New Funding opportunity from West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway deadline for applications 7th October  

West Midlands Railway 

We’re very pleased to announce that our CCIF is now open and we’re accepting applications for West Midlands Community Project funding. It’s exciting because our CCIF is specifically to support projects in this region, and we’re looking for ideas that bring tangible benefits to our stations, our communities and our neighbourhoods, addressing regeneration challenges and tackling social needs.

So this is a chance for people along our routes to apply for a share of this unique fund, which, in its first year is estimated to be £1.7 million (subject to terms and approvals).

This is a substantial fund and although this is our CCIF’s first year, other Train Operating Companies have been managing similar funds for many years and we’ve seen the difference they can make.

We can’t wait to see what benefits our fund can bring to this wonderful region. It’s going to make a real impact at our stations and in your neighbourhoods and it’s now ‘open for business’.

To find out more click on the link below

West Midlands Railway CCIF 

London Northwestern Railway 

Our Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF) is now accepting applications for London Northwestern Community Project funding. With an estimated £1.7 million (subject to terms and approvals) to fund projects along our routes in the first year, it’s a really big deal for all of us.

We’re looking for ideas that bring tangible benefits to our stations, our communities and our neighbourhoods, and which address regeneration challenges and tackle social needs.

Although this is our CCIF’s first year, other, more established Train Operating Companies have been managing similar funds for years along their lines. Now it’s our turn to make a difference with our fund, and we can’t wait to

To find out more click on the link below

London Northwestern Railway

Unlock Runcorn Festival Sunday 22nd September 10am till 4.30pm.  Algernon Street, Dukesfield, Runcorn, WA7 1ER

Join them for an end of summer heritage day.  Learn more about their bold and exciting project 'Unlock Runcorn'.  They aim to reconnect the Bridgewater Canal to the Manchester Ship Canal and beyond.  There will be a Bar, live bands, displays/exhibits/guided walks, barbecue, stall and activities and facepainting.  

The event is sponsored by ABC taxis, Dukesfield Tyres, Church Street Tattoos, Reload design, Herrietta's attic, Society Ltd, Craven media, Halton Borough Council

To find out more about the project visit www.unlockruncorn.org

Calling Chairs / Vice Chairs of smaller charities (with an income under £1m) in England. Join the Association of Chairs Beacon Programme. The programme offers:

• low-cost workshops in nine locations in England
• the unique opportunity to meet and learn from other Chairs and Vice Chairs of smaller charities
• free online resources and webinars.

A workshop travel bursary is available for organisations under £100k if booked a month ahead.

Learn more about:

• being an effective Chair
• strengthening your organisation
• managing relationships and board dynamics
• developing an effective board team.

Join the programme for free at http://bit.ly/joinBeacon

Do you need help managing and maintaining your buildings?

If you are a not-for profit organisation lacking the time, expertise and experience needed to manage, maintain and improve your buildings, LandAid's Free Property Advice programme is here to help.

LandAid, the property industry charity, arranges for skilled property professionals from their network of supporters to give free property expertise to UK not-for profit organisations supporting disadvantaged young people, families and communities, including those experiencing homelessness.

Examples of support includes:

• property legal advice
• property searches
• building surveys 
• valuations
• negotiating purchases and leases
• planning and architectural services 

Apply for Free Property Advice here: https://www.landaid.org/what-we-do/apply-free-property-advice

Please see details of the latest opportunity for 16-19 year olds to gain a National Certificate of Further Education in Preparation for Work in the Film and TV Industry with the BFI Merseyside Academy (Clapperboard UK) based in Liverpool. The programmes will run on Saturdays from October to December 2019. For more details and information on how to apply, please click on the link

https://www.clapperboarduk.com/news/bfi-merseyside-academy-applications-open-now/

Our colleagues from Halton Borough Council’s External Funding Team have prepared some Funding Bulletins containing valuable information for voluntary organisations looking for grants to get projects off the ground.

The Monthly funding bulletins offering information on funding opportunities in the following areas:

Arts, Community & Voluntary, Environment & Heritage, European, Faith, Health, Schools, Sports and Youth.

To access the information, please click on the link below:

https://www4.halton.gov.uk/Pages/business/FinanceandGrants/finance.aspx

The next meeting of the St Helens & District Group of Diabetes UK will be on Wednesday 2nd October 2019 at 7.30pm in St Helens United Reformed Church, King St, WA10 2JZ. The church is next to Windle Pilkington Hall.  The speaker will be Phil Wilkinson who will be talking on the subject of:

Holiday and Diabetes - Dos and Don'ts 
 
Phil is a Diabetes Specialist Nurse, from the Diabetes Unit at St Helens Hospital.  Anyone with an interest in Diabetes is welcome to attend, admission is free and refreshments are available after the meeting.  If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes and have not been to a meeting before you are particularly welcome. They are a very friendly group and you may be assured of a warm welcome. They have a large selection of free diabetes leaflets available. So go along and find out more!

 
For further details contact C Bowmaker on 0151 480 0821. 

Halton Credit Union now has a Widnes town centre office and are having an official launch this Saturday 7th September at 2.30pm. 110 Widnes Road, Simms Cross, Widnes (up the road from ASDA next door to Dominos)

The Mayor, Councillor Margaret Horabin will be cutting the ceremonial ribbon and MP Derek Twigg will be in attendance.

Goody bags, piggy banks, pens and a Join for Free voucher (valid until the end of September) together with information leaflets will be given to all those who attend

A buffet and hot and cold drinks will be also provided.

Everyone is welcome! 

St Helens CCG would like to invite you to their Annual General Meeting (AGM) - and film premiere of 'St Helens - Dream to Reality' on Wednesday 11th September 12.30pm at Cineworld St Helens.

This will be an opportunity to hear from the CCG’s Governing Body about the work undertaken in 2018/19; including their achievements, key challenges and an update on the annual accounts.  

This year the annual report summary is being presented in the form of a film: ‘St Helens - Dream to Reality’ which illustrates the journey the CCG has been on over the last year. As this is the premiere of the film, the event is being held at Cineworld St Helens Cinema, Chalon Way West, St Helens, WA10 1BF from 12.30pm until 2pm, with tea and coffee served from 12.30pm and the feature beginning at 1pm.  

This is a public meeting to which everyone is welcome to attend.  However, to help plan catering and cinema seating, please advise if you plan to attend by calling 01744 627596 or e-mailing engagement@sthelensccg.nhs.uk

If you have access requirements which you need to advise them of or need assistance getting to the venue please contact them directly on 01744 627596.  Cineworld has free parking and designated disabled spaces close to the main door and is in the town centre so is easily accessible by public transport.

Volunteers and committee members wanted.

If you have retired and miss the company of work colleagues and being occupied at work, why don’t you consider becoming a volunteer or committee member for Halton OPEN.

As a volunteer you will be able to socialise with others and help at their social groups by talking, making tea, organising games etc. to help combat isolation and loneliness in older people

As a committee member you would be able with other committee members influence health and welfare issues of older people in Halton, and they encourage fellow committee members to raise issues and be outgoing.

The prime objective of Halton OPEN is to provide a collective voice of people aged 50 plus who live and work in the borough

The group communicates, consults and campaigns so they can influence and encourage the development of services which can help to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of all older people in Halton

The main areas that the network focuses on are Environment, Finance/benefits, health and wellbeing, public transport, quality of life, safety in the home and they work closely with the decision makers in the borough to bring about improvements in these areas

For further details, you can contact them by

            Telephone    01928 593117

            Mobile           07711 048933

            Email             haltonopen@yahoo.com

There is a modular building behind St Edwards church in Ivy Street, Runcorn postcode WA7 5ZN which is available for rent at £7,750 per annum.

It consists of a main room 9.0x8.25 m, store cupboard 1.0x1.2m, kitchen 2.4x2.75m, lobby 2.3x4.0m, male, female and disabled access toilets.

Contact Fr Peter Wright 01928 577755, email p.wright@btinternet.com.

Until recently the space has been used as a breakfast and after school club.

Halton Safeguarding Adults Board – Training Programme 2019-20

Halton Safeguarding Adults Board (HSAB) is able to subsidise a small programme of training to enhance opportunity and access to learning across Halton.

This training is offered free of charge to those living and working in Halton and who have a direct involvement in the care and support of adults with additional needs. This includes volunteers, carers, those employed through a personal budget and those who use services.  To find out more about how to book on the training and what it entails click on the programme attached.

Cheshire Asbestos Victims Support Group are looking for a volunteer to help expand their website.  To find out more about what they require please contact them either by phone on 01928620652 or email cavsg@btconnect.com.  To find out more about the group go to https://www.cavsg.com

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram launched LCR Listens earlier this month. The exercise is engaging with people across all six boroughs that make up the Liverpool City Region, asking people’s opinions on a wide range of topics, including transport, jobs and skills, the environment, housing and culture, to shape how the city region develops.

Featuring a host of ways to get involved, from public events, to on-street research, through to an on-line portal, the Combined Authority is committed to listening to as many city region residents, from as wide a variety of backgrounds, as possible.

Speaking about LCR Listens, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, said:

“LCR Listens is an exercise in bringing devolution to life, to ensure that local people have the opportunity to influence genuine local decision-making.

“It’s great that more than 500 people have now responded, and we’re keen to speak to many more from every part of our city region, to make sure we understand what is important to the people who live here.

“Devolution is about bringing power closer to the people, and through LCR Listens we are stepping up our efforts to understand what is important to all of our residents. What we learn from this exercise will directly influence our strategic direction for the next 20 years and we are pulling out all the stops to make sure that we reach all of our communities.”

LCR Listens is an opportunity for everyone in the city region to have their say on the issues that are important to them. The feedback the Combined Authority receives will specifically influence its Local Industrial Strategy, which will set out the long-term economic vision for the Liverpool City Region, providing a framework for its investment decisions, and for conversations with government about how we work together, through devolution, to maximise prosperity for all people and communities.

Anyone wanting to have their say on the future of the Liverpool City Region or find out more about LCR Listens, should visit www.lcrlistens.co.uk and look out for the #LCRListens hashtag on social media.

Fully funded training for those in paid employment. 54 St James Street – 24^th September, 9:30am – 12:30pm

We encounter stress every day, and many people work in highly stressful environments. This 3-hour session will equip you with tools to identify and manage workplace stress.

The course includes how to:

• Recognise the symptoms associated with stress
• Understand the formation and causes of workplace stress
• Understand how thought processes influence stress
• Identify coping strategies to manage stress

Eligibility criteria does apply, as the training is part-funded through the European Social Fund. To come along to the training you must be employed and live in the Liverpool City Region.

Please note that to book, you will be asked to provide evidence of employment AND proof of ID evidencing your eligibility to work in the UK.

To find out more or book your  place contact on 0151 706 8111 or hello@thewo.org.uk.

All EU, EEA or Swiss Citizens living in the UK must apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021 (see the link to the Government EU Settlement Scheme Registration Page https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families)

The deadline for applying is 30 June 2021.

NB if the UK leaves the EU on 31st October 2019 with a 'no deal Brexit', then the deadline for applying to the EU Settlement Scheme will be brought forward to 31st December 2020.

Migrant Help are offering outreach sessions to help vulnerable EU citizens fill in the ‘EU Settlement Scheme’ application forms, this includes Roma gypsy communities, the elderly, victims of domestic abuse or modern day slavery, young carers, people with disabilities or those with serious health conditions.

Bethany from Migrant Help would like to hear from anyone who can (i) help host an outreach session or (ii) who supports vulnerable EU, EEA or Swiss Citizens

NB If you can help then please contact Bethany directly:

Bethany Saunders
EUSS Outreach and Engagement Advisor
07483088736
Bethany.Saunders@migranthelpuk.org

Caring Connections is a registered charity, specialising in the delivery of care and support services across Merseyside. They are a registered provider with the Care Quality Commission and on the contracted framework with all Merseyside local authorities. Alongside their commitment of ‘connecting people to the highest quality of care’ they are also dedicated to the development of their workforce and the delivery of community projects which support the ethos of ‘improving the lives of local people’. This report enables Caring Connections to communicate the impact they have had over the last year – the impact on service users, local communities, employees and the impact on the local economy.

Colleagues from Halton’s  faith, community and voluntary sector, supported by external partner organisations from across the Liverpool City Region are holding a Drop In Service for asylum seekers and refugees, being delivered every Monday at Trinity Methodist URC Church, 138 Albert Rd, Widnes WA8 6LG 11 am to 1pm. 

• Chat, make friends
• Free meal, snacks and hot drinks
• Access donated clothes/food & household items
• Get information about English classes
• Access information, support and guidance
• Speak to many partner organisations

“Just call in any Monday and you will be made very welcome”

Nominations for the first Culture and Creativity Awards in the Liverpool City Region have been opened by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram to stimulate, recognise and celebrate excellence and innovation in art, culture and creativity.

The awards are part of the Metro Mayor’s 1% for Culture initiative, and will honour the value and contribution that the cultural and creative sector brings to the Liverpool City Region, making it one of the most vibrant and exciting places to live, work, study, visit or do business in. 
The 1% for Culture initiative means that Liverpool City Region currently uses the equivalent of 1% of its £30 million annual devolution funding on utilising many of the region’s existing assets and talent to stimulate cultural and creative opportunities.
The red carpet ceremony will take place on 28th November 2019 at the Lady Lever Art Gallery hosted by the 2019 Liverpool City Region ‘Borough of Culture’, Wirral.

Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said:
“Culture and the creative arts are an incredibly important part of our identity. Whether it’s our museums, art galleries, theatres or our music, they all provide huge benefits, from bringing people together to enjoy once-in-a-lifetime events, getting involved in creative activities, and encouraging people to visit the city region for the first (and not the last) time. We are hugely proud of our cultural heritage and want to celebrate what makes all of our areas special to the people who live and work within them.”
Nominations for these awards can include an individual, organisation, group or partnership that is involved in the creation, promotion and use of art and creativity including the following art forms:

• Performing Arts (including: Theatre, Dance, Music, Opera)
• Visual Arts
• Digital Art
• Photography
• Film and broadcast media
• Literature (including comedy and comics)
• Museums, Galleries and Heritage
• Sculpture
• Craft
• Technology

Phil Redmond Chair of the Cultural Partnership said:
“Talent thrives on encouragement and exhibition. Whether already recognised or emerging, creativity flourishes when given a platform on which to shine. The LCR Culture and Creativity awards are planned to be an annual recognition of the region’s creativity, wherever it may be found, whether on a stage or in a science lab; whether an individual or co-operative effort. It will be the platform for the region’s talent to flourish. It will become the award anyone would love to win.”

Nominees must live, study and/or work in the Liverpool City Region - Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral, or have created work/projects that significantly benefit the residents or visitors to the LCR and/or has positively contributed to the development of the economy of the LCR.

The 2019 awards will recognise arts and cultural events, innovative and creative activity that has taken place within the Liverpool City Region during the period 1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019, with the exception of the Borough of Culture’ Star of the Year’ Award which can include individual achievement that has taken place during Wirral’s Borough of Culture from 1st January 2019 up to the closing date– 20 September 2019.

Councillor Shelley Powell the Deputy Portfolio Holder for Culture, Tourism and The Visitor Economy for the Combined Authority said:
“The nominations for these awards are not restricted to professionals it is also for people organising voluntary, community based social activity. They can be an individual, or part of an organisation, business, group or partnership that, has demonstrated outstanding creative achievement. One of our aims is to acknowledge how valuable culture and creativity is in creating positive results both in our communities and in the professional sector.”

In addition to an award, winners will be offered the services of a film maker to develop a three minute bespoke film tailored to the audience that the winner wishes to reach, providing an advocacy tool for future progression.

Nominations can be completed online and the closing date for entrants and nominations is Friday 20th September at 4pm. After this date the judging panel will shortlist the finalists for the People’s Choice Award – Outstanding Contribution to Culture, and the Liverpool City Region community will be able to vote for their chosen winner.

All other categories will be decided by members of the Liverpool Cultural Partnership and a judging panel who will compile a shortlist of finalists for each category from the nominations received.

For more information about the categories and how to nominate or apply to be considered please go to https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/lcr-culture-creativity-awards/

From Monday 19th August, VCA have new telephone operating hours of 10 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday where we will have a member of staff availalbe to take your calls.  Outside of these hours you will be directed to our voicemail services and can either leave a message for the staff member you wish to call you back or contact us by email. 

