Voscur Annual Report 2016-17

Close-knit

Another year supporting, developing and representing Bristol’s social economy

2016-17

A new era beckons...

Still passionate, still strong and still working tirelessly to improve the lives and futures of citizens in our city – the Bristol Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector is something we can all be proud of.

In this past year we have weathered a storm of changes and challenges. As national Government continues with its policy of austerity, the local impact of reduced funding has brought about significant changes to funding arrangements and the delivery of services. In Bristol we have seen the launch of new frameworks, such as the Bristol Impact Fund, and changes to how youth services and voice and influence services are funded and delivered. As a result of this work and the resilience of individuals and organisations, we have also witnessed the birth of new and exciting partnerships and collaborations and a rise in social enterprise. Voscur has worked extensively with partners and stakeholders across Winners of the 2015 'Voscurs', Bristol's social impact awards. Photo by Liam Gast

Sandra Meadows Interim Chief Executive Officer

Sandy Hore-Ruthven Chair

the sector to support these transitions, providing, for example, support to 186 organisations to develop applications to the Bristol Impact Fund. This includes almost 60% of successful large applications and 70% of successful small applications. Overall, 75% of all funding awarded went to successful applications supported by Voscur to continue delivering key work and services. Also worth celebrating is the fact that, in line with the Bristol Compact and recommendations from Voscur and other partners, grants awarded will be in place for four years, albeit with funding reductions in years three and four.

Taking a moment to reflect on the past year shows how far we have come and how much has been achieved. Demand for services delivered by VCSE sector organisations remains high, but the shifting landscape now needs the sector to be even more creative, and at ease with ‘competition’ – whilst being respectful and supportive of each other and

Introduction

able to adapt and respond quickly to political and social challenges.

This year, perhaps like no other, very much feels as though we are entering a new era. This is true for Voscur, as well as many of our member organisations and the wider sector. Former CEO, Wendy Stephenson, left the organisation in May 2017 after many years of dedicated service. As Interim CEO and Chair we are both working with our dedicated trustees and staff team to ensure that Voscur continues to meet the needs of VCSE organisations across Bristol, whatever their size and purpose.

As your infrastructure support organisation, we also understand that we need to take a more proactive approach to delivering the right support at the right time. As part of this, Voscur is leading on the development of a new VCSE strategy and Compact for Bristol and is consulting widely to gather your views. Bristol has not had a strategy since 2010, when the ‘Bristol Voluntary and Community Sector Strategy 2010-2013’ delivered the Local Area Agreement target for ‘an environment for a thriving third sector’. However, the strategy was not implemented and we now have a golden opportunity to come together to create a vision and framework which will help us work more effectively

together and with others. Having a stronger voice is part of this vision as well as ensuring that we are flexible and responsive enough to make the most of current and future opportunities. Through the new strategy, we really want to reinvigorate the sector, to be able to demonstrate the impact of what we all do and also to be in a better position to influence and inform service design and provision across all sectors. The new strategy very much needs to reflect your views and aspirations so please do get in touch. You can stay up to date with its progress at: www.voscur.org/services/influence/strategy-andrelationships Finally, we are enormously proud of what the Bristol VCSE sector achieves year on year. We know that ours is one of the strongest and most diverse sectors in the UK. So, as we go forward, Voscur remains dedicated to serving its members and the wider sector with renewed vigour and energy and a commitment to continue working with you to strengthen our sector's foundations, improve sustainability and support growth.

Image: The winners of last year’s ‘Voscurs’ (Bristol’s Social Impact Awards) with Bristol Mayor, Marvin Rees, and Sherrie Eugene-Hart.

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Case study: Refugee Women of Bristol benefitting from our governance support Refugee Women of Bristol is a multi-ethnic, multifaith group that is run by and supports refugee and asylum-seeking women in Bristol. It addresses poverty, increases resilience and reduces isolation.

Established in 2003 as an unincorporated association and registered charity, the organisation had grown significantly. The group wanted to incorporate to be better able to meet increasingly complex demands and manage its finances.

Voscur supported Refugee Women of Bristol to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), and to close the old organisation. We also delivered board development sessions to ensure trustees had a firm understanding of their roles and additional duties resulting from the change.

