Ian Ferguson

To: Mark Waddington Subject: Council for Voluntary Service News - 28 June 2012

Welcome to our weekly roundup of all things Voluntary Community Faith Sector in Central Lancashire!

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Guild 2012 New flag flying over city’s key landmarks A new flag to mark Preston’s Guild celebrations is flying over the city. The flags, commissioned by the Preston and South Ribble Civic Trust, has gone up over the Town Hall and the city’s minister. The tourist information office in the Guildhall Arcade has 700 paper versions of the flag available for people to buy. http://www.lep.co.uk/community/new-flag-flying-over-city-s-key-landmarks-1-4682295

Opportunity to participate in Bicycle Ballet this Summer We are looking for participants to get involved in the Bicycle Ballet project this Summer as part of the Preston Guild celebrations. Please find more detailed information regarding the rehearsal schedule on the poster link below. There will be two performances of the Bicycle Ballet - one at the First Proclamation of the Guild on 18th August and at the second at the Guild Wheel Opening on 19th August. Please help us by downloading, printing and displaying the poster: Download the poster here: http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/bicycle%20ballet%20final.pdf

A Vintage Guild Weekend - 1 - 2 September We are delighted to reveal 80s new wave stars, The Human League, will headline the Sunday night at the festival's vintage weekend extravaganza. The two-day event - A Vintage Guild Weekend will take place on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 September. It is being curated by internationally renowned designers, Wayne Hemingway MBE and Gerardine Hemingway MBE, who will bring a touch of glamour to the Guild festival. Stella Hall, Preston Guild 2012 festival director says: " A Vintage Guild Weekend promises to be one of the most stylish, colourful and exciting dates in the calendar this year. It will celebrate the best in Northern fashion, dance, food and music and also look forward to how the future of Preston Guild might look - a real journey through time and style". Tickets for the spirit of '42 Vintage and Human League are now available online through the Preston Guild Hall Website or via telephone on 01772 258 858 or alternatively through Ticketmaster. http://prestonguild2012.com/?OBH=416&ID=78

Path completed ahead of Guild cycle festival A path has now been laid all the way round a 21-mile cycle route which is due to be opened in two months’ time. Organisers behind the Guild Wheel cycle path have achieved a ‘landmark moment’ having finished laying a track around the entire route. They are now working on the final stages of the project, including toucan crossings, line painting and signage. Alan Waters, Lancashire County Council Guild Wheel project manager, said: “We have completed the last section which is from Preston Crematorium to Red Scar Wood. We have now completed that section so we have a full surface route but it was a milestone achieved. http://www.lep.co.uk/news/local/path-completed-ahead-of-guild-cycle-festival-1-4647719

1 Stitch a piece of Guild history The Harris Textile Craft Group will be meeting today to carry out a group project to make a patchwork for the Preston Guild 2012. The group meets once a month on a Tuesday afternoon. Anyone is welcome to drop in and join in between 2pm and 3pm. Call 01772 905414

Galloway’s Society for the Blind: Get your running shoes on for Local athletes have been given an unexpected opportunity to take part in this year’s BUPA Great North Run by charity, Galloway’s Society for the Blind. manager George Turner said: “In recent years, a number of our guaranteed places have been taken up by employees of one of our supporters. “This year, the lady who normally makes all the arrangements there has gone on maternity leave and no one has replaced her, so we find ourselves in the unusual position of having places available with only a co uple of weeks to go to the closing date for entries.” Galloway’s Society for the Blind helps more than 7,000 blind and partially sighted people and needs to raise around £800,000 every year. Anyone interested in taking up one of the places or who would like further information should contact George Turner on 01772 744148 or 07743 825818 or email [email protected] .

GUILD CALENDAR - JULY Once Every Preston Guild - Mon 2nd – Wed 4th St John’s Minster, Church St An exhibition featuring photographs, memories and life experiences from older members of the Preston and south Ribble communities, who have witnessed previous Preston Guilds. http://www.fiftyfiveplus.org.uk

Youth Enterprise Event - Tue 3rd – Thur 5th Guild Hall Arcade Schools take over vacant units in the Guild Hall Arcade to exhibit and trade their arts, crafts and goods all made and created by young people. Opening with a special black tie evening event, young people will also showcase their performing arts talents at a number of programmed shows. http://www.prestonguild2012.com

UK Corporate Games - Thur 12th – Sun 15th Various locations Previously staged in many of Britain’s largest citie s, Corporate Games 2012 will take place in Preston and be the 19th consecutive UK Games. 5,000 participants will arrive into the city from companies from all over the UK to take part in 22 sports including everything from Dragon Boat Racing to squash. The games will be held at a number of venues across Preston including the uCLan sports Arena. http://www.corporate-games.com

Riversway Festival - Fri 20th – Sun 22nd The Dock The Riversway Festival brings one of the UK’s largest dock and marina sites alive with excitement, music, laughter and fun across this weekend which will see guest boaters sail to Preston from around the country to join in the fun – a host of water based activities including boat trips around the dock, police search and rescue boat displays, have-a-go dragon boating and jet ski displays will be available. Outdoor performance is a major feature of the Riversway programme, keeping crowds of all ages entertained across the weekend, whilst the exhibition marquee will host a unique range of gift stalls alongside a well-stocked bar to quench the thirst of any festival goer. A must-see will be ‘sing the Docks’. As one of our Made in Preston projects, More Music Morecambe has been working with choirs, singers and festival goers to build up to 2012 singers harmonising over the waters as the Guild Anthem is performed for the first time. Sponsored by Preston Bus Ltd. http://www.prestonriverswayfestival.co.uk

GB vs. Australia – Pre-Olympic Table Tennis - Mon 23rd Guild Hall 2 Preston and District Table Tennis Association have proudly secured this final pre-Olympics warm up match before both teams travel down to London to compete in the Olympic Games. Live table tennis at this level is a spectacle to see so come along and give a rousing send off to both teams. http://www.prestonguild2012.com

Funding and Fundraising PRSF Jazz Promoters Awards - Deadline 30th June The PRS for New Music (PRSF), which is the UK's largest independent funder purely for new music of any genre has announced that its Jazz Promoters Awards are now open for applications. The aim of the Awards, which are worth between £500 and £2,000 each, is to encourage small scale promoters of new British Jazz Music. Applications are invited from small scale jazz promoters who show a commitment to programming music by living British jazz composers, which is fresh, exciting and ground breaking. This application runs from September 2012 to August 2013 and must include no less than 6 promotions. Festivals are NOT eligible to apply. Programmes may be made up of a series of events by British bands, where musicians are performing their own work and/or programmes featuring new jazz works by British composers. http://www.prsformusicfoundation.com/Funding/Jazz-Promoters

