The Hub by Lancaster District CVS

Photography by David Robinson morecambephoto.co.uk

The HUB Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions March 2010

a profile of

Paddlers for Life 1

www.lancastercvs.org.uk mail@lancastercvs.org.uk Trinity Community Centre Middle Street Lancaster LA1 1JZ 01524 555900

Lancaster District CVS exists to support local voluntary groups, to encourage them to work together, to provide a link between voluntary and statutory bodies and to find ways of meeting unmet needs by voluntary action. CVS Staff CVS Core Staff

Voluntary Sector Development Team

Jon Rigby Ext. 20 Chief Officer email: jonrigby@lancastercvs.org.uk

Jane Attfield Ext. 27 Voluntary Sector Development Worker email: janeattfield@lancastercvs.org.uk

Bill Livesey Ext. 28 Deputy Chief Officer email: billlivesey@lancastercvs.org.uk

Hannah Bland Ext. 26 Voluntary Sector Development Worker email: hannahbland@lancastercvs.org.uk

Jane Dutton Ext. 20 Office Manager email: janedutton@lancastercvs.org.uk

Kevin Goodall Ext. 24 Information & Publications Officer email: kevingoodall@lancastercvs.org.uk

June Ellis Ext. 25 Finance Officer email: juneellis@lancastercvs.org.uk

Funding Penny Darby Ext. 32 Funding Officer email: pennydarby@lancastercvs.org.uk

Community Learning Network

Friendship Centre

Debra Hughes Ext. 23 CLN Project/Admin Assistant email: debrahughes@lancastercvs.org.uk

Alys Jenkins Ext. 30 Friendship Centre Development Worker email: alysjenkins@lancastercvs.org.uk

Charity Registration (England & Wales) Number 1127626 Company Registration (England & Wales) Number 6743623 Registered office as above 2

Contents Lancashire Association of Councils for Voluntary Service (LACVS) is the collaborative body formed in 2007 to enable the sub-region’s eight local, independent CVS to strengthen their support for voluntary, community and faith (VCF) organisations. The eight CVS have memberships and networks of local VCF groups which reach out to more than 4,000 groups across the sub-region, which range from small informal community and voluntary groups to larger, staffed service providers serving diverse communities across rural and urban areas.

Contacts

Contents

Budget Consultation

Volunteer Awards

Children & Young People’s Festival

LACVS’s collaborative work currently involves representing the VCF sector on regional bodies like Lancashire Partnership and joint work including the administration of Volunteering Lancashire, also managing and providing support at local level for the Lancashire Community Foundation ‘Grassroots Grants’ scheme.

Funding Opportunities

Paddlers For Life

Don’t Stop The Music

NCBI Lancashire

Training & Events

If you would like a profile of an organisation or individual, a feature on a current project or any other information that might be of interest to the members of Lancaster District CVS, call Kevin Goodall on (01524) 555900 extension 24 or email kevingoodall@lancastercvs.org.uk.

Deadline for articles to include in the next issue of the Hub: Friday 14th June 2010 Funded by

Members of

Making Every Penny Count Lancaster District CVS would like to thank its members for making “The Sector Count” in Lancaster City Council ‘s budget consultation held at the beginning of January. The consultation saw the voluntary sector (‘Grants to Organisations’) receiving the most support out of all of the listed “priorities” to receive an increase in funding. Though it is unlikely any of the priorities listed by the council are going to get an increase in funding, we can only hope they recognise the importance of the Sector and the support it has from local people. CVS contacted all Councillors at the beginning of the consultation asking them to support our Voluntary Sector. The final decision on the budget will be made at a Council Meeting on Wednesday 3rd March, which we will report on in the March edition of the email bulletin. Despite many organisations being overwhelmed with demand for their services, many are struggling to survive because of funding cuts. A recent Guardian article claimed voluntary sector organisations in the north of England will feel cuts the hardest because of the prevalence here of public-sector grant programmes and the disappearance of regeneration funds. For the most up to date information on the impact of the recession on Charities, come and hear a talk by the Charity Commission at our “Managing in Challenging Times” Conference on Tuesday 17th March (www.lancastercvs.org.uk/conference2010). Central government and local government investment in local support and development organisations produces big returns for our communities. A survey Lancaster District CVS conducted last summer showed that the District had over 13,400 volunteers giving over 700,000 volunteer hours which is equivalent to over £4,200,000. For more details, see the report via our website: www.lancastercvs.org.uk/thesectorcounts.pdf. Lancaster City Council has announced that its portion of the council tax will rise by 3.75% in 2010/11, resulting in households paying an average (based on a Band D property) £6.95 more a year. The rest of the council tax goes to Lancashire County Council (who have announced they will not be increasing their portion), Lancashire Police Authority (receiving a 2.95% increase) and Lancashire Combined Fire Authority (receiving a 1.99% increase) equating to a total average increase of £12.37. 4

