tailored support from CSE’s broad range of experts. This includes advice about retrofit, energy-efficiency measures, fuel poverty, community action, engagement and building long-term resilience in the energy market.

CSE will also host a series of online resources and webinars, available to the wider community business sector.

Find out more here

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Energy Bills Discount Scheme – Government Announcement
The Government has announced a new Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) to run from 1 April 2023 for eligible non-domestic consumers in Great Britain including UK businesses, charities and the public sector. This replaces the current Energy Bill Relief Scheme for non-domestic customers, which comes to an end on 31 March 2023 and provided a reduction on wholesale gas and electricity prices. The new scheme will mean all eligible UK businesses and other non-domestic energy users will receive a discount on high energy bills until 31 March 2024.

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Cost of Living Support Factsheet
With the ongoing cost-of-living challenges that we are faced with, the government have provided a helpful factsheet for supporting households including useful information covering benefits and cost-of-living payments, national living wage, energy price guarantees and more.

Follow this link to view the factsheet

Lancashire and South Cumbria Community Mental Health Transformation
In line with the Long -Term Plan for mental health, Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB are required to transform Community Mental Health services for adults and older adults. Commissioning and Partnership working with a range of VCSFE services is a key part of this transformation, recognising the expertise of the sector in supporting people with Mental Health needs. The Lancashire and South Cumbria Community Transformation Mental Health Steering group has supported the allocation of transformation funding to enable wrap around services to be secured from the VCSFE to support people with mental health needs to live well in their communities. The VCFSE procurement exercise timescale has been laid out.

Read more about the VCFSE Preparing for Transformation Opportunity

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Back to Me Wellbeing Course – Lancashire Adult Learning College
Lancashire County Council partnered with Lancashire Adult Learning are running a ‘Back to Me’ three week course for wellbeing.  The course provides ways to deal with stress, manage your emotions positively and build confidence and resilience in everyday life.

View their course e-flyer here

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Request for Guest Speakers – Jamea al Kauthar School
The independent boarding Islamic college for girls Jamea a Kauthar, Lancaster are looking for guest speakers to visit the school to speak to their students, in particular with those studying health and social care. The college are requesting speakers who currently work in the health and social care sector and happy to talk  about their role, responsibilities, skills, experiences and challenges they may have faced.  The aim is to inform and inspire the students about the different ways children, young people and families can be supported either in the community or through primary care. If possible it would also be favourable for activities/workshop on relevant topics to be incorporated into the session. The sessions are initially planned to take place on Thursdays for around an hour, most likely between 1-3:30pm, but this can be discussed further.

Please contact Ayesha Zafar at [email protected] for more information.

For more about the Jamea Islamic College visit their website here

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Lancashire Adult Learning – FREE Men’s Health Online Course
Lancashire Adult Learning is running a free men’s health session online on Friday with army veteran Craig Harrison, who is perfectly placed to get men talking about their mental health as well as their physical health and to open up a discussion about how easy it is now to get tested for the key male cancers.  Details to join this important conversation:

It’s a Man’s Life
Free online course with army veteran turned tutor Craig Harrison
Friday 3rd February, 1:00pm – 4:00pm

This short course has been designed to cover topics on men’s health relating to mental health, physical health and the key male cancers. The subjects are intended to raise awareness and generate valuable discussion to encourage personal reflection and action planning with a view to improving the overall health and wellbeing of men.

Places are limited, reserve your place here

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Community Health & Wellbeing Worker Level 3 Apprenticeships
Training 2000, part of the University of Central Lancashire, are offering Community Health & Wellbeing Worker Level 3 Apprenticeships from April 2023.

With the rapid expansion of this workforce, which includes Link Workers and Social Prescribers, two employer information sessions have been announced for organisations interested in taking part.

The sessions will cover recruiting apprentices and upskilling the existing workforce, as well information about course start dates, eligibility, funding and content.

Both sessions take place online via Teams.

8 February 9am – 9:30am – register here

28 February 9am – 9:30am – register here

For further information get in touch with Training 200 at [email protected]

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New Year Programme from The Bay: A Blueprint for Recovery
The Bay: A Blueprint for Recovery is a free Nature and Wellbeing programme for people in Morecambe Bay, helping individuals to improve their wellbeing and tackle feelings of isolation through learning about nature.

The programme includes weekly wellbeing sessions for small groups in Morecambe and Lancaster that individuals can refer onto. Activities link into the 5 ways to wellbeing and include bushcraft, conservation, environmental art, mindfulness and nature walks.

These wellbeing sessions are a great way to beat the January Blues while meeting others and getting hands on with activities.