North West entries invited - Santander UK Award Scheme - Deadline 2 July Social enterprises across the North West of England are being invited to enter the Social Enterprise Development Awards, a new community business support programme from Santander, for the opportunity to win up to £50,000 to help fund business growth. The awards are targeted at established social businesses working in one of the following three areas: improving social inclusion, supporting employment or creating a greener environment. There are three prize levels - £50,000, £30,000 or £15,000 - dependent on turnover, for organisations with the potential to increase their community impact but in need of a financial boost. To enter the competition, social enterprises can complete a short entry form downloadable from www.santanderseda.co.uk detailing how an award would be used to grow their business to benefit the community. The deadline for applications is the 2nd July 2012 and the winners will be announced in September 2012. http://www.santanderseda.co.uk/

MAT Innovation Grants Programme - Deadline 11th July The Money Advice Trust (MAT) has opened its Innovation Grants Programme for 2012 to charitable organisations across the UK. Charitable organisations that provide free, independent, effective advice to people on how to deal with debt and how to manage their money in a wiser way may apply for grants of between £1,000 and £3,000. http://www.moneyadvicetrust.org/content.asp?ssid=121

Prototype Fund Opens for Applications - Deadline 18 July Abertay University in Scotland has announced that is providing grants of up to £25,000 for small companies (based anywhere in the UK) that are developing their own games or other forms of interactive digital content. The aim of the fund is to foster economic growth, facilitate job creation, and improve skills development in the sector. Larger companies can also get involved in a commissioning role, providing an attractive route-to-market for a grant-funded smaller company. The grants are to be used to develop prototypes of original intellectual property, allowing companies to go on to seek further funding or investment to launch their product. Talented graduates and students will be provided with paid work experience on grant funded projects. http://prototypefund.abertay.ac.uk/

The Digital Edge - Deadline 1 August The Digital Edge is a £2 million investment programme to fund new ideas for using digital technology to improve young people's economic and social participation. Digital technology offers us the opportunity to engage young people in new, more meaningful and relevant ways and enable their participation in building a more resilient society. Yet we need to focus on approaches that take advantage of digital technology to create the greatest value to young people and our wider communities. We need to develop young people's talents and opportunities and equip them with 3 the confidence, skills and motivation to address the social challenges that they and future generations face. http://www.nominettrust.org.uk/how-to-apply/areas-investment/digital-edge

Eco-innovative Programme Opens for Applications - Deadline 6 September The European Commission has announced that its Eco-innovative programme is open for applications. Through the programme €34.8 Million of grants are available for green projects. This call is open to all legal persons that are based in eligible countries but the priority will be given to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Clusters of applicants and projects which demonstrate a European added value and have a high potential for market replication are strongly encouraged. Calls support Eco-innovative projects in different sectors which aim at the prevention or reduction of environmental impacts or which contribute to the optimal use of resources. In particular the European Commission is looking to support projects in the areas of Materials Recycling; Sustainable Building Products; Food and Drink Sector; Water; and Greening businesses. Under this call for proposals the European Commission will fund up to 50% of eligible project costs. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eco-innovation/getting-funds/application-packs/index_en.htm

Co-operative Bank Customer Fund - Deadline 30 September Organisations that bank with the Co-operative Bank using their Community Directplus Bank Account, have the opportunity to apply for funding through the Bank’s Customer Donation Fund. The Customer Donation Fund grows directly in relation to customers' deposits. For every £100 increase in collective balance held in Community Directplus accounts, the Co-operative Bank will add 20p to the fund. Then, twice a year, in April and October, the Bank will judge customers' applications for project funding and distribute a minimum of £5,000 amongst those customers that are successful. Every Community Directplus customer is entitled to make an application for funding for up to £1,000. Previously successful projects include Whiston Parish Council, which received a grant of £1,000 to purchase specialist equipment to make the village recreation ground more accessible to children with disabilities; and Bradford's Buttershaw Millennium Green Trust, which is a not-for-profit organisation made up of people from the local community received a grant of £500 to launch a new community website, with the aim of promoting local events and encouraging a deeper sense of community. http://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/servlet/Satellite/1196151412586,CFSweb/Page/Business- CommunityBanking

Noel Buxton Trust The Trust offers small grants to voluntary organisations working in prisons . They tend to offer grants to smaller, grass-roots organisations. The emphasis of giving is on areas outside London and South-east England. The Trust does not generally respond to appeals from large and well-supported charities. http://www.noelbuxtontrust.org.uk/2012penal.htm

Village Core The Village Core Programme is a dedicated support programme for communities looking to set up and run a community-owned rural shop. It provides advisory support along with a £40,000 funding package comprised of a £20,000 grant matched with a £20,000 loan which is also matched by the equivalent community contributions. http://www.plunkett.co.uk/whatwedo/core/Core.cfm

Communitybuilders Fund A reminder that the Communitybuilders fund opened earlier this month. They are looking to invest £2.5 million in some of the best, most promising examples of sustainable, community regeneration projects in England. Communitybuilders Fund will invest in organisations that are seeking to become more sustainable and independent and can demonstrate they have a significant impact in their communities as providers of multiple services and facilities. The Fund has both loans and grants on offer as part of its investment package. http://www.communitybuildersfund.org.uk/apply/ 4

ESF Community Learning Grants (North West) - Opens 2 July Round three of the European Social Fund (ESF) Community Learning Grants in the North West will open on 2 July 2012. Nearly £2 million is being made available in the North West over a two year period. Small voluntary and community groups, registered charities and social enterprises can apply for grants of up to £12,000 to help people overcome barriers and gain the skills and confidence to get back into work in the North West. http://nw.wea.org.uk/esf_grants/about.php

Big Lottery Fund Awards for All Resources Following the Awards for All funding workshops on 28 May we have received a pack of supporting documents from Wil Woan, (Policy & Learning Advisor, External Relations and New Initiatives at the BLF). Pack: Presentation – Apologies in advance! This is a 10 megabyte pdf file as our BT website won't allow us to upload zip files or power point presentations (!!!) http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Presentation.pdf Good Governance Guide http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Good%20Governance.pdf Showing Your Project is Needed http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Showing%20your%20project%20is%20needed.pdf Getting Funding and Planning Projects http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Gettingfunding&Planningprojects%20final.pdf Workshop Material http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Workshop%20material.docx Workshop Material Filled In http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Workshop%20material%20Filled%20in.docx Wil has kindly offered to respond to any enquiries arising from the pack and can be contacted using the following details: Wil Woan Policy & Learning Advisor - External Relations and New Initiatives Big Lottery Fund 10th Floor York House, York Street, Manchester, M2 3BB Tel: 0161 2614621 Mob: 07789935513 [email protected]