Thanks to Voscur’s support, the organisation has now successfully started to expand to meet increased demand and the changing and emerging needs of refugee and asylum-seeking women in the city. Their trustees have the skills and confidence to enthusiastically engage with new challenges and opportunities. Increased organisational effectiveness and efficiency has also freed up staff to focus more of their time on frontline delivery. Refugee Women of Bristol has also increased its sustainability because incorporation has minimised some organisational risks, enabling it to seek and manage additional funding more effectively.

Support

“Thanks to Voscur’s staff for using their professional skills and experiences to support us for both managing our charity and setting up our new CIO.” Azza Mustafa, Chair of Trustees

Support

Supporting the sector Voscur provides information, training and support to help Bristol’s voluntary, community and social enterprise groups to develop. A key focus this year was to support VCSE organisations to understand and apply successfully to the Bristol Impact Fund.

60%

of medium and large BIF grant recipients and

This included: £2.3m (Bristol Impact Fund/BIF), £1.25m (Building Better Opportunities), £88k (Social Investment Innovation Programme), £99k (People’s Health Trust), £54k (Big Lottery Fund), £45k (Bristol City Council).

70%

of funds awarded to groups supported by Voscur to tackle unemployment, reduce social isolation and improve wellbeing.

of small BIF grant recipients were supported by Voscur

Baby Bank Network @BabyBankNetwork

#ff @voscur have supported us from helping with our strategy to applying for our charity status. Massive thanks! #charity

£3.8m

244 support

sessions

of which 91% RESULTED IN INCREASED CAPACITY

Youth Moves @infoYouthMoves

Thank you to @voscur for facilitating a great #Board review and helping us refresh our #vision and #mission

These included: Community Transport; Bristol Health and Wellbeing Services; BEING Network; BS2/East Central Consortium; BME Elders Health and Wellbeing Project.

One-off support sessions included: - Managing change - Starting new organisations - Collaboration and partnerships - Crisis management We provided collaboration support to 9 new Bristol collaborations

“

”

Forever grateful for your invaluable help at the start, and the guidance and support as we grow. You provide a much needed service.

Dragonbird Theatre

5

Training Voscur offers a varied training programme, delivered by expert trainers and tailored to the needs of the VCSE sector.

498 people have improved confidence

492 people have improved skills

As a result of training

86%

rated Voscur’s training as good or excellent

89% will share information with others

566

Ellie Freeman @EllieFreemanBS3

Unexpectedly emotional last eve of @voscur #kickstart course with tons of great food! Such a valuable learning experience #nowforthereality

526 people have improved knowledge

Brigstowe Project

people attended our training courses from 221 community organisations

379 will improve their practice

255 will change things in their organisation

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courses delivered, including:

Support

Property management for non-property managers

Measuring the impact of volunteering

Introduction to social media

@BrigstoweInfo

Such a good training session!

Thank you. Many lightbulbs pinging over here.

Explaining how your service makes an impact

Equality & diversity: your policy, practice and monitoring

Support

Case study: Safe Space benefitting from our Kick Start programme Voscur’s Kick Start programme provides intensive start-up support to help new organisations and social enterprises get going. The training sessions cover everything from developing your mission and vision, to deciding on your legal structure and theory of change.

Safe Space is a free, independent support group for people who have experienced sexual violence.

It was created by survivors for survivors. Safe Space offers an open, confidential and empowering environment where all forms of support are shaped by survivors’ voices.

A few months after coming up with the idea for Safe Space, founders Meg and Adibah joined Voscur’s Kick Start programme. Kick Start provided a framework for Safe Space to grow and develop. It gave them the tools they needed to channel their passion to change the way survivors are viewed in society into clear goals and plans for the future.

Support from other Kick Start participants boosted Meg and Adibah’s confidence and helped them to realise the importance of working in partnership with other organisations.

Since attending Kick Start, Safe Space has gone from strength to strength. Not only have they been successful in securing funding through community crowd-funding, they have also used these platforms to highlight the need for this type of support and how it benefits survivors.

“Kick Start has helped in every way! It has enabled us to decide on our structure and has given us the skills and confidence to run Safe Space and move forward.”

Safe Space

Photo by craftavist collective CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

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Voice & Influence

Information and resources Voscur provides high-quality, accessible information to the VCSE sector through a programme of events and a range of print and digital communication channels. This information allows groups to adapt to a changing environment, develop new connections, make informed choices about their services and plan ahead.

“More events like this will help the voluntary sector to understand the changes rather than fear them.”

