Here you can keep up with the latest from Reading’s 900+ voluntary organisations and other voluntary sector news from around the area.
Community Learning – funding opportunity through New Directions
15 April 2016Community Learning is a broad range of learning that brings together adults, often of different ages and backgrounds, to pursue an interest, address a need, acquire a new skill, become healthier or learn how to support their children. A key part of the learning continuum – it is non-formal, it does not necessarily lead to ...
CQC wants to hear from people who have received care for depression, anxiety and stress
14 April 2016It is estimated that nearly one in four people in England suffer with conditions related to depression, anxiety and stress. People with mental health problems may be accessing health and social care and know a lot about the quality of care. Do you get help from health professionals for feeling anxious, feeling stressed or feeling low? ...
Bags of Help – funding opportunity for local green space
14 April 2016The second funding round for the Tesco Bags of Help grant scheme opens on Monday 18 April 2016. The scheme is administered by Groundwork and funded by Tesco customers from the proceeds of the 5p charge for plastic carrier bags as a result of a government carrier bag levy. Bags of Help is available to a wide ...
Do you need help getting to grips with your group’s finances?
13 April 2016If you need to understand how much money your charity really has, help may be at hand. Andy Smy has 20 years experience as a business analyst in the financial services industry and extensive experience as a charity trustee in Reading. He’s looking to provide support to organisations who do not have a full understanding of their ...
Less than half of small charity annual reports and accounts meet required standard
13 April 2016The Charity Commission has published research claiming that less than half of small charities meet the required reporting and accounting standards. All charities are required by law to produce a set of annual reports and accounts and have them available for inspection at their registered office. All Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) and all charities with income ...
RVA launches Ready Friends
13 April 2016RVA is delighted to be launching a new project to promote befriending in Reading, thanks to funding from The Earley Charity. There are several established befriending schemes in Reading, working to reduce the isolation of older people, families, and those with long-term health conditions or disabilities. Ready Friends will promote volunteering opportunities with these befriending schemes, ...
Measuring the difference you make
13 April 2016We all want our services to make a difference to the people and communities that we support. Measuring the impact of your work is a key to being an effective organisation. Are you achieving what you set out to do? Where people have a choice, would they choose your service? Do funders know about the ...
Silvers’ Workshop offers tools for active retirement
13 April 2016Retired men in the Reading area have the perfect toolkit for an active and enjoyable retirement thanks to the The Silvers’ Workshop based in West Reading. The Silvers’ Workshop is a member of the UK Men’s Shed Association and takes its name from the colour of the members’ hair. It gives its members the opportunity to work on ...
Webinar on Building Better Opportunities funding
8 April 2016In January 2016 the Local Enterprise Partnership held a briefing session, alongside the Cabinet Office and the Big Lottery Fund, for organisations in Thames Valley Berkshire who are interested in being a delivery partner for two Building Better Opportunities projects: ‘addressing barriers to work’ and ‘promoting enterprise’. If you would like to know more ...
Thinking of holding a street party? Free road closures 11-12 June
8 April 2016
Great news for anyone planning to hold a street party this year – Reading Borough Council has again confirmed that it will waive its road closure fees for the weekend of the Big Lunch. So if you are planning to hold a small street party and can arrange it for the weekend of 11 – ...
Highlights from Reading’s Care and Support Conference
7 April 2016Reading Borough Council holds regular Care and Support conferences, bringing together providers from across the sectors to discuss common issues. The conferences are a great opportunity for voluntary sector providers to connect with businesses providing residential care and care for people in their own homes. At the conference on 7th April, we heard that the Council ...
Simple steps towards diversity on your trustee board
7 April 2016It’s not a new phenomenon for charity trustee boards to want to move away from the ‘pale, male and stale’ image that they are often – and sometimes unfairly – labelled with. Yet, many still struggle to diversify and their typical recruitment strategy remains word-of-mouth which, unsurprisingly, results in more of the same. Less than 1% ...
Tracing the history of autism understanding in Berkshire
6 April 2016Autism Berkshire is looking for stories of people’s lives with autism in recent times and the past as part of a project launched last year to mark the 25th anniversary of the charity, which was founded as the Berkshire Autistic Society. The aim is to create a written and spoken record of the history and ...
RCLC and ABC to Read awarded Safe and Sound!
5 April 2016Reading Community Learning Centre (RCLC) and ABC to Read have become the first two charities in Reading to be named Safe and Sound. The Safe and Sound award demonstrates the charities’ commitment to governance and follows consultations provided by Reading Voluntary Action (RVA), scrutinising their governance structures, policies and procedures. Additional support is provided to reach the ...
Reading’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment now on-line
4 April 2016The local Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) is a local assessment of the current and future health, social care and wellbeing needs of the local population in Reading. It looks at a wide range of factors that help shape the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and local communities such as education, employment and the ...
Business planning – creating your future focus
4 April 2016Every organisation and group would benefit from having a business plan – planning is essential to your success. If you are thinking of applying for funding, a business plan may be essential to support your application. Sign up for our half day Business Planning workshop on Thursday 21st April at Reading Central Library to start (or ...
Give now to make a meal for all of Reading
4 April 2016
Reading’s Town Meal is unique and run entirely by volunteers and community groups. Tasty meal-maker rewards are now on offer to donors who help make it happen in 2016. Over 1,000 people are served up a mouth-watering meal made from fresh fruit & veg donated by home-growers, cooked and served up by Reading College catering students ...
Home Early – Settled & Safe
4 April 2016As we know, the Royal Berkshire Hospital is keen that patients leave hospital as soon as they can, with the right support and care – in their own home or in residential care. Voluntary sector organisations can have a role to ensure that a patient going home is settled and safe. The hospital is holding a ...
Update on the Urgent Care Programme Board
1 April 2016“The Urgent Care Programme Board brings together partner organisations from the health and social care system to set the vision and strategic direction for urgent and emergency care services across Berkshire West and oversee delivery of the vision. It also has responsibility for ensuring delivery of the constitutional standard that no patient should wait in ...
Webinar – Building Better Opportunities
30 March 2016Applications for Building Better Opportunities Funding have now opened: Information here In January 2016 the LEP held a briefing session, alongside the Cabinet Office and the Big Lottery Fund, for organisations in Thames Valley Berkshire who are interested in being a delivery partner for two Building Better Opportunities projects: ‘addressing barriers to work’ and ‘promoting ...