Here you can keep up with the latest from Reading’s 900+ voluntary organisations and other voluntary sector news from around the area.
Visit my Mosque – Abu Bakr Mosque open day on 3 March 2019
20 February 2019The Muslim community from West Reading would like to extend a warm invite to the wider community to attend Abu Bakr Mosque’s open day on Sunday 3 March 2019 running from between 12.00 – 16.30pm. The Trustees, staff, and volunteers from the mosque would like to welcome anyone wishing to attend the open day as it will provide an opportunity ...
Free resources to develop financial resilience
19 February 2019We have updated the funding and finance section of our Knowledge base with links to free resources to help your charity build financial resilience, including: a free reserves calculator from the Wise Owl Partnership guidance on a simple reserves policy from Sayer Vincent full Charity Commission guidance on building resilience (CC19) You can take a look here at our ...
Charity set up toolkit from the Small Charities Coalition
19 February 2019The Small Charities Coalition has launched a free digital tool to help people set up small charities and register with the Charity Commission. The new toolkit charitysetup, aims to guide people through the process of setting up a charity in a clear and concise way. You can also find further resources on setting up a group here in the RVA Knowledge ...
Conversation with Brighter Futures for Children
19 February 2019Are you working with disadvantaged families in Reading? Following on from the market place event Brighter Futures for Children would like to meet with voluntary organisations to discuss their work and help inform future planning and commissioning. This forum will provide an opportunity for you to find out more about the new children’s services company and share ...
National Lottery Grants for Heritage
18 February 2019The National Lottery Grant for Heritage is an open programme for all types of heritage projects. Heritage can mean different things to different people. It can be anything from the past that is valued with the wish to pass it on to future generations. As a guide, this could include: oral history cultural traditions nature natural and designed landscapes community archaeology historic buildings, monuments and environments collections of objects, books or documents ...
Magic Breakfast – National School Breakfast Programme
18 February 2019The Government’s National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP) is being delivered by Family Action and Magic Breakfast to schools in disadvantaged areas of England. Funding is available to start or improve breakfast provision in over 1,770 schools on a first come, first served basis. What is on offer? A start-up grant of up to £500 for essential resources to ...
Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grants
18 February 2019Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grants are two special voting rounds of the Tesco local community grant scheme. Applications are assessed by Groundwork to ensure they are eligible. Tesco colleagues will shortlist the projects to determine which go forward to the customer vote. Three community projects in each region will be voted on by customers in Tesco ...
National Lottery Community Fund one-to-one funding surgery on 14 March 2019
18 February 2019Does your voluntary or community group need funding for a specific project? The National Lottery Community Fund funding officer for Reading will be offering one-to-one sessions for Reading voluntary and community groups, on Thursday 14 March 2019 at the RVA offices on the Third Floor of Central Library. At your one-to-one, you will have the have the ...
Is your charity ready for the new financial year/tax year?
12 February 2019RVA are hosting a further treasurer training in April 2019, in collaboration with Rachel Eden from Holybrook Associates, to help treasurers get to grips with their role. This training is suitable for new treasurers, those interested in finding out more, or existing treasurers who would like a reminder of their role and responsibilities. The training aims to build confidence ...
Opportunity for charities to become registered advisors on EU settlement
12 February 2019The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) have announced an opportunity for charities to become registered advisors to EU Citizens on UK Settlement. This new scheme allows charities to register at Level 1 in a streamlined process that takes 4 to 6 weeks. The scheme is aimed at smaller, community-based charities and other organisations, including ...
Thinking of holding a street party? Free road closures available this summer
12 February 2019
To ensure that everybody enjoys celebrating their Big Lunch, this year the council is giving you the opportunity to hold a street party on one of three weekends in the summer: 1-2 June, 22-23 June or 6-7 July. Residents that would like to close their road for a party will be able to do so ...
Courier fraud in Reading – advice from Thames Valley Police
6 February 2019Elderly and vulnerable residents in Reading Police Area have been targeted by courier fraudsters. Courier fraudsters phone and trick victims into handing over their bank cards and associated PIN (number) to a courier that arrives at their home. Thames Valley Police is calling on friends and family to help tackle the problem by talking to elderly ...
John Sykes Foundation looking to give a helping hand to those in need
6 February 2019Do you know someone in need of financial support? Or do you need a helping hand yourself? If so, the John Sykes Foundation wants to hear from you. The John Sykes Foundation has been distributing grants to help people and families in need since 2014. Their aim is to support individuals from all walks of life ...
Prevention and Early Intervention – learning from the Safeguarding Conference
5 February 2019
Prevention and Early Intervention was the theme for the Annual Joint Safeguarding Conference, jointly hosted by Berkshire West Local Safeguarding Children Boards and West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Board, which took place on 30 January 2019. Three members of the RVA team attended: Sarah Morland, Sarah Timmins DeGregory and Charlotte Netherton-Sinclair. Here are some of ...
Let BCF know your views on the current funding climate
4 February 2019Berkshire Community Foundation (BCF) want to know what you think about the current funding climate for third sector organisations. BCF distributes grants, provides advice and raises the profile of local charities and community groups addressing identified need across Berkshire. They want to make sure they understand what fundraising is like on the ground for the groups ...
Training services from Citizens Advice Reading
4 February 2019You probably know of the help and information provided by Citizens Advice Reading throughout the Reading area, but are you aware of their professional training services? Over the past ten years, Citizens Advice Reading have become a trusted and established training provider, offering courses to a wide range of organisations both at their training facility in ...
Reading Dispensary Trust – grants available
4 February 2019Reading Dispensary Trust makes monthly grants for equipment and services not available through statutory sources, to those suffering from physical and mental illness, living within a seven mile radius of the centre of Reading. Applications are only accepted from organisations/agencies on behalf of their clients. Grants have been given for many items including white goods, furniture, ...
Reading Internship Scheme 2019
31 January 2019The University of Reading have launched their Reading Internship Scheme for 2019. Now in its fifth year, the scheme aims to ensure that students are getting meaningful work experience and are able to apply and develop transferable business skills. The University are looking for host organisations that are looking to grow their talent pipeline by offering a ...
Free masterclass on good practice in befriending
30 January 2019Befriending Networks are providing three free masterclasses on Good Practice in Befriending this spring. These events are open to members and non-members of Befriending Networks, thanks to funding from the Building Connections Fund. When are they happening? Leeds on 6 March 2019 London on 12 March 2019 Leicester on 13 March 2019 Who should attend? Anyone involved with commissioning, delivering or supporting a ...
Adult Social Care and Health Strategy Consultation – open until 31 March 2019
29 January 2019Reading Borough Council is consulting on their priorities for Adult Social Care over the next three years and is looking for feedback from community partners and residents. You can download the draft strategy, Supporting Our Future, from the RBC website and complete the online survey or post in your comments. Reading Borough Council says: We have developed ...