Talking Money @talkingmoneyuk

Fantastic #VCSAssembly #grantsprospectus, thank you @voscur for hosting!

Here’s to #Bristol collaborations & change

Attendee, VCSE sector briefing on devolution deal

3,698 ebulletin subscribers received 48 ebulletins

Our website received

998 people

attended 24 events this year!

2,071,868 page views… …by

3,623 Twitter followers and 18,701 interactions!

104,586 visitors

Helen Holland @helenhbristol

Voice & Influence

Thanks @voscur Excellent hustings session & round table format. Great to see old VCS friends & make new ones. #brisvote16

2,600

“Positive event to build on collaborative working – to help us move forward and grow in Bristol.”

copies of our Thrive! magazine were distributed

Attendee, Corporate Strategy consultation event

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Voscur provides mechanisms for the VCSE sector to advocate for their service users and stakeholders and to influence policymakers, commissioners and funders. We define this as our ‘Voice and Influence’ work. Bringing together local organisations, supporting them to understand the potential advantages and disadvantages of proposed policies and strategies, and amplifying their collective voice into practical, evidence-based suggestions empowers our sector to influence policymaking, shape citywide plans and contribute to the design and commissioning of services. We also enable representation through our network of Voscur Advocates, through our staff and by helping VCSE sector organisations to engage directly with both local residents and decision-makers. Some examples of how we have supported the sector through significant commissioning rounds, changes to local democracy and a period of uncertainty and change are set out below.

Voscur Advocates

Commissioning

Our elected Advocates contributed to a range of strategic boards and their sub-groups, such as the Health and Wellbeing Board, Bristol Safeguarding Children Board, Bristol Children and Families Board and the Safer Bristol Partnership.

Voscur organised five events that enabled organisations to influence and prepare for the Recovery Orientated Alcohol and Drugs Service (ROADS) and Targeted Youth Services (Bristol Youth Links) recommissioning processes. A total of 118 people from 56 organisations attended. Of 19 recommendations made about ROADS, 13 were incorporated into the commissioning plan. Of 11 recommendations about Bristol Youth Links, all were included in the Targeted Youth Services plan.

Democracy and Devolution 227 people from 113 organisations attended five democracy-and-devolution-themed events, including: Councillors Meet the Voluntary Sector; Police and Crime Commissioner Hustings; Mayoral Hustings; and Briefing on the Devolution Deal. Voscur is now leading on the development of a long-term VCSE-led strategy which will help the city’s Mayor realise his ambitions to make the social economy a more equal partner in addressing Bristol’s future challenges. As regional democratic boundaries continue to change and impact upon the city, we have continued to work with the West of England Civil Society Partnership, Clinical Commissioning Groups, the Police and Crime Commissioner and the newly formed West of England Combined Authority.

Policy Voscur enabled 329 people from 187 organisations to influence policy, including that around policing, social prescribing, the corporate strategy consultation and priorities for children, young people and families. For example, to make commissioning processes more accessible to smaller organisations, we convinced Bristol City Council to reduce its procurement policy’s ‘financial capability’ threshold, which has previously excluded small groups from tenders because their annual turnover was considered too low. This means smaller VCSE sector organisations will now be able to bid for Council contracts.

Voice & Influence

Voice & Influence

Health and Social Care Voscur Advocates have worked to increase VCSE sector involvement in the design and delivery of Bristol’s Better Care programme – part of the NHS’s shift towards more preventative and communitybased health care. A new joint-working group has been established to pilot new approaches, and the first project, focused on reducing falls by older people, will be evaluated next year.

Children and Young People Recognising the wide range of policies and strategies relating to services for young people, Voscur Advocates and network members worked with the Children and Families Partnership Board to coordinate and rationalise related priorities such as housing, inclusion and mental health. To support Bristol groups addressing the latter, we arranged a workshop on measuring emotional health by the Child Outcomes Research Consortium from London. Staff in local organisations now have a better understanding of how to approach this challenging area and a wider range of tools to improve their day-to-day practice.

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The voice of cultural inclusion In 2016, research by the Runnymede Trust found that of the UK's ten biggest cities (excluding London), Bristol is the worst place for BME communities to live. Two years earlier in 2014, the Bristol Manifesto for Race Equality was launched, led by local activists.

Its purpose was to raise the profile of local discrimination and disadvantage and to encourage people and organisations to take action that would lead to improved life chances – i.e. to address many of the issues identified by the Runnymede Trust.

