Here you can keep up with the latest from Reading’s 1000+ voluntary organisations and other voluntary sector news from around the area.
Can you complete a Marathon in May for PACT?
24 March 2023READING-based charity Parents And Children Together (PACT) is asking people to complete a marathon in a month in support of its work with children, families and the local community. Marathon in May challenges you to complete a total of 26.2 miles over the 31 days in May. You can run, walk, cycle or wheel the miles ...
The Big Help Out
23 March 2023
To mark His Majesty The King’s Coronation voluntary sector organisations across the country are being encouraged to provide opportunities for people to get involved in volunteering opportunities in their communities. Starting on May 8th, the objective of The Big Help Out is to raise awareness of volunteering throughout the UK and provide opportunities for people to ...
Trustee Training with RVA
21 March 2023
We are pleased to say that our popular trustee training is back! The session will be in person in our training room. Why attend trustee training? Trustees play an essential role in our society, making our charity sector work. It’s a hugely rewarding role but it’s not always easy to get all the information you require to ...
Safeguarding Elearning for your charity or community groups
20 March 2023
Is your organisation looking for safeguarding training for it’s staff and volunteers. RVA has partnered with VSL Consulting, who are offering subsidised Elearning for voluntary and community groups in Reading at £15.75 per person. Further details from VSL: Developed in collaboration with safeguarding experts and the Small Charities Coalition. Designed specifically for charities and not-for-profits 2 hour interactive and visually stimulating. ...
Depression Xpression receives £3,980.00 in National Lottery funding
16 March 2023Depression Xpression is celebrating being awarded £3,980.00 in funding from the National Lottery Community Fund. Depression Xpression is a peer support group founded in 2014 for people with depression and other mental health issues. It runs monthly evening meetings in Reading and Wokingham and a drop-in coffee morning every Friday in Reading. There are also regular ...
Sight Loss Training with Berkshire Vision
14 March 2023Would you like to find out more about sight loss? Berkshire Vision will be running a free 45 minute online course that will help you understand the following: How eyes work The causes of sight loss Sight loss registration How to keep your eyes healthy How Berkshire Vision supports people living with sight loss Volunteering with Berkshire Vision This free 45 minute online ...
Berkshire Youth Survey 2023
14 March 2023Following its successful launch in West Berkshire – with over 6,000 young people responding – Berkshire Youth have opened up their Berkshire Youth Survey 2023 to the rest of the county. The local youth work charity hope that as many young people as possible complete this survey, which will help them and their partners – including ...
SPAR Community Cashback Scheme -Deadline on15 March 2023
10 March 2023
Following the enormous success of its £100K Community Cashback Scheme last year, SPAR is repeating the programme this year, giving grants to local organisations and charities. Leading convenience symbol group SPAR is launching a new £100,000 Community Cashback scheme, which will give grants to local voluntary or community organisations and charities who need it most. Who is ...
Befriending Forum – on Zoom
9 March 2023
The NHS has recently relaunched the Check in and Chat service (plus a new Check in and Chat Plus option) for people facing loneliness across the UK. Alison Waters, RVS Regional Relationship Manager for London and the South East will tell us about these services and answer our questions on what this means for Reading ...
Wellbeing Wednesday – COVID vaccines for over 12 year olds
9 March 2023There will be COVID Vaccines available for over 12 year olds at Whitley Community Development Association, 252 Northumberland Avenue, Reading, RG2 7QA This will be between 9:30am – 3:30pm on Wednesday, 15th March. More information in the attached image on the right
Health on the Move – Children’s COVID vaccines for 5-12 year olds
9 March 2023There will be COVID Vaccines available for 5-12 year olds at Sun Street Youth & Community Centre, Reading, RG1 3JX At the following dates between 2pm and 5pm: Thursday 9th March Thursday 23rd March Thursday 30th March More information in the attached image on the right
No Smoking Day – 8 March 2023
28 February 2023
Stopping Smoking Protects Your Brain Health Research shows that those who smoke are more likely to develop dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. According to Alzheimer’s Research UK, dementia is the most feared health condition for people over the age of 55 – more than any other life-threatening disease including cancer and diabetes. Yet YouGov data commissioned by Action on ...
NHS Check in and Chat relaunch
23 February 2023
The NHS Check in and Chat service that was set up as part of the NHS Responders initiative at the beginning of the pandemic, is being relaunched. A more intensive offer called Check in and Chat Plus will be launched shortly afterwards. Check In and Chat is back. We know these friendly phone calls were much ...
Free online street party workshops from RVA
16 February 2023
Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) is delivering a series of free online workshops for anyone interested in running a street party in 2023.
Autism Berkshire launches support service for autistic adults
16 February 2023Autism Berkshire is now providing the new Berkshire Adult Autism Support Service, to help autistic adults aged 18+ throughout the county. The aim of the service, which is funded by the Frimley NHS Integrated Care System and the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West NHS Integrated Care System, is to provide advice and support to autistic adults ...
Six local charities secure mental health equalities funding to support communities in Berkshire West
13 February 2023
Six local charities across Berkshire West can now do even more vital work to improve the health and wellbeing of local residents after being awarded small grants to support projects with a focus on inclusion for communities within Berkshire West at risk of experiencing health inequalities. With Reading Voluntary Action’s support, the Joint Commissioning Team at ...
Webinar: Identifying and Responding to Self-Neglect – 8 Feb 2023
6 February 2023What is self-neglect? And what should you do if you’re concerned about someone? In our activities as voluntary and charitable groups, we interact with people every day and we’re likely to notice things that worry us, for example, a person looking poorly or unkempt, they might have lost weight over the time we have known them, ...
Reading VCS Assembly: 2 March 2023 – Challenging Inequality in Reading
5 February 2023Reading VCS Assembly – Challenging Inequality in Reading ‘No One Left Behind’ Reading residents experience some of the most unequal health and economic outcomes in England. Outcomes are worsening for our most disadvantaged communities and the reasons are complex. The increase in health inequalities in England points to social and economic conditions, many of which have shown increased inequalities, ...
Smart Energy GB in Communities Fund: Grant funding available to support smart meter projects in 2023 – deadline Feb 10th
2 February 2023The 2023 Smart Energy GB in Communities programme is now live, with grant funding and support being targeted to organisations reaching people in fuel poverty; people lacking basic digital skills; or carers. Grants of up to £25,000 are available for organisations that can deliver support to people in fuel poverty Grants of up to £15,000 are available ...
Building Berkshire Together Options Survey – deadline 6 March 2023
31 January 2023The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (the Trust) is on the Government’s New Hospital Programme. This means they will receive funding to either redevelop or rebuild the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. They have called our programme Building Berkshire Together or BBT. By being on the New Hospital Programme it gives the Trust the chance to ...