In addition, look out for The Bay’s new Community Hub in the Arndale Shopping Centre, which will be opening soon to host drop-in events as well as closed-group wellbeing sessions during the week.

To join a Nature and Wellbeing session please contact Alex (Nature and Wellbeing Officer) for more information: 07884 605256 / [email protected] or complete an online referral form: https://www.thebay.org.uk/referral-forms

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New Year Programme From Adullam
To refer in or get further information about any of these courses, visit the Adullam website

Living Life to the Full – Fridays, 10am, Hope Church
A 6-week course based on CBT principles to help people with their mental health. This runs on a Friday morning at 10.00am in person and the next course starts on Friday 3rd February.

Adullam are also running two “taster sessions” looking at Anxiety & Worry and A Healthy You on Friday 20th January and 27th January for participants who may prefer to try out the course before the 6 weeks begins.

Social/Community Groups – Tuesdays, 10am, Hope Church
A variety of activities including craft groups, a book club, a monthly trip out, and cook-along sessions.

Walk with a Doc – Tuesdays, 2pm, Millennium Bridge
Walk with a Doc aims to improve physical and mental health by promoting a one hour walk in company. As well as the walk, local GP Nick Johnstone offers a short discussion on a health-related topic and for the rest of the hour, participants can enjoy chatting with the walk leaders and other walkers.

Celebrate Recovery (12 Step) – Tuesdays 7.30pm or Wednesdays 10am
Providing weekly support for anyone struggling with any of life’s hurts, hang-ups and habits (not just addiction). Participants can find help with trauma, depression, bereavement, divorce, low self-esteem, anxiety – the list of issues is very varied.

Budgeting Course – dates TBC
In partnership with LM Debt Centre, this course is much needed at the moment and will be running again this term starting February.

Purpose Workshop – dates TBC, Hope Church
This workshop offers participants the opportunity to work alongside a professional life coach who will help them discover their skills and talents and learn how to navigate through life’s transitions.

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Health & Wellbeing Support Coaching – VCFSE Bursary Available
The Morecambe Bay Population Health Team are working with voluntary sector organisations in the Lancaster District to widen access to accredited health coaching skills training, which aims to upskill individuals to have better conversations and support people to reach their self-identified goals.

The course is for staff and volunteers who perform roles where they have the opportunity to support people to make behavioural changes that will encourage improved health and well-being. It will provide a range of tools and techniques that will help structure conversations to help individuals set and work towards goals that are important to them, whether this is about lifestyle changes that will promote better health and wellbeing, or being better able to manage long term conditions.

VCFSE organisations which would like help to enable their staff or volunteers to access this training can apply to Lancaster District CVS for an attendance bursary. This is to help cover the costs of time taken to attend the course. The bursary totals £87 (£12.50 per hour) which will be paid to the organisation’s bank account once the course has been completed.

Please complete this form to choose course dates and request a bursary place.

Lancaster District CVS will then get in touch with you to confirm the bursary and explain how to make your booking for the course.

Places are limited and subject to a first come first served basis

If you have any questions regarding this training, please contact Jenny by email at [email protected]

The course is currently running as an online workshop delivered over a pair of sessions lasting 3.5 hours each. Course dates are below.

Day 1: Wednesday 8 March 09:30 – 13:00
Day 2: Wednesday 22 March 09:30 – 13:00

Day 1: Tuesday 11 April 13:00 – 16:45
Day 2: Tuesday 25 April 13:00 – 16:45

Day 1: Tuesday 2 May 09:30 – 13:00
Day 2: Tuesday 16 May 09:30 – 13:00

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FREE Transport Service to Growing Well
The well-respected mental health charity and horticultural enterprise Growing Well are now offering a no charge minibus service from the Lancaster District for day visits to their organic vegetable farm, just off the M6 near Kendal.  Pick-ups are available from Lancaster, Morecambe, Carnforth and Milnthorpe. The mental health charity provide a hands-on activity-therapy focussed service where you can find help in rebuilding confidence, learn new skills and meet new life goals. 

For more information on their free minibus service contact the team by email at  [email protected] or phone 07903 013 648.

View the Growing Well e-leaflet to learn more

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Bay Health & Care Partners – Looking after yourself over Winter
Bay Health & Care Partners have provided a useful guide to looking after yourself during the winter months. With shorter days and drops in temperature, pressures increase across the healthcare system. Promoting local support throughout the winter period, BHCP offer top five ways to look after yourself and your loved ones from managing your heating at home to financial support.