In a city with huge disparities in wealth and equality, of course, this is very much a long-term movement. Our BME Voice work is designed to harness momentum from this wider movement to support specific initiatives and, reciprocally, to develop and deliver local projects that contribute to the broader direction of change.

For example, having supported agencies to examine their practices and to determine what they need to do individually and collectively to improve race equality, it also became clear that there is a need for greater scrutiny of public sector agencies and organisations. It is encouraging, therefore, to see this acknowledged and starting to change.

Over the past year Voscur has worked as part of the Bristol Manifesto group with BME communities to: •

Increase voter registration and turnout.

•

Increase BME influence on public decision-making (such as a gathering of citizens and professionals feeding into a new citywide strategy on mental health).

•

Influence the policy and practice of inclusion, such as advocating for all major public sector agencies (the local authority, NHS, police, fire service and universities) to conduct and publish comprehensive audits of staff ethnic profiles.

Voice & Influence

Another key achievement of this work has been the establishment of a formal Commission for Race Equality – the first of its kind in the UK to be endorsed by both the previous and current elected mayor. The Commission will replace the Bristol Manifesto group, giving it greater weight and influence, and will consist of members representing the whole city. Its aims will be to encourage more BME people into positions of leadership, increase representation in organisations, and challenge non-inclusive policies and discriminatory practice – thereby making Bristol a fairer city for everyone who lives here.

We have been pleased to work with so many committed individuals and to be led by our communities in this work. We look forward to the coming year and seeing the impact of the new Commission, and its contribution to making Bristol the best city for BME communities to live and work.

Mapping our influence Voscur is a member organisation made up of nearly 600 voluntary, community and social enterprise groups. This map shows the distribution of our member organisations across Bristol.*

Henbury Avonmouth

Southmead

Kingsweston

Horfield

Westbury -on-Trym Henleaze

Bishopston Stoke Bishop

Hillfields Ashley

Southville

Lawrence Hill

Knowle

11–20 6–10 0–5

St George East

Windmill Hill

Bedminster

Bishopsworth

Easton St George West

Cabot

Clifton

31–40 21–30

Cotham

East

51–60+ 41–50

Eastville

Redland on Clift

Number of member organisations

Frome Vale

Lockleaze

Brislington East

Bri

slin

gto

Filwood

Hengrove

Hartcliffe

nW est

Stockwood

Whitchurch Park

Unknown

Income/size

Photo by Coventry CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Member organisations range in size from small volunteerrun community groups to large national charities. This chart shows the size of our member organisations in terms of annual income.

10%

Over £500,000

£0–£10,000 35%

18%

£100,000– £500,000 21%

£10,000– £100,000 16%

* This information is displayed on the pre-2017 Bristol ward map; we are in the process of updating our member information to align with the new Bristol wards.

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8

Case study: Buzz Lockleaze gets a ‘Boost’ from a skilled finance volunteer The Boost project matches community organisations with skilled volunteers to complete a short-term project that builds capacity.

Buzz Lockleaze is a small social enterprise working from Gainsborough Square to enhance employment opportunities, community business, and health and wellbeing through healthy food provision.

Buzz Lockleaze approached the Boost skills bank to find someone to build the organisation’s skills so they could strengthen their financial management systems and be fully in control of their finances.

Buzz was matched with an experienced accountant for a six-month period of volunteer support. The Boost volunteer helped them to bring their financial processes in-house. He is now training the staff to produce budgets, cash flow and management account reports for the Board, as well as helping to review and develop other financial systems.

“He was our financial systems angel!” they said.

“We now know where we are financially and we know what our bottom line is. We have clear cash flow, are set up on QuickBooks, pay all our own invoices and feel confident about the process.

On top of this, we are now able to analyse our finances, which has helped us to be less reactive and more proactive in our strategy.”

Volunteering

“We’re really grateful to Voscur for the connection who has become a friend of the organisation. It’s the success story of the year for us. It’s helping us to be sustainable going forward.”

Buzz Lockleaze

Photo by USDAgov CC BY 2.0

Volunteering

Volunteering Voscur provides a range of support to VCSE sector organisations to help them engage, support and retain volunteers effectively. We provide regular Volunteer Organisers’ Forums and good practice resources to support the management of volunteers. During the year under review, we also provided a drop-in service, matching people to volunteer opportunities both online and face-to-face.