Community Spaces work with charities and start-ups to offer rent free space on a short term basis, with no service charge or insurance contributions.  They can negotiate on your behalf longer term occupations if required for discounted rent and additional benefits.

Whether you're looking to open a pop-up shop or something more permanent, they will find the perfect property for you.  

They have retail units in varying sizes in the Hardshaw Shopping Centre, St Helens.  

If you would like any more details or to arrange a viewing, call on 01743 730 004

The recent meeting of the VS6 partners was attended by VCFSE sector representatives from across the Liverpool City Region, including Sefton CVS, Liverpool CVS, Halton & St Helens VCA, Community Action Wirral and Merseyside Youth Association.

The meeting included discussion of the Clore Leadership programme, which now has its first Liverpool City Region cohort of individuals. The programme, which is supported by VS6 and Capacity: The Public Services Lab, provides participants with leadership skills training and individual development plans.

Also at the meeting, individual members of the partnership provided updates on meetings & work where they represent VS6, including meetings with Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram; and work with the British Council around leadership and inclusive economy. Finally, Network for Europe shared information on current European funding available in the region, and possible future rounds to be aware of.

The next meeting of the partnership is due to take place  in September where guest speakers will be Paula Ellis, Corporate Engagement Manager at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority; Claire Dove OBE, Chief Executive at Blackburne House and VCSE Crown Representative; and Sam Murtagh from Halton Borough Council who is leading on a piece of work for Liverpool City Region Combined Authority on market reform in Children’s residential care and is keen to engage with the Sector through VS6.

For More Information About VS6, please click the link below:

https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/vs6-working-together-build-stronger-liverpool-city-region

‘Fresh Beginnings’ is a specialised professional hygiene training company with the additional option of delivering healthy cooking sessions all at affordable prices.

Whilst online training sometimes can be more convenient, Face-to–Face training still has more success because of the bespoke and interactive style of learning.

Are you searching for inspiring and effective learning that engages, achieves your business goals, improves your business performance and motivates your employees?

Please get in touch now to find out how they can help to deliver creative and engaging training that will get you results. 

Phone Number 07921579213

Email barbara@fresh-beginnings.co.uk

Apex Charitable Trust are opening a community coffee shop in September/October 2019, in St Helens through which they will be offering free accredited training and volunteer opportunities. Anyone interested in applying must live in the Liverpool City region (excluding Wirral), be over the age of 18 and have a conviction (current or historic). 

This is a fantastic opportunity for people to engage in accredited training while enhancing their work experience through their volunteering role, helping to increase their skills, knowledge and employability; and is suitable for anyone thinking of going into hospitality or wanting a career change. In addition it could be a way of securing paid employment for those who have faced challenges when seeking paid employment due to their conviction. Everyone who engages with this opportunity will complete a 5 step programme which includes support from the advice and guidance officer and a peer mentor, employment preparation including supported job searches and post-employment support for 4 months. In addition they are currently in talks with some bigger, well established hospitality establishments to offer work placements this will enhance the individuals experience and give people a taste of what it’s like to work in a busy kitchen with well-known and experienced chefs. 

If you are interested in applying for this opportunity or would like to know more please contact Leanne Corkery at Apex:

Phone Number 01744612898

Email l.corkery@apextrust.com

If you were living your best life, what would it look like? Would you be surrounded by family and friends? Exploring the great outdoors? Being active and eating healthily? Or learning something new?

That’s exactly what Wellbeing Enterprises CIC want to know!

Join in with group discussions and take part in creative activities about what living your best life means to you and then exhibit your vision at a celebration event.

Running weekly for 6 weeks from Wednesday 14th August 2019 at 1 – 3pm United Reformed Church, 6 The Landings, St Helens, WA10 2TD

For more information and to book your place:

Liverpool: 0151 237 2670

Runcorn: 01928 589799

info@wellbeingenterprises.org.uk 

The Introduction to Social Change and Campaigning workshops are designed for those interested in social change and change-making. It is for people new to campaigns or who have found themselves campaigning by accident and who want to know more. Participants will improve their understanding, skills and knowledge of change making, including understanding more about how change happens and be more effective at developing a campaign strategy. The workshop will also provide participants with the opportunity to meet other campaigners, develop their professional network and receive peer support.

Details

Liverpool | 10:00 – 17:00  | Wednesday, 18 Sep 2019

Fee
Prices range from £0-260 based on the size of the organisation/group and income. Free bursary places are available for students and those with no to low income.

For more information and to book a place visit:  https://smk.org.uk/1-day-workshop/

Our colleagues from Halton Borough Council’s External Funding Team have prepared some Funding Bulletins containing valuable information for voluntary organisations looking for grants to get projects off the ground.

The Monthly funding bulletins offering information on funding opportunities in the following areas:

Arts, Community & Voluntary, Environment & Heritage, European, Faith, Health, Schools, Sports and Youth.

To access the information, please click on the link below:

https://www4.halton.gov.uk/Pages/business/FinanceandGrants/finance.aspx

This event, which will be of interest to HR teams, Directors / Deputy Directors of nursing, carer support organisations and those with a responsibility for staff health and wellbeing and staff side colleagues, is jointly hosted by VSNW and Health & Care Partnership for Cheshire & Merseyside. They would particularly welcome representatives from carers organisations who are interested in contributing to this. Included on the agenda is the development of the Cheshire and Merseyside NHS Carers charter.

VSNW will also be presenting research undertaken in partnership with Leeds Beckett University Centre for Health Promotion Research and Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) looking at the Informal Carer Workforce in Cheshire & Merseyside. 

Date: Tuesday 24th September 2019 Starts at 10:00am Ends by 3:30pm

Location: The Foundry 65 Lugsdale Road Widnes WA8 6DA

For more information and to book your place, please click the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carers-in-the-nhs-workforce-tickets-65163525860

The next meeting of the St Helens & District Group of Diabetes UK will be on Wednesday 4th September 2019 at 7.30pm in St Helens United Reformed Church, King St, WA10 2JZ. The church is next to Windle Pilkington Hall.  The speaker will be Jessica Graham who will be talking on the subject of:

Driving with Diabetes 
 
Jessica is the Volunteer Coordinator from the North West Office of Diabetes UK. Anyone with an interest in Diabetes is welcome to attend, admission is free and refreshments are available after the meeting.  If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes and have not been to a meeting before you are particularly welcome. They are a very friendly group and you may be assured of a warm welcome. They have a large selection of free diabetes leaflets available. So go along and find out more!

 
For further details contact C Bowmaker on 0151 480 0821. 

Halton Health Improvement Team and Amparo are holding their 2^nd memorial evening at Halton Stadium for anyone who has been bereaved by suicide. 

The evening aims to provide a space for thought and reflection in supportive surroundings, provide an opportunity to meet others who have had similar experiences and most importantly remember those we have lost to suicide.

The details for the evening are:-

Date: Tuesday 10^th September 2019

Time: 7pm – 9pm

Venue:  Halton Stadium Lowerhouse Lane, Widnes WA8 7DZ

Places can be booked via the link below but is not essential, and is open to anyone across Cheshire & Merseyside.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/memorial-evening-for-anyone-bereaved-by-suicide-tickets-64165227924

Children are welcome to attend and there is free parking on site. 

Tea and coffee on arrival from 6:30pm

Please do not hesitate to contact Health Improvement team on 03000290029 or HIT@halton.gov.uk if you have any questions.

On Saturday 31st August, hundreds of walkers will light up the streets of Liverpool when they take on a 10k walking challenge to raise vital funds for Cancer Research UK, but they need your support!

Sign up right now to volunteer and together we will beat cancer! There are a variety of roles including supporting course marshals, pit stop volunteers and finish volunteers. Get stuck into all kinds of tasks from putting up marquees, giving out course maps and medals or take on a more supportive role where you’ll need to be proactive and empathetic to ensure walkers feel re-energised to continue taking steps to the all important finish line.

Make a difference to someone’s night and help raise money for Cancer Research UK.

To sign up please click on the link below and select Liverpool as your event town:
http://www.shinewalk.org/volunteering

As we get older, we often need a little more help and assistance to remain independent in our homes. If you need support at home, the Staying Home Service in St Helens is here to help.

Are you a homeowner or someone who lives in a privately rented property? Torus provide a variety of services, tailored to individual needs that help people over the age of 55 remain independent, stay in control and enjoy a better quality of life.  

How they can help

At Home:

• Help with housing advice and welfare benefits
• Help arranging for mobility aids and property adaptations
• Help filling in forms
• Help finding support with every day household tasks

Health & Wellbeing:

• Registering with a GP or dentist
• Help taking up new hobbies, skills or socialising
• Arranging for volunteer support

Contact them for more information on 01744 418118 or stayinghome@torus.co.uk

Round 2 of a £2.7 million programme to tackle unemployment launched April 2019, with backing from the European Social Fund, is now open.

The funds have been granted by the government’s Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) in partnership with Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership to the Worker’s Educational Association (WEA), an adult education charity which provides training and learning opportunities for people at risk of exclusion.

Over the next two years, the charity will help thousands of people who face additional barriers in the workplace, such as lone parents, improve their employability and gain permanent employment.

The WEA will distribute small grants of £20,000 across Merseyside and Halton to eligible organisations in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector between April 2019 and May 2021.

Funded activities will target those aged 19 and over, from the hardest to reach communities. The funding can help all who are out of work but especially those with:

• disabilities and long term health conditions
• single parents
• women
• people from ethnic minorities
• people over 50
• those planning to return to the workplace after a long period of absence

The closing date for electronic applications is 12 noon on Wednesday 18th September 2019.

For more information and how to apply, please click the link below:

https://www.wea.org.uk/liverpool-city-region-esf-community-grants-2019-2021

Community groups which work to divert young people away from crime and anti-social behaviour during the busy autumn half-term are being invited to bid for a small cash boost, thanks to Merseyside’s Police Commissioner.

Jane Kennedy has announced that she releasing a new round of funding from the Police Property Act Fund (PPA), which allows money raised from the sale of unclaimed stolen goods or property recovered by the police to be used for good causes.

It is the tenth time the Commissioner has asked community organisations, charities and groups to apply for grants of up to £5,000 for grassroots initiatives which are working to help young people to make the right choices. A total of £45,000 is available from the fund for one-off grants for organisations which are committed to improving community safety, reducing crime or supporting victims.

Jane has already awarded nearly £378,000 through the PPA to organisations that are making a difference in their communities. Since July 2015, the fund has been used to concentrate on youth engagement initiatives. Last year, funding was awarded to 23 community groups enabling more than 7,500 young people take part in fun, safe, organised activities over the Halloween and Bonfire Night period.

Jane said: "I am pleased to once again be able to open up the Police Property Act Fund for bids of up to £5,000 to organisations which are working to make their communities safer and better places to live by engaging with young people.

“Halloween and Bonfire Night are a time of fun and excitement for many people across Merseyside, but sometimes the fun can get out of hand and sadly some communities still do experience a rise in criminal and anti-social behaviour during this holiday. Historically, it is a particularly busy time for the police and the fire service.

“Through these grants, I want to help alleviate these issues and prevent local young people from making mistakes they may regret in the future. Once a young person gets a criminal record it can blight their future prospects. By using these grants to fund a wide range of fun, safe, organised activities I hope we can help to prevent young people from getting drawn into any activities which could become intimidating, anti-social or even dangerous to other members of the community.

“These projects will support the excellent diversionary work carried out by Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, ensuring that young people can enjoy the autumn festivities in a safe and enjoyable way which is properly supervised.”

Jane added: “Local people know their communities best. They know what works when engaging with their young people and I am looking forward to reviewing their ideas and initiatives for ensuring everyone can have a safe and fun Halloween.”

The PPA fund is administered by the Community Foundation for Merseyside, (CFM) on behalf of the Commissioner. CFM holds funds from individuals and organisations as donors who wish to support deserving causes in Merseyside.

All applications must be submitted online via the Community Foundation for Merseyside by 4pm on 30th August 2019.

Please visit their website http://www.cfmerseyside.org.uk/funds/police-property-act-fund to apply.

‘Offer of Rent & Business Rates Free property for Charities in and around Bootle’

Opportunity for charities looking for additional space to use on a Rent & Business Rates Free basis.

Avire UK Lettings Limited are able to offer retail spaces for charities which can be used for Retailing, Drop in Centre, Training or even just for storage.
Sizes range from 419 – 4680 sq ft approx

The only costs you will incur for using this property will be utility bills. 

If any Charity is looking for additional space to use, they can offer a 1-3 year lease with a 28 day rolling break clause.

For further information or to arrange viewing please email lucyrobinson@avire.co.uk or telephone 01295 256 338

Healthy Living Team, Smokefree and Specialist Weight Management Services are coming together to provide support for local people under a local offer.

To contact the service, as a professional or patient:

From 1st August 2019: please call 01744 371111, email: chcp.sthelens@nhs.net, or drop-in to one of the central hubs or outreach clinics.

Please note that the previous Healthy Living fax number (01744 697434) will no longer be in use as from 1st August, however referrals can still be made via email. Please note that the referral process currently in place will not change at this stage - just a change in details of where these are to be sent.

The new office base will be:

St Helens Wellbeing Service
City Health Care Partnership CIC
St Helens College
Water Street
St Helens
WA10 1PP

NHS St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has started a 12 week consultation regarding its ‘Care at the Chemist’ scheme and wants to hear the views of the public as it reviews the future of the scheme.

The ‘Care at the Chemist’ scheme for minor ailments is available to the public in all but two patient-facing pharmacies in St Helens and patients eligible for free prescriptions can obtain treatment for 27 minor ailments free of charge.

The consultation is running until Saturday 21 September and is asking the following questions.

Should they:

• Cease the service
• Limit the number of pharmacies who offer the minor ailment service, for example only those pharmacies that are open 100 hours will be able to offer the service.
• Limit the number of minor ailments and treatments offered.
• Only offer the service to those aged 17 years and under.

You can find more details about the consultation and a link to the survey on the website.

It is normal for parents to argue but where arguments are frequent, heated, and unresolved it can have a negative impact on both the parents and their children. We call this state of affairs parental conflict”. We all know a family that has been under strain (even broken up) and where children are caught in the middle... but what more can local services do more to support families? 

To this end, Citizens Advice Halton is conducting a very short (5min) survey that will really help them and their partners understand how they can better support Halton families experiencing parental conflict.

All participants in the survey will be put into a draw for one of three £20 shopping vouchers. To complete the survey please click: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SS3RF96

Do you live in Runcorn? Do you care about local GP services? Are you passionate about the future of General Practice in Runcorn?

If so, why not join staff from Halton & St Helens VCA and the volunteers of the R Health project at an upcoming Focus Group? It will be held on Tuesday 13th August (between2pm and 4pm) at the Grangeway Community Centre. Attendees will discuss “access” or the challenges patients face when making an appointment to see a GP or other relevant Practice employee.

We’ll be discussing what the worst and best possible access would be, before passing our recommendations onto the decision makers at R Health. The R-Health project involves all six GP Practices working together learning from one another, sharing expertise & experiences and exploring new ways of delivering GP services in Runcorn.

To book your place at the Focus Group on 13th August please telephone Matthew or Debbie  on (01928) 592 405.

Halton Volunteer Centre are holding two Volunteer Recruitment Fairs in Widnes later this year.  The fairs will be a market place style event for the most part. However, we would like to make the event as exciting and interactive as possible, so please feel free to be creative when considering how you might engage with the general public & students.We would request that your stand is manned for the whole time, so that the last visitor has a good experience as the first one. Also, we ask that fundraising tins etc are not put out on your stand as this is purely a recruitment fair.

The first one will be held at Kingsway Campus on 1st October and the second one will be held at Cronton Sixth form college on 8th October.  If you would like to have a stand at either or both of the fairs, the links below will take you to our registration pages.
 

Kingsway Campus, Widnes Tuesday 1st October: https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=283

Cronton Sixth Form College, Tuesday 8th October: https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=285

Places are limited so early registration is recomeneded.

The National Retraining Scheme – which is being developed to support adults to adapt to changes in the workplace – has begun its initial rollout in the Liverpool City Region with the launch of a new digital service, Get Help to Retrain. The scheme - which is backed by CBI and TUC - will support adults to retrain and kick start a new career.

The Government have published an updated policy paper, with further information regarding the NRS National retraining scheme - GOV.UK and released a social media explainer video on the DfE’s YouTube channel National Retraining Scheme - YouTube.