Read more about their guidance over Winter

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Become a Citizen Panel Member
Bay Health and Care Partners are looking for participants in Lancashire and South Cumbria to share their views and experiences to help develop and improve services locally. The Citizen Panel membership scheme is an exciting way to have your say and influence decision-making on a whole range of health services that are important to people in Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Complete this form to become a member

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NHSE Health & Wellbeing Support
The NHSE Social Prescribing team evaluate the value of all the national health and wellbeing offers made available to their NHS colleagues. Access to the following support has been continued for this year, which includes guides, apps and resources that aim to support you and your team’s wellbeing.

Discover more about the support available

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Renaissance UK and National HIV Testing Week – Request for Help
Renaissance UK, the commissioned service by Lancashire County Council, that provide HIV Prevention and support service for Lancashire, are looking to bring awareness of the disease and a preventative pill called PrEP, which is free and confidential from sexual health clinics.

The service will be bring their redesigned exhibition van in partnership with the NHS to the Lancaster District during National HIV testing week (6th February to 12th February), to promote the awareness of the medicine PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis). This is a new opportunity for outreach work within communities and raising awareness in the county.

The team are looking for support with a provision of a space to park the van to provide maximum impact for the campaign.  If you are interested in supporting this cause and are able to provide parking space in a suitable location, please contact Jane at Renaisance UK at [email protected] if you can help.

Learn more about PrEP here or for more information on the work of Renaissance UK click here

Children’s Mental Health Week – Themed ‘Let’s Connect’
This week is Children’s Mental Health Week running from 6th-12th February and the theme this year is ‘Let’s Connect’. Let’s Connect is about making meaningful connections for all, during Children’s Mental Health Week – and beyond. People thrive in communities, and this connection is vital for our wellbeing. When we have healthy connections – to family, friends and others – this can support our mental health and our sense of wellbeing. And when our need for rewarding social connections is not met, we can sometimes feel isolated and lonely – which can have a negative impact on our mental health. Watch this video put together by the children’s mental health charity Place2Be explaining all about it.

For Children’s Mental Health Week 2023, we’re encouraging people to connect with others in healthy, rewarding and meaningful ways.  Have a look at these free online resources of creative ways for families to get involved.

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What’s On Guide – Lancaster District Children and Family Wellbeing Service
The LCC Children and Family Wellbeing Service latest What’s On Guide for February-April has now been released with lots of activities and support available in the district.  Their service is there to provide early help on a whole range of issues affecting you and your family. 

Download their What’s On Guide here

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February Half Term Soccer School – Morecambe FC Community Sports
Morecambe FC Community Sports are running a soccer school during the February half term holidays for children aged 5-12 years. The school is open to boys and girls of all footballing abilities. Over the course of the three days, the school will cover a range of footballing topics with sessions delivered by their enthusiastic coaches keeping it both engaging and educational.

The cost is £45 for the full three days. All attendees will receive a medal and trophies awarded to the penalty shoot-out winner, sports person and player of the week.

Date: Wednesday 15^th to Friday 17^th February 2023
Location: Mossgate Sports Centre, Heysham, LA3 2AW

Find out more about this event here

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Kooth Online Mental Health & Wellbeing Support for Young People
Kooth is an online support service for young people that offers wellbeing support 365 days a year via a range of self-help materials and peer to peer support which young people are able to contribute to. Kooth also has an online wellbeing team from 12pm- 10pm on weekdays and 6pm- 10pm on weekends offering 1:1 text- based online counselling via live chat or messaging.

Find out more about Kooth

 Kooth March Webinars
During the month of March Kooth will he holding a number of webinars relating to Children’s mental health, details as follows:

• How Kooth Can Support Eating Disorders and Self Injury & Harm – for Professionals supporting young people – Tues 21^st March, 4-5pm | Book your e-ticket here
• How Kooth and Qwell Can Support Eating Disorders and Self Injury & Harm – for Professionals supporting young people or adults – Weds 29^th March, 12-1pm | Book your e-ticket here
• Kooth Information Session for Professionals – Weds 29^th March, 4-5pm | Book your e-ticket here
• Kooth and Qwell Information Session for Professionals – Weds 22^nd March, 12-1pm | Book your e-ticket here

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Yoga at The Ashton Memorial
Do you want to escape, have some YOU time, some tranquillity? Did you know that every 2nd Monday E2M provide a FREE yoga session for 11-18s? The practice of yoga is a great form of selfcare but imagine your session being in one of the most iconic buildings in Lancaster!

View their event e-flyer here

Find out more and how to sign up

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Brathay Young Person Volunteer Opportunity – Young Advisor
With 9 months to go until the start of the Brathay Young Volunteer Residential 2023, Brathay have announced a fantastic opportunity for young people. Brathay are recruiting a team of 6 Young Advisors to help plan and deliver this year’s residential.