Although our drop-in Volunteer Centre closed in June 2017, Voscur continues to run its ‘Sustain’ and ‘Active Together for Dementia’ services, as well as the ‘Boost’ programme, which matches specialist volunteers with organisations in need of specific capacity building. We have also started a new programme of partnership working with businesses, resulting in seven new partnerships bringing pro bono professional skills to the sector. We also established links with ‘Can Do Bristol’, a new online volunteering platform for Bristol.

Bristol Libraries @BristolLibrary

Great to chat with @voscur on @Ujimaradio radio today to celebrate #volunteersweek #volbris16

27 organisations were matched with Boost volunteers

86

360

Our Volunteers’ Week events engaged hundreds of potential volunteers and we reached out to around 30,000 listeners via our 2-hour Ujima radio show!

people at the public drop-in benefited from face-to-face advice about volunteering Our own volunteers gave over 2,880 hours to supporting our work during 2016–17

volunteer organisers attended quarterly networking forum events

214

people benefited from the Sustain project, which promotes and enables volunteering opportunities for people with a history of drug and/or alcohol problems

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Voice & Influence

Case study: Rosie and Pauline get 'Active Together' The Active Together for Dementia project launched in June 2016 and since then has matched 15 volunteers with people with dementia. Each matched pair go out regularly and participate in a shared interest or activity, including cycling, meditation classes, visiting galleries and simply going for a walk and a cup of tea.

For example, Pauline was finding it hard to get out of the house on her own as her early stage dementia and mobility restrictions had knocked her confidence. She was matched with Rosie, who shares an interest in social justice and activism. At the first meeting Rosie and Pauline found that they had been to the same demonstrations in the past.

Over the last year Pauline and Rosie have been going out regularly – usually for a walk and a chat and sometimes to a demonstration!

“Rosie has been visiting me during big changes in my life.

She is a useful connection to the outside world and has kept me in touch with social reality.

Her visits are life enhancing; I greatly value them as do my family and I feel uplifted and rejuvenated afterwards.”

Pauline

Volunteering

“Pauline’s positive nature and resilience are inspirational and I often find myself thinking ‘How would Pauline respond?’ when issues arise in my own life.

Our walks and talks are always interesting and often joyful. I am very grateful to have been able to take part in this project.”

Rosie

Active Together is now based at Age UK Bristol and thanks to some further funding from Public Health we are recruiting for new volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering please contact Clare on 0117 929 7537 (Tuesday and Friday) or clarehavard@ageukbristol.org.uk Rosie (left) at a local demonstration with Pauline (right)

Volunteering

Case study: Richard benefits from the Sustain project Our Sustain Project, funded by the Recovery Orientated Alcohol and Drugs Service (ROADS), supports people recovering from drug and alcohol problems into volunteering and/or employment.

We do this by providing a drop-in service, adviser support appointments and a range of tailored workshops.

For example, Richard found out about the Sustain Project through his supported housing accommodation for people recovering from drug and alcohol problems.

Already volunteering one day a week in a charity kitchen, he was keen to find something additional that would complement his skills and aspirations for the future. With over 20 years’ experience as an engineer, his interest was in international aid work and logistics.

Whilst highly skilled, Richard was struggling with low mood and confidence, and needed the Sustain Project’s specialist support and knowledge to help him get started in the right role.

Within two months Richard had joined the Avon Community Resilience Team, a volunteer organisation working alongside emergency services and the local authority to support responses to emergencies and major incidents. He completed training in water rescue, flood barrier defences, navigation, first aid and stretcher training, and is an active member of the emergency response team.

As Richard’s self-confidence and motivation grew, we began to explore additional opportunities that suited his engineering background. The perfect match was found at Bristol’s historic Underfall Yard, where he now helps to restore and maintain the contents of the 1884 workshops and the 1907 hydraulic pumps.

Having a solid and rewarding structure in place through volunteering has made Richard positive about his ability to refresh his skills, grow in confidence, and think about his future options in paid work.

Photo by U.S. Pacific Fleet CC BY-NC 2.0

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Bristol Compact Voscur’s work with Bristol Compact has continued to build on previous developments, achieving notable successes during the year.

Several advocacy cases have been resolved effectively and relationships have improved.

For example, our advice to both provider and commissioner led to changes in a recent commissioning process, resulting in the provider winning a new contract worth £250,000.