• The pioneering National Retraining Scheme gets underway as new digital service Get Help to Retrain launches in Liverpool
• The scheme - which is backed by CBI and TUC - will support adults to retrain and kick start a new career
• Part of the Government’s drive to make sure adults can adapt to future changes in the workplace, especially those brought about by automation

Adults whose jobs could change or become obsolete due to advances in technology will get support to retrain and get on a path to a new career, Education Secretary Damian Hinds announced, marking the start of the innovative National Retraining Scheme.

The National Retraining Scheme – which is being developed to support adults to adapt to changes in the workplace – has begun its initial rollout in the Liverpool City Region with the launch of a new digital service, Get Help to Retrain.

It comes as figures reveal that up to 35% of jobs could be at risk of changing as a result of automation in the next 10-20 years, with computer programmes or even robots transforming the way things are done in the workplace.

Get Help to Retrain is designed to help adults to discover new opportunities and what they need to do to get the skills to land a new job. The online service will help adults identify their existing skills, explore local job opportunities and where to go to find training courses to gain the skills they need to progress. Dedicated support will also be on hand from trained careers advisors to guide people through the process and provide expert information and advice.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said:

“Technologies like AI and automation are transforming the way we live and work and bringing huge benefits to our economy, but it also means that jobs are evolving and some roles will soon become a thing of the past.

“The National Retraining Scheme will be pivotal in helping adults across the country whose jobs are at risk of changing to gain new skills and get on the path to a new, more rewarding career.

“This is big and complex challenge, which is why we are starting small, learning as we go, and releasing each part of the scheme only when it’s ready to benefit its users.  We’re beginning with the launch of the Get Help to Retrain digital service in the Liverpool City Region first, working alongside our partners the CBI and TUC, to make sure we get it right and the service works for the people who need it.”

The launch of the Get Help to Retrain digital service is the first of a series of products that will make up the full National Retraining Scheme. The National Retraining Scheme - backed by £100 million of Government investment – is a manifesto commitment and is a key part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy for building a country fit for the future.

The scheme is led and overseen by the National Retraining Partnership – a unique partnership between Government, the CBI and the TUC – to ensure the collective voices of businesses and employees are heard.

Get Help to Retrain will initially start as a private service. Eligible adults across Liverpool – those aged 24 and over, with a qualification below degree level and working below a certain wage threshold – will be invited to trial the new service so the system can be developed and fully evaluated before being scaled up and rolled out to other regions in the coming months. Get Help to Retrain will be released to all eligible adults in England in early 2020. A series of additional products that will make up the full service are being developed and tested in parallel, before being released at different times.

The National Careers Service in the Liverpool City Region is supporting the testing of the scheme by providing qualified careers advisers to give expert information, advice and guidance to users of Get Help to Retrain.

Robert Jenrick, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury said:

“The pace of technological change has never been faster and U.K. is well positioned to take advantage of that, but we also need to watch the backs of working people whose careers will be changed as a result. 

“The National Retraining Scheme is a £100m programme to help people gain new skills in the workplace, change occupation if necessary and increase their pay and prospects.”

Matthew Fell, CBI Chief UK Policy Director, said: 

“Ensuring our country’s workforce is fit for the 21st century, particularly the challenges and opportunities presented by automation, is vital if we are to improve productivity growth, which is the only sustainable route to higher wages and living standards.

“As the world of work changes, employers – supported by government - have a crucial role to play in providing opportunities that help people learn throughout their careers. And as it develops, the national retraining partnership should become part of wider cross-government efforts aimed at embracing the fourth industrial revolution.”

Kevin Rowan, Head of Organising, Skills and Services Department at the Trades Union Congress said:

“Every worker should have the opportunity to improve their skills and retrain.

“This is crucial as the labour market is transformed by technology and automation in the coming years. The launch of the first phase of the National Retraining Scheme marks the beginning of a new collaborative approach – opening retraining up to many more adults, and preparing them for the jobs of the future.

“Union learning reps will play a key role in supporting workers to access the advice and retraining opportunities made available through the scheme.

“This is just the beginning. The challenge for the National Retraining Partnership is to develop a national programme that invests in the potential of all workers, delivering the skills we need to compete in the growth sectors of the future.”

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:

“As new technologies disrupt our existing economic model, creating new types of jobs but making others obsolete, it makes perfect sense to give people the opportunity to retrain for the employment opportunities of the future so I’m pleased that the National Retraining Scheme is launching in the Liverpool City Region. 

“It is also clear that, because regional economies like ours differ so much from those of London and the South East, the government needs to deliver real devolution of powers and funding for training so that we can ensure our residents have the skills that our economy needs.”

To find out more and booking information please CLICK HERE

Invest St Helens Business Awards in association with Pride of St Helens, is now open for entry. They have10 categories that are open for self-nomination and you can also choose to nominate a fellow business.

The awards are open to all St Helens based businesses and are free to enter. This year they have created some new categories so there really is something for everyone, plus you can enter as many categories as you wish. Find out more here

CATEGORIES AND SPONSORS - open for nominations

• Community Impact Award - Sponsored by St Helens RFC
• Entrepreneur of the Year Award - Sponsored by Network Space
• Small Business of the Year Award - Sponsored by Bericote
• Medium/Large Business of the Year Award - Sponsored by Paramount Digital
• Workplace Health Award - Sponsored by Knauf Award
• Growing the Creative Industry Award - Sponsored by St Helens College
• Excellence in Logistics and Manufacturing Award - Sponsored by Brendon International
• Skills for the Future Award - Sponsored by Lucam Consultancy
• Developer of the Year Award - Sponsored by Green Circle Estates
• Development of the Year Award - Sponsored by St Helens Council

CATEGORIES AND SPONSOR - open for public vote

• Peoples Business Choice Award - Sponsored by O2 Business Centre

CATEGORIES AND SPONSOR - Not open for nomination, judges decision only

• Invest St Helens Achievement Award - Sponsored by St Helens Business Club

• Invest St Helens Business Award - Sponsored by Invest St Helens

For more information on each category and to submit your nomination please visit https://www.investsthelens.co.uk/business-awards/awardcategories/ You submit your entry via an online form that takes no more than ten minutes.

Deadline For Nominations: 12th August 2019
 

The Alfred Shaw Trust Fund is now open for applications and the closing date is 30 August 2019. The fund supports groups working in the Runcorn area on projects that help children, vulnerable adults and the elderly.

Background Information: The Alfred Shaw Trust Fund is managed by the Community Foundation for Merseyside. The Trust was established in memory of Alfred Shaw and this fund has been created following the transfer of the Trust fund to the Community Foundation.

What is the focus of the fund:  The charitable objectives of the Trust are:

• To help and support disabled children and young people
• To increase the provision of diversionary activities and facilities to help and support vulnerable children and young people
• To support projects and initiatives that support vulnerable people through the winter months. 
• To support the provision of amenities for the elderly helping to reduce social isolation
• To support education initiatives that will help to raise the aspirations of children and young people living in Runcorn with particular interest in music and the arts
• To support young people to undertake projects or activities, where assistance from public bodies is not usually available. Applications for funding assistance will be considered for the advancement of education and training of individuals under the age of 25yrs who are residents of Runcorn

How much is available:  The maximum grant available is £1500 for groups and £250 for individuals. More may be awarded in exceptional circumstances.

Who can apply: Voluntary or community groups with a constitution or set of rules in the group’s name, which includes CICs and Social Enterprises and young people under the age of 25 residing in Runcorn.

Which areas are covered: Runcorn (WA7 postcode)

Any special criteria: The fund will not support core salaries or general running costs but will consider sessional worker costs and an element of full cost recovery as part of a specific project.

Examples of the sorts of projects that may be funded:

• Equipment for youth club
• Music workshops for young people
• Training for volunteers
• Equipment for luncheon club
• Activities for older person’s group
• Projects to reduce social isolation for vulnerable groups
• Play items for group working with children with disabilities
• Coaching qualification for young person  
• Costs of attending a training session that will help a young person develop their career

The closing date is Friday 30 August 2019

How to apply?

Please visit the Community Foundation for Merseyside’s website - http://www.cfmerseyside.org.uk/funds/alfred-shaw-trust-fund and complete an online application form. Once you have submitted the online application you will need to send the documents listed below. If you do not submit all the relevant documents within 7 days your application will be withdrawn.  You can now attach the documents to your online application, email them to applications@cflm.email or post them to the address below.  Individual applicants should follow the link to complete an electronic application form which can be saved and emailed back to us. Supporting documents can either be emailed to us or posted to us.  

Individual applicants should download an electronic application form which can be saved and emailed back to us. Supporting documents can either be emailed to us or posted to us.

Documents which need to be included with your application:

Groups

• A copy of your governing document or constitution
• A copy of your latest annual accounts or income/expenditure document
• A copy of a recent bank statement for your group
• A copy of your current Safeguarding Policy. All applicants must ensure that they hold relevant policies and procedures in place to undertake activities, such as Criminal Records Bureau checks and/or a health and safety policy, depending on proposed activity. If unsure about what you need please contact the Community Foundation for help (details below)
• NB: If you have received a grant from us in the last 12 months and have already submitted copies of the above documents, you do not need to send them in again. However, a bank statement is required with every application.

Individuals

• Proof of residency in Runcorn (a copy of a utility bill/ driving licence or other similar document stating your home address will suffice)
• Proof of age (copy of passport/birth certificate/driving licence)
• A copy of a recent bank statement (if you do not have your own bank account, the name and address of a person over 18 years of age, who has a bank account and is willing to receive payment on your behalf)
• A letter of acceptance/support from the education/training provider

The following items cannot be supported via the fund:

• Statutory organisations or work that is their responsibility

• National organizations that cannot demonstrate local governance and control of local finances
• Commercial ventures
• Purchase/maintenance of vehicles
• Activities that will have already taken place before we offer you a grant
• Politically connected or exclusively religious activities
• Projects for personal profit
• Trophies and medals
• Organisations that are set up for the benefit of animals or plants: environmental groups that work with animals or the environment (such as city farms) are acceptable
• Groups comprising just one family
• Debts and other liabilities
• Reclaimable VAT
• Travel outside UK
• Gifts or projects exclusively for the purpose of entertaining – social events can be funded where there is a clear community benefit

What happens next?

Completed applications are considered by Community Foundation staff to check eligibility. You may be contacted for more information after applying and a decision making panel will make recommendations based on the fund’s criteria and the budget available.

You should expect to hear the outcome of your application within 6 weeks of the closing date.

For further information, please contact Joan Ford, Community Philanthropy Manager at:

Community Foundation for Merseyside
Third Floor, Stanley Building,
43 Hanover Street,
Liverpool, L1 3DN

T: 0151 294 4756 (Direct) 0330 440 4900 (Switchboard)

Email: joan@cflm.email

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner is looking for 10 enthusiastic, skilled young people to volunteer to support, challenge and inform the work of her office and the wider criminal justice system.

Jane Kennedy is looking to recruit a group of new volunteer Youth Ambassadors to help shape the way she engages with young people while giving them a greater voice in policing and community safety matters.

The role will last for 12 months and is open to those aged between 16 and 24, who live, work or study in Merseyside.

Youth Ambassadors will meet bi-monthly with the Police Commissioner and her team and will assist in the creation and delivery of a new Youth Engagement Plan, which they will help to share with other young people by visiting schools, youth clubs and community groups across Merseyside. They will also be expected to attend youth engagement events, inform campaigns aimed at young people and review the services offered to their peers.

The new Youth Ambassadors will replace the Commissioner’s Youth Advisory Group which has run since 2013.

Jane said: “I’m looking for 10 enthusiastic, engaged young people who aren’t afraid to challenge, have an interest in policing and community safety and want to get fully involved in these new Youth Ambassador roles.

“Throughout my time as Merseyside’s Police Commissioner, I have been keen to listen to the views of young people. The Youth Advisory Group has been amazing, sharing their views and feedback with me openly and honestly and I have greatly valued their opinions and feedback. The Ambassador role is a development of the Youth Advisory Group and will enable the young people to deliver a closer engagement with and challenge to myself and to the police.

“I am looking to recruit a smaller group of dedicated, eager and skilled young people to become even more involved with my work. I am hoping these young people will be real ambassadors for their peers, listening to their views and presenting them to me in order to inform a new Youth Engagement Plan.

“I’m looking for young people who really want to make a difference and be a voice for change. In exchange, they will get some fantastic opportunities to learn more about policing and the criminal justice system and influence decision making at a senior level. They will also receive a range of training and development opportunities and some great experience to add to their CV.

Any young person interested in applying can find more information and the application form at https://www.merseysidepcc.info/youth-ambassadors.aspx and return it to info@merseysidepcc.info

Alternatively, you can post a copy to The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Wavertree Police Station, Wavertree Road, Liverpool L7 1RJ.

The deadlines for applications is close of play on Friday 9^th August 2019.

For more information, please call 0151 777 5155 and ask for a member of the Community Engagement team or email info@merseysidepcc.info.

Network for Europe via the VS6 partnership have shared with us the latest news on European funding, you can find this update in the attachment below.  

The office at Chain Lane Community Centre, St. Helens, will become available for hire from early October this year. The British Red Cross have run their St Helens ‘Support at Home’ Project from the office but sadly, the funding for this ends at the end of September.

The Office will accommodate up to 3 desks. Rent includes all utilities but telecommunications are the responsibility of the hirer. The Centre does have Wi-Fi. 

The Centre is near to the East Lancashire Road (A580) and is on a direct bus route to the town centre. Car parking is adjacent to the Centre. Chain Lane Shopping Precinct is over the road.

They are looking for an individual, group or small community organisation, charity or business that would like to be based out in the community. They do want the hirer to be on site for a reasonable part of the day, not just a base from which to occasionally call in.

Interested? Please contact Pam on 07586 842 161 or email: ccchainlane@gmail.com

The Centre address is Chain Lane Community Centre, Hinckley Road, St. Helens WA11 9HT

"Telling your social story" developing your key messages to connect with your key audiences - from volunteers and clients to funders and supporters. Yellow Jigsaw will share with you tried and tested strategies for telling your story to get the maximum impact to your target audience.

As this workshop is FREE for AFFILIATED Members of VCA organisations who are not affiliated will be invoiced £25 per person with payment being recieved before the workshop takes place.

CLICK HERE to book your place

St Helens & District Group of Diabetes UK are a friendly group offering information and support to people living with diabetes, those at risk of developing it and anyone who wants to find out more about the condition. Meetings are free to attend and they have a good selection of information on diabetes available.

Attached below is the new programme of meetings. The programme will commence with the 1st meeting on Wednesday 4th September 2019 at 7.30pm in St Helens United Reformed Church, King St, WA10 2JZ.

More information can be found on their website www.st-helens-and-district.diabetesukgroup.org

Halton & St Helens VCA has been asked to support Runcorn GP Practices with some important engagement work. 

GP Practices play an important role in their community and many people cherish the relationship they have with their GP Practice.  Local Practices have recognised that they need to adapt to preserve this important relationship at a time when demand for their services is increasing. In Runcorn, the R-Health project has been set up to achieve this.

The R-Health project involves all six GP Practices working together learning from one another, sharing expertise & experiences and exploring new ways of delivering GP services in Runcorn.

“We also want to work with our residents” says Dr Gary O’Hare, the R Health Clinical Lead and GP at Murdishaw Health Centre. “The feedback we gather from our patients is extremely important to us. We know there are opportunities to do things better and we want local people to be involved in helping us shape services.”

One of the key areas R Health are currently examining is how people make an appointment with their GP Practice. As such, they’ve designed an online survey with questions about when you want or need help from your Practice.

You can complete the survey by visiting www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RHealthAccess   

R Health are also hosting some Focus Groups to discuss what the world’s worst and best “access to GP Practices” would look like. They will be held at the Grangeway Community Centre in Runcorn on Tuesday 23rd July (from 2pm till 4pm) and Wednesday 24th July (from 7pm till 9pm). Places are limited. To book yours please phone (01928) 592 405.

This event, which will be of interest to HR teams, Directors / Deputy Directors of nursing, carer support organisations and those with a responsibility for staff health and wellbeing and staff side colleagues, is jointly hosted by VSNW and Health & Care Partnership for Cheshire & Merseyside.