A plug for Cardsave Community, for all your plastic needs! Cardsave Community are recognised as the UK's leading provider of low cost, intuitive and reliable debit and credit card payment solutions. Our expertise is solely focused on the following sectors: Local or National Charities Education Not for Profit We provide payment solutions for our members that make sense, guarantee a reliable service and that are the most cost effective for your organisation. http://www.cardsavecommunity.com/

Prostate Cancer UK chosen as Royal Mail's charity of the year Royal Ma il has chosen Prostate Cancer UK as its charity of the year, with the partnership to run from 2012 to mid-2014. More than 36,000 employees (45% of the workforce) chose the charity, recently rebranded from the Prostate Cancer Charity, in a staff vote. Royal Mail aims to raise at least £2 million over two years for the charity. Employees will raise the funds through a series of fundraising initiatives and events, with an initial target of £1 million. Their efforts will then be match funded by Royal Mail, the first time the organisation has taken this approach. Employees voted for their 5 charity of choice from a shortlist of three through Royal Mail's annual Employee Opinion Survey. The company has decided to donate £50,000 to each of the two other charities that reached the final shortlist - Alzheimer’s Society and Whizz-Kidz.

Cash-for-clothing stores 'threaten income of charity shops' Mike Lucas of the British Heart Foundation says companies such as Cash 4 Clothes and Clothesbank have cost it as much as £4.6m in the past two years. Charity shops could be losing and millions of pounds of income because of the increasing number of cash-for-clothing stores appearing on high streets. The stores are run by companies including Cash 4 Clothes and Clothesbank, which have websites that say they have "new stores opening weekly" and offer £5 per binbag of clothes. The companies typically sell the items they buy to second-hand clothing companies in eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Charities that run shops say the companies are costing them stock and affecting their takings. The Charity Retail Association said it was aware of the problems cash-for-clothing stores were causing for charity shops. Wendy Mitchell, head of policy and public affairs at the CRA, said: "The number one issue for charity shops is securing a good supply of donated stock from the public. This is obviously increasingly difficult because people are holding on to clothing for longer because of the recession, selling their clothing and shopping more frequently in charity shops, increasing the demand for stock."

Many charities prefer smaller unrestricted grants to larger restricted ones, research shows Joe Saxton, co-founder of nfpSynergy, says the study shows how grant-makers can make their money go further. Eleven per cent of charities that responded to a survey on good grant-making would rather take an unrestricted grant of £10,000 than £100,000 of restricted funding, according to a forthcoming report. Taking Nothing For Granted, to be published on 3 July by the sector research consultancy nfpSynergy, examines what charities think a model grant-maker should look like. The report, based on a survey of more than 400 charities, extended phone interviews with 13 and a face-to-face forum attended by 60, says that they would on average prefer about £70,000 in funding if it was unrestricted to a restricted grant of £100,000. The report says that large charities are less dependent on grants but more successful at applying for them. Charities with annual incomes of more than £15m get just 2 per cent of their money from grants, but are successful in 31 per cent of grant applications, it says. Charities with incomes under £500,000 get 33 per cent of their incomes from grants, but only 19 per cent of applications are successful. A clear, transparent application process is what charities want most from a funder, according to the report – 37 per cent spontaneously mentioned this when asked for how they thought grant-makers could best develop. The next most common theme is better feedback about why grants were unsuccessful, mentioned by 20 per cent of respondents. http://nfpsynergy.net/

Philanthropy should be more accountable and transparent, says Cass Business School report Philanthropic giving often fails to reach the causes that need it most, according to a new report from Cass Business School (City University London). and a Better Society, published by the Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy at Cass, examines research findings about the nature of philanthropy and how it relates to the needs and ideals of the big society. It says philanthropy plays a vital part in empowering society and communities, but its impact "is circumscribed by the values and passions of private donors." If philanthropy is to take on a greater role in creating strong, inclusive and active communities, it says, government must honour commitments to remove barriers to giving.

Morecambe Bay Walk raised £7,000 Generous walkers raised thousands of pounds for two charities by strolling across the sands of Morecambe Bay. The University of Central Lancashire joined forces with the Eric Wright Group and the LEP Lifesaver Appeal for this year’s sponsored walk. The event, organised as part of the Preston Guild celebrations, attracted more than 450 walkers. Together, they raised more than £7,000 for the LEP Lifesaver Appeal, which aims to raise £500,000 for a CT scanner for Royal Preston Hospital, and the University of Central Lancashire’s Harris Bursary Fund, which enables some of the county’s brightest but financially disadvantaged students to reach their educational potential. The university 6 plans to hold the Morecambe Bay Walk again in 2013 to mark Cedric’s 50th year as Queen’s Guide. If you are interested in taking part, contact Tania by e-mail: [email protected] or call 01772 894106. http://www.lep.co.uk/community/lep-lifesaver-appeal/you-ve-got-to-hand-it-to-the-sand-walkers- 1-4647673

Baby Beat Appeal: Black tie ball for baby cause - Leyland, 13 October A ball to commemorate Preston Guild in aid of the Baby Beat Appeal based at Royal Preston Hospital will be held at Leyland Golf Club on Saturday October 13. The ball will include a four course dinner and entertainment from Steve Charles. Call Karen on 01772 524414.

Rosemere Cancer Foundation: Bike challenge for cancer fund - October 2013 People are being asked to join a charity challenge to raise funds for the Rosemere Cancer Foundation. Unite and Bike Against Cancer 2013 will be held in October next year with Global Adventure Challenges and will take in some of the best sights in Africa. Call 01772 522913.

Average Gift-Aided donation per person fell by 11 per cent between 2008 and 2011 The amount the average person donated to charity using Gift Aid fell by more than 11 per cent between 2008 and 2011, according to new research. Analysis by the Halifax bank of figures from the Office for National Statistics, HM Revenue & Customs and the Charities Aid Foundation showed that the average amount per person donated through the scheme was £252 in 2008/09, compared with £223 in 2010/11. Anthony Warrington, director of current accounts at Halifax, said: "Charitable giving has proved relatively resilient during the economic downturn, with more people giving to good causes despite a fall in the average amount given per person."