“Thank you so so much for all of your tremendous support, knowledge and expertise, which enabled a fair, transparent and open process for proposals and without which we would not now be in this position.”

“Thanks, I appreciate you taking the time to look over this; it was eminently reasonable advice.”

Provider Commissioner

Bristol Compact

In 2016 the Minister for Civil Society announced the establishment of a government task force and invited Voscur’s Head of Collaboration and Commissioning to be a member. He went on to join a new implementation group, developing projects (for example, the commissioning quality mark) aimed at removing some of the barriers smaller organisations experience in some commissioning processes. This opportunity allows Voscur to share local expertise, knowledge and proposals in an arena to shape national policy.

Last year, Bristol City Council published its first Social Value Policy and Voscur is pleased to note that the council exceeded its target (of 25%) of contract spend going to smaller providers by achieving 43% in the first year. We continue to support the development of evidence to demonstrate social value so that smaller VCSE sector organisations are able to win contracts or be subcontracted.

Photo by The Natural Step Canada CC BY 2.0

Voscur

West of England Civil Society Partnership This self-organised partnership provides the infrastructure for the social economy at a regional level. Established in 2011, the West of England Civil Society Partnership comprises CVS South Gloucestershire, The Care Forum, Voluntary Action North Somerset, Voscur, Wesport and West of England Rural Network.

The Partnership represents and promotes the VCSE sector’s role in the development of wellbeing, jobs, skills and learning opportunities.

It plays a critical role in ensuring that economic growth includes all the region’s communities.

To date, the Partnership has supported the development of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership’s strategy, in particular the approach to supporting social inclusion.

For example, it facilitated the development of a successful grant application to the EU Social Fund Building Better Opportunities programme led

by Weston College, which is now delivering £6 million of investment in employability projects for people who have found it hardest to find work.

Currently the Partnership’s priorities include representing the VCSE sector on the EU Structural Investment Funds Committee and contributing to the Local Enterprise Partnership’s Skills, Rural and Social Enterprise Groups.

It is also working to help VCSE sector groups engage with and influence the new West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.

“The need for a strong and coordinated voice for the VCSE sector at a West of England-wide level is critically important. As devolution gathers pace, our cross-area working, intelligence and experience will help our sector in its work with those both under-represented and marginalised by these changes.”

Chris Head WERN Photos by: JackPeasePhotography (top) and Strelka Institute (bottom) CC BY 2.0

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Thank you Our members

Our 2016-17 staff team

– who have shown great willingness this year to engage with Voscur’s work and get involved in a range of initiatives, despite growing time pressures.

Asma Ahmad, Sue Brazendale, Yaz Brien, Katie Finch, Lucy Fletcher, Liz Gorman, Paul Hassan, Clare Havard, Ellie Hooper, Ed Howarth, Mark Hubbard, Kate Hygate, Sean Kenny, Jessica Langton, Charlene Lawrence, Rebecca McDougall, Sarah Pigott, Ruth Pitter, Ria Powell, Vicky Redding, Wendy Stephenson, Jess Walker, Louise Wearne, Charlotte White, Becky Whitlock, David Whittaker, Jenny Wildblood, Louise Wratten.

We value your support, input and enthusiasm and are inspired by the work you do for Bristol communities.

Our 2016-17 Board members – who are elected from our membership – for their support, direction and guidance.

Sandy Hore-Ruthven, Creative Youth Network Chair Richard Pendlebury, Emmaus Bristol Chair (resigned 2 November 2016) Steph Mustoe, individual member Treasurer (resigned 2 November 2016) Marissa Ellis, individual member, Vice-chair Steve Sayers, Windmill Hill City Farm, Vice-chair Frances Fox, The Bridge Foundation Joanna Holmes, Barton Hill Settlement (appointed 2 November 2016) Alex Kittow, Southmead Development Trust Dan Lyus, WE Care and Repair (appointed 2 November 2016) Philip Parry, Bristol Citizens Advice Bureau

– who have given their time, energy and expertise to support the work we do.