Volunteer Awards 2010 Nominations are now open for the Lancaster District Volunteer Awards 2010. You are invited to nominate individual volunteers under two categories; Volunteer of the Year and Young Volunteer of the Year, as well as nominating groups of volunteers. Our annual ceremony celebrates the contribution made by volunteers within the Lancaster District and provides guests and winners with the opportunity to meet and share their experiences. This year’s event will be held in partnership with students from Lancaster & Morecambe College and will include a showcase from the college’s own volunteer awards, as well as a buffet provided by the Hospitality and Catering students from Coulson’s Restaurant. The deadline for nominations is Friday 14th May 2010. For further details and nomination forms email hannahbland@lancastercvs.org.uk or call (01524) 555900 ext. 26 or download the nomination form from the link below.

Mary Hinde, winner of the 2009 Volunteer of the Year award

www.lancastercvs.org.uk/volunteerawards

Children and Young People’s Festival Saturday 27th March 2010, 10.00am-4.00pm Salt Ayre Sports Centre, Doris Henderson Way, Salt Ayre Lane, Lancaster LA1 5JS Lancaster and District YMCA are finalising plans, advertising and space allocation for the forthcoming Children and Young People’s Festival. There will be a massive media presence on the day with live radio being broadcast all day and all of the local media being asked to take part. A huge number of young people are expected, who will be able to enjoy a full range of activities free of charge. For more information, email ymcalancaster@btconnect.com or call (01524) 32737. 5

Grassroots Grants of up to £5,000 over three years can be used for anything that increases or develops the capacity of small voluntary and community groups, enabling them to continue or expand their work including advocacy, community voice and service provision for local people. Projects should aim to meet local priorities, in particular those that have been agreed on a ward basis by local residents at ‘Your Community Matters’ events. Examples of what can be funded are: • The purchase of equipment • The costs of putting on a local event or workshop • Staff costs to enable the employment of sessional workers • Training for volunteers • Activities that meet an identified need in the local community • Contribution to rent costs related to activities/service delivery This grants programme is aimed at sustaining and developing small, grass-roots organisations. In order to be eligible for a Grassroots Grant, groups must: • be a not-for-profit voluntary or community group, active in their local community for not less than 12 months prior to 31 December 2007 • have an evidenced income of less than £20,000 per annum, taken as an average turnover for the last three financial years (or over the life of the group if it is less than three years old), and net of any grants received through the Grassroots Grants programme • be volunteer led (i.e. with largely volunteer based output) • be connected with and/or meeting the needs of the local community • have a governing document that has as a minimum the name, aim/purpose, objects, a dissolution clause for the organisation, a list of Trustees/Committee members, and Trustees’/Committee members’ signatures Lancaster District CVS and your Grassroots Grants Application It is part of our role to support groups applying for Grassroots funding and we encourage you to send us your application to read through before you send it off. We have a good idea about the kind of questions the panel will be asking and can make sure you’ve covered these in your application. Next closing date for applications: Thursday 27th May 2010.