Brathay are looking for young volunteers that match the following criteria:

• Aged 16-25 Actively involved in a current StreetGames project
• Have experience and confidence in delivering and leading a variety of social and sports-based activities to a group of young people
• Available for online and face-to-face meetings between February – October 2023. At least one of these will be an overnight stay and visit to Brathay on 3rd/4th April
• Available 22nd-25th October for the residential itself

What StreetGames will provide:

• A positive experience
• Opportunity to improve confidence, experience and employability skills
• All travel, accommodation and food will be paid for
• Free Young Advisors kit

Young people have until Friday 17th February to apply.

Follow this link to apply

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Women’s & Children’s Care Group –Health Services Survey for Young People
The Women’s & Children’s Care Group are calling for young people with experience of health services to help improve how health services prepare young people with long term health conditions or complex needs with the right knowledge, skills and confidence to manage their health as adults.

Please complete the Transition in Health Care Survey here

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NHS Autism in Schools Project
The second Community of Practice training session takes place Tuesday 14th March 2023, as part of the autism in schools project for Morecambe Bay.

This will be delivered by Anne Conchie the autism lead, on the Autism in Schools project. 

Places are open to primary and secondary school teachers and staff, mental health support teams working in schools, primary mental health workers, and parent carers.

14 March at Lancaster House Hotel

Register here

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More Music Girls Can Weekend
Girls Can has joined forces with Loose Articles, a four piece, independent, female punk band from Manchester and artist Emma Colbert of Deco Publique for a weekend packed full of inspirational workshops, Q&A’s and live music for young women aged 14 – 25.

Girls Can The Art of Protest Workshop
Friday 10 February, 4:30pm – 7pm, free
Express what is important to you while discussing and exploring ideas and beliefs

Girls Can Punk Rock Bootcamp
Saturday 11 February, 10am – 5pm
A masterclass in punk rock, this is an opportunity for young women to develop the confidence and DIY spirit to needed to pick up an instrument, form a band, write songs, play gigs and explore pathways into the industry.

Gig – Loose Articles present Kick Like A Girl!
Saturday 11 February, 7pm, £6/£5 advance
Free entry for Girls Can participants

Find out more on the More Music website or by emailing Rachel Parsons at [email protected]

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Find your Purpose Project with Lancashire Youth Challenge and the Adullam Programme
With funding from Banks Lyon and the Westminster Foundation, Lancashire Youth Challenge in partnership with the Adullam Programme, has been able to develop another ‘Find Your Purpose’ project for young people aged 16-25 years from the local area. If you are interested in finding out  more or if you have any young people that would benefit from taking part, please contact Ant directly at [email protected].

Please see the attached flyer for more information.

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Escape2Make FREE Cabaret Workshops
E2M are calling all 11-18s who live in the Lancaster & Morecambe Area to take part in their free creative workshops to try something new and make new friends. Escape2Make are excited to offer you an exclusive invitation to sign up to 1 of 10 FREE workshops as part of their CABARET event! This is a first opportunity to snap up these sought-after spaces, but you will need to be quick as this will go live online in the coming days.

You can meet new people, learn new and exciting skills over 5 workshops through February and March, then deliver a celebratory event at the iconic Alhambra Theatre in Morecambe on 25th March. The experiences include Wild Cooking, Magic, Upcycled Fashion Show, Cartoon Portraits, Mini Musical and much more, and no experience is necessary to get involved…..just turn up and have a go!

If you need any help contact the team at [email protected]

For more info and details of how to sign up

Festival of Culture with Communities Together
Communities Together Lancaster are bringing the Ninth Festival of Culture to the district for 2023. Join the celebration of diversity in our community with a fun-filled afternoon featuring dance, poetry, prayer, fashion, tradition, music and song. There will be food from around the world and stalls showcasing local activities. This event is FREE and all are welcome.

Location: Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA), Lancaster University, LA1 4YE

Date: Sunday 5^th March, 3pm-5.30pm (Doors open from 2.30pm)

Discover more about this event and book

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Fire Safety in the Home Training
Lancaster District CVS are pleased to be working in partnership with Lancashire Fire and Rescue to offer this essential training – Fire Safety in the Home. The training will support you to recognise fire risk in the home and identify who’s the most vulnerable. Following the training you will be able to offer simple interventions to reduce risk and know what support the fire service can offer, including how you can refer.

