Here you can keep up with the latest from Reading’s 900+ voluntary organisations and other voluntary sector news from around the area.
Looking for funding? Pitch to Reading Soup
3 April 2019
Reading Soup still have two slots for community organisations to pitch for funding at their next Reading Soup event, on May 1. Reading Soup is a grassroots, community fundraising organisation supporting community projects in the Reading area. They’re inspired by the original Detroit SOUP, and are run by a committee of five volunteers. They hold fundraising ...
BCF Funds for the Elderly – open until 1 May 2019
29 March 2019Berkshire Community Foundation (BCF) are offering grants of up to £5,000 to charity and community groups for projects working with the elderly to improve their health and wellbeing, access to facilities, advice and training; or to overcome their problems of illness, injury, disability, bereavement or financial difficulty. Application forms must be completed online and submitted along ...
New Guidance: Is your charity linked to a non-charity?
29 March 2019The Charity Commission has recently published new guidance for charities who are connected to non-charities. Starting point: All charities must work solely for the purposes of achieving their own charitable purposes for the public benefit, and not for the personal benefit of any individual or any other organisation. In simple terms, this means that the charity Trustees must ...
Apply for free community and charity stalls at Reading Water Fest
27 March 2019This year’s Reading Water Fest – on Saturday 15 June 2019 – will celebrate the event’s 30th anniversary The event takes place in Forbury Gardens, the Abbey Ruins and along The Kennet between Chestnut Walk and the Riverside Museum. Reading Borough Council and The Kennet and Avon Canal Trust are working together once again and hope ...
Participate in nutrition studies at the University of Reading
27 March 2019The University of Reading is internationally recognised for its excellence in research on the relationship between diet and chronic disease. They are currently looking for volunteers to participate in two studies. ENVAL study Would you like to test a diet app developed by researchers from the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences? In this study, participants will ...
Take part in RBC’s consultation on their Statement of Community Involvement
27 March 2019Reading Borough Council has published a discussion paper on the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) for consultation. The SCI is a planning document that details how consultation and community involvement on plans and major developments will be carried out. RBC’s most recent SCI was adopted in March 2014. The council is now considering whether there ...
Do you know your ICS from your PCN?
27 March 2019The landscape is changing within the NHS, and as with any agency, change brings another load of acronyms – the shorthand for new structures and concepts. Here, I will try to explain two: ICS and PCN. Integrated Care System (ICS) has been around for a while Within Berkshire West, the ICS is a partnership of Berkshire West ...
Dementia Friends Training
27 March 2019Matt Taylor from Age UK Reading is a Dementia Champion and will be delivering this free training session for anyone from Reading’s community and voluntary sector wanting to become a Dementia Friend, as part of Dementia Action Week. Book here. What is a Dementia Friend? A Dementia Friend is somebody that learns about dementia so they can ...
How to diversify your funding – crowdfunding workshop and panel event
27 March 2019Come along to this workshop and panel event to ask the experts and get practical, engaging support to develop your own projects. Building a diverse portfolio of income from grant funding, in-kind support, crowd funding and more, is a challenge faced by a wide variety of organisations and individuals. This event aims to give you some of ...
Be part of Reading’s youth leadership partnership
27 March 2019In response to the lack of youth provision in Reading, Reading Voluntary Action is inviting ambitious youth leaders into partnership to explore and shape the potential for a comprehensive and exciting youth offer across the town. We are looking for a broad range of skills and experience to create a cross-sector partnership with the sole aim ...
Silver Sunday: changing the story around loneliness with a day of free, fun events for older people across the UK
19 March 2019Silver Sunday this year will take place on 6 October 2019, so with 8 months to go it’s a perfect time to start planning. Visit the Ideas, Events Archive, 2018 Gallery and Video Stories pages for inspiration. Download and share the 2019 Info Pack Register your event or activity on the website so that older people and carers ...
Berkshire CEO Forum
18 March 2019The Berkshire CEO Forum is for anyone with management responsibilities working for a not-for-profit organisation in Berkshire. The forum offers a fairly informal group providing peer support and information sharing. This forum will focus on work force development plus a legal update from Blandy & Blandy Solicitors. Please book a space
Reading on Thames Festival – input wanted on events and activities
13 March 2019Preparations for the 2019 (and 2020!) Reading Thames Festivals are in full flow, and we’re very keen to understand the kinds of events and activities that local people enjoy, if they’d like to participate, and how best to let them know about what’s happening. With our colleagues at the University of Reading, we have created a ...
Live better, help often, wonder more – focus on Sunday Assembly Reading
13 March 2019
Our Community Journalist Zoe O’Kill has been finding out all about Sunday Assembly Reading Sunday Assembly Reading is an inclusive group that brings people together to celebrate life and build a community. The Assembly is a supportive and friendly peer group open to anyone, promoting the mantra ‘live better, help often and wonder more’. The assemblies run ...
Listen, support, connect – celebrating Social Prescribing Day 2019
13 March 2019Celebrating Social Prescribing in Reading The first International Social Prescribing Day is on Thursday 14 March 2019. We are joining patients, GPs, community groups and other voluntary organisations in the UK and across the world, in highlighting the importance and significance of Social Prescribing in health and social care. Age UK Berkshire and Reading Voluntary Action ...
ACAS updates its age discrimination guidance
12 March 2019ACAS has updated its guidance on how employers can avoid falling foul of age discrimination Age discrimination is protected against by the Equality Act 2010. Age is one of the protected characteristics under this Act and all employers are obligated to ensure that they do not unfairly discriminate against employees based on this. ACAS have produced three ...
Changes to payslip rules for workers from April 2019
12 March 2019New legislation will come into force from 6 April 2019 that will require all employers to: provide payslips to all workers (not just employees), and show hours on payslips where the pay varies by the amount of time worked. (This is particularly relevant for workers/employees who work different hours each week). You can read the full guidance here. Actions ...
Health and Wellbeing Board – 15 March 2019
10 March 2019Reading’s Health and Wellbeing Board is meeting on Friday 15 March at 2pm in the Council Chamber. The agenda includes the following items. Care Quality Commission (CQC) Reading Local System Review – Final Report The Reading Health and Social Care System comprises not just Reading Borough Council, but also Berkshire West CCG, The Royal Berkshire Hospital, Berkshire ...
What volunteering means to me – exhibition workshop
7 March 2019A free art workshop for adults on the theme of ‘what volunteering means to me’ – led by Ollie Musson and Kate Shorey Are you a volunteer, or do you benefit from volunteering? Reading Voluntary Action is seeking creative visual representations of what volunteering means, to be included in an exhibition during Volunteers’ Week 2019. If you’ve ...
Office at South Street Arts Centre – bidding opportunity
7 March 2019Vacant office at South Street Arts Centre, 21 South Street, Reading RG1 4QU A vacant office at 21 South Street is available to rent on a short lease in accordance with the letting particulars set out below. In accordance with the Third Sector Premises Policy Statement agreed on 16 February 2016, voluntary sector organisations have a ...