Here you can keep up with the latest from Reading’s 1000+ voluntary organisations and other voluntary sector news from around the area.
Community Ownership Fund round 3 – deadline 31 Jan 2024
12 December 2023The Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities is offering a Community Ownership Fund for communities across the United Kingdom to take ownership of community assets at risk of closure. It will run until 2024/25. Funding may support the purchase and/or essential renovation costs of community assets but you will need match funding for the ...
Help Make Health Research and Planning Across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB) Become More Equitable
11 December 2023Across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB) we* have been given money to develop better ways of working with local communities. The idea of the network is to help make sure that the views of all communities** are included in health and care research and healthcare planning. We want to make sure research and planning ...
RBC Small Grants Fund – round 2 – deadline 30 Jan 2024
29 November 2023Reading Borough Council has allocated £100k for round 2 of the small grants to the voluntary and community sector for the year 2023/24. The council is inviting applications for funding to support the residents to become more self-sufficient, built on a bedrock of valued educational attainment, strong skills and practical knowledge that enables them to realise ...
Slides from RVA Funder Event Nov 2023
28 November 2023Last week we hosted a Funder Event to enable the local voluntary and community sector organisations to hear from local and national funders on current and upcoming funding rounds, as well as giving the opportunity to groups to network with one another. The session was well attended and we heard from: Berkshire Community Foundation (BCF) – ...
RCLC awarded a renewal of their Safe and Sound!
28 November 2023Picture above: Aisha Malik, General Manager and Petra Robinson, Administrator accepting the Safe and Sound Certificate from Herjeet Randhawa, RVA Advice Service Manager outside RCLC offices, London Street. We are delighted to announce that Reading Community Learning Centre (RCLC) have successfully been awarded a renewal of their Safe and Sound Good Governance Award. This is their ...
Introduction to First Steps towards Safe and Sound – March in-person session
16 November 2023
First Steps towards Safe and Sound is a free tool available to all voluntary and community groups offering services in Reading, who wish to take the first steps towards having good governance in place. Come along to our March introduction session and find out how to get started and what the benefits are for your ...
Introduction to First Steps towards Safe and Sound – February online session
16 November 2023First Steps towards Safe and Sound is a free tool available to all voluntary and community groups offering services in Reading, who wish to take the first steps towards having good governance in place. Come along to our February introduction session and find out how to get started and what the benefits are for your ...
Introduction to First Steps towards Safe and Sound – January in-person session
16 November 2023First Steps towards Safe and Sound is a free tool available to all voluntary and community groups offering services in Reading, who wish to take the first steps towards having good governance in place. Come along to our January introduction session and find out how to get started and what the benefits are for your ...
RBC Asset Mapping Workshop – Healthy Weight
16 November 2023
Reading Borough Council’s Public Health team is hosting an Asset Mapping Workshop, following the Healthy Weight Needs Assessment. This is the next, influential step, ahead of launching a whole systems approach to healthy weight across the Borough of Reading. Prior to this launch, building a comprehensive understanding of some of the work that is currently and/or ...
Santa Run and Walk, Sunday 10th December 2023
14 November 2023On Sunday 10th December, the Rotary Club of Reading is holding a Santa Run and Walk event. Come and join us at the University of Reading for a timed 5k Run and an untimed 2k mini-Run or Walk for ALL. The routes take you through the vast and wonderful University grounds; once again we are very grateful to the ...
Toys & Teens Appeal 2023, closing 3rd December 2023
13 November 2023Reading Family Aid – Toys & Teens Appeal 2023. The Toys and Teens Appeal has been running for over 60 years in various forms. Today we are asking people who live in Reading and district to donate toys and gifts for children living in the Reading area who otherwise would have no Christmas presents. Our appeal closes ...
Have you heard about Joy Marketplace – free online visibility for local voluntary and community organisations (VCOs)?
7 November 2023
Joy is an online platform that connects people to life-changing local services. It instantly refers clients to high-quality support on the marketplace of services, which automatically stays up to date. It’s free for VCOs to join and gives your organisation visibility to the public and to health and wellbeing professionals. You can easily customise your organisation’s ...
Safeguarding Adults Week free webinars: 20-24 November 2023
7 November 2023
During Safeguarding Adults Week from 20 – 24 November 2023 the West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Partnership is offering free webinars on key topics around safeguarding adults, which will cover themes on safeguarding yourself and others. These sessions are open to all health and social care staff and those volunteering and working for voluntary and community ...
Trustees Week 2023 find out about training and webinars
25 October 2023
Trustees Week is an annual celebration of Trusteeship across the country and each year Trustees and aspiring trustees can access a range of online and in person webinars and training to help you in your role. Volunteer Trustees are crucial to our sector and this is also an opportunity to celebrate your contribution and share ...
Berkshire West mental health grants for children and young people from disadvantaged communities 2023-24 – Deadline on Wednesday 22 November
24 October 2023
RVA has been asked to manage a small grants process to deliver wellbeing projects with a focus on inclusion for communities within Berkshire West at risk of experiencing health inequalities. RVA will work in partnership with Volunteer Centre West Berkshire and Involve – Wokingham. Expressions of interest are welcome and voluntary and community organisations (VCOs) can ...
Free coaching for Reading’s charities from Coaching Reading
17 October 2023
This is part of the continued partnership between RVA and Coaching Reading to offer free coaching sessions to those who work or volunteer for a charity, voluntary or community group. Who are Coaching Reading? Coaching Reading are a group of Reading based coaching professionals and enthusiasts who have come together to share knowledge and ideas, support the ...
Desks and office furniture available
12 October 2023Reading Rockets have 6 excellent desks, high quality ones, each with a 2 drawer side cabinet plus a settee, cabinets, divider boards etc. held in storage just off the A33 Basingstoke Road that they are offering to groups. If interested, please contact Gary: Gary.Johnson@readingrockets.co.uk or 01189263040
Office space available for Charity in Central Reading
12 October 2023At Wesley Church on Queens Road, Reading, we are developing a Charities and Community Hub in our old manse building on the site. One of our office spaces has become available to let to a local charity, joining the several others who work from the premises and welcome clients in. The details are: Single office space, ...
Ready Friends Befriending Forum
10 October 2023
Tackling loneliness stigma. RVA will be delighted to welcome Emily Sawdon and Phoebe Weston-Stanley, Research Directors from the National Centre for Social Research, to discuss the findings of their research into social- and self-stigma experienced by people facing loneliness and social isolation. Please click here for the research report. The event will include: Welcome, introductions and event outcomes Presentations ...
Various dates: Universal Safeguarding Children Training from Brighter Futures for Children
4 October 2023Does your charity offer services to children? Brighter Futures for Children are offering in person Universal Safeguarding Children training. This training is entry level training and is suitable for all in the organisation. Cost: free Target Group All staff or volunteers whose work brings them into contact with children and young people in whatever circumstances. Course Content The course will ...