www.lancastercvs.org.uk/funding/grassrootsgrants.htm 6

Galbraith Trust

The Galbraith Trust came into being in March 2001 with an endowment from the estate of Ian Galbraith, whose family had run hardware stores in Lancaster since the 1950s until Ian's retirement. Since it began, the Trust has distributed over £250,000 to local voluntary and community organisations. The Trust has been set up to make grants to organisations (not individuals) for any charitable purpose. The receiving organisations do not need to be registered charities, but the activity for which they seek a grant must be charitable. The people benefiting from the charitable activity must live in Lancaster District (as defined by the boundaries of Lancaster City Council). The Trustees invite applications for grants of between £100 and £3,000 but will consider applications for smaller or larger amounts. The closing date for applications for Round 35 is Friday 23rd April 2010. For more information and an application form, see the website below or call (01524) 555900.

www.lancastercvs.org.uk/funding/galbraith.htm

Bevington’s Catering ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Quality Cuisine from Buffets to Banquets Any event – social or corporate All dietary requirements catered for, vegetarian, vegan and organic food a speciality All food home made and locally sourced Sample menus available References provided

Katherine Bevington Telephone: (01524) 37858 Mobile: 07825 578294 www.bevingtonscatering.com Email: bevingtonscatering@hotmail.co.uk 7

Paddlers

In September 2007, a small group of women that had completed treatment for breast cancer came together with their friends and family from across Lancashire and Cumbria to do something a little bit different. Inspired by the international breast cancer dragon boat movement that began in 1996 in Canada, Paddlers for Life was established, bringing dragon boat racing to Lake Windermere. Four of the women had previous experience of dragon boat racing and

were to be the force behind establishing the team. They set out to promote the positive benefits of paddling a dragon boat to help with recovery from breast cancer and prevent lymphoedema, a common side effect of treatment. Based at Low Wood Marina and supported by English Lakes Hotels, the crewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weekly paddling activities begin again in April every Sunday between 10.00am and 3.00pm, going right through until October.

for Life

Paddlers for life have two 42’ long dragon boats, ‘Artemis Diana’ with her survivors crew and ‘Lucy at Low Wood’ with her supporters crew. Eighteen people paddle, side by side as a crew with a helm and drummer. While breast cancer diagnosis features strongly in the history of Paddlers for Life, people who have faced other types of cancer are encouraged to have a go. The Charity aims to promote the early detection of all cancers, to raise

Photography by David Robinson morecambephoto.co.uk

awareness of the benefits of physical activity after treatment and simply, to celebrate life. The pre-season training programme, between January and April, is varied, fun and packed with a range of activities to appeal to members. The programme helps to maintain a sense of wellbeing through physical activity. Members walk the fells, take part in swimming pool drills, attend dragon boat coaching in Durham and receive tuition in >>>

(continued from page 9) climbing in Kendal amongst other things. Louisa Balderson, Secretary of the Charity, said “Paddlers for Life is hugely successful. The response from a wide range of partners, including Dr Helen Crank from Sheffield Hallam University and NHS North Lancashire is very positive. People have clearly got the message what we are about, raising awareness and undoubtedly helping to rebuild confidence once treatment for cancer is finished.” Louisa continued, “I would urge anyone with an experience of cancer, either having received treatment or cared for a family member or friend, to take up the opportunity to dragon boat on Lake Windermere.” She added, “Symbolic of our continuing popularity, in June 2010 Paddlers for Life are taking part in a Celebration of Life, an International Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Festival, in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. This is the first time Paddlers for Life, breast cancer crew will take to the water to paddle alongside as many as sixtyfive similar teams from around the world. Exciting times lay ahead!”.

‘Artemis Diana’ and ‘Lucy at Low Wood’

If you would like to find out more about Paddlers for Life, or even get involved with dragon boat racing, see the website: www.paddlersforlife.co.uk.