The current draft agenda is as follows:

10.00am: Arrival, refreshments and registration

10.15am: Welcome and introduction - Karen Howell & Chris Samosa (Chair)

10.25am: Cheshire and Merseyside research findings – Warren Escadale (CEO of VSNW)

11.00am: Break

11.20am: Challenges facing carers in the workplace- a carers organisation perspective – Carl Harris (Halton Carers Centre)

11.45am: A case study (1) – a Carer’s story from Cheshire and Merseyside TBC

12.00noon: A Trade Union perspective TBC

12.30pm: Lunch

1.10pm: Reflections from the morning session

1.20pm: A case study (2) – an NHS Employer TBC

1.35pm: Action Planning on tables (focusing on the recommendations from the research)

2.35pm: Developing the Cheshire and Merseyside NHS Carers charter – Chris Samosa (Chair)

3.15pm: Summary and close – Chris Samosa (Chair)

Date And Time:

Tuesday, 24th September 2019, 10:00 – 15:30 BST

Location:

The Foundry
65 Lugsdale Road
Widnes
WA8 6DA

View Map

For more information and to book your free place, please click the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carers-in-the-nhs-workforce-tickets-65163525860

For more information and to book your place on our Meet the Funder event with the WEA CLICK HERE..

Willowbrook Hospice has launched an urgent appeal for volunteer drivers and van driver’s assistants in the St Helens and Knowsley area to help with collections of donations and deliveries.

Bev Neilson, Retail Volunteer Coordinator at Willowbrook Hospice, said: “We’ve got 16 charity shops throughout ‘our patch’ and we really depend on our van drivers and assistants to help stock our shops and deliver any large items to our customers. All the money raised through our shops helps Willowbrook to continue to care and support people with life limiting illnesses across St Helens and Knowsley.

“Volunteering can be incredibly rewarding. Many of our volunteers have developed new skills or gained valuable work experience. It’s a great way to meet new people from all walks of life and get involved with the community and without the support of our volunteers we couldn’t continue to do what we do..”

Barry Lyon, one of Willowbrook’s volunteer drivers says: “I’m proud to volunteer for Willowbrook and have seen the fantastic work that the hospice does first hand.  It’s an amazing organisation and offers so much help and support to people in our local community. “Since I became a volunteer for Willowbrook I’ve met a great bunch of people – staff, fellow volunteers and supporters -  and I would encourage anyone who’s got a few hours to spare to sign up and join the Willowbrook volunteer team.”

For more information about volunteering please contact Bev on 01744 766929 or email help@willowbrookhospice.org.uk

Plan Bee coffee bar is the business arm of Apex providing employment opportunities and career advancement for people who have a criminal record. All profits made in Plan Bee are reinvested into the charity enabling them to continue to deliver great support services for our local community.

Join the Hive (organisation) as one of the volunteer bees and have the opportunity to learn new skills and develop work experience. They want to help people with a criminal record to move forward with their lives, and be a part of the bee colony (team).     

Plan Bee gives volunteer bees the opportunity to receive accredited training in many different areas including Barista skills, Cookery skills, and Food Hygiene to name a few. Apex provide personal development support from their IAG & Volunteer Coordinator and Peer Mentors to help get you job ready and secure paid employment. You will have the opportunity to work alongside the team of worker bees learning from them and be part of a buzzing Hive.

Volunteer bees are key members of the hive. They will assist the hive in ensuring customers receive a high standard of service.

As a volunteer bee you will:

• Make new friends and be part of a fantastic colony (team)
• Develop new skills
• Have experience to include on a CV and hands on work experience
• Improve your confidence and self-esteem
• Increase your employability

Volunteer Selection Criteria

You need to have a friendly, outgoing personality and be able to work as part of a team with other volunteer and worker bees. In addition:

• Be committed and reliable
• Be a good communicator
• Proactive and hardworking
• Be accountable
• Adhere to the Apex Trust policies and procedures (confidentiality)
• Have a criminal record or be at risk of offending

Volunteer Duties

• Support the team in delivering excellent customer service
• Prepare and produce drinks and food orders
• To undertake specific duties related to volunteer role
• To always act in a professional manner
• To follow standards as set in your training
• Adhere to health & safety guidelines.

Interested?  Then complete the attached application form, or if you've got any questions, you can contact Apex on the details below:

Tel: 01744 612898 Email: L.corkery@apextrust.com

Willowbrook Hospice is offering you a chance to win a fabulous Suzuki Celerio, courtesy of Chapelhouse St Helens.

Tickets are just £5 each and all profits from the raffle will contribute to the hospice’s “Make a Difference Appeal” – a recently launched campaign to help Willowbrook refurbish and upgrade their facilities to enhance the experience of both their patients and their family members.

Nichola Saunders, Head of Fundraising at Willowbrook Hospice said: “ After 22 years the Hospice needs a much needed facelift to ensure that our facilities are of the highest quality, are dementia friendly and improve the environment and experience for our patients and their families.  Willowbrook has a well-earned reputation for the excellent standard of our care and we want to make sure that our facilities match this.

“The amazing generosity of the team at Chapelhouse in donating a car for us to raffle has allowed us to kick-start our “Make Difference Campaign”. Every ticket sold will brings us closer to our goal of a complete refurbishment at the hospice, so get your tickets now to be in with a chance of driving off in a fantastic Suzuki Celerio car!”

Tickets can be bought:

• online via Willowbrook’s website https://www.willowbrook.org.uk/4333-2/
• By telephone 01744 453798
• Direct to a canvasser during door-to-door or other face-to-face promotions such as attendance at events
• Via post by returning their raffle stubs with payment
• By texting ‘Pay WILLOW CAR’ to 88802

The raffle closes on Friday 11 October with the winning ticket will be drawn on Saturday 12 October. 

Terms and conditions are available on the Willowbrook website www.willowbrook.org.uk

Our colleagues from Halton Borough Council’s External Funding Team have prepared some Funding Bulletins containing valuable information for voluntary organisations looking for grants to get projects off the ground.

The Monthly funding bulletins offering information on funding opportunities in the following areas:

Arts, Community & Voluntary, Environment & Heritage, European, Faith, Health, Schools, Sports and Youth.

To access the information, please click on the link below:

https://www4.halton.gov.uk/Pages/business/FinanceandGrants/finance.aspx

Sight Loss?

Vision Support may be able to help with

• Independent living
• IT Training (computer lessons)
• Low vision and daily living aids
• Home visiting
• Volunteering opportunities
• Welfare and benefits advice
• Social clubs and activities

The Vision Support Mobile Information Unit will be visiting on Thursday 11th July, 10am to 3pm at Greenoaks Shopping Precinct Widnes so you can call in to see what support they can offer. 

To find out more contact Vision Support, Halton Sensory Services, 126 Widnes Road, Widnes, WA8 6AX or phone 0151 511 8801

Citadel Arts Centre
Waterloo Street,
St Helens,
Merseyside,
WA10 1PX

Office Equipment Available for Organisations

Sadly, the Citadel Arts Centre venue will close on 30th June.

They have office equipment available for sale, donation or gift for like-minded charities who are able to collect items on Monday 1st July:

• Electronic Cash Register: Casio SE/C450. Saleable value £600
• Auditorium Chairs: 80 in total. FREE
• Crockery: 25 cups and saucers. FREE
• Plastic Tea Trolley: 1 FREE
• Filing Cabinets: 2. FREE
• Desks: 2. FREE
• Wooden Small Round Tables: 6. FREE
• Wooden Chairs: 16. FREE
• Bar Round Tables: 6. FREE
• Wooden Trestle / Craft Tables: 3 FREE
• Plastic Trestle / Craft Tables: 2 FREE
• Leaflet Rack: 1. FREE
• Office Chairs 3. FREE

If you are interested in any of the items please call Fay Lamb, Citadel Chief Executive on 01744 762304 or email faylamb@citadel.org.uk

The Elements of Colour

Visit Catalyst on Saturday 29th or Sunday 30th June for a chance to see ‘The Elements of Colour’ – a special family lecture demonstration presented by guest lecturer Dr Peter Hoare (Newcastle University)

The demonstration lecture celebrates 2019 the International Year of the Periodic Table.

Our perception and recognition of colours are fundamental to both our survival and our enjoyment of modern life. This lecture will explore some processes in chemistry which either produce or use light energy under four themes of:

• reactions
• combustion
• escences
• rates

with lots of colourful and sometimes dramatic demonstrations – with the occasional whoosh and even a bang!

The presenter has a wealth of experience in designing and delivering educational and entertaining demonstration lectures to audiences aged from 4 to 94 across North East England and increasingly further afield. He is a former secondary school chemistry teacher with over 20 years’ experience and was seconded as an RSC Teacher Fellow to Newcastle University in 2008 – 09.

Shows at 11.30am and 2.00pm each day.

Tickets cost £1.25 per person in addition to the admission charge and can be bought in advance via the website or in reception on the day.

Catalyst Science Discovery Centre
Mersey Road, Widnes, Cheshire WA7 5QD
Telephone 0151 420 1121

www.catalyst.org.uk

We would like you to take part in this 10 year study of the voluntary and community sector which is now running right across the North of England.

Whether your organisation or group is big or small, flourishing or struggling financially – or just carrying on more or less as normal – we need to hear from you.

Using the findings, Durham University will build a picture of how organisations and groups work, how they get their resources and how they are planning to work in future.

The research helps to inform national and local government, health organisations and charitable foundations so that they make good decisions on how to invest in the activity of the third sector.

The research also helps the third sector itself to show the extent and value of the work it does. 

Please support the survey: The survey takes just 20 minutes to complete and you shouldn’t need to check up any facts and figures to fill it in. You can complete the survey online on you PC, tablet or phone by clicking this link:

https://durham.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/third-sector-trends-in-the-north-of-england-2019-live-s-2

The project has generously been supported by Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland and Power to Change.

And tell your friends and colleagues to do the same: by sending them an email with the link to the survey or by drawing attention to the study via twitter using #ThirdSectorTrends

Headline findings will be published in December 2019 and the full results will be freely available from spring 2020.

Recent reports from the study so far can be found at:

https://www.communityfoundation.org.uk/knowledge-and-leadership/third-sector-trends-research/

If you have any questions about the research and/or the questionnaire, please contact Professor Tony Chapman, St Chad’s College, Durham University, 18 North Bailey, DURHAM DH1 3RH, or by email: tony.chapman@durham.ac.uk.

Addiction and recovery can be a lonely experience. This is a chance to pause and have a chat with someone in recovery about recovery in the community, Funded by the Community lottery and HBC. The first step is hardest, so talk to someone who has been there. Confidentiality and respect at all times.

Meet at the following times and places:

Wednesday at Widnes Tesco café 11-12.30
Saturday at Widnes Superior Sandwiches café 12-1.

Look for the lemon badge.

For more information about Recofferee, check out their website below:

http://www.act-peer-recovery.com

The Women's Organisation are pleased to open this FREE event to local women who have ambition to run their own business as part of their Enterprise Hub Programme.

Since 1996 The Women's Organisation have helped over 55,000 women to assess their business ideas and to understand the practicalities of sustaining and growing a business. They would love to be part of your business journey.

Have you got a hobby, skill or passion you would like to turn into a job? Are you wondering how to go self-employed? Have you got a brilliant business idea but no idea where to start? Want to understand what help is available to help you get started and in the early stages of growing you enterprise? Come along to this empowering event to discover how you can develop your ideas into a thriving business.

• Hear from local entreprenerus who have set up their own business sharing tips on how they did it.
• Enjoy a group workshop to understand the key elements involved in self-employment
• Network with like-minded individuals who are also considering starting a business
• Open FREE to women living in the Liverpool City Region (Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral, St Helens, Knowsley and Halton)

AT: The Women’s Organisation, 54 St James Street, Baltic Triangle, Liverpool, L1 0AB

ON: Wednesday 3rd July 2019 10am-1pm

Book your FREE ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/enterprise-hub-presentswomens-business-start-up-conference-tickets-63647179427

For more information please contact 0151 706 8111 or hello@thewo.org.uk

Willowbrook Hospice is inviting local people to join them on a special remembrance sailing on the River Mersey.

Nicky Saunders, Willowbrook Hospice’s Fundraising manager says, “Our ‘Petals on the Mersey’ sailing is really special event and provides people with a lot of comfort as they sail along the beautiful waterfront of Liverpool, remembering and celebrating the lives of their loved ones by scattering petals on the river”.  

The ‘Petals on the Mersey’ sailing will take place on Thursday 11 July at 8pm from Liverpool Pier Head.

Petals and a single rose will be given to you as you board.

Tickets for Petals on the Mersey (adults £15 each, children £5) can be reserved by ringing Willowbrook Hospice’s Fundraising Team on 01744 453798 or by booking online at:  https://willowbrookhospice.charitycheckout.co.uk/petalsonthemersey/

All proceeds will go to support the Prescot based hospice which cares for people with life limiting illnesses across St Helens and Knowsley.

.

Avire UK Lettings Limited are working on Retail Units which can be used for retailing, charity work, administration education, training and storage or any other ideas you might have, they are open to suggestions.

DESCRIPTION: Retail accommodation located in the Strand Shopping Centre

Retail Units range from 419 to 4680 Sq Ft Approx.

One of Avire UK Lettings Limited client’s currently has premises located in the BOOTLE area that has been vacant for a while. They would now like to offer this space to Charities on a rent and business rates free basis. Avire UK Lettings Limited deal directly with the landlord and have researched this property to ensure it meets their strict criteria. Leases are drawn up in-house by their legal team so there are no costs to the charity. The lease term for properties are usually 1 – 3 years with a landlord and charity rolling 28-day break clause in the lease. Charities only pays for what utilities they use whilst they are the leaseholders.

Since 2008, Avire UK Lettings Limited have worked with 100’s of local, regional and national charities in helping them secure suitable premises to run their operations from. If you, as a charity, have any other property requirements, please let them know and they will see if thjey can source a property for you, whether it is an office, shop or an industrial unit, please get in touch.

They only have limited space available and there are always more charities interested than they can accommodate, so if you are interested in viewing the property to see if it is suitable, please contact them on the details below:

Phone Number 01295 256 338

Email lucyrobinson@avire.co.uk

For more information about Avire UK Lettings Limited, please click the link below:

https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/sites/sthelenscvs.org.uk/files/webform/Avire%20Charity%20Lets%20-%20Benefits%20%26%20General%20Information%20for%20Charities.pdf

Sight Loss?

Vision Support may be able to help with

• Independent living
• IT Training (computer lessons)
• Low vision and daily living aids
• Home visiting
• Volunteering opportunities
• Welfare and benefits advice
• Social clubs and activities

To find out more contact Vision Support, Halton Sensory Services, 126 Widnes Road, Widnes, WA8 6AX or phone 0151 511 8801

The Vision Support Mobile Information Unit will be visiting on Thursday 20th June 10am to 3pm at Widnes Market (table in Mall) so you can call in to see what support they can offer. 

The High Sheriff and Merseyside Police fund is now live and open for applications.

The  maximum amount available is £2,500 and the main priority is diversionary activities for young people to reduce anti-social behaviour.

The next closing date is Friday 26 July but due to a limited budget the fund may close earlier when sufficient applications are received.  

Background Information: The fund aims to work with voluntary bodies and community groups in Merseyside to support community safety, crime prevention and security initiatives in their locality.

What is the focus of the fund: 

All applications must meet the following objectives of the fund: 

• To promote a safer and increased quality of life through the prevention of crime and the protection of people and property from criminal acts for the benefit of the public in and around Merseyside.
• To secure the advancement of education for the public benefit in all matters relating to community safety.
• To increase provision of diversionary activities and facilities that target young people to reduce crime and anti social behaviour.

How much is available: 

Grants will normally range from £500 to £2500 and may be less than the figure applied for. In exceptional circumstances, grants of higher value may be considered.

Which areas are covered: Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St. Helens and Wirral 

Any special criteria: Groups should have been constituted for at least 12 months before seeking funding. The panel is unlikely to fund salaries and staff costs. Priority will be given to projects that focus on the advancement of education and increasing the provision of diversionary activities and facilities for young people. In exceptional circumstances, consideration will be given to other types of funding. NB The panel is unlikely to fund CCTV systems, security measures or similar pieces of equipment. 

In addition to the completed application applicants should provide a letter of support for the project, ideally from a PCSO (Police Community Support Officer), traffic community support officer or similar referee. 

NB: The donor has discretion to also commission applications.

How to apply?

Please visit the Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside’s website - www.cfmerseyside.org.uk and complete an online application form. Once you have submitted the online application you will need to send the documents listed below. If you do not submit all the relevant documents within 7 days your application will be withdrawn.  You can now attach the documents to your online application, email them to applications@cflm.email or post them to the address below.