The training will include:

• The most common fire risks in the home including the most recent data and case studies from Lancashire
• Simple actions/ advice you can provide to reduce risk
• Home fire safety checks , what’s involved and the resources we can provide
• How we are working to support people living with Dementia and the 999 Reunite project
• When and how to refer to us for support

Reserve your place on the course and see more info

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Arts Council England Grant Funding Seminar
Join Arts Lancashire for a FREE in person seminar at More Music to demystify the Project Grants application and receive advice on how to draft your application, project plans, timelines and budgets. This is a 60-minute seminar led by Arts Council England Senior Relationship Manager, David Gaffney, and includes time for questions. It’s open to artists, producers and Lancaster & Morecambe based organisations who want to work with artists and /or create an arts project in the Lancaster or Morecambe district. You’ll get the most out of the session if you familiarise yourself with Arts Council England’s Let’s Create strategy in advance. It’s free to attend, but advance registration is advised.

Find out more and register to attend

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NFP Workshops – Affordable Training Courses for Charities (More Dates)
NFP are running a variety of workshops in the coming weeks that cover a range of subject areas for charities, schools, healthcare and public sector organisations. The online sessions can be attended via Zoom and take place from 10am-12.30pm.  The workshop timetable has included more dates in the coming months as follows:

Capital Campaigns – 22 Feb / 26 Apr
Managing staff – 22 Feb / 26 Apr/24 May/ 21 Jun
Bid Writing – 6, 20 Feb / 6, 20 Mar/ 17, 24 Apr/ 8,22 May/ 5,19 Jun
Trust Funding – 7 Mar/ 9 May
Major Donor Fundraising – 21 Mar/ 23 May
Corporate Fund Raising – 7 Feb/ 18 Apr/ 6 Jun
Legacy Fundraising – 21 Feb/ 25 Apr/ 20 Jun
Recruiting & Managing Volunteers – 23 Feb/ 27 Apr/ 10 May/ 7 Jun
Fundraising Regulations & GDPR – 22 Mar/ 25 May
Introduction to Fundraising – 8 Feb / 19 Apr/ 22 Jun
Project Management – 9 Mar/ 11 May
Managing Staff – 23 Mar
Charity Finance – 9 Feb/ 20 Apr/ 8 Jun

View the full workshop schedule and booking links

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Call for Papers: Rethinking Poverty, Insecurity and the Cost of Living Crisis in the North West and Beyond | One-Day Conference
The ongoing cost of living crisis is causing immense stress and hardship for individuals, families, and communities. The price of basic goods and services – food, electricity, fuel – is increasing at a much faster rate than average household wages and benefit increases. Moreover, recent tax changes mean that more people are now experiencing poverty and insecurity, unable to meet their basic everyday needs. In light of this, Liverpool Hope University are organising a one-day conference which aims to bring together researchers, academics, activists, politicians and members of the third sector from across the northwest and beyond to advance knowledge and further understanding of the specific ways in which people are experiencing the cost of living crisis. The conference will thus provide a knowledge exchange/ social partnership platform for researchers and stakeholders working in this area to share their expert opinion on the emergent issues, experiences and wider consequences associated with this crisis.

Date: Wednesday 28th June 2023
Location: Liverpool Hope University, Creative Campus

Find out more about this event

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Training 2000 – Community Health & Wellbeing Worker Level 3 Apprenticeship
Training 2000 are delighted to launch their Community Health & Wellbeing Worker Level 3 Apprenticeship, starting from April 2023. Community Health and Wellbeing Workers, also referred to as Link Workers or Social Prescribers, are a rapidly expanding workforce, supporting the increasing emphasis across government departments on improving the health of local people and communities by preventing poor health and tackling inequalities. The broad purpose of the occupation is to work in partnership with individuals and their communities to identify and address health and wellbeing needs, improve health, prevent ill-health and reduce inequalities.

Training 2000 would like to invite you to attend one of their employer information sessions to find out more on the Community Health and Wellbeing Worker Level 3 Apprenticeship.

The information session will include:

• Overview of Training 2000
• Information on how we can help you to recruit Community Health & Wellbeing Workers for free
• Upskill your existing workforce with Training 2000
• Community Health and Wellbeing Worker Level 3 Apprenticeship content and length
• Course start date
• Information on our flexible, national remote delivery as well as our assessment methods
• Course eligibility criteria
• An overview of how the course is funded
• Progression routes to degree level available via Training 2000 and our parent organisation, the University of Central Lancashire

The next information session will be held via Microsoft Teams at the following date and time:

• Tuesday 28^th February, 9am-9.30am | Book your e-ticket here

For further information please contact Training 2000’s Business Development Team on 01254 54659 or email: [email protected]

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Triple P Parenting Courses
The parenting programme Triple P are providing courses for parents in the Lancaster District that aims to promote a positive, caring relationship between you and your child. The courses provide the opportunity to be empowered as parent/carer and to choose the skills and values you with to promote in your child and help them develop skills they need to tackle everyday situations. The courses are being run between April and November with sessions held both in-person and online via Zoom. 

