Here you can keep up with the latest from Reading’s 900+ voluntary organisations and other voluntary sector news from around the area.
Mental Health Forum
6 October 201710am – 12noon (followed by individual slots) Does your organisation support service users with mental health problems? RVA is co-hosting a Mental Health Forum in partnership with the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Berkshire Community Foundation (BCF) to explore what can be done to support those with mental health problems into employment. There is ...
Understanding what we can do to Make Safeguarding Personal
5 October 2017
Members of CLASP (a service user group and self-advocacy charity for people with learning disabilities) have created a short film to help us understand what we can do to help make safeguarding personal Making Safeguarding Personal puts people more in control of their lives and makes sure they are involved in decisions and choices that help ...
Reading has over 64 Champions to End Loneliness and counting!
4 October 2017
Reading Champions to End Loneliness Campaign launched in July with our first workshop at Reading Central Library. 24 participants found out about loneliness in Reading and discussed what they could do to help reduce loneliness in their communities. Last week we then ran our second workshop in Caversham with 40 participants in Caversham Library, in ...
Join us for RVA’s AGM on 19 October 2017
4 October 2017
This year, Reading Voluntary Action’s AGM will take place on Thursday 19 October, from 9.30am, on the third floor of Reading Central Library. Matt Rhoda MP will be joining us to introduce our theme of Working Together Join us to find out about the work we’ve been doing, together with organisations across the town, to improve the ...
Latest News from seAp Advocacy
4 October 2017seAp (support, empower, advocate, promote) is an independent charity that specialises in the provision of advocacy and related services. Their independent advocacy supports people, especially those who are most vulnerable in society, to have their voice heard, access their rights and have more control over their lives. To find out all the latest news from ...
Fun Palaces: events at all Reading Libraries on 7 October
4 October 2017
The Fun Palace manifesto: we believe in the genius in everyone, in everyone an artist and everyone a scientist, and that creativity in community can change the world for the better. From arts and crafts to science and technology, there are lots of free activities for all ages taking place on Saturday 7 October. Local community ...
Older People’s Day 2017
4 October 2017Reading is celebrating National Older People’s Day on Monday 9 October 2017, with a fun-filled afternoon of events at Rivermead Leisure Complex from 1pm to 4 pm. This annual free event celebrates the contribution of older people to our communities. The festivities kick off at 1pm with a welcome from the Mayor of Reading, Councillor Rose ...
Health and Wellbeing Board – 6th October
29 September 2017The next meeting of Reading’s Health and Wellbeing Board is on Friday 6th October at 2pm in the Council Chamber. The agenda includes: Reducing Loneliness and Isolation, including a summary of the findings from a Reading-wide questionnaire into loneliness and isolation in April and May 2017 Suicide Prevention programme update The merger of the four CCGs in Berkshire West The ...
30 hours of free childcare available
26 September 2017Parents with a child who is three or four years old may now be entitled to an extra 15 hours a week of free childcare, so 30 hours in total. You must earn the equivalent of 16 hours a week at National Minimum or Living wage, and less than £100,000 per year, to take advantage ...
BCF Mental Health Funding now open!
26 September 2017The funding is for local community groups working to address the effects of mental health issues across Berkshire. Initial expression of interest to be submitted by 30 October.
Kindness Can: conference on loneliness and our local response
25 September 2017On Wednesday 20 September I went to the Campaign to End Loneliness conference ‘Kindness Can’. The conference is an annual event, which is an opportunity for organisations connected to the Campaign to get together, hear about the latest research and initiatives to address loneliness and share their thoughts and ideas. The Campaign to End Loneliness launched this ...
Do you know anyone that needs help to get online? Free drop-in sessions
20 September 2017
Whatever you need help with – using a computer, smartphone or tablet – the Get Online Reading team can help you at their free drop-in sessions at libraries and community venues around the town.
World Mental Health Day – 10 October
19 September 2017
Reading Borough Council is organising and supporting following events to mark World Mental Health Day 2017 Reading’s Older People’s Day 2017 on 9 October has the theme of Emotional Wellbeing will include a range of workshops, demonstrations and information stalls promoting mental health and wellbeing. Find out more about Reading Older People’s Day which is being ...
Mental Capacity Act Week – free training
14 September 2017
The West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Board is hosting a series of free workshops to support practitioners to develop skills and knowledge in understanding and applying the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The workshops take place 16 – 20 October 2017 and are open to all practitioners working across Reading, West Berkshire and Wokingham. Workshops details: ** Monday 16th ...
Sarah’s 50km walk for Daisy’s Dream
13 September 2017RVA’s Partnership Manager Sarah Morland took part in the Thames Path Challenge this Saturday, walking 50km to raise funds for Daisy’s Dream. Sarah’s Just Giving page chronicles her training, including her two-and-a-half-hour walks home after long days in the RVA office! After months of preparations, Sarah completed the demanding walk from Runnymede to Henley in just ...
Free condoms for vulnerable people in Reading
13 September 2017Thames Valley Positive Support (TVPS) runs FACT – The Free Adult Condom Trust, a service that aims to make condom access free and straightforward for vulnerable people in Reading. If your organisation works with vulnerable people in Reading and you would like to be able to provide them with free condoms and sexual health information, ...
Partnership Development Fund – open from 12 September
12 September 2017The CCGs’ Partnership Development Fund is open for applications from Tuesday 12 September. The four Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in Berkshire West set up the Partnership Development Fund as part of their commitment to working with the voluntary sector on local services for patients that align with the CCGs’ strategic and operational plans. The 2018/19 Partnership Development ...
Safeguarding Adults – a great turnout
12 September 2017Nearly 40 people attended “Safeguarding adults is everybody’s business” on Monday 11 September. Volunteers, staff and interested individuals learned more about who is at risk, the range of abuse and neglect issues and how to raise concerns. We heard from: Natalie Madden, Business Manager for the West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB). The Board brings together ...
Remember a charity in your will: “You are really giving a lifeline and your legacy will live on for a long long time”
11 September 2017As part of Remember A Charity Week 2017 our intern Stephanie has been exploring the impact that legacy giving can have on charities within our local community. As part of her work she had the opportunity to speak to Samantha Harper at the Berkshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre to find out more about the condition, ...
Support by and for autistic people in Reading
6 September 2017AutAngel is an autistic-run group which helps autistic adults to live more fulfilling lives. They have recently received more funding to re-start the successful peer support groups and post-identification programme that they piloted in Reading last year. They have also started a new gardening group which meets weekly to plan an allotment and grow and harvest ...