Documents which need to be included with your application:

1. A copy of the group’s rules or constitution

2. A copy of the group’s latest annual accounts or income/expenditure document

3. A copy of a recent bank statement for your group

4. A copy of the group’s current Safeguarding Policy. All applicants must ensure that they hold relevant policies and procedures in place to undertake activities, such as Criminal Records Bureau checks and/or a health and safety policy, depending on proposed activity. If unsure about what you need please contact the Community Foundation for help (details below)

NB: If you have received a grant from them in the last 12 months and have already submitted copies of the above documents, you do not need to send them in again. However, a bank statement is required with every application.

The following items cannot be supported via the fund:

• Statutory organisations or work that is their responsibility
• ​National organizations that cannot demonstrate local governance and control of local finances
• Commercial ventures
• Purchase/maintenance of vehicles
• Activities that will have already taken place before we offer you a grant
• Politically connected or exclusively religious activities
• Projects for personal profit
• Trophies and medals
• Organisations that are set up for the benefit of animals or plants: environmental groups that work with animals or the environment (such as city farms) are acceptable
• Groups comprising just one family
• Debts and other liabilities
• Reclaimable VAT
• Travel outside UK
• Gifts or projects exclusively for the purpose of entertaining – social events can be funded where there is a clear community benefit

What happens next?

Completed applications are considered by Community Foundation staff to check eligibility. You may be contacted for more information after applying and a decision making panel will make recommendations based on the fund’s criteria and the budget available.

You should expect to hear the outcome of your application within 6 weeks of the closing date.

For further information, please contact Joan Ford, Programmes Manager at:

Community Foundations for Lancashire & Merseyside
Third Floor,
Stanley Building,
43 Hanover Street,
Liverpool,
L1 3DN

T: 0330 440 4900

Email: joan@cflm.email

St Helens Council works closely with a number of partners, including Merseyside Police, to tackle hate crime in the borough.

Unfortunately it is widely accepted that hate crimes are under reported, which means that some of the people in our communities who are being made to feel vulnerable or unsafe, are suffering in silence.

This maybe due to some victims not feeling comfortable with reporting their experiences directly to the police for reasons such as:-

• Lack of awareness of ways to report hate crime
• Victims find visiting police stations intimidating or daunting
• Victims believe the police won’t believe them or take them seriously
• Individuals are unaware they are victims of hate crimes
• Lack of support to help victims make a report, e.g. interpreters
• Victims fear being outed in terms of their sexuality or disability

One of the strategies for overcoming this barrier is to establish a Third Party Reporting Centre in your workplace.

Third Party Reporting Centres provide our residents with an alternative to directly reporting to the police, without which a number of hate incidents and crimes would never be reported or recorded.

You are invited to attend training with Constable Al Russo, Hate Crime Co-ordinator for Merseyside Police. Constable Russo has a wealth of knowledge and experience in dealing with hate crimes and incidents in Knowsley and St Helens.

This training aims to provide a simple step by step process guide in order to help you and your team to become of the many 3rd party reporting centres based in St Helens Borough.

The training will be hosted in Room 10 on Tuesday 18th June @ 2:30pm, and should last no longer than 1 hr 30 minutes.

To book your place on the training please contact Layla Davies on Tel: 0174467(6880) Mobile: 07841535140
 

Youth Endowment Fund Funding Round #1 – Preventing youth crime and violence: open call

Geography: England and Wales

Focus: children aged 10 -14

Funding: 1-2 year grants of +/- £200,000 per year (indicative)

Opens: 28 May 2019 at 12pm

Closes: 23 July 2019

What is the Fund?

The Youth Endowment Fund is a bold new attempt to put early intervention at the heart of efforts to tackle youth offending. It will support programmes and community partnerships working with children at risk of being drawn into crime and violence, and build up our knowledge of what works to prevent that.

What is it for?

They are launching an open call round, to fund and evaluate interventions primarily targeting young people aged 10-14 who are judged to be at risk of being drawn into crime and violence.

They welcome applications from charities and social enterprises, public sector agencies (including schools, local authorities, police forces) and for-profit organisations operating in England and/or Wales. Organisations can apply in partnership, with one organisation as the lead applicant.

Applicants need to have experience of working with young people (either directly, or indirectly in a way which improves their outcomes) and if the funding is sought for an existing intervention, it must be used to expand this work.

Interventions need to have a clear theory of change which explains how they reduce offending, informed by the available evidence.  

What can I apply for?

Applicants can apply for up to two years of funding, and although there is no upper limit, applicants must be in a position to use the first £100,000 of funding within the first six months of the grant (October 2019 – March 2020).

Am I eligible?

Eligible applicants will:

• primarily target young people aged 10-14 years old
• be operating in England and / or Wales
• be working to prevent young people’s involvement in crime and violence, or the risk factors associated with these outcomes
• have a clear theory of change which explains how their intervention achieves this outcome
• be willing to be independently evaluated
• be willing to share learning to benefit others in the sector
• be planning to deliver their intervention for at least 12 months
• have the capacity to absorb the funding quickly

How do I apply?

Please read this guidance note for more information about this grant round. Please also refer to the Frequently Asked Questions, which will be updated weekly as queries come in.

For more information, please click the link below:

https://www.sibgroup.org.uk/youth-endowment-fund

Last chance to get your application in for volunteering with St Helens Mind before their next induction on Friday 28th June. 

Volunteers are always needed for their Befriending Service & Social Groups and Activities. ACT SOON and don't miss out on the chance to join a  fab team of dedicated and respected volunteers.

Phone 01744 647089 for an application form or download one from www.sthelensmind.org.uk

The Youth Commission enables young people to support, challenge and inform the work of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, David Keane.  The project allows young people to get involved and have their say about policing and crime where they live.

For more information about the Cheshire Youth Commission please go to

https://www.cheshire-pcc.gov.uk/what-im-doing/get-involved/cheshire-youth-commission/

Who can join the Cheshire Youth Commission?
Anyone aged 14-25 years who is currently resident of the Cheshire policing area.  The role is open to anyone in this age group living in Cheshire - including Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East, Warrington and Halton.  

In total, they are seeking to recruit up to 25 young people. They are looking for people who will be good team players, who will be committed to the project and willing to do all the activities involved. They are also very keen to ensure that the Youth Commission is made up of a diverse group of young people who broadly reflect the make-up of the local population, including those who may have direct experience of the police and justice system. 

If I join, what will I have to do?
Between July 2019 and March 2020, members of the Youth Commission will:

• Take part in Youth Commission sessions:  You will participate in 5 Youth Commission sessions which will usually be on Saturdays (July, August, October, December and February).
• Have the opportunity to join the Youth Independent Advisory Group, provide advice from a youth perspective on policing policies and strategies.
• Work on special topics: You will pick a topic (from a shortlist) that interests you to work on with a small group of other members. The shortlist will be determined by the Youth Commission and may include topics such as relations with the police, reducing youth offending, drug abuse etc.
• Gather the views of other young people: You will be given support to carry out peer consultation with other young people in schools, colleges, universities and youth groups. This can be done to suit your schedule and can fit around your existing commitments. We anticipate that each member will do in the region of 30 hours of consultation in total by the end of the project.
• Plan events: You will work in a team to design and plan interactive events to engage other young people and partner agencies in your area. You will be invited to help to run these events wherever possible and as long as there is no clash with your school/ college commitments. 
• Report back to the Police and Crime Commissioner: You will contribute towards the analysis of information gathered from young people in your area, and help to present back your conclusions to the Police and Crime Commissioner.
• Help to host the Youth Commission Conference in March 2010: You will have the opportunity to present your results and recommendations and be a part of discussions with Cheshire Constabulary, partner agencies and other young people.

For more information and how to apply, please click the link below:

https://www.cheshire-pcc.gov.uk/what-im-doing/get-involved/cheshire-youth-commission/

Connect Together is launching across St Helens. It is a new social project to help children and young people with diverse needs, which can make socialising more difficult, to get more involved in a range of activities.

People's Health Trust has invested £19,2000 in Connect, using money raised through The Health Lottery in the North West.

This money will be used to run a Junior Social Group for 7 - 11 year olds and extend the Asperger's Youth Group (11+ years) that aims to build positive relationships and friendships between children and families across the community.

Both groups will be supported by Connect's Toy and Leisure Library with loans to children and young people. 

To find out more email: info@connectparents.org.uk or tel: 01744 345003

Do you care about healthcare where you live ? Do you want to be part of an organisation that puts the public at the heart of its efforts to improve health and wellbeing in the communities it serves.

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is seeking public governors in Halton and Warrington and will be holding elections in June.

The Bridgewater public governors play an integral role in the work of the organisation and are actively involved in its work to strengthen the role community services play in local healthcare services .

To find out more visit www.bridgewater.nhs.uk/

Location: Liverpool – Home Based

Full Time: 35 hours per week

Fixed Term Contract: Ending 31 March 2020

Starting salary: £22,063 per annum

After three months successful probation: £23,250 per annum

After six months successful probation: £26,476 per annum

Closing Date: 7 June 

Migrant Help is a leading charity that has been established for over 50 years and delivers a range of support and advice services to migrants across the UK. Their vision is for a global society that protects migrants, treats them with respect and enables them to reach their full potential. 

They are currently recruiting for a home-based Outreach and Engagement Adviser based in Liverpool as a fixed-term position.

The Role:

The scope of this role is to work as part of the European Settlement Scheme (EUSS) team providing advice, guidance, assistance to complete and support applications and briefings to eligible EU clients in outreach and community settings and to contribute to the overall success of our Organisation in accordance with Home Office standards and Migrant Help’s vision, values, objectives and compliance.

The Outreach and Engagement Adviser will be committed to providing a high standard of client and service care through advice, information and support. This advice will be given to EU clients and will need to be within the specification of the Grant Agreement with the Home Office. The service will be delivered in a variety of outreach and engagement settings. The successful candidate will need to abide by Migrant Help’s Safeguarding policy to ensure procedures are implemented where necessary. The Outreach and Engagement Adviser will need to complete Settlement or Pre-Settlement application forms online alongside clients and ensure that all applicants are aware of eligibility criteria. The post holder will need to provide outreach for vulnerable clients and those with additional support needs, at designated locations, whilst also liaising and cooperating with relevant statutory and voluntary agencies on behalf of clients as necessary.

The Requirements: 

It is essential for the post holder to have experience in providing advice and information within an organisation and working with people in sensitive and emotionally demanding situations. The successful candidate will require excellent communication skills to ensure work with host organisations is carried out effectively and to a high professional standard. The Outreach and Engagement Adviser will need to ensure a productive partnership to be able to effectively work, liaise and negotiate with other agencies on behalf of clients. The post holder will need to have good interpersonal skills and the ability to relate to a wide range of people. They will be able to empathically work with people facing transition and uncertainty. The Outreach and Engagement Adviser will need to be able to absorb complex written information and communicate effectively to clients to include through the use of an interpreter. The successful candidate will need to learn quickly and adapt to change as well as provide community engagement presentations and talks to possible applicants to the scheme.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. The successful candidate with the support of the EU Outreach and Engagement Manager will be expected to take responsibility for their personal development (CPD) and identification of training needs through participation on Migrant Help Professional Development Review (SAA) programme. The post holder requires flexibility to work unsocial hours by prior arrangement, travel throughout their specified region and travel in the UK as required.

Please read the job description here.

To apply for this role please complete the application form here.  

Please submit an expression of interest, indicating how you meet the role requirements and person specification of the role as outlined in the job description.

Due to the high volume of applications they expect to receive, successful candidates will be contacted within 5 working days after the closing date.

Closing date: 7th June 2019

Saints’ Heritage Society’s Annual Programme, Memorabilia and Collectors’ Fair will be held in the Red Vee Bar at the Totally Wicked Stadium, on Saturday 15^thJune 2019, from 10-30am to 1-30pm.

Amongst the various collectors offering rugby league memorabilia, the Society’s table will include the sale of former journalist Denis Whittle’s memorabilia, some in the form of a silent auction. Proceeds will go to Willowbrook Hospice, a charity dear to Denis’s heart.

Admission is free, but there will also be a raffle on the day for two North Stand tickets for the Saints v Wigan Warriors game on 12^th July.

Anyone wanting a table for the event should phone Alex Service on 01744 756135.

Our colleagues from Halton Borough Council’s External Funding Team have prepared some Funding Bulletins containing valuable information for voluntary organisations looking for grants to get projects off the ground.

The Monthly funding bulletins offering information on funding opportunities in the following areas:

Arts, Community & Voluntary, Environment & Heritage, European, Faith, Health, Schools, Sports and Youth.

To access the information, please click on the link below:

https://www4.halton.gov.uk/Pages/business/FinanceandGrants/finance.aspx

Wellbeing Enterprises currently have 2 vacancies, they are looking for a Community Wellbeing Officer and also a Macmillan Community Wellbeing Administrator.  

Job Title:            Community Wellbeing Officer

Salary:                       Salary: £19,500 

Hours:                       37.5 hours per week

Place of work:         Merseyside and Cheshire

Responsible to:      Services Manager

Purpose of post:

Looking for a passionate and empathic individual with qualifications and/or experience in community-led work to play a crucial role in engaging patients and communities in health and wellbeing activities. The successful candidate will be working collaboratively and creatively with local NHS Hospital Trusts, primary care, patients, clinicians and wider stakeholders to generate better health outcomes for patients.

Closing deadline 12th June 2019

Interview date 17th June 2019

Job Title:Macmillan Community Wellbeing Administrator  

Salary:                       £17,500 

Hours:                       37.5 hours per week

Place of work:         Liverpool City Region

Responsible to:      Macmillan Community Wellbeing Project Manager

Purpose of Post:

Looking for an experienced and highly organised Administration Officer to ensure the smooth running of community wellbeing services working in partnership with wider stakeholders.

The successful candidate will provide administrative support to the project delivery teams and will be responsible for developing and implementing efficient and effective administrative processes and procedures.

Closing deadline 12th June 2019

Interview date 17th June 2019

For more information about either of these vacancies and how to apply, please click the link below:

http://www.wellbeingenterprises.org.uk/news-blog/

Huyton Merseyside
Full-time 35 hours per week
Salary £28,000 per annum
KDC (Commercial) Limited, trading as Your Payroll, is a specialist not for profit payroll bureau service for individual employers of personal care assistants and small businesses.

They currently process payrolls for around 900 clients and have ambitious growth plans. They are seeking to appoint a full-time experienced Payroll Team Leader to lead a team of
payroll operators and take overall responsibility for operational delivery and customer service.

The role also involves hands-on processing of payrolls for multiple companies, including registering PAYE schemes with HMRC, auto-enrolment administration and preparation of
performance management reports.

The successful applicant will be CIPP qualified or possess a similar professional qualification.

You will also have:

• significant experience working in a senior role within a fast-paced payroll environment
• excellent organisational skills and ability to run large scale payrolls accurately and to tight deadlines
• experience in supervising a team and driving process improvement
• experience in a client facing role and the ability to build positive customer relationships
• up to date knowledge of payroll legislation and statutory duties of employers
• a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail
• exceptional Microsoft Excel skills
• the ability to think independently and strive for service excellence

If you are an experienced Payroller with prior supervisory experience, and are keen to work for a growing organisation, send an up to date CV to recruitment@kdc.org.uk quoting Payroll0519. Please include a covering letter demonstrating how you meet the essential requirements as set out in the Job Description/Person Specification. 

The closing date for applications is Monday 10 June 2019 

Note: Your Payroll is a trading subsidiary of Knowsley Disability Concern, a charitable organisation providing a range of services helping disabled
and disadvantaged people to enjoy independence and have choice and control in their lives. For more information visit www.kdc.org.uk.

We are just a few days away from the start of Volunteers Week and the Volunteer Recruitment Fair on 4th June 11am - 2pm at St Helens Town Hall.

Looking to find out how you can support a local group then why not come along to our Volunteers fayre during volunteers week. There will be a variety of organisations giving information on the great work they do and the ways you can help too.

Some organisations confirmed as attending include N-Compass; Citizens advice; Apex Trust; Newton Boys & Girls club; St Helens Mind and RASASC.

There will also be information stalls from adult and community learning team andHealthwatch St Helens.

Our team will also be on hand on the day to help find other organisations and opportunities available across St Helens.

Contact us to find out more volunteersthelens@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk or 01744 751759

Apply for the Co-op Local Community Fund

The Co-op Local Community Fund supports projects that make a difference to local communities near to their stores and funeral homes.

Use this form to apply to be one of the causes from 27 October 2019. Applications close on 16 June.