Angee Agocs, Donna Arnett, Jonathan Boulton, Jack Burrows, Barbara Chamberlain, William Douglas, David Guest, Kerstin Hedemann, Sharon Hughes, Evelyn Hutchon, Beth Jeffcoat, Chris Johnson, Ronan Larkin, Mattie Letts, Yakup Likoglu, Jennifer Lo, Catherine Lowndes, Silvia Naranjo, Lydia Neuberger, Hari Ramakrishnan, Naz Rehman, Meri Rizk, Caroline Searle, Alan Seel, David Shelton, Georgina Simmons, Scarlett Strothteicher, Rosie Vincent, Sue Williams, Tristan Worcester.

Bristol Manifesto for Race Equality Steering Group (now the Interim Commission for Race Equality)

Laura Welti, Bristol Disability Equality Forum

Abdi Mohamed, Ade Olaiya, Alex Raikes, Amjid Ali, Ann Degraft-Johnson, Aquil Farooq, Charlene Lawrence, Kalpna Woolf, Kamaljit KerridgePoonia, Kermal Singh, Matt Jacobs, Monira Ahmed Chowdhury, Norman Pascal, Roger Griffith, Ruth Pitter, Sado Jirde, Simon Nelson, Sumita Hutchison, Zaheer Shabir.

Ruth Pickersgill, Bristol Refugee Rights (appointed 1 October 2015, resigned 16 June 2016)

We would also like to thank Alison Comley MBE (Bristol City Council) for her support.

Kamaljit Poonia, Ujima Radio (appointed 2 November 2016) Jean Smith, Nilaari

Suzanne Thompson, The Restore Trust

Thank you

Our 2016-17 volunteers

Thank you

Our 2016-17 Voscur Advocates Alex Raikes (SARI) Safer Bristol Partnership Alistair Dale (Youth Moves) Raising the Participation Age (14–19) Strategy Group Ally Schooler (Single Parent Action Network) Community Learning Partnership Board Anthony Hill (Barnardo’s) SEND Challenge Group (part of Bristol Children and Families Partnership Board) Christine Townsend (Integrate UK) Bristol Safeguarding Children Board Dan Lyus (WE Care and Repair) Better Care Bristol Transformation Board Dom Wood (1625 Independent People) Bristol Children and Families Partnership Board Elaine Flint (Wellspring Healthy Living Centre) Health and Wellbeing Board Fiona Castle (Imayla) Bristol Children and Families Partnership Board and Early Intervention steering group Gill Nowland (One25) Bristol Adult Safeguarding Board Gill Roberts (Alive!)

Older People’s Partnership Board Graham England (Addiction Recovery Agency) Reducing Re-offending Board Pete Levy (The Restore Trust) Restorative Bristol Board Pippa Dove (Knowle West Health Park) Bristol Safeguarding Children Board Suad Abdullahi (Ashley Community Housing) Community Learning Partnership Board Suzanne Thompson (The Restore Trust) Restorative Bristol Board Vicki Morris (The Care Forum) Provider Forum

Toria Moore (Easton Families Project) Bristol Children and Families Partnership Board and Think Family Challenge Group For further information about the Voscur Advocates and the boards that they are part of, visit: www.voscur.org/services/influence/advocacy

Our 2016-17 funders, donors and sponsors Bristol City Council European Regional Development Fund Bristol Clinical Commissioning Group Quartet Community Foundation St Monica’s Trust People’s Health Trust Bristol Drugs Project Weston College Heritage Lottery Fund Bristol Energy Voscur gratefully acknowledges the ‘in-kind’ support offered by: AXA, Bristol Energy, Southmead Development Trust, Southmead Fire Station, St Peter’s Hospice, Veale Wasbrough Vizards and all of the Boost volunteers and businesses.

... and last but by no means least...

We want to say a huge “thank you” to all of the individuals and organisations that supported us and the sector in achieving everything you see in this report and much more.

There are too many to name here, but suffice to say that we could not exist and do the work that we do without your support. Whether it be providing meeting space, sharing your skills and expertise, promoting our work to your networks, delivering training, running seminars, sponsoring work, giving guidance, or partnering on projects, we want you to know how much your support is appreciated.

Vicky James (Knightstone Housing) Bristol Compact Partners’ Group

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f l x i /voscur

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Front cover image: ‘Briswool’, a three-year community project which was displayed at M-Shed in 2016. Organised by Crafting the City, a Community Interest Company delivering a range of community arts projects and workshops in Bristol. More at: www.craftingthecity.org

Voscur, Royal Oak House, Royal Oak Avenue, Bristol, BS1 4GB Voscur is a registered charity and a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. Company no. 3918210. Charity no. 1148403