A Chugger's life is not a happy one! (with apologies in advance to Gilbert and Sullivan) Street fundraising sign-ups increase by 40 per cent, PFRA figures show The number of people who signed up to give to charity through street fundraisers rose by almost 40 per cent in 2011/12, according to figures from the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association. Released to tie in with the PFRA’s annual general meeting the figures show that street fundraisers working for the association’s 140 member organisations recruited 238,273 direct-debit donors in 2010/11, compared with 170,610 in the previous year. Recent research commissioned by the PFRA found that street fundraisers approach an average of 180 people for every sign-up they make. Simon Morrison, director of policy and communications at the Institute of Fundraising, said: "The increase in face-to-face giving is encouraging, despite some councils clamping down on this crucial tool for fundraisers and charities." Increase in proportion of donors recruited on street who never make a payment, survey shows Nick Henry, head of standards and allocations at the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association, says the quality of street fundraising has got worse. The proportion of donors who fail to make the first payment after being recruited by street fundraisers increased significantly in 2011, according the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association’s annual Donor Acquisition and Retention Survey. Figures released after the PFRA’s annual meeting yesterday say that ‘no shows’ for people recruited by street fundraisers jumped from 21 per cent in 2010 to 30 per cent in the 2011 calendar year. The figure had remained at 21 per cent or below for the previous five years. Asked by an audience member whether he thought the quality of street fundraising had got worse, Henry said: "Honestly, yes. It has got worse because it has got harder and recruitment is harder. As it has got more expensive and harder, the more difficult it is to recruit enough suitable staff who are responsible and able to be trained to the level of skills some of us remember." The study of 30 charities shows that 48 per cent of people who signed up in the first eight months of 2010 had stopped donating within 11 months, and it is predicted that figures for the full year will show that percentage to be nearer to the 2008 high of 56 per cent. Marie Curie Cancer Care calls for breaches of street fundraising rules to be made public Marie Curie Cancer Care has called for instances of street fundraising agencies not complying with fundraising rules to be made public. The Sunday Telegraph newspaper yesterday highlighted alleged breaches of the Institute of Fundraising’s Code of Fundraising Practice by the agency Tag Campaigns during a text donations pilot campaign it ran for Marie Curie between November and 7 May. Video footage taken by the newspaper showed various examples of poor practice, including one fundraiser who said they deliberately tried to confuse potential donors and trainers telling new staff not to take no for an answer. It has prompted the Fundraising Standards Board to launch an investigation. Spot checks by the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association had already highlighted issues with Tag fundraisers during a trial of its new penalties and sanctions regime, which will be introduced later this year. It was shown video footage by The Sunday Telegraph of a Tag training session and street fundraising at various sites. This included one fundraiser revealing her technique to get people to stop and talk was to "confuse" them by saying they had dropped something. This breaches the IoF’s code, which states fundraisers should "never deliberately confuse, mislead or obstruct the public". A team leader was also seen following people down the street after they had clearly indicated they were not interested. Bearing all of the abov e in mind a hard working Chugger will (legitimately) have to stop and speak to anywhere up to 240 people in the street before actually securing any funding!

Charity leaders pessimistic about sector's economic outlook, NCVO survey finds Ninety-four per cent of charity leaders expect the economic outlook for the voluntary sector to get worse in the next 12 months, with none expecting an improvement and the remainder expecting no change, according to a new survey by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. The quarterly NCVO Charity Forecast, which got 85 responses from its membership, says that 59 per cent of charity leaders who responded expect the financial situation of their own organisations to get worse, with only 13 per cent expecting an improvement. Sixty-one per cent believe the situation has got worse in the past six months; 22 per cent believe their situation has improved. Nevertheless, 32 per cent of organisations say they plan to increase staff numbers, compared with only 19 per cent who plan to make staffing cuts. Thirty-four per cent intend to increase the services they provide; 16 per cent intend to decrease them. The NCVO’s forecast says that net confidence in the economic outlook for the voluntary sector – which subtracts the proportion that are expecting the situation to worsen from those that expect it to improve – is at -94 per cent. Net confidence has fluctuated between -88 per cent and -98 per cent for the past two years, it says. "There has been a big fall [from the previous quarter] in the number of charity leaders expecting the financial situation of their organisation to improve over the coming 12 months, down to 13 per cent from 22 per cent," the forecast says. Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of the NCVO, said: 'The charity sector has always done its best to put the people it supports first when faced with economic challenges, but there's a very real and present danger that it will reach breaking point if the gulf between demand and resource continues to widen. "The sector is already doing a lot more with much less, and something has got to give eventually."

Callon Kids’ Community Club: Dream still alive ‘but a bit smaller’ A shortage of cash has forced volunteers behind a dream community centre plan to scale back their ambitions. The Callon estate in Preston was once renowned for crime, gangs and anti-social behaviour, but over the past decade it has seen a remarkable transformation. At the heart of its renaissance has been the Callon Kids’ Community Club which has provided a range of activities for thousands of youngsters. http://www.lep.co.uk/community/dream-still-alive-but-a-bit-smaller-1-4679508

Charities will be able to claim a type of Gift Aid on donations under £20 A bill that would allow charities to claim up to £1,250 in top-up payments on small donations has been introduced to parliament. The Small Charitable Donations Bill, which was put before the Commons yesterday, will allow charities and community amateur sports clubs to claim Gift Aid-style payments on individual gifts of under £20 without an accompanying Gift Aid form on up to £5,000 of donations. The bill says the measure, known as the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme, will require charities to have already claimed Gift Aid for at least three years out of the preceding seven in order to be eligible. Charities that have been penalised for not following Gift Aid rules properly will not be able to use the scheme for the next three years. Hannah Terrey, head of policy at the Charities Aid Foundation, said the scheme would be difficult to use and was "unlikely to have a major impact on charity fundraising, particularly for small charities". She said that many smaller charities did not claim Gift Aid because of the complexity of the system and would not be able to use the GASDS. 8 http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/smallcharitabledonations/documents.html

Umbrella bodies publish advice on making the most of reserves Charities could make better use of their financial reserves, according to a new publication produced by a group of voluntary sector umbrella bodies. Beyond Reserves, produced by the Charity Finance Group, Acevo, the Institute of Fundraising, and the accountancy firm Sayer Vincent, says charities could make more use of funds held in reserve. http://www.sayervincent.co.uk/Asp/uploadedFiles/File/Publications/BeyondReserves.pdf