Before you start

Your project must either:

• help a local community come together to save, build, fix or improve indoor or outdoor local spaces
• support the mental or physical health of a community through wellbeing activities
• help people reach their full potential by developing their skills

Your project or event must also:

• take place in the UK or Isle of Man
• not have religious or political aims (although you can still apply if you’re a religious organisation)
• meet the Co-op’s values
• take place or will still be running after November 2020
• benefit your local community

CLICK HERE for a link to the application process

Halton Borough Council are working with the Mersey Gateway Environment Trust (MGET) to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced Chief Executive to join the team at the MGET.

The MGET is an independent charitable trust set up in 2010 to promote the conservation, protection, and improvement of the environment across a 1600ha area of the Upper Mersey Estuary running all the way from the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge, to the new Mersey Gateway Bridge and upriver as far as Warrington.

The Chief Executive role provides an excellent opportunity to lead and manage all aspects of the MGET business plan required to progress the MGET project through the operation and management stages. Your role as Chief Executive would be to ensure the smooth running and development of the organisation and to lead the implementation of activity that will further the aims of the Trust.

You will be educated to degree level in the environmental sector; or possess equivalent experience within a local authority or organisation of comparable complexity.

With project management experience, you will have the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of key stake holders to ensure successful delivery. You will have experience of fund raising and the ability to deliver successful environmental and biodiversity campaigns on time and to budget.

You will have a broad knowledge of environmental obligations and planning conditions on large scale infrastructure projects as well as an ability to plan strategically.

In addition you will have the ability to deliver project goals and the capability to project the MGET vision and ability to see the “bigger picture” identifying broad opportunities.

If you are interested, please use the following link to apply via the Halton Borough Council jobs page: https://ats-halton.jgp.co.uk/vacancies/view/99120

Please find the detailed Job Description  here.

Please find the Person Specification here.

The MGET are in the process of agreeing a new Memorandum Of Agreement with the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board, who currently act as the employer on behalf of MGET.  For an informal discussion about this post, please contact Paul Oldfield on 0151 511 8532.

Closing Date: Sunday 16th June 2019

Interviews will be held on Wednesday 26th June 2019.

Halton Disabled Children’s Service are holding three Parent/Carer Coffee Events in June:

• Monday 10th June 9.30 – 12, Halton Lodge Children’s Centre, Runcorn
• Thursday 13th June 17:00 – 19:00, Room 15, Kingsway Learning Centre, Widnes
• Thursday 20th June 9.30 -12, Ditton Children’s Centre, Widnes

This is an opportunity to meet staff from Disabled Children’s Service to share your views and ideas in a relaxed and informal setting 

Please note that due to limited room parents and carers will need to book on the events.

Places can be booked through contact reception at Warrington Road Children’s Centre on Tel: 0151 424 4686.

How much difference would £20,000 make to your organisation? Could it help offer more fantastic employability work in your community? Small grants of up to £20,000 are available over four Funding Rounds through to May 2021. WEA are here to help! 

To apply, please go to the link below:

https://www.wea.org.uk/liverpool-city-region-esf-community-grants-2019-2021

Please beware of the word limit during your application.

Or contact your local ESF Grants Team:

email: ESFgrantslcr@wea.org.uk or call 0151 243 5356 

Certificate in Retail Knowledge

The course start on Monday 10th June and there are a few places remaining, all learners who complete the training will receive a £20 Love to Shop voucher.  

This is a fully accredited Retail Knowledge course, Level 1, and gives learners a great introduction to retail.

The Highfield Level 1 Certificate in Retail Knowledge provides learners with underpinning occupationally related knowledge and skills, as well as wider knowledge and skills to support learners’ employability and career progression in the sector.

The objective of these qualifications is to support a role in the workplace or for learners who are looking to develop their knowledge and understanding to obtain employment within the sector, perhaps as checkout operators or sales assistants.

Topics covered include:

 Understanding the business of retail

• Understanding how a retail business maintains health, safety and security on its premises

Understanding the retail selling process

 It gives learners the opportunity to:

• Develop occupationally related knowledge and skills 
• Develop knowledge and skills that support employability and career progression
• Achieve a nationally-recognised Level 1 qualification that prepares learners for employment in the Retail sector

  During training, learners will have a 1:1 session with an employment consultant to help them apply for roles in local businesses.  Learner’s CVs will be marketed to local employers and wherever possible, interviews for jobs will be organised for learners.

If you know anyone who would be interested please contact Genesis direct on 01744 733 711, Joe Lennard: 07503 963 457,or Roy Williams: 0734 1269 546

 Full details about the course attached.

Neighbourly, connect companies with local charities and community projects who can benefit from their support, from volunteering to fundraising to in-kind donations. 

They have opportunities for organisations in Widnes and St Helens to collect free food donations from any of the below Aldi stores:

ALDI ST HELENS - Westpoint, Linkway, WA10 1QA

ALDI ST HELENS - CLOCK FACE ROAD, WA9 4LE

ALDI MERSEYSIDE - Unit G, Peasley Cross, Croos Lane, Merseyside, WA9 1JJ

The food types available on the scheme are fruit and vegetables, bakery goods and non-perishable food items (ambient, tins, packages) sometimes even flowers. The collection times will be agreed at a mutually convenient time with the Store Manager and your organisation. Wherever possible, the store teams are keen that collections take place before noon.

If you would like regular collections from Aldi, please let them know your preferred collection day(s) as soon as possible. They are launching the scheme on 10/06/2019, and would be in touch soon with further information and contact details to get in touch with the store.

Please do get in touch if you have any questions or queries! You can give Charlotte a call on 0117 422 0841, or by email aldi@neighbourly.com if you would like to discuss anything. 

Free Suicide Prevention Training at The Citadel, St Helens. On Wednesday 5th June, 11am - 12noon.

Be empowered to act!
• Learn how to spot the signs
• Learn techniques to reach out to a colleague, friend or family member you are concerned about
• Be prepared for a life-saving conversation, both in a professional & personal setting.

Free tickets available.  To book yours please call The Citadel Box Office on 01744 762300
or email: info@citadel.org.uk.

For more information, please visit: https://www.citadel.org.uk/event/zero-suicide-alliance-2/

Halton Carers Centres are holding a Young Carers and Families information event  on Thursday 13th June as part of their Carers Week activities.

There will be information stalls and activities for all ages in the afternoon, plus the chance for one family to win £100 worth of Asda vouchers. 

Organisations already confirmed to attend include:

CAB
Sports Development
14-19 Team
Cancer Support
Youth Fed - Engage program
Leisure Centres
Drop the knife
Comics Youth
Norton Priory
Halton Carers Centre Young Carers team.

Information will be available on the day from Welfare rights, CAMHs & Wellbeing Enterprises

If you are interested in having a stall on the day please contact Joanne Illidge/ Garry Fowler on 01928 580 182 or email joanne.illidge@haltoncarers.co.uk or garry.fowler@haltoncarers.co.uk

Chrysalis Centre for Change are looking for a new Treasurer to join their dynamic, enthusiastic Board of Trustees. This is an exciting time for CCC, as they are in the process of becoming a CIO and have just recruited a number of new Trustees.

If you would like to be part of a team of people who are passionate about delivering services to support women's mental health in St Helens and you feel you have the relevant experience to be a Treasurer then please contact them for more details and an application pack at chrysaliscentreforchange@gmail.com or you can visit their website for more information at www.chrysaliscentreforchange.co.uk/Become-a-Trustee.html

Chrysalis Centre for Change (CCC) is now offering a new 8-week programme, "A Journey Through Grief", for women experiencing bereavement. The group is facilitated by qualified and experienced Counsellors. It is a welcoming, safe and confidential group offering emotional support and psychoeducation to help you find your path through grief and reconnect with yourself. The programme runs on Friday's 1 - 3.30pm and is open to CCC service users who have lost an adult (partner, adult child, parent). Suitability will be discussed in the initial assessment appointment and referrals can be made to other specialised bereavement services if appropriate (e.g. SOBS - Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide).

They are also offering Therapeutic Art and Craft sessions twice monthly on Wednesdays 1.30 - 3.30pm. These sessions are open to current CCC service users who are interested in using arts and crafts to improve their wellbeing. Dates will be given to new service users at their initial assessment appointment. 

All women must attend an assessment appointment before accessing any services. Referrals can be made by post, email or phone and their most current referral form can be found on the website www.chrysaliscentreforchange.co.uk/Referrals.html

Purpose:

To promote reading to all ages using the library as a resource and venue for activity.

Aim

60,000 reading minutes in a week between 1st and 6th July 2019.

The emphasis is about reading for pleasure, talking about books you love and “mass” reading events for schools. Each person/ group can add their minutes to the Halton Readathon total by using twitter and the hashtag #haltonreadathon

Primary Target Groups/ Individuals:

Schools and Children’s Centres; can book in to one of 5 spaces per hour in the libraries around Halton to take part in a readathon event, part of the “cosy cumfy club”. Aim is 30 children per hour per space reading.

There are 10,000 children of Primary and Junior age in Halton, these are the primary group to target, although other childrens activity groups will encouraged to take part, scouts/ guides/ brownies, activity centres etc.

Adults: 

Adults will be encouraged to read during the week, either as a group or individuals. Groups such as pensioners, WI, Soroptomists, Probus etc will be contacted and asked if they can get their members to read a book during the week.

PCSO’s, Fire and Ambulance services will also be encouraged to read and use their twitter accounts to encourage others.

Why not join in with one of the ‘Read in the Park’ events between 10 – 1pm (weather permitting):
2nd July - Victoria Park, Widnes
3rd July - Hough Green Park, Widnes
4th July - Phoenix Park, Runcorn 

Bring a blanket and maybe a picnic and catch up with a great story.

Contact Nicola Lamb To Register Interest: 

nicola.lamb@halton.gov.uk

tel: 0151 511 7744 

Recharge and Restore will be providing complementary therapy sessions at two venues in Runcorn and Widnes on Tuesday 21st May (Widnes) and Saturday 1st June (Runcorn). While they are applying for additional funding to continue and expand their work they are able to offer these sessions at a greatly reduced price. 30 minute sessions are £15 and 60 minute sessions are £25. They offer massage, reflexology and reiki and you can have a combination of your choice.

It can take up to 20 minutes for your mind and body to completely relax and begin to repair and recharge. Most carers are not able to make time or take time for themselves on a regular basis and they believe these sessions can help. Feedback from their recently completed Lottery funded project with a parent carer group in Halton has been excellent and the benefits included better sleep, less anxiety and stress and generally feeling much calmer and better able to cope with day to day pressures of life. 

They are also beginning a series of workshops teaching a 7 step relaxation technique based on reflexology which has been designed for those caring for adults and children with high levels of stress and/or anxiety, ADHD, Autistic Spectrum Conditions, Alzheimers & dementia. The first workshop is being held in Runcorn on Wednesday 19 June with the second on Wednesday 26 June. Widnes event proposed for July.

Please get in touch for more information or to book a session or workshop place in Runcorn or Widnes. 

Email rechargerestore@gmail.com or contact Angelita on 07808 160315 or Eileen on 07533 044283.

We have received a very sad message from St Helens Bereavement Service letting us know that the service is closing and no longer accepting clients.  The St Helens Bereavement Service was originally set up as a sister project of St Helens CVS and we worked very closely together for many years.  Everyone at Halton & St Helens VCA would like to thank the Bereavement Service for their membership and input over the many years we worked together.  The full message from Barbara Swift, St Helens Bereavement Service Chair, can be found below.

With deep regret and sadness the Trustees of St. Helens Bereavement Service wish to notify the local community that they are unable to continue to operate a service of support for local bereaved people.

Over the past few years our funding has been reducing at the same time as we have experienced difficulty in recruiting enough volunteers to sustain the service and Trustees to oversee its governance.

The recent changes in both Government and Charity Commission legislation has placed an added burden on our very stretched resources and we have finally decided that we can no longer sustain our service at the level we need to.

St. Helens Bereavement Service was established in 1983/84 as a project of St. Helens Council for Voluntary Service (now known as Halton and St. Helens VCA). The Service achieved charitable status in October 1986 and over a period of 33 years has provided help and support to well over 6,000 local bereaved people.  The service also established two social support groups one in St. Helens which only closed down two years ago and another in Rainford which still operates but on a limited basis.

The trustees would like to take the opportunity of thanking all its colleagues in other organisations that have helped and supported our work  over the years in particular Halton and St. Helens VCA who, for many years, provided our operational base.

Consultations have been held with the Local Authority and the Clinical Commissioning Group (statutory funders of the organisation) and they are hopeful that Willowbrook Hospice will take on some parts of the role our organisation has provided for so many years.

St. Helens Bereavement Service has already ceased accepting new referrals although we continue to support our existing clients. However from the end of June the service will cease to operate any form or service. 

We would be grateful if you would amend your records by removing our organisation as a referral agency for bereaved people.

A SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING of the Trustees will take place on Monday the 20th  May at. 10.a.m in the Deafness Resource Centre the purpose of which will be to propose the Dissolution of the Charity.

The next meeting of the St Helens & District Group of Diabetes UK will be on Wednesday 5th June 2019 at 7.30pm in St Helens United Reformed Church, King St, WA10 2JZ. The church is next to Windle Pilkington Hall.  The speaker will be Professor Kevin Hardy who will be talking on the subject of:

Ten things to add years to your life and life to your years 
 
Professor Hardy is a Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist from the Specialist Diabetes Unit in St Helens Hospital, he is also the Medical Director of St Helens & Knowsley Hospitals Trust, and a popular speaker. Professor Hardy will be helping us to understand how we can live better with diabetes, so please come along! If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes and have not been to a meeting before you are particularly welcome. They are a very friendly group and you may be assured of a warm welcome. They have a large selection of free diabetes leaflets available. So go along and find out more!

Please note that this will be the last meeting until Wednesday 4th September 2019 
 
For further details contact C Bowmaker on 0151 480 0821. 

Are any of the volunteers or service users from your organisation diabetic? Do they also live in Widnes?

If so, please let them know about an upcoming focus group. We’d love to hear from them.

Widnes General Practices have recently come together to review the diabetic patient care they each deliver with the aim of delivering a consistent high standard of care across all eight of the practices.

The practices are currently in a testing phase where they are aligning their systems and processes, considering the care given to patients and testing what works and what doesn’t.

As part of this work they would like to speak to a number of Type 2 diabetic patients (aged 17 years and over) to share with you the work they have done and get some feedback and comments to further inform this work.

The general practices have asked Halton & St Helens VCA to carry out a focus group on Tuesday 4th June, 7-9pm at St Maries, Lugsdale Road, Widnes, WA8 6DB.

There is limited places for the session so if you would like to get involved please contact Matthew Roberts by phone, (01928) 592 405 or email mroberts@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Six Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in Merseyside and Cheshire are currently working together to review more than 100 local NHS policies and treatments to ensure that they have the best possible outcomes for patients, are in line with the latest clinical guidance and are making the best of the limited NHS resources available.

CCGs in Halton, Liverpool, Southport and Formby, South Sefton, St Helens and Warrington are currently reviewing treatments and procedures relating to:

• Continuous glucose monitoring systems
• Cough assist devices
• Insulin pumps
• Secondary care peripheral steroid joint injections
• Surgery for Prostatism or lower urinary tract infection
• Transanal irrigation

They are looking to understand the views and experiences of individuals/families who have received or are currently receiving one or more of the above treatments.  Clinicians, providers and community groups with an interest in the above treatments or policy changes, are also encouraged to share their views in the survey.

They are also informing patients about updates to Botulinum Toxin A & B treatments to bring them in line with NICE guidance and the Pan Mersey Area Prescribing Committee (APC).

The survey will be available online https://nhs.researchfeedback.net/s.asp?k=155652839910 which will take about 15 minutes to complete. The survey closes on 7 July 2019.

If you require this or more information in another format or language, an easy read version, would like to receive a hard copy or would like support completing this survey, please email them on mlcsu.involvement@nhs.net or call us on 01782 872506.

Anything you share will be anonymous. No personal identifiable information will be shared or published.

You can find out more about health policy reviews on your CCG’s website or by contacting them using the email address or telephone number provided.

Launch Event - Thursday 11th July 2019 – 1.30-3pm. Bridge Suite, Halton Stadium

Halton Children and Young People Safeguarding Partnership would like to invite you to this launch event to give you an opportunity to find out about the new local safeguarding arrangements.