Third Sector Lancashire The Reverend Canon Michael Wedgeworth has agreed to take up the challenge of leading the consortium into the next phase of its development. Canon Wedgeworth said he is looking forward to building upon the good work that Sir Bill Taylor has done in forming the foundation of the consortium. Third Sector Lancashire exists to represent the Voluntary Community & Faith sectors in Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen & Blackpool. 10

Don’t Stop The Music At some point in April 2010, it is very likely that Charities and not-for-profit organisations will be forced to pay an annual fee for a new music licence (the price will be assessed by the size of the organisation, but a spokesman quoted an average figure of £70-£75) in addition to the £85 licence currently required for the Performing Rights Society (PRS). Previously charities were exempt from paying for the Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) licence, however some exemptions will continue to apply, for example, care homes, religious services and music used as part of medical treatment including music therapy. The Government has admitted in an impact assessment that the move would be “highly detrimental” to some groups which will “cease playing music” because they cannot afford a license. It will cost voluntary groups £20 million a year and it is estimated to affect a quarter of a million organisations including Charities, sports clubs, community buildings, rural halls and religious buildings. The differences between the two licences are that PRS money goes to songwriters, composers and music publishers whereas PPL money goes to performers and record companies. A spokesman for the Intellectual Property Office said: "Charities, not-forprofit and other Third Sector organisations need to be protected from excessive costs, but we also need to ensure that musicians and performers, many of whom earn less than £15,000 a year, receive a fair reward for their creativity. To ease the administrative burden for organisations, PRS and PPL will be combining to create a joint licensing scheme. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is running a 'Don't Stop the Music' campaign to highlight the effect of the new £20 million levy on the voluntary and community sector. For more information, see the website www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/dontstopthemusic. Let us know how this issue is going to affect you!

the alternative... Royalty Free Music There is an alternative to buying both the PRS and PPL licenses, which is royalty free music. This is music made by artists that are not affiliated with either of those organisations, and which can be legitimately played without paying for licences. One useful resource for organisations looking for a free alternative that will still allow them to have music, is internet radio station Royalty Free Music Radio. For more information about Royalty Free Music Radio, see www.rfmradio.co.uk. 11

The iconic Trinity Methodist Church, on the promenade at the west end of Morecambe, hides behind its boarded up windows a flurry of activity. A painstaking and ongoing renovation of the neglected and vandalised building has been taking place to lovingly restore many original fixtures, whilst also adapting it to be a community hub for the 21st century. The first tenants of the church are the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) Lancashire.

The Trinity Methodist Church and (inset) one of the renovated rooms inside

NCBI Lancashire is an independent local charity that is part of an international network that is dedicated to the elimination of racism and other forms of oppression, and in the words of its Director Liz Neat â&#x20AC;&#x153;aims to build communities where people feel welcomeâ&#x20AC;?. The organisation has been in the District since 1999, in which time it has set up the annual Holocaust Memorial Day (which has now been happening for10 years), anti-bullying work with primary and secondary schools, Diversity Dialogues; Community Listeners and work with many under-represented groups in the District. The organisation has good links with nearby charities such as Signposts, Hua Xian Chinese Society and More Music in what is becoming a thriving area of Morecambe, with the recently regenerated Yorkshire Street also featuring a large number of independent shops. A lot of their current work revolves around the local Polish community with a project titled Pomocna Dlon / Helping Hand. The project includes a free fortnightly drop in session offering information and support; a bank of trained community interpreters; a bilingual newsletter (pictured right) called Jedno Miasto featuring local news; a monthly radio show called Gazeta Radio on Diversity 103.5FM; inter cultural events and training workshops. 12

An online NCBI project called ‘Wecome Stories’ provides a fascinating insight into the lives of residents from many generations, and which continues to invite contributions for inclusion on the website. For more information, see: www.welcomestories.org.uk. NCBI Lancashire also offers a diverse array of training events throughout the year, consultancy and training for organisations on equalities issues – more information of which can be found on their website: www.ncbilancashire.org.uk.