Katy Christmas party already totally sold out The family of brain tumour victim Katy Holmes has organised a fundraising Christmas party in her honour – and the event has proved so popular, it has already sold out. Katy’s Christmas Pa rty will be held at the Barton Grange Hotel on Friday, November 23 – exactly one year on from when the 10- year-old celebrated an early Christmas there last year after her parents feared she might not see the special day because of her inoperable brain tumour. Tickets for the party are £45 each or £400 for a table of 10. If you are interested in attending if more places become available, e-mail: [email protected] . http://www.lep.co.uk/lifestyle/what-women-want/katy-christmas-party-already-totally-sold-out-1- 4679476

Vacancies and Employment Wage subsidy plan for young workers brought forward - but NOT in Lancashire Wage subsidies for firms hiring out of work 16-24 year olds are to be triggered early in 20 deprived areas. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is set to announce that payments will be paid when young people have been out of work for six months instead of nine. The initiative is part of the government's £1bn Youth Contract which was announced in November to tackle record youth unemployment. It is hoped the cash will create around 400,000 work and training placements. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18606178

Training Community Leadership Training at UCLAN The course is a 2 year Foundation and then a 1 year BA top up. This means that instead of the maximum fees of £9000 a year, we are charging £6000 a year.

The modules just so you know to give you a sense of whats on the course,

MODULES - YEAR 1 o Volunteer & Safety Management o Community Culture o Gang and Gang Culture o Peer Led Health Education o Citizenship & Cohesive Communities o Bullying Interventions o & Community Action

MODULES - YEAR 2 o Mentoring in the Community o Project Development o Community Leadership o Volunteering in the EU o Youth Led regeneration

MODULES - YEAR 3 (BA TOP UP) o Leading a Community Project o Practical Volunteer Management o Communities Skilled for Change 9 o Global Youth Leadership o Engaging & Empowering Marginalised Groups

We also offer amongst the highest amount of trips organised out of any UCLan course as part of the three years. Students are able to do community volunteering in places like Pakistan, Russia, Oman and others.

If you have any questions please contact me

Bob Walley Lecturer in Community Leadership

Centre for Volunteering and Community Leadership Preston Campus: 213 Livesey House Burnley Campus: Room C113 Department of Education and Social Sciences University of Central Lancashire Preston, PR1 2HE.

Tel: 01772 892775 Mobile: 0793 1192230 [email protected]

Growing Training - various dates and opportunities commencing July All opportunities are based around food growing, and range from informal informative sessions, to mentoring schemes to formal qualifications. Train the Trainer - Summer 2012 http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Train%20the%20trainer%20summer%202012.pdf Grow Your Way to Work http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Grow%20Your%20Way%20to%20Work.pdf Mentors Wanted http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Mentors%20wanted.pdf Grow Your Way to Work - Flyer http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Grow%20your%20way%20to%20work%20six% 20week%20course%20flier%20July% 202012.pdf

PQASSO - 4 July CVS training programme, Preston Learn more about PQASSO, the quality management system, developed specifically for Civil Society Organisations (Third Sector). How it is…………………………Evidence based How it will……………………….Guide your organization to a good Quality Standard throughout How it can……………………….Help develop more useful procedures during the process CVS Lancashire are hosting ' Introduction to PQASSO ' throughout the year. Next Workshop: Wednesday 4th July 9.30am to 12.30pm Please contact Jane Cooke on 07966 045627 for more details.

**SPACES STILL AVAILABLE** Considering Constitutions Cheerfully - 12 - 13 July Trainer Mac Carding **Special offer price of up to 5 people for the price of 2, that's only £70 for 5 people to attend this course** Trafford Hall in Chester has a new course on the Community Futures training programme which still has some spaces available.

10 On this training course learn how to write or revise your constitutions; you will leave the course with a draft constitution relevant to your group. The thought of having to write or modify the constitution for your group can be daunting and may seem like a pointless paper exercise that you need to do, just to be able to apply for funding. This course will help you to overcome your fears, to discover the benefits of a good constitution and give you the confidence to create a draft constitution for your group. You will learn more about how groups work, some of the pitfalls you can avoid and why having a constitution can really help your group in the long term. You will go home with a constitution document th at you will understand and that could set your group on the right track to achieve its aims in the future. You will find out about: · What makes a community group effective? · What is a constitution · The benefits of being constituted · What needs to be put in a constitution · What other people might need to be put in your constitution · How you will manage your money · Agreeing what happens if your group closes · Understanding when you can (and should) change your constitution The price not only includes the training but also all meals and refreshments during your stay and one night's accommodation in one of our en-suite bedrooms at Trafford Hall. There is a small grant fund attached to this programme so after completing the course you will have the opportunity of applying for a grant of up to £500 to help your community project progress. If you would like any more information on this course or would like to book a place on this course then you can contact Gary Dutton on 01244 300246 or email: [email protected]

An introduction to Social Media - 23 July CVS training programme, Preston 23rd July 2012 2pm to 5pm An introduction to Social Media £20.00 per person This course is a must for any community organisation who wants to connect with their online audience. Social Media is as easy as you make it, and on this course we will talk you through the terminology used, some practical examples of how community based organisations have engaged new audiences and start you on the road to developing a social media strategy for your organisation. To book or for more information email [email protected]

VCS Learning Solutions (formerly Lancashire Learning Consortium) - 26 June and 3 July is hosting regional events in Lancashire and Greater Manchester to showcase the latest projects and funding on transforming our voluntary sector. Join us to: Learn about new funding for leadership & management development activity Help shape new quality improvements and standards Join a consultation on learning & skill development needs of the sector Hear the latest on funding for Adult Learning from Lancashire County Council This event is available on the following dates and venues: Greater Manchester: 26th June 2012, VCS Learning Solutions, Manchester Office, Piccadilly House, Manchester City. Click here to book http://learningconsortium.us2.list- manage.com/track/click?u=638af6835f315d870575bffb2&id=5af27da945&e=48876c0e31 Lancashire: 3 July 2012, Brockholes Visitor Centre, Preston. Click here to book http://learningconsortium.us2.list- manage.com/track/click?u=638af6835f315d870575bffb2&id=ea7f19ef01&e=48876c0e31 Places are limited, therefore it may be necessary to limit places to one representative per organisation. This is a free funded event, however we reserve the right to charge a £50 non-attendance fee. Replacement delegates can be advised up to 24 hours before the event.