Senior Leaders from the three safeguarding partners will introduce the new Partnership arrangements:

• David Parr, Chief Executive - Halton Borough Council
• Denise Worth, Detective Chief Superintendent – Cheshire Constabulary
• Michelle Creed, Chief Nurse - NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group
• Milorad Vasic, Strategic Director People - Halton Borough Council

This will include an outline of the changes, introduce the requirements for named ‘relevant agencies’, explain the new review processes, introduce the new website with sign-up facility for updates and let you know how you will be involved with these new arrangements.

You will have opportunity to ask questions during the Q & A Session.

Note - Registration and refreshments is from 1pm, for a 1.30pm prompt start.

Who should attend?

The event is aimed at Senior Leaders within organisations, for information about the new arrangements to be cascaded to staff/teams that work with children, young people and their family:

• Head Teachers/Principals
• Strategic Leaders
• Senior and team managers                                                                                 

To reserve a place at this event, please contact the Children & Young People Policy Team on cyppolicy@halton.gov.uk by Friday 5th July 2019.

Please provide the following details for all attendees:

• Name
• Position/role
• Organisation
• Email address

The Campaign

The Active St Helens campaign will contribute to improving overall health and wellbeing of adults and children across St Helens in a bid to encourage inactive residents to become active by signposting walking, running, swimming, cycling activities offered by St Helens Council and partner organisations.  The campaign will contribute to improving the overall health and wellbeing of adults and children across St Helens. 

The aim of the campaign to increase physical activity levels in the Borough, encouraging inactive people to walk, swim, cycle or run and to make a pledge to be more active. There are monthly competitions to win a Fitbit and other prizes and a competition to win £1500 holiday voucher so please encourage anyone who lives, works or studies in the borough to visit the website, make a pledge and get active!

The creative features colourful vector style images across four themes – swimming, walking, running and cycling directing people to www.activesthelens.co.uk, Facebook/activesthelens and Twitter/activesthelens. The campaign features a twelve month digital campaign focusing on high impact display creatives, including skin takeovers, billboards, in article and double height MPU’s, in premium positions. Additionally, a remarketing campaign to stay engaged with interested people across social media and targeting a younger audience through platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram will also be exploited.

Video case studies featuring local residents, promoting the signposted activities, talking about their own experiences and the benefits of exercise alongside the hashtag #beyourownhero will also form part of the digital campaign. Print media will be used to promote the activities, raise awareness and encourage behavioural change.

Objectives

• Deliver an integrated, co-ordinated campaign utilising a range of media to raise awareness of physical activity programmes (swimming, cycling, walking and running only)
• Target ‘deprived’ areas to motivate and encourage behaviour change
• Raise awareness of the health benefits of physical activity
• Combat negative perceptions of the cost of exercising The Campaign

The Facts
• In St Helens, 32% of adults are inactive
• 70% of children do less than 30 minutes activity a day
• The health of St Helens residents is generally worse than the England average
• Self-harm and suicide worse than England average

Diabetes
• 30 people a year in St Helens suffer a diabetes amputation
• 80% of people with Type 2 Diabetes are overweight or obese at diagnosis
• Almost 17,000 people in St Helens are suspected to have pre-diabetes

Key Messages

• Adults (19-64) should try to be active daily and should do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity, in bouts of 10 minutes or more, each week.
• Adults (19-64) should try to be active for 30 minutes, 5 days a week.
• Adults (19-64) should undertake muscle strengthening activity at least twice a week, such as, yoga, exercising with weights, or carrying heavy shopping.
• Physical activity contributes to wellbeing and is essential for good health.
• Physical activity can reduce the risk of many chronic conditions, like coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, mental health problems and musculoskeletal conditions.
• Active St Helens provides access to safe and affordable opportunities to engage in physical activity.
• The spectrum of physical activity includes active play, sport, recreation, work active transport and active living.
• The health benefits from physical activity will vary depending on the frequency, intensity and type of activity.

For more information about the campaign, please see the attached tool kit below.

Volunteers Week 2019 (1st - 7th June) is an opportunity to recognise the contribution made by volunteers across the UK and raise awareness of the value and impact their volunteering can have on people’s lives. The annual campaign, established in 1984, seeks to recognise the contribution millions of volunteers make to our communities every week. More than 15m people volunteer in the UK every month. They lend their time and talents to causes as varied as food banks, libraries and hospitals. Volunteers’ Week is the perfect opportunity to recognise volunteers who give their time, energy and enthusiasm to helping other. Volunteering is a way to give something back.  It is also an opportunity for volunteers to benefit from new experiences, make friends, gain skills and have fun.

As part of this volunteer celebration, Halton Volunteer Centre are holding a number of events/days out that any volunteer from either Halton, St Helens or the wider area is welcome to attend / join:

Volunteer Quiz : Night Monday 3 June 7.30-10pm. Free, (sandwiches, bring your own tipple) at St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB. For teams of up to 6 people - at least one must be a volunteer. Need help raising a full team? We can help you partner with another organisation. 

https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/volunteer-quiz-night-1

Afternoon Tea on the Daniel Adamson: Tues 4th 1-3.30pm £4.50 payable on booking, non-refundable (cream scones, cakes and a hot drink). Enjoy cakes and a cuppa on board this historic steam tug, whilst moored at Sutton Weaver Swing Bridge. Live easy listening music. Optional free boat tour. Pay bar open. On X2 & X30 bus routes. Please note:  Not suitable for those with limited mobility. Very limited parking.

https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/afternoon-tea-daniel-adamson

Widnes Promotion Event: Wed 5th June 10-1pm Free, Widnes indoor market. Come and chat with Volunteer Centre staff who will be promoting the latest volunteering opportunities from across Halton and beyond. Book a slot for your group to promote themselves - sorry no fundraising. 

https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/widnes-promotion-event-0

Llandudno Trip: Thurs 6th June 9.15-5pm. £13, payable on booking, non-refundable. Pick ups at St Marie's, & The Brindley, Runcorn. Sights, sea air or shops!. The choice is yours on our day trip to Llandudno.

https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/llandudno-trip-0

Salsa Night: Fri 7th June 7.30-10.30pm. £7.50, payable on booking, non-refundable. (hot supper, bring your own tipple), at St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes. Join in the dancing or just  enjoy the music, demonstrations and help for beginners.

https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/salsa-party-0

Organisations which help to prevent crime and protect communities in Merseyside are being invited to apply for a share of a fund aimed at helping building stronger, safer communities.

This is the fifth year that Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Jane Kennedy has opened the Crime Prevention Fund which is used to help charities, community groups and social enterprises stop problems before they occur, by reducing the opportunities for crime and by deterring people away from becoming involved in anti-social and criminal behaviour.

A total of £135,000 is available from the fund and the Commissioner is inviting groups to submit bids of between £5,000 and £25,000 for innovative community safety projects or schemes that will run over the next 12 months. For the last three years, the Commissioner has specifically urged organisations that are working to tackle the underlying causes of serious and organised crime to apply for funding and this has again been made a priority for this round of funding.

Jane said: “Serious and organised crime is, for many people in our region, their greatest concern. It blights our communities, bringing misery and harm and causing decent, ordinary people to live in fear.

“Merseyside Police allocates extensive resources to tackling this issue, but we cannot simply ‘police’ our way of this issue.  We need to work with all our partners, particularly those in the community and voluntary sector to address the deep-seated, and often complex, causes of serious violence.

“Local people understand their communities better than anyone and know what will work best to improve their area.  We are fortunate to have a wealth of voluntary and community groups which are working hard to prevent people, especially young people from getting involved with this type of crime and I want to hear from them.

“Through the Crime Prevention Fund, I want to see what more can be done to tackle this issue and with these grants I hope I can give organisations which are trying to address the root causes of this issue a valuable cash boost which will help to make a difference to communities across Merseyside.”

Last year, 14 grassroots organisations were chosen to share £135,000 from the Crime Prevention Fund from a total of 75 bids submitted. Many of the projects focused on preventing young people from getting involved with crime.

Jane said: “Sadly, we have seen really damaging cuts, not only to the police, but to a lot of our really important partner organisations which focus their efforts on community safety, such as the Youth Offending Teams, local authority crime prevention services and mental health provision, in recent years.

“The reduction in many of these services is being strongly felt in our communities, so I hope these small grants can be used to help to alleviate some of these cutbacks. I’ve met hundreds of people across Merseyside who are really proud and passionate about the places they live in and are committed to keeping them safe and I look forward to reviewing their proposals for how this fund can be best spent.”

Any organisation wishing to apply for funding will need to show how their project works to tackle the priorities set out in the Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan - these are to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour; provide a visible and accessible neighbourhood policing style; tackle serious and organised crime and to support victims; protect vulnerable people and maintain public safety; and improve road safety.

Applications will also need to show how the initiatives will deter individuals from committing crime, reduce the number of people entering the criminal justice system, or lower reoffending. They will also be assessed to see how well they will protect vulnerable communities.

The fund will be administered by the Community Foundation for Merseyside (CFM), an independent charity which assists grant-making and charitable giving. CFM is also available to help any organisation looking to make a bid.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on 24th June 2019.

Find out more and apply here.

If you were given the chance to design a town exactly how you wanted it, what would be most important to you?  Of course a town is made up of people, so it’s the characteristics of that group of people that need to be defined; that group would have:
• Top class health, exceptional medical care, and reducing prescription drugs
• Education which fits each person’s needs, and aspirations to take next steps
• High performance through more creativity, intelligence, and happiness
• Lowered anxiety, depression, and no suicides
• Wise decision making coupled with a good memory
• Great quality of life free of substance and alcohol abuse
• No need for criminal activity 

That’s what Maharishi Foundation believe most of us want to see. But what is it that blocks our ability as individuals and as a group to live this sort of life? The main problem is stress. It’s been termed the scourge of the western world, and its corrosive influence affects everything that we do. A supreme stress buster is required, and Maharishi Foundation have a technique to do just that.

It’s a prime method of eliminating stress and if you want all of the above for everyone (if only a fraction take it up it everyone benefits) in your town then consider the attached list of research findings on Transcendental Meditation®. Maharishi Foundation intention is that for all those associated with Halton & St Helens Voluntary Community Action training will be offered free. (Conditions apply). 

For more information, please contact John  Markham on 07973 303943 or email john.markham@tm.org.

Join the party! – Willowbrook Hospice’s Moonlight Colour Walk

June 8 at 9:00 pm from Willowbrook – The Living Well, Borough Road, St Helens

Register NOW for Willowbrook Hospice’s fabulous Moonlight Colour Walk on Saturday 8 June!

It’s great fun for all the family (you can even bring your dog along!) and the walk helps to raise much needed funds so that Willowbrook can continue to care and support local people with life limiting illnesses across St Helens and Knowsley.

There are two routes to choose from (10k or 6.5k) and there’s an optional ‘colour splash’ where you’ll be covered head to toe in rainbow powder. At the end of the walk, you’ll be rewarded with one of our special medals as well as a well-earned bacon butty (or pastry)

The entry fees are £15 for adults and £5 for children under 16 (dogs go free!). Please register now by ringing 01744 453798, going online at: https://willowbrookhospice.charitycheckout.co.uk/MLW/ or by calling into The Living Well on Borough Road, St Helens.

Sight Loss?

Vision Support may be able to help with

• Independent living
• IT Training (computer lessons)
• Low vision and daily living aids
• Home visiting
• Volunteering opportunities
• Welfare and benefits advice
• Social clubs and activities

To find out more contact Vision Support, Halton Sensory Services, 126 Widnes Road, Widnes, WA8 6AX or phone 0151 511 8801

The Vision Support Mobile Information Unit will be visiting on Thursday 16th May 10am to 3pm at Widnes Market (by Morrisons) and also on Tuesday 21st May 10am to 2pm at Runcorn Library (Halton Lea Shopping City) so you can call in to see what support they can offer. 

Jack's Supports (part of the Tesco family) and Groundwork UK are inviting good causes and charity groups in St Helens to be a part of the next round of a small grants programme between £250- £750 available, with applications accepted within 5 miles of a Jacks store. Once applications are submitted they will be reviewed by colleagues who will create a shortlist of four good causes. Each of the four shortlisted good causes will receive a donation of £250.

Voting then begins in store for the winning good cause, the winner will receive carrier bag proceeds from their local store for a three month period. This will be guaranteed minimum of £500.

To be considered for the next round of voting, applications need to be submitted by 10th May 2019.

For more information and to find out how to apply please click the link below:

https://www.jacks-uk.com/jacks-supports

Our colleagues from Halton Borough Council’s External Funding Team have prepared some Funding Bulletins containing valuable information for voluntary organisations looking for grants to get projects off the ground.

The Monthly funding bulletins offering information on funding opportunities in the following areas:

Arts, Community & Voluntary, Environment & Heritage, European, Faith, Health, Schools, Sports and Youth.

To access the information, please click on the link below:

https://www4.halton.gov.uk/Pages/business/FinanceandGrants/finance.aspx

Tuesday 7th May 2019 from 10:00am 
The Heath Business Park, Runcorn, WA7 4QX

Looking to Recruit?  Need a new approach?  Keen for your workforce to truly understand and reflect your customer base?  Then Halton’s Supported Internship Programme may be just what you need.  At 10am on the 7th of May at ‘The Heath’, in Runcorn, Halton Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise are going to meet the businesses that are currently benefiting from Supported Internships as well as current and future interns who are participating in this practical and comprehensive programme of support.  

Supported Internships are a great way for local businesses to find valuable skills and lower staff turnover. This programme acts like an extended working interview helping organisations to develop a workforce that reflects society, as well as it’s customers base. With ongoing support and mentoring opportunities for staff, this programme gives organisations the best possible chance of getting the right person.

Agenda

10:00am - Welcome & Introductions - Rachael Owen

10:05am - National Grid Employability Programme – Seeing is Believing.- Mark Pickles

10.20am - Group Supported Internships - Holiday Inn Liverpool - Helen Roberts

10:35am - Opportunity to meet current and future interns

10:45am - What support is available and how to get involved

10:55am - Panel Q&A

For more information and to book your place, please see the link below:

https://www.haltonchamber.co.uk/events/could-supported-internships-work-for-your-organisation---recruitment-with-real-added-value_106.html

Vacancy for a Trustee Board Member at Widnes and Runcorn Cancer Support Group

Are you passionate about supporting people who have been affected by cancer?

Widnes and Runcorn Cancer Support Group are looking to recruit a volunteer Trustee Board Member to join their team at Widnes & Runcorn Cancer Support Group. They have supported people from the Halton area who have been affected by cancer for many years. They are a community based organisation which is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee.  

They have great pride in their service and in their position within the Halton community. They would like to welcome an experienced individual who could offer their expertise in people management, employment and coaching and development.

This individual will be an important part of carrying out their mission: ‘To provide a community based welcoming environment where emotional and psychological support is available for people from Halton who have been touched by cancer’.

For further information see attached or contact Nicola Donoghue on 0151 423 5730 or email info@widnesandruncorncancersupport.org.uk. If you would like to be considered you will be asked to provide a personal statement about why you would like to be a board member of what you can offer to the role. There will then be a meeting with representatives of the organisation.

One of Halton’s Dementia Action Alliance member organisations, PD Law, are kindly providing free access to legal advice as part of Halton’s Dementia Action Week activities. During Dementia Awareness week they are running a free legal advice drop in clinic at Notcutts Rivendell Garden Centre on Mill Lane on Tuesday 21st May 2019 between 10.30am and 2.30pm. The clinic will be raising awareness of dementia to the local community whilst offering the opportunity for access to free legal advice and guidance to any person living with dementia and/or their carers.

Message from Siobhan Harley, Campaign Director at The Great Get Together 

When Jo Cox was killed, we saw what can happen in a culture of intolerance and hate. Yet 3 years later, we still feel more divided than ever. But Jo wouldn’t have given up, and neither will we.

This week we’re asking you to pledge to get back together with someone or something in your community you’ve lost touch, argued with or are simply avoiding. And what better time than at The Great Get Together weekend on 21-23rd June.

We also want to make as much noise on social media, in the news and where we live about the importance of kindness, respect and community.

To be part of it, it’s simple and will take just a minute.

Take the pledge 

Arguments, judgements, conflict and hate - we’re all sick of it. The fact is most of us just want to get along and share the things that unite us.

If each of us, one by one, gets back together, overcomes our differences and shows we have #MoreInCommon we can make a change.

Thanks so much for getting involved.