Pomocna Dlon project worker Shona Legaspi, Director of NCBI Lancashire Liz Neat, ESOL Teacher Karolina Kowalski and Ian Chamberlain from Gazeta Radio

Trustee Recruitment The Lancaster District CVS Management Committee want to recruit more Trustees and suggested that it would be a good idea to see if our members were having similar problems with recruitment and wanted to join forces on a recruitment campaign. If you would like to join up with us on this we will see if we can find resources to pay for a local newspaper advertising campaign, an introductory reception for interested volunteers followed by trustee induction training and recruitment support for yourselves. If you are interested, please contact Jane Attfield at Lancaster District CVS on (01524) 555900 extension 27 or janeattfield@lancastercvs.org.uk and let us know if you are looking to recruit trustees with any specific skills or background experience e.g. working with young people etc. 13

Training & Events Book Keeping and Accounts for Charities Thursday 11th March 2010, 9.30am-12.30pm West End Community Enterprise Centre, Westminster Road, Morecambe LA3 1SH This Course aims to introduce you to the basic disciplines and techniques necessary to keep accurate and timely financial records within a Charity context. The session will also demonstrate how Microsoft Excel can be used as a tool to aid the above. Price: £20.00-£100.00

Tax Effective Giving Thursday 18th March 2010, 10.30am-4.00pm Trinity Community Centre, Middle Street, Lancaster LA1 1JZ This workshop by the Institute of Fundraising is aimed at all small charities and voluntary organisations who receive donations from individuals and is designed to support groups looking to maximise their income. The workshop will identify how charities can increase their income by making the most of the tax-effective giving methods; Gift Aid, Payroll Giving, Gifts of Shares and Legacies. Price: £10.00-£80.00 (inclusive of lunch, refreshments and all course materials)

Involving Volunteers from Different Ethnic and Faith Backgrounds Thursday 25th March 2010, 10.00am-1.00pm The Cartmel Centre, Euston Road, Morecambe LA4 5NR The Volunteer Coordinators Network is open to anyone involved in supporting, coordinating or managing volunteers. This session will be participatory and focus on good practice and issues around involving volunteers from different Ethnic and Faith backgrounds in the District. Price: Free to Lancaster District CVS members (including lunch)

For more information, or if you would like to attend one or more of the events, please email: hannahbland@lancastercvs.org.uk 14

Trustee Roles: Chair, Treasurer and Secretary Wednesday 21st April 2010, 9.30am-1.00pm Trinity Community Centre, Middle Street, Lancaster LA1 1JZ This session is for anyone who is, or is thinking of, taking on an executive trustee role as Chair, Secretary or Treasurer. The course is suitable for those who are members of Clubs and Associations, Unregistered or Registered Charities, and Charitable Companies. Although all trustees are responsible for everything that goes on, these three roles are key. The session will give a clear idea about the different roles of Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and, by the end of it, participants should have an understanding of: • How to distinguish between the different roles of trustee officers • The responsibilities that are attached to each role • Where to go for information, support and advice Price: £5.00-£60.00

Disabled People, The DDA and your Organisation: Exploding the Myths! Thursday 17th June 2010, 1.30pm-4.30pm One Voice, The Cornerstone, Sulyard Street, Lancaster LA1 1PX Retaining and Recruiting Disabled Volunteers: Find out about recruiting disabled volunteers and what that means for your organisation in relation to the Disability Discrimination Act. This session will look to offer realistic guidance about the DDA and provide information for organisations to integrate into their operational systems. Improving Service Delivery to Disabled People: Do you receive public money to deliver your services? Find out more about the Access to Goods and Service element of the DDA and how you can improve and develop service delivery to and by disabled people. Please come early for this session if you’d like to have lunch in The Cornerstone Community Café. Price: Free to Lancaster District CVS members

For more information, or if you would like to attend one or more of the events, please email: hannahbland@lancastercvs.org.uk 15

In addition to all of the free services Lancaster District CVS has traditionally offered, we have now launched an expanded range of services, for which there will be a charge, including: • • • • • •

Bookkeeping Payroll Preparation and Independent Examination of Accounts Project Management and Project Hosting Employment / Mentoring Annual Accounts

These services are provided by our own in house staff, so we understand the needs of small and medium sized voluntary and community organisations Discounted rates are available for members, and prices are tiered depending on the size of your organisation and requirements Contact us for a tailored quote via telephone (01524) 555900 or email mail@lancastercvs.org.uk For more information see the full publication at www.lancastercvs.org.uk/services.pdf