Charity & Community news

through the door

19 Charity & Community

Sussex Snippets The Good Neighbours scheme is run for West Sussex County Council (WSCC) by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS). It connects people who may be feeling isolated with volunteers who offer their help during 12 arranged home visits. The RVS is appealing for new volunteers to donate their time to help clients of the Good Neighbours scheme across West Sussex, particularly in the Crawley and Worthing areas where there are currently several people on a waiting list to receive assistance. 01903 257019 or email gnwscoastal@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk Community and environmental aviation group, CAGNE, is urging supporters to write to the Secretary of State for Transport and demand that the growth proposed by Gatwick Airport from the main runway is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) under the Planning Act 2008 examination as it “will add approximately 55,000 extra flights a year - 340,000 aircraft movements by 2033 with 61m passengers added to the current infrastructure.” A suggested letter can be found at www.cagne.org. The LoCASE programme is a unique opportunity for small to medium size businesses in East Sussex to improve their energy efficiency and overall performance. With free energy audits and grant funding of up to £10,000, businesses can cut overheads, gain a competitive edge, and enhance their brands. This will be achieved with support from Carbon Smart –selected by East Sussex County Council to deliver the LoCASE project. Eligibility rules apply. 01323 790030. A crowdfunding programme launched in May 2018 has seen more than 100 community-led projects in West Sussex hit their target and the window is now open until Thursday 13 February for community groups to put forward new initiatives and projects they would like to receive funding for. The West Sussex Crowd, run in partnership by West Sussex County Council and civic crowdfunding website Spacehive, invites communities to come together and propose ideas to regenerate their local areas. Since its launch, more than 2,800 local people, businesses, district/ borough and town/parish councils have backed projects across the county, collectively raising over £750,000 and showing the strength of community buy-in for their ideas. www.westsussexcrowd.org.uk. Following Eastbourne Borough Council’s declaration of a climate emergency for the town, a new organisation, Eastbourne Carbon Neutral 2030 (ECN2030), has been set up to tackle the challenge of achieving zero carbon emissions within a decade. Meanwhile Hastings Borough Council has confirmed it is now looking at two possible sites to install solar panels, both in Hastings Country Park. Hastings has also pledged to be carbon neutral by 2030.

A December meeting of the WSCC Performance and Finance Scrutiny Committee expressed concern over the programme and the predicted savings of the Whole Council Design project launched in 2019. In response to a report on the project by Katharine Eberhart, Director of Finance and Support Services, members noted: • The use of a new consultant was queried as work had already been done and there was a risk that a £19m investment might only achieve £17m of savings • Non delivery of savings would not invalidate work done by the previous consultants as many savings were to be made in areas of Children’s Services, such as using ipads to update cases on the road, which had subsequently needed increased spending in administrative support • Savings from the programme were at significant risk as the projects hadn’t reached delivery stage, but advances in IT meant the position to make progress had improved and there was confidence that the programme would achieve savings • The projected overspend of £1.5m was reported in the Total Performance Monitor and would be mitigated or balanced from reserves A further report on the programme with details of costs and savings would come to the Committee in January. Canine Partners thanks donors Heyshott based charity, Canine Partners, is coming together with almost 600 charities to thank supporters who donated through the UK’s biggest match funding campaign, The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge 2019. Through this year’s Christmas Challenge, Canine Partners raised £92,500 to fund amazing assistance dogs in just seven days. Canine Partners trains amazing assistance dogs to transform the lives of people with disabilities, boosting their confidence and independence. The dogs are taught a range of everyday tasks including picking up and fetching items, opening doors and helping to undress a person. They can even help to load and unload a washing machine and they can fetch help in an emergency. www.caninepartners.org.uk Charity/community notices to: info@sussexlocal.net

20 Charity & Community

Businesses help with careers An inspirational programme to help local young people fulfil their potential, and improve their employment opportunities was launched recently with over 100 school students from schools in the Chichester area. The Be the Change programme has been developed by LoveLocalJobs Foundation and Graham Moore of humanutopia to help 13 and 14 year-olds negotiate the gap between education and employment. Following the successful first year launch in Chichester District for the 2018/19 academic year, Be the Change has returned with previous sponsors The Body Shop (primary funder for 2019/20), Chichester District Council, Petworth Vision and Vitacress, alongside new headline sponsor, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. At the emotional and life changing launch, the students and business volunteers took part in activities that focus on happiness, confidence, hope, relationships and employability. The activities were created and expertly led by Graham Moore, a former teacher who understands the challenges young people face. The schools involved in the programme are: Bourne Community College, Midhurst Rother College, The Academy Selsey, Bishop Luffa, The Weald, Ormiston Six Villages and Chichester Free School. Working in partnership with businesses, Be the Change helps open young people’s eyes to the world of work and the wealth of possibilities and career opportunities in their hometown and beyond. BetheChange@LoveLocalJobs.com Walking Football for over 50s In association with the Sussex FA, Barry Semark is in the process of setting up "Walking Football" sessions for the over 50’s. The sessions will be played on the 3G outdoor pitch at the Midhurst Rother College from 7pm-8pm on a weekday evening. The FA will fund the scheme and help get the sessions going. There will be a small subscription to pay

each week. You can find more information about this fast growing sport at www.thewfa.co.uk The games will be 7 a-side and you don’t have to be an experienced player. The main aims are to have fun, get a bit of important exercise and of course the camaraderie that naturally comes from enjoying the evening. Barry is looking for interest at this time, not necessarily a firm commitment. Please also tell your friends, as all are welcome. barrysemark@me.com. New electric car charge points Having successfully bid for a £58,000 government grant from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, Chichester District Council has installed new charging points in eight of the council’s car parks across the district. The points are now installed and ready for use in: • Bosham Lane car park, Bosham; • Northern Crescent car park, East Wittering; • North Street car park, Midhurst; • Avenue de Chartres, East Pallant & Northgate car parks, Chichester; • Pound Street car park, Petworth; • East Street car park, Selsey. Users can pay for the service and electricity, either through the InCharge app, or by paying with a card or tag from the service provider. www.chichester.gov.uk/electricparking Chichester loos win big Chichester District Council has joined the ‘Premier League’ of public toilets after winning an array of awards at the Loo of the Year Awards 2019. Inspectors rated the public toilets in North Street Car Park, Midhurst, and Northgate Car Park, Chichester, as ‘Platinum’ –while public toilets at Hillfield Road, Selsey, and Pound Street Car Park, Petworth, were both rated ‘Gold’. The results place the council in the top 20 Local Authority public toilet providers. © thefa.com