11 Community Groups under threat: Where does true resilience lie? - Free Seminar, Manchester, 12 July North West Together We Can and Our Life Network Free Learning Exchange Seminar Thursday 12th July 2012 9.30am – 1.30pm including lunch King’s House Conference Centre, Sidney Street, Manchester M1 7HB Poster: http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Leaflet%20NWTWC%20Resilience.pdf

Advance Social Media - 30 July CVS training programme, Preston 30th July 2012 2pm to 5pm Advance Social Media £20.00 per person The second course would be a follow on to the introduction (see 23 July above), or for those with a basis knowledge who would like to take it a step further. On this course we will let you in to some of the secrets of organisations who use social media to their advantage. We will give you all the free to use tools that exist to manage your social media in a way that will be strategic and also take less of your time. We will also show you how you can measure your online impact in the click of a few buttons. To book or for more information email [email protected]

Volunteering Action for Children volunteers 'worth more than £1m a year' Action for Children has called on charities to invest in their volunteers after publishing research that says the value of its own volunteers is more than £1m a year. The charity commissioned the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and the company the Office for Public Management to conduct research among volunteers in its children’s centres. A report into the research, published today, shows that the value of volunteers’ time far outweighs the costs in terms of management time and resources. Researchers estimate that the total value of volunteers to the charity is almost £1.2m a year, based on a salary of £7 an hour, the rate paid by Action for Children to staff in its lowest salary bracket. Management time spent supporting the volunteers is estimated at £565,000 a year and other costs such as expenses and recruitment come out at about £200,000 across the charity’s 160 children’s centres, giving an annual benefit to the charity of about £400,000. Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of the NCVO, said: "Charities, including Action for Children, offer myriad opportunities for people to gain skills and make a difference. However, as this report shows, volunteering is not a free r esource; it requires investment and structure to ensure that everyone has access to worthwhile and enjoyable experiences and is properly supported."

Some small and medium charities 'struggle to cope' with interest in volunteering More than a quarter of small to medium-sized charities struggle to meet the demands of prospective volunteers, research has found. The Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales carried out the survey, which sought the views of more than 650 small to medium-sized charitable organisations. The survey, published this month, found that 56 per cent of charities had seen an increase in interest shown in volunteering opportunities. But 28 per cent of them said they were unable to respond adequately to this surge in interest because of resource and budget limitations. Linda Kelly, chief executive of the Lloyds TSB Foundation, said the true cost of unpaid staff was often overlooked. "These results reflect the fact that volunteering is not ‘free’, and although volunteers may themselves be unpaid, they still require support, training and expenses so they can assist their organisations to the fullest extent." The survey also found that 85 per cent of charities had experienced a rise in demand for their services among users, with 44 per cent saying the increased pressure on their resources was making it harder to meet these needs. Seventy-seven per cent of respondents said that the existing levels of assistance from central and local government for charities were inadequate.

Events Rotary Club of Preston Guild: Musical celebration - 29 June An orphanage in South Africa will benefit from the proceeds of a concert organised by The Rotary Club of Preston Guild. St John’s Minster, Church Street, will play host to a ‘Tribute to the Last Night of the Proms’, performed by Preston Concert Band on June 29. It will feature songs from the world 12 of film, a tribute to The Beatles and Queen and traditional tunes such as Rule Britannia and Jerusalem. Tickets are £7.50 on the door and the event is at 7.30pm.

Dog Welfare Day, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley - 30 June Dogs in Clayton-le-Woods can have their day thanks to a special event being organised by Chorley Council. Advice will be given on keeping your dog healthy, training and responsible ownership plus there will be refreshments for owners and goodie bags for all the dogs. Dog Welfare Day has been organised by the Council and Contour Housing as part of the Council's to promote responsible dog ownership. http://www.chorley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3861

Headway Preston and Chorley Drop In - 3 July Please find attached details of the forthcoming Drop In on Tuesday 3rd July 2012. 1pm - 4pm at the Salvation Army, Harrington Street, Preston PR1 7BN The fire service will be giving a talk on home safety. Jamie Popplewell will be attending to answer any questions you may have Poster: http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Drop%20In%20leaflet%203rd%20July%202012.pdf

Child Action Northwest Fostering open evening - 5 July Child Action northwest are having a Fostering open evening at the Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre on Thursday the 5th July 2012 at 7:00PM, to book a place please call 0800 634 5300 Poster: http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Fostering%20Open%20Evening.pdf

Chorley Equality Forum - 5 July The Equality Forum will next meet on the 5 July at 6.30pm in the Lancastrian Suite at the Town Hall. Please see the letter below from Councillor Hasina Khan, new Chair of the Forum, for the attention of all Voluntary Community Faith Sector groups in Chorley: http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/equaliity%20forum.pdf Further details also available on: http://www.chorley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3867

Friends of Fishwick and St Matthews - Annual Community Fun Day - 7 July The Annual Community Fun Day has been organised to take place on Saturday, 7th July, between 11am - 2pm at St Matthew's Church grounds on New Hall Lane. Please see the attached poster and if possible, please display it on your premises. If you would like to be involved with the organising (help is particularly sought for organising games!) or have a stall, or just find out more about this event, please contact Peter Nunn at [email protected] Poster: http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/2012%20Fun%20Day%20Poster.pdf

Celebrate Chorley's sporting life - 7 July - 12 August With one month to go until the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games, local people can share the excitement of Chorley's sporting past, present and future in a brand new exhibition at Astley Hall. The Chorley's Sporting Life and Chorley's Sporting Hall of Fame exhibition, co-ordinated by Chorley Council, opens to the public on Saturday 7 July and will be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays until Sunday 12 August. http://www.chorley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3868

St Walburge's Summer Fayre - 14 July 1 - 4 p.m. Trips up England's 3rd largest spire, Tombola and much more Poster: 13 http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Summer%20Fayre%20Poster%20June%202012 %20(Read-Only).pdf

Preston Community Network 10th birthday celebration / AGM - 10 October Wednesday 10th October from 5pm to 8pm St Cuthbert’s Church, Lytham Road, Preston, PR2 3AR

Public Notices Paralympic Honour for Preston Panther's Marilyn Gregson A selfless volunteer who dedicates much of her time to help others has been chosen to carry the paralympic torch. Marilyn Gregson, 63, is the chairman of disability sports club Preston Panthers and has been involved with the organisation for 14 years. http://www.lep.co.uk/community/marilyn-s-once-in-a-lifetime-honour-1-4686838

Preston Sea Cadets Minibus Stolen The minibus, which provides a lifeline to the cadets, was stolen from outside the organisation’s head quarters on Strand Road. The group discovered the theft on Tuesday night. Vice-chairman Steve Hills said it will have an ‘dramatic impact’ on the group. The mini bus was stolen some time between 7pm on Monday and 6pm on Tuesday. It is blue with the sea cadet logo on the side. Anyone with information is urged to contact the local police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. http://www.lep.co.uk/news/local/heartache-as-lifeline-stolen-from-cadets-1-4686786

British Empire Medal revived to reward community and voluntary work This year’s Queen’s birthday honours list includes for the first time in nearly 20 years the previously defunct British Empire Medal commendation. The honour, done away with in 1993 by the Prime Minister of the time, John Major, on the grounds that it perpetuated class divisions, has been awarded to 293 people in the first year of its revival. The Prime Minister, David Cameron, last year decided to revive the award, which was created in 1917 and became known as the "working class gong". People receiving the honour, which is conferred by the lord lieutenant of a recipient’s home county, rather than by the Queen or the Prince of Wales, include Myra Clare, chair of Parkinson's UK, Winchester, Eric Dockerill, for voluntary service to St John Ambulance in Suffolk, and Audrey Lloyd, for work in Whale Hill, a small community of 1,500 residents in a deprived ward of the borough of Redcar and Cleveland.

