Here you can keep up with the latest from Reading’s 1000+ voluntary organisations and other voluntary sector news from around the area.
Compass Recovery College courses for January–April 2022
15 December 2021Compass Recovery College has published its prospectus and course schedule for January to April 2022 Next term sees the college continuing to offer both online and in person health and wellbeing workshops which are free and open to everyone. You can register quickly and easily and find further information on the Compass Recovery College website. If you ...
Vaccination support during December 2021
14 December 2021
Do your community/service users need support and reassurance to access the Covid 19 vaccine? Just over 50,000 people in Reading have yet to have their first dose. Scientific data shows that vaccines are our best protection from the dangerous effects of Covid-19, even as new variants emerge. Covid Information and Question and Answer Session – Online ...
The Big Give: Women and Girls Match Fund- deadline Tuesday 11 January 2022
10 December 2021
Introduction: The Women and Girls Match Fund is a match funding campaign for charities that are working to improve the lives of vulnerable, disadvantaged or underrepresented women and girls in England and Scotland. The Women and Girls Match Fund campaign is led by The Big Give – the UK’s leading platform for match funding – and supported ...
Rosa: Rise Fund for BAME women and girls groups- deadline 31 January 2022
10 December 2021
Rosa’s Rise Fund provides organisational development funding for Black and minoritised-led women’s and girls’ organisations across the UK. With the funding they have raised to date, they expect to be able to support between 25 and 30 organisations across the UK. Who is eligible to apply: Rosa’s Rise Fund particularly welcome proposals from organisations that: are ‘user-led’. Which ...
Updated NAVCA Covid ‘Plan B’ guidance for volunteers
10 December 2021NAVCA has met with representatives from DCMS about the latest ‘Plan B’ guidance, and here is a summary: The ‘work from home if you can’ guidance This also covers volunteering activity, so it’s ‘volunteer from home if you can’ as well. Activities such as administration, making or answering phone calls and updating websites should be done from ...
Winter community food sites 2021
9 December 2021
The commitment of Reading’s local community food hubs shines bright this holiday season. Many people across the country continue to struggle to make ends meet, including those in our town. Below is a selection of voluntary community groups working in neighbourhoods across Reading that will be in service over the holidays. Some sites specialise in ...
Reading submits city status bid
8 December 2021
Reading has submitted its bid for City Status as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022 Designed in consultation with residents, the voluntary sector and the business community, the bid is a celebration of everything Reading which makes it such a great place to live, work and visit, in particular the people, the communities ...
Reading Youth Council elections and annual conference
8 December 2021
Elections to the Reading Youth Council are due to take place in January 2022 There are 20 spaces available which will be divided between the following four areas of Reading: North (RG4), South (RG2), East (RG1, RG6) and West (RG30, RG31). Any pupil aged between 11 and 18 on 1 January 2022 from any Reading school ...
Land for sale or to let: Bridge Street/Church Road, Caversham
8 December 2021
FOR SALE OR TO LET: LAND WITH HOARDINGS AT BRIDGE STREET AND CHURCH ROAD Caversham, Reading RG4 8AE The property comprises a triangular shaped parcel of land located at the corner of Bridge Street and Church Road in the heart of Caversham and lies about one mile north of Reading town centre. The surrounding property is of ...
Free seminar from NPC: Closing down a service or programme well
7 December 2021
NPC in collaboration with The Clothworkers Foundation are running a free seminar to explore what trustees should be taking into account when making decisions to close a programme or service, in order to minimise the impact of this closure on those the charity seeks to help. It is aimed at all trustees regardless of their ...
Updated Guidance: NHS Test and Trace in the workplace
7 December 2021
The Government has updated its test and trace guidance in response to the new Omicron variant. The guidance includes: Changes to self-isolation requirements for contacts of people who have been identified as a suspected or confirmed case of the Omicron variant of coronavirus (COVID-19). These contacts must stay at home and self-isolate even if they are fully vaccinated ...
Updated Safeguarding Guidance from the Charity Commission
7 December 2021
The Charity Commission has recently updated its guidance on safeguarding for voluntary and community sector organisations. All charities have a responsibility to ensure they don’t cause harm to anyone who has contact with them. Charities working with children or adults at risk have extra responsibilities. Read the guidance to find out about your responsibilities to keep everyone ...
Is your charity or community group looking for storage space?
7 December 2021
In view of recent requests for storage space for the sector, RVA is collecting details from groups and charities about what space is required. If your group is looking for storage space, perhaps because you have migrated to more hybrid working with less office space, or if this is a long-standing issue for you, please ...
Asda Foundation Investing in Spaces and Places Grant- stage 1 applications open until 9 January 2022
1 December 2021
The Asda Foundation will be supporting communities across the UK with an investment to help groups improve these spaces through this brand-new grant. . The first round of Investing in Spaces and Places Grants launch in October 2021 and will be awarded in June 2022. There is a limited funding allocation for each Asda region. Who can ...
Can you support us to help people get vaccinated for Covid-19?
1 December 2021
Does your community or your service users need support and reassurance to access the Covid-19 vaccine? Just over 50,000 people in Reading have yet to have their first dose. Scientific data shows that vaccines are our best protection from the dangerous effects of Covid-19, even as new variants emerge. Reading Voluntary Action are working to improve information ...
Voluntary sector vaccine support – helpline and information page
1 December 2021
Information on getting your Covid-19 and flu vaccines in Reading We’ve updated our information page with links to information about getting Covid-19 and flu vaccinations in Reading this winter. Access it via the link below or via the RVA homepage. As we get more updates, for example, dates for the Health on the Move Van or ...
Free workshop with ACAS and NCVO on handling conflict – 7 December 11am – 12.30pm-
1 December 2021
ACAS and NCVO are hosting a free workshop for charities on dealing with difficult conversations with staff or volunteers. Having difficult conversations about sensitive and or emotive issues is a necessary part of being a leader or manager in a charity. But many try to avoid these conversations in the hope that the issue will ...
Mental health and wellbeing support for adult asylum seekers
1 December 2021
Barnardo’s Boloh Helpline is pleased to announce the expansion of our service to support the mental health and wellbeing of adult asylum seekers across the UK. This project is funded by the Home Office and is in addition to our current service that offers support to children, young people and their parents. The Helpline will offer ...
NLCF Platinum Jubilee Fund – deadline 15 December 2021 at 5pm
1 December 2021
Introduction: The Platinum Jubilee celebrates 70 years of Her Majesty The Queen’s reign and to mark this occasion, the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) will fund 70 projects across the UK. Funded projects will need to be up and running by Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend on the 5th June 2022. They plan to make their final decisions on ...
Have you had your Flu vaccination and Covid-19 booster jab?
24 November 2021This winter, it’s more important than ever to get your flu vaccination and take up the offer of the Covid-19 booster jab, if you are eligible. More people are likely to get flu this winter as fewer people will have built up natural immunity to it during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns. Research has shown ...