To find out the timetable for the year follow this link.

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The 2027 Associate Programme now Open
Have you ever considered launching your career in community grantmaking? The 2027 Associate Programme includes a £25,000 job, mentoring and a full professional development programme. The grant-giving sector is responsible for providing £12.9bn of funding each year, to people and organisations to help them run projects that positively impact the community. It recognises the need to hire and develop people with more diverse perspectives who have lived or worked in the kind of communities they seek to help.

In your new job in grant-making with the programme, you’ll be working for one of their highly regarded Foundation & Trust partners – grant-making organisation responsible for providing funding to other individuals or organisations, to enable them to run projects that positively impact the community.

So if you are passionate about serving communities and interested in taking the next step in your career, to work towards developing your influence in deciding how funding is spent… take a look at the 2027 Associate Programme website and see if it’s for you.

The application window for this is 25th January – 25th April 2023

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Life within easy reach: 15-Minute Neighbourhoods Framework
15 minute neighbourhoods aim to bring jobs, services, education, green transport and essential retail closer to where people live. With increasing interest in the concept across the UK, join the Town & Country Planning Association to find out more about how they create healthier, more sustainable and cohesive places. Officers from Waltham Forest Council will explain their ambition and framework for such neighbourhoods in their part of London.

Learn more about the 15-Minute Neighbourhoods Framework

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Prime Time 2023 – The Dukes Theatre
Prime Time is back for 2023 with a scheme of weekly social and creative workshops. Supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, aimed at older community members 65+ who want to meet up with like-minded people, looking for creative opportunities and new experiences.

Sessions in both Lancaster and Morecambe will include acting, performance, script writing, directing and theatre technology, and will be delivered by an extended team of creative freelancers and specialists. During 2023 all sessions are free!

Taster Launch Event in Morecambe
The new project in Morecambe is starting with a launch event on the 16th February, 11 – 1pm at the Morecambe Memorial Hall, Church Street LA4 5PR. The weekly sessions have started already in Lancaster, but new members are still being accepted.

For more information, contact Charlie: [email protected] 01524 598522
To register for their Spring 23 term, contact the Box Office: [email protected] 01524598500

Click here to book onto their February taster session

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Antiques Roadshow’s David Harper Comes To Lancaster
David Harper from the BBC’s “Antiques Road Trip” is visiting Penny Street Collectables for a valuation afternoon on Sunday February 19th 2023 from midday. Shop owner Jess welcomes everyone to come along and invites you to bring anything old and interesting that you would like to know the history of and of course the value.

Find out more here
Discover more about Penny Street Collectables online or on their Facebook page.

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LSC VCFSE Assembly – Save the date
The next Lancaster and South Cumbria VCFSE Assembly meeting will take place on Thursday 23^rd February 2023, 2-4pm. The event is focussed on the Place-based Partnership Developments, supported by Community Futures. The 2 hour event will be held online and is split into 3 main parts: 1) Discussing suggestions for the development of existing and / new VCFSE Place groups, including potential functions and governance – supported by VSNW 2) Lancashire & South Cumbria Place Directors of Health and Care Integration, discussing their plans. 3) Next steps together.

Reserve your place on this event here

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Growing Club Third Sector Women’s Gathering
In December a group of women running third sector organisations in the district came together to look at how they look after themselves, to enable them to keep looking after their teams and their communities, during the current challenging times.

The GC found that gathering in a structured way is not only supportive for emotional and physical wellbeing, but makes them all the more effective in their organisations.

To follow up, the Growing Club will be meeting again on Thursday February 23rd, 10am to 12pm,  at the Tara Centre, The Storey Institute, Lancaster.

Please email [email protected] if you would like to attend.

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Pruning Day – Miss Whalley’s Field (Volunteers needed)
FMWF group are organising a volunteer session to prune and maintain the young saplings of Jean Argles Wood.  The City Council are providing a free expert to show volunteers how to prune the saplings and sharpen their secateurs.  Secateurs can be provided. Pruning at this event is not suitable for young children, however they are able to help clear the cuttings, if supervised by an adult.

Meeting will be at the Memorial Stone on Derwent Rd

It is advise to wear suitable clothing and bring any useful tools i.e. footwear, gloves, secatuers.