Nature reserve gets top accolades Preston's Brockholes Nature Reserve has won three awards at Britain’s architecture Oscars. The pioneering, floating village is now a contender for RIBA’s top award, the Stirling Award, and is up against the likes of the London Olympic Stadium and the favourite for the award- the Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield. http://www.lep.co.uk/community/nature-reserve-gets-top-accolades-1-4682505

Community Matters launches free business planning tool A new free tool to help charities with business planning has been launched by Community Matters, the national federation for community organisations. Can You Plan It? is intended to make business planning more approachable, participatory and enjoyable, Community Matters said in a statement to accompany the launch. The tool is designed to function like a game and is intended to be accessible to all trustees, staff and service users, including young people, according to Community Matters. David Tyler, chief executive of Community Matters, said: "Even very small community and voluntary organisations are now finding that they need to become more businesslike and competitive to survive in the current climate. Community Matters is committed to providing a comprehensive set of tools to help them get there." http://www.communitymatters.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=553

Rediscovering hockey again

14 Women are being invited to get back into hockey at a series of sessions in Buckshaw Village, near Chorley. Leyland and Chorley Hockey Club is running the Sunday morning meet-ups at the astroturf pitch on Old Worden Avenue from July 29. It is open to ex-players and new ones. Call Kathryn on 07843 617182.

MP joins sight-saving campaign by charities A Lancashire MP has lent her support to a sight-saving campaign. South Ribble MP Lorraine Fullbrook has backed the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to highlight the fact half of all sight loss is avoidable. She said: “I’m proud to pledge my support to RNIB’s new SOS campaign to improve early diagnosis and access to treatment. I hope that I can work with the RNIB and local charities and organisations, such as Galloway’s in Penwortham, to help raise awareness of sight problems that can develop over time. It is really important that people have their eyes tested regularly.” http://www.rnib.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/yoursight/saveoursight/Pages/save_our_sight.aspx

Celebrating family help Staff and volunteers at a support centre have celebrated helping their 100th family. The Grassroots Family Support scheme, based at the Bamber Bridge Methodist Church, near Preston, supports families with young children who could benefit from support. The scheme has now helped its 100th family, John and Rachel Walker and their two-year-old daughter Harmony. http://www.lep.co.uk/community/celebrating-family-help-1-4647664 Grassroots Family Support Scheme http://www.blackburn.anglican.org/more_info.asp?current_id=303

Sex in prisons to be studied by Howard League A charity is launching the first study of sex in British prisons. The Howard League for Penal Reform says it will spend two years looking at all elements of the issue, from consensual to coercive sex in jails. The investigation in England and Wales will also look at what can be done to improve the sex education of adolescent and teenage inmates. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18603360

Poverty search tool The Church Urban Fund has produced a resource that can provide you with deprivation statistics for your area. Poverty in England gives figures on such issues as poverty, life expectan cy, social housing, and ranks them separately, and overall. The information is based on parishes. http://www.cuf.org.uk/povertyinengland

Health Health Profiles 2012 Health Profiles is the Department of Health’s programme to improve availability and accessibility for heath and health-related information in England. The profiles give a snapshot overview of health for each local authority in England. They are produced annually by the Public Health Observatories in England working in partnership and are commissioned by the Department of Health. Designed to help local government and health services make decisions and plans to improve local people's health and reduce health inequalities, the profiles present a set of important health indicators that show how the area compares to the national and regional average. http://www.healthprofiles.info

Unpaid carers cost economy £5.3bn, charity warns Carers who give up work to look after others cost England's economy about £5.3bn a year, the charity Age UK says. It says an unfit care system means people often have to give up work to help the elderly or adult disabled. The figure was calculated on the lost earnings and forgone taxes of more than 300,000 unpaid carers. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18599455

15 People of central Lancashire are a healthy bunch An online poll conducted by NHS Central Lancashire has revealed that the people of Lancashire are not ‘fruity’ when it comes to getting their five-a-day. The poll, which was conducted through the NHS Central Lancashire website, revealed that a third of the people who took part were getting five or more of their recommended portions of fruit and veg and that just under a third got between three and four portions. More than 100 people t ook part in the poll and as little as four per cent said they didn’t get any fruit or veg and 31 per cent said they got only one or two portions. Amy Witherup, NHS Central Lancashire public health associate, who specialises in healthy weight, said: “We should all eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day as part of a healthy balanced diet. “We all know that eating at least five portions of fruit and veg a day is important for our health but you might be surprised how easy it can be. The grea t thing is, you don’t need to radically change your diet or do without the things you love. Sprinkle some extra veg on a thin-based pizza; dip some carrot or celery in a low fat cheese or throw in an extra hand full of carrots when you make spaghetti bolognaise, it really is that simple and can help you to maintain a healthy weight and keep your heart healthy. “Include a variety; fresh, frozen, canned, dried and juice all count towards helping you reach that healthy number five.” For further advice on how to make small steps that will benefit your health massively have a look on the NHS Change for Life website: http://www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/Pages/change-for-life.aspx

NHS Expert Patient's Programme - new courses starting in Chorley - 25 July - 29 August Please find attached details of the next 3 courses for which I am recruiting participants, there are also still places left on the Chorley course which is due to start as follows Chorley Cricket Club, Windsor Park, Sandringham Road, Chorley PR7 1LG 25th July - 29th August 1.30pm - 4.00pm. Course dates http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/July%20- %20November%20course%20dates.pdf I have attached some additional information you might find useful for anyone who may be considering attending. http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Expert%20patients%20leaflet%20new%200811 11.pdf http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Expert%20Patient%20Programme.pdf I have also attached the pre course questionnaire which needs to be completed and returned to me to book a place (just write which course on the top of the form). The form can either be emailed to me or returned by post free of charge to http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/Pre-Course%20Questionnaire.doc And finally, details of the on line course: http://btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site7587/On%20Line%20Self%20Management%20Cours e.pdf