This event will take place on Saturday 18^th February, 10am

For more about this event, follow this link

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Children’s Nearly New Sale and Table Top Sales at The Centre @ Halton
The Centre @ Halton are holding their ever popular Children’s Nearly New Sale on Saturday 11th March 9am-12pm.

Entry for adults £1 and children free (all tables now sold out). Children’s items, clothes, books, toys and games will be on offer. There will be a raffle and the Coffee Shop will be open to purchase refreshments. Find out more here. 

The Centre’s first Table Top Sales follows on Saturday 25 March 9am – 12 noon. Tables are £15 bookable online here.

Entry for adults £1 and children free. Quality new and second hand household items will be on offer. There will be a raffle and the Coffee Shop will be open to purchase refreshments. Find out more here.

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Platform Places – Start a Local Property Partnership Webinar
Platform Places is a social enterprise unlocking town centre buildings for amazing ideas that help us live affordably, sustainably and together. They convene and support councils, communities and asset owners to bring buildings into long-term community use or ownership.

During this webinar, attendees will:

• meet some of the people behind Platform Places
• learn how to start the journey towards a Local Property Partnership in your town centre
• meet others looking to do the same where they are
• get your questions answered

Multiple dates, free of charge

Register here

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Making Sense of Digital Support options for Better Youth Mental Health Webinar
BFB Labs are hosting a virtual webinar on how digital health technologies (DHT) can support children and young people’s (CYP) mental health services, in the face of increasing levels of complexity and acuity in cases. This webinar aims to unpack the challenges of commissioning DHT’s to support CYP mental health and examine real world experiences and learnings when embedding digital health technologies.

Learn more about how to register for this event

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Basic Drug & Alcohol Awareness Sessions
We are Lancashire for Young People are running free online workshops for anyone working with those under 25. The session will be roughly 2 hours long, interactive and fun. You will learn a little more about the services that are available at We Are With You in Lancashire and will talk about current themes and trends.

The group will look at some of the reasons why young people use substances, risks and some harm reduction messages. You will also gain access to their Tier 1 resource booklet & drug use screening tool which includes practical information and worksheets, useful when working with young people.

Sessions dates include:

• Thursday February 2^nd 2023, 10am
• Thursday March 2^nd 2023, 10am
• Thursday April 6^th 2023, 10am

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Lancashire LGBT Manspace Online Support Group
Lancashire LGBT are hosting an online support group via Zoom for 18+ year old men who identify as gay, bisexual, trans or transmasculine non-binary.

To join the group completion of the following registration form is required.  

View their event e-flyer here

Therapy Services Coordinator with CancerCare
How would you like to be part of the frontline team that ensures the people who come to us for help get the support they need as quickly as possible? CancerCare are looking for a caring, compassionate and efficient person to join their Therapy Coordination Team which is the first port of call for people affected by cancer and bereavement who get in touch seeking our services.

Salary: £12,858
Contract: 22.5 hours per week
Location: Lancaster
Closing Date: Friday 17^th February

Find out more about this role and apply

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Frontline Programme 2023 (Paid Social Work Training)
The Frontline programme offers two years of intensive, paid training and a fully-funded master’s degree with Lancaster University to develop the skills you’ll need for the role. You’ll qualify as a social worker employed in your local authority and become an agent of change, improving people’s lives and the social work profession through excellent practice, leadership and innovation.

Receive up to a £20k tax-free bursary in your first year and earn up to a £34k salary in your second as a qualified social worker.

Closing date: 16^th March 2023, 11.30pm

Learn more about this training-work opportunity

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Champions Mentor at Morecambe FC
Do you have a passion for improving the lives of young people? Morecambe Football Club have an exciting opportunity to join the team as a Champions Mentor. Champions is an intervention style programme that aims to reduce reoffending, by establishing positive relationships with young people. The programme is delivered within police custody suites & in the community to divert people aged 10 to 25 away from crime. The Champions Mentor will create and lead a development plan to assist the client in fulfilling their own goals relating to personal development, education, training, and employment whilst also engaging in social & physical activities.

Salary: Unconfirmed
Contract: Fixed-term contract until 31st March 2025.
Location: Morecambe
Closing Date: 20^th February 2023
Interview Date: 27^th February 2023

I’m interested! Tell me more about this role

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Finance Officer with Lonsdale District Scouts
Lonsdale District Scouts are seeking to fill the key role of Finance Officer for this charity which supports those successfully delivering Scouting to over 1,400 young people in an area centred on the City of Lancaster. The role encompasses all finance functions and is a voluntary one; appropriate expenses can be paid.

For more information contact the Chair of our Finance sub-Committee by email at [email protected].  Please include your contact telephone number so we can arrange to chat.