Sue Lewis Patient Experience and Self Care Advisor Community Engagement Team Freepost RRGS-YXAG-JRXY NHS Lancashire Jubilee House Centurion Way PR26 6TR Tel 01772 678195 [email protected]

Help for local Compacts on the new health landscape Compact Voice have published new guidance - 'Informing and influencing the new local health landscape: a guide for local Compacts'. The guidance provides a detailed overview of the new health landscape: providing information about local health reforms, how they will impact upon local

16 Compact partnerships and what local Compacts can do to influence and engage with the new landscape. http://www.compactvoice.org.uk/resources/publications/health-guide

Nursery Milk Scheme consultation A consultation on how the Nursery Milk Scheme operates was launched recently. The current nursery milk scheme has been running since the 1940s and the Government is committed to continuing to provide free milk for all nursery children. The consultation seeks views on the price, access, voucher schemes, supply and claims procedures. http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/06/nms/

Policy Charities Can Still Avail of Free Governance Consultation Following its strategic review last year, the Charity Commission is encouraging charities in England and Wales to strengthen their governance arrangements. To this end, the Charity Commission and Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) are working together on this review project. In order to participate, charities must meet the following criteria: Be registered with the Charity Commission in the last two years. Have their primary area of activity as England and Wales. Have trustees who are fully committed to participating in the project. Charities will need to submit an Expression of Interest, and the selection will be on a “first come, first served” basis. The project is likely to include 25 charity reviews and should be completed in November 2012. http://www.icsa.org.uk/policy-guidance/charity-commissionicsa-review-project

Government supports decade of social action opportunities for young Britons The Government will work with the voluntary sector, schools and businesses to support a new generation of socially active and responsible young people, Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd said today. The Government believes that young people should be given the tools and opportunities to become better connected to each other and their communities across social and inter-generational divides. Plans are being launched today to look at mapping out a social action journey which will point young people from the ages of 10 - 20 to opportunities such as the Scouts, Cadets, National Citizen Service (NCS) or the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, which are available to them in their communities. http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/government-supports-decade-social-action-opportunities- young-britons

New Crown Representative to provide voice for voluntary sector A new Crown Representative role for the voluntary sector has been created, as part of the Government’s commitment to enable charities and social enterprises to do more. This new role will open up more public sector business opportunities for these types of organisations, and help improve the relationship between government and the sector. Michael O’Toole has been appointed to ensure the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector (VCSE) voice is heard at the highest levels. Michael O’Toole has a strong background for this role, and was previously Chief Executive of 3SC, which manages bids and delivery consortia for large public sector contracts on behalf of civil society delivery organisations. His appointment will focus on improving government’s business relationship with the VCSE sector, and make it easier for these organisations to tender for public contracts. Michael O’Toole will also help Government to engage more widely on VCSE issues, and find ways to enable VCSEs to bring their innovative solutions to the public sector market. http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/new-crown-representative-voluntary-sector

Consultations Cabinet Office to launch new survey on volunteering, giving and community action The Cabinet Office will interview thousands of people in England as part of Community Life, a new survey of volunteering, charitable giving, local action, networks and wellbeing. A contract will be awarded next month and the work is expected to begin in the autumn, according to a Cabinet Office 17 spokeswoman. It will involve face-to-face interviews with a representative sample of between 2,000 and 3,000 adults every three months. The spokeswoman said the questionnaire for the survey had not yet been finalised, but it would cover topics such as formal and informal volunteering, giving to charity, levels of trust in communities and the extent of community action and collaboration. The results are expected to be reported on a quarterly basis, with the first ones expected late this year. The Cabinet Office said it would explore cost-effective ways to carry out the survey again in 2013/14 and 2014/15.

Charity Commission updates guidance on public benefit The commission has launched a three-month consultation on the amended version. Charities will need to demonstrate that they provide public benefit through their stated purposes rather than their activities, according to revised guidelines from the Charity Commission. The commission, which today launched a three-month consultation on the amended public benefit guidance, now says that it is only necessary for an organisation to have charitable purposes to be identifed as a charity. Dame Suzi Leather, chair of the Charity Commission, said in a statement that public benefit was a "defining characteristic" of charitable organisations. She said the commission had gone to great lengths to ensure guidance accurately reflected the law. "We have worked hard to write guidance that accurately reflects the law but is accessible for a charity trustee who just wants to know what to think about when making decisions that might affect their charity’s public benefit," she said. "We hope the online format will make this easier. We invite comments on both the form and content of the revised guidance and hope that the consultation blog will enable real-time responses to views expressed." http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/RSS/News/pr_pbconsultation.aspx

Clinks survey Clinks, who support the voluntary sector working with offenders in England and Wales, are asking people involved in this work to complete a survey. This survey is designed to help them understand and have evidence of how the sector is being affected by the economic downturn. Clinks has used previous survey results to influence decision and policy-makers, and to lobby for more support to the sector. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/N7RB38X

Appeals St Catherine's Hospice Quiz Teams - Test your brain and raise cash - 8 November A firm of financial advisors is seeking teams to enter its annual charity quiz in aid of a St Catherine’s Hospice. Taylor Patterson will host the event at 53 Degrees on Brook Street, Preston, on Thursday, November 8 from 6.30pm. Call 01772 55073.

Clinical trial for people with heart disease risk Patients are needed for a study assessing a new treatment which may help reduce further heart attacks or strokes in people who suffer with cardiovascular disease. Synexus, a clinical research centre at Buckshaw Village near Chorley, will be assessing new medication which doctors have hailed as a potential breakthrough in the battle against heart disease and strokes. Patients who are accepted onto the study will receive financial compensation and will be reimbursed for all reasonable out of pocket expenses if they are accepted onto the study. Those who are interested in participating should call: 01772 344620 quoting reference 8088 http://www.lep.co.uk/community/clinical-trial-for-people-with-heart-disease-risk-1-4682264

Call for items

Do you have any items of interest for the sector? Please feel free to email details to [email protected] to have them circulated through YOUR CVS network. Comments?, suggestions? Please email them to the same address.

Circulated by: Council for Voluntary Service Central Lancashire, 18 Units 23/27 Guild Hall Arcade, Lancaster Road, Preston PR1 1HR Telephone: 01772 251108 Fax: 01772 561264email: [email protected] Website: http://www.prestoncvs.org/ (Registered Charity No: 222247)

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