For more information visit the post recruitment page or contact the Chair of the Finance sub-Committee by email at [email protected].

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Retail Store Manager with Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK are looking for a motivating store manager to join Cancer Research UK’s trading team. You’ll be acting as an ambassador for Cancer Research UK, motivating your team to maximise on sales and fundraising targets. Your shop will be a place where your community gets to meet our people, understand our brand, and see some of the great things we do.

Salary: £21,275 – £26,825 per annum
Contract: Up to 37.5 hours per week
Location: Lancaster
Closing Date: 4^th March 2023, 11.02am

Find out more about this role and apply

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Youth Worker (Youth Voice) with Lancashire Boys & Girls Clubs
LABGC are looking for an enthusiastic and energetic individual to be an integral member of their delivery team, to deliver and evaluate their personal and social development opportunities for young people, including their current life skills programmes; Youth Ambassadors, Challenge for Change and the development and implementation of the organisations new National Citizenship Service (NCS) offer, through engagement in a range of activities and workshops in youth clubs and other venues across the county.

Salary: £22,000- £23,000 pro-rata
Contract: 20 hours per week (to include 3-4 youth work sessions per week)
Location: Lancaster, but will involve travel throughout Lancashire
Closing Date: Sunday 26^th February 2023
Interview Date: Week Commencing Monday 5^th March 2023

Find out more about this role and how to apply

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Vacancies at The Centre @Halton

Cleaning attendants
Two cleaner positions have become available at The Centre @ Halton. The role will be flexible to suit the use of the building with hours worked around hire times. Up to 16 hours available shared across two positions over seven days. Current rate of pay £9.65 per hour with annual holiday entitlement. The applicant must live in Halton or have their own mode of transport as some late/early shift times will mean not being able to rely on public transport. Must be over 18. Please contact the Office on 01524 811316 to discuss.

Cook 
An opportunity exists for an enthusiastic and reliable person with experience of cooking for large numbers (up to 50) to join the team at The Centre @Halton to plan and provide meals for their Luncheon Club. The role will be supported by a team of volunteers and staff.

Minimum 5 hours on 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month. Competitive salary. The successful applicant will be required to start as soon as possible.  For detailed information and an application form please contact: Naomi on 01524 811316 [email protected] 

Closing date 24th February 2023

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Volunteer Coordinator & Network Coordinator at Let’s BeFriends

Volunteer Coordinator
Through regular informal contact and more structured reviews the role will assist volunteers through all stages of their journey with us.

The Coordinator will assist the Project Coordinator to match volunteers with suitable beneficiaries and help oversee introductory meetings which start the befriending relationship.

Salary: £12.60 per hour
Contract: 16 hours per week
Location: In the community across the Lancaster district
Closing Date: 1 March

Find out more and apply

Network Coordinator
Let’s BeFriends are looking for a Network Coordinator to lead on planning and organising recruitment campaigns and implement initiatives to attract new volunteers. The post holder will be expected to network, build and maintain relationships with various organisations to aid the sustainability of recruitment.

Salary: £12.60 per hour
Contract: 16 hours per week
Location: In the community across the Lancaster district
Closing Date: 1 March

Find out more and apply

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Board of Trustees & Chair – Ludus Dance
Do you share our belief that dance is a tool which can empower children and young people and improve their lives? Based in Lancaster and working across the Northwest, Ludus Dance are working to make access to dance more equitable in the locale and wider region.

They are looking for someone with an academic/professional or personal interest in the following areas:

• The arts & childhood development;
• The arts & its impact on the mental health of children and young people;
• Personal and social vulnerability, isolation & displacement and the role arts can play in improving wellbeing

In addition, the following areas of expertise may be of particular benefit:

• Experience within the public sector: Police, NHS, Social Care, Youth Work, Arts & Culture, Education
• Being a parent, guardian, carer, or young person
• Charitable Fundraising and developing strategic partnerships
• Corporate Social & Environmental Responsibility

If you would like to join their team as a trustee and to share your knowledge and expertise please view their recruitment pack for more information.

If your organisation needs support whether it be working with volunteers, completing accounts and payroll, finding funding, solving governance issues, or just want a listening ear, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team:

Funding and governance support, contact [email protected]

Volunteering and DBS,
contact [email protected]

Payroll, bookkeeping and independent examinations, contact [email protected]

Health and social prescribing, contact [email protected]

Children and young people, contact [email protected]

Membership queries to: [email protected]

Partnerships, networks and strategic development, contact [email protected]

Alternatively, call us on 01524 555900

To promote your events, training, jobs, and sector news, email [email protected]