Siobhan Harley
Campaign Director
The Great Get Together

Staying Strong, Staying Steady - Chair based or Standing exercises.

Try it free for 20 minutes or full 50 minutes.

It is on Thursday 9th May 10am to 11am (or 10am to 10.20am for mini taster) at the Frank Myler Pavillion, Liverpool Road, Widnes (next to Ditton Primary School, WA8 7HD).  Join for a cuppa and biscuits afterwards, and a chance to get further information (this class will then operate every Thursday and cost £4 weekly)

Activities for older people to help maintain independence, keep you mobile, active and on your feet.  Sessions include the use of progressive therapy bands to improve your strength, flexibility, balance and confidence in every day tasks.  Make new friends, have fun ... come along and join in.

For further information about Staying Steady class contact: Paul McGregor; Postural Stability Instructor: 07701 016291 or visit www.yourhealthisyourwealth.com 

For further information about this activity or physical activity in Halton contact Paula Parle: 0151 511 8550 or email Paula.parle@halton.gov.uk

A £2.7 million programme to tackle unemployment has been launched in April 2019 with backing from the European Social Fund.

The funds have been granted by the government’s Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) in partnership with Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership to the Worker’s Educational Association (WEA), an adult education charity which provides training and learning opportunities for people at risk of exclusion.

Over the next two years, the charity will help thousands of people who face additional barriers in the workplace, such as lone parents, improve their employability and gain permanent employment.

The WEA will distribute small grants of £20,000 across Merseyside and Halton to eligible organisations in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector between April 2019 and May 2021.

Funded activities will target those aged 19 and over, from the hardest to reach communities. The funding can help all who are out of work but especially those with:

• disabilities and long term health conditions
• single parents
• women
• people from ethnic minorities
• people over 50
• those planning to return to the workplace after a long period of absence

Round 1 of ESF Community Grants for Liverpool City Region is now OPEN.  The closing date for electronic applications is 12 noon on Wednesday 5th June 2019 – please click here for information on how to apply.

For information on application scoring criteria and decision making please click here.

For any other queries please call the ESF Grants Team on 0151 243 5356 or email ESFgrantslcr@wea.org.uk.

TO BOOK YOUR PLACE AT OUR MEET THE FUNDER EVENT  - CLICK HERE

Recofferee 

For anyone who is in recovery from addiction and is looking for an alternative based in the community .  This is Mutual Aid led by peers for peers based on behaviour.

Come and find out more – grab a coffee and a chat with someone who is in recovery.  Free coffee, free chat in private                                                                            

To find out more look for Facebook page ACT Peer Recovery Widnes & Halton or look on the website www.act-peer-recovery.com 

Meetings will take place on Wednesdays at 11am to 12.30pm in the Tesco Cafe (cafe upstairs but lift access available)

The Price Parry Charitable Trust, are a charitable foundation which helps small projects in the Wirral area, extending to Liverpool (they will consider applications from Widnes, Runcorn and St Helens), with the focus on disadvantaged areas. Please find attached guidance and application form for your information.

If you could benefit from funding and want to find out more please contact Megan Grant on Megan.grant@Rathbones.com

The Trustees have a meeting twice a year the next meeting is on the 16th May.

The WEA has launched round 1 of its 2019-2021 ESF Community Grants programme.  It is a £2.7 million programme to tackle unemployment, with backing from the European Social Fund (ESF) and the government’s Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), in partnership with Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP); and managed locally by WEA.

Over the next two years, the programme will help thousands of people who face additional barriers in the workplace, such as lone parents, improve their employability and gain permanent employment.

The WEA will distribute small grants of £20,000 across Merseyside and Halton to eligible organisations in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector between April 2019 and May 2021.

Please click here to visit the WEA website for further information and how to apply.

Join Willowbrook Hospics on Sunday 19 May at the St Helens Hotel for their BIG BIG Tea Party – a special traditional afternoon tea but with entertainment, mini-pampering sessions, prize raffle and a range of stalls selling handmade goods and crafts!

Tickets are only £15 and available from The Living Well on 01744 453798 or by emailing: events@willowbrookhospice.org.uk

You can also book online at: https://willowbrookhospice.charitycheckout.co.uk/bigteaparty2019

St Helens Street Pastors are seeking a new Coordinator to manage, promote and develop the work of St Helens Street Pastors.  The Coordinator will be responsible for the recruitment, training and support of volunteers; the administration and smooth running of the charity; and working in partnership with local churches and other agencies to further the aims of Street Pastors.

They are looking for a well-rounded individual who is enthusiastic and self-motivated; who can work well with a variety of people and organisations; and who is able to communicate effectively and inspire others about the work of Street Pastors, whilst keeping the administrative wheels rolling.

This post is for 12 hours per week, at a rate of £12 per hour.  The Coordinator will be accountable to the Board of Trustees.

There is a Genuine Occupational Requirement for this role to be a practising Christian, in line with the Street Pastors ethos and code of conduct.

The deadline for applications is Monday 13th May and interviews will be held during the week beginning 20th May (exact date and time to be confirmed).

For more information and an application pack, please contact Rev Nick White (chair of trustees) on sainthelens@streetpastors.org.uk

Volunteers needed for St Helens Mind Befriending Service, Befriending people in St Helens who have become isolated due to mental ill health.  You can make a difference. For more information please telephone 01744 647089 or email admin@sthelensmind.org.uk for more information.

The next Talkfest engagement events will take place during National Mental Health Awareness Week, the 13th to 19th of May. The event will have a specific focus on mental health and how to support local communities to support others who are experiencing poor mental health. At the event they will also provide an update on St Helens Cares, Shared Care Record, Contact Cares and discuss the priorities of the Peoples Board. They will also update you on the findings from February's Talkfest and the Health and Wellbeing Fair held in March

Sessions will last approximately 2 hours and will be held as follows:

Monday 13th May – Woodside Medical Centre, Woodside Road, Haydock, WA11 0NA 1.30pm arrival for 2.00pm start

Wednesday 15th May – Thatto Heath Library, Thatto Heath Road, WA10 3QX 1.00pm arrival for 1.30pm start

Thursday 16th May – Garswood Medical Centre, Billinge Road, Garswood, WN4 0XD 9.30am arrival for 10.00am start
 
As well as the dedicated events above they will also have a stand both days (Friday 17th and Saturday 18th May) at the Healthy in St Helens event, located within Parish Church, Church Square in the town centre.

During the week the team will also be attending a number of existing sessions across St Helens such as coffee mornings and Get Together sessions as well as working with local businesses and schools.

If you would like to register for an event please contact engagement@sthelensccg.nhs.uk or 01744 627596 to book your place stating your name, organisation (if applicable) and the session you would like to attend.

Liverpool City Region Talent Match Plus Programme, funded by the European Social Fund and Youth Employment Initiative and Big Lottery, is seeking to procure services to enhance their offer which support young people aged 15-29 who are furthest away from the labour market to progress into training, education or employment.

MYA are procuring two service providers for their Talent Match Plus project – 1. an independent evaluator; and 2. Marketing support.

Key timescales:

• Deadline for completed applications: 10.00am 30th April 2019
• Applications assessed: 2nd and 3rd May 2019
• Shortlisted applicants interviewed: either 13th or 14th May 2019
• Successful applicants informed:17th May 2019
• Following completion of relevant SLA documentation, service delivery will begin on 1st June 2019

For more information please see the link below:

https://www.mya.org.uk/talent-match-plus-commissioning-opportunities/

Wellbeing Enterprises have produced a citizen led asset map for the Halton area, using a new app technology they have developed called "happyplace".

The report gives voice to local people to describe what assets they value in their community and why. It is hoped that the report and the data will be helpful from a town planning, conservation, and public health perspective, as well as encouraging visitors to the area.

Please also see links to:

• Promo film about the app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBq4w7HwEDs
• The happyplace app website: www.happyplace.org.uk

Closing date: 30 April, 2019 4:00 pm

Hours per week: 35.00

Salary: £63,753 to £86,833

Location: No1 Mann Island, L3 1BP

Employment type: Full Time

Contract type: Permanent

Job Description:

Lead Officer – Adult Education Budget (AEB)
£63,753 – £86,833

(starting salary & incremental progression will be dependent upon experience)

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is looking for an exceptional individual to join our team and deliver their vision for an inclusive, globally competitive city region at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse. This is an exciting time, having successfully negotiated and secured a Devolution Agreement with Government and elected the City Region’s first ever metro Mayor. The devolution of the Adult Education Budget gives them the opportunity to tailor the skills and adult education system to better address the local priorities.

As the Lead Officer for AEB you will provide leadership in order to drive forward the successful delivery of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s (LCRCA) commitments in respect of the devolution of the Adult Education Budget from 2019/2020.

They are looking for an experienced manager to lead their team of education and skills professionals, working with colleagues and stakeholders across the city region, to drive the work and ensure that they maximise this opportunity.

For more information and to apply, please see the link below:

https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/vacancy/4012/

Diabetes UK are currently working on a new and exciting volunteer project in Halton with the aim of raising awareness about diabetes and the prevention of Type 2 diabetes.

The number of people with diabetes is growing rapidly and Halton is no different in fact Halton has the 3rd highest population of people living with the condition in the North West of England. They want to make sure people in Halton know about diabetes, spread the prevention messages and support people living with the condition to manage it well.

They are recruiting volunteers to be part of this exciting project who have a mixture of skills, interests and ideas. Together the task force will work as a team to raise awareness in Halton about diabetes and ways of preventing Type 2 diabetes through a series of activities/events. By connecting as a group they hope that anyone involved can help to motivate, encourage and support each other throughout the project.

For more informaiton and to get involved please contact Jessica Graham on the details below:

Email: jessica.graham@diabetes.org.uk 

Phone: 01925 644 566

We are currently undertaking a root and branches review of what we do.  We are looking towards the future and want to ensure that we are able to support voluntary and community groups, charities and social enterprises for many years to come.

This survey involves looking in detail at everything we do.  As part of that we would like to hear from all the groups and organisations who have been in touch with us in some way over the last 12 months.  We want to find out what services have groups and organisations used and are most valuable and if there is anything we can improve on.  In such a challenging economic environment, it’s important to us to know that we are providing the right kind of support and that we’re focusing our efforts on the most relevant and appropriate services.  Even if you haven’t used all our services you can also comment on what services you think are important in our section ‘Together Moving Forward’

We’d be extremely grateful if you could spend 10 minutes completing our brief online survey so that we can take your views into account and contribute to helping us shape the future of your membership organisation as we plan our future activities. 

https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/annual-feedback-survey-2019

Halton Sensory Service

Those suffering from vision or hearing loss in Halton now have access to a specialised support service.

Halton Sensory Services opened on March 27 by the Mayor of Halton in 126 Widnes Road, Widnes, and will be a hub where residents can access information and support under one roof.

There will be a team of specialist staff experienced in sight and hearing loss, vision impairment and deafness available for general enquiries or appointments in rehabilitation, aids and adaptations.

Home visits can also be arranged for people with mobility or health issues.

The partners, Vision Support, Deafness Resource Centre and Halton Borough Council, are working together to establish the fully integrated sensory service, reducing the need for residents to contact different organisations for support with their sensory needs.

The service will also make use of a mobile unit to go to into communities to reach out to more isolated residents and to inform people of the support available.

A spokesperson for Halton Borough Council said: "Halton Sensory Services and the opening of the new base in Widnes will make a real difference to the quality of life and wellbeing of people living with sensory loss in Halton."

You can contact them on 0151 511 8801.

A £2.7 million programme to tackle unemployment has been launched in April 2019 with backing from the European Social Fund.

The funds have been granted by the government’s Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) in partnership with Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership to the Worker’s Educational Association (WEA), an adult education charity which provides training and learning opportunities for people at risk of exclusion.

Over the next two years, the charity will help thousands of people who face additional barriers in the workplace, such as lone parents, improve their employability and gain permanent employment.

The WEA will distribute small grants of £20,000 across Merseyside and Halton to eligible organisations in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector between April 2019 and May 2021.

Funded activities will target those aged 19 and over, from the hardest to reach communities. The funding can help all who are out of work but especially those with:

• disabilities and long term health conditions
• single parents
• women
• people from ethnic minorities
• people over 50
• those planning to return to the workplace after a long period of absence

Round 1 of ESF Community Grants will open on Wednesday 24th April 2019 

For more information and how to apply, please see the link below:

https://www.wea.org.uk/liverpool-city-region-esf-community-grants-2019-2021

1 x full time or 2 x 18.5 hours (job share).
Fixed term for 1 year
Secondment will be considered.
Salary: Band 6 (£30,401per annum) or pro-rated if part-time
Closing Date: Wednesday 24th April at 5pm

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a High Intensity User (HIU) Lead to join NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group and Wellbeing Enterprises CIC to work across the local health and social care system.

They are seeking an experienced, resilient and motivated individual, with experience of working with people with complex needs, as well as working within a fast-paced environment.

The successful candidate will work with a rolling cohort of patients who attend A&E, call 999 or have been admitted to hospital more than might be expected. They are looking for an individual whose ability to connect with people is strong enough to support the change in behaviour of people with even the most complex medical/social needs. The post holder will seek to appropriately reduce the number of emergency contacts and other care interactions across Halton. You will also work alongside a team of dedicated non-medical community wellbeing professionals who support people to address wider social issues impacting on health and wellbeing.

Skills required will be empathy, compassion, strong negotiation, patience and a real appetite for helping those that many others may have either forgotten about or have turned away. This is an excellent opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives, by putting in place interventions that reintegrate people into the local community, without the need to make demands on services that may not be the most appropriate to meet their needs . The successful candidate(s) will be working closely with Halton Clinical Commissioning Group, A&E departments at Warrington & St Helens Hospitals, Ambulance service (NWAS), Police, Local Authorities and local Community Health Teams.

The successful candidate will work a 37 hour week or 18.5 hour week (if part-time). A flexible work approach is required as there may be some out of hour’s calls i.e. evenings and weekends, as its imperative that high intensity users feel fully supported during their time on the HIU programme. Due to the requirement of the post the candidate must commit to remaining with the project for 1 year. The work will be a combination of face to face contact with high intensity users, as well as telephone contact and liaison with other service providers to support improved outcomes for service users.

For more information and how to apply please contact Wellbeing Enterprises:
Helen McPeake
E: h.mcpeake@wellbeingenterprises.org.uk
T: 01928 589 799

Job Vacancy with VSNW for a Communications Officer 

Salary:  £27,000 per annum
35 Hours per week
Working in Greater Manchester

Closing Date: 13 May 2019

Main Purpose

To lead and develop inspiring communications for Voluntary Sector North West (VSNW), supporting the work of the Chief Executive. In particular, delivering:
 
●    VSNW’s communications
●    Greater Manchester Cancer Champions’ VCSE Screening Programme communications 

Reporting Responsibility

The post holder will report to and be managed by the Chief Executive of VSNW.

Principal Duties

1.  Proactively generate high quality digital and print communications content.

2.  Lead on VCSE Screening Programme Communications Strategy, including implementation and delivery of online and tech platforms

3.  Develop and deliver VSNW’s communications and marketing strategies to reach, listen to and engage our key audiences.

4.  Deliver GM Cancer Champions’ communications and content creation using digital channels, and print, to:

• Drive relevant traffic to the recruitment page with a focus on conversion from page visits to completing applications
• Engage a wide variety of partners, networks and grassroots organisations to build relationships and ensure our content and conversations are shared with their contacts.
• Effectively link with the Screening Programme’s Engagement and Delivery Team.

5. Ensure that VSNW effectively communicates with members and the broader Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector. Currently this includes maintaining and creating content for the website (www.vsnw.org.uk), Twitter, Mailchimp e-bulletin and other publications/mechanisms.

6.  Create reports on the effectiveness of the strategies being used to inform and further develop the communications strategy. 

7.  Collect and collate information on project activities to enable complete and accurate completion of progress reports to commissioners and shareable content for our audiences.

General

1.      To promote and uphold the values of VSNW at all times.

2.      To continuously develop and share knowledge within key partnerships and the VSNW team.

3.      At all times to take account of equal opportunities considerations when working with the VCSE; paying particular attention to the needs and perspectives of groups and communities who are marginalised or excluded from participation in sub-regional governance.

4.      To be a co-operative and supportive member of the VSNW staff team, ensuring that all members are aware of any issues in the post holder's workload which may impact on other staff or partners.

5.      To listen to and engage North West VCSE partners to be active members of VSNW.

6.      To produce reports for the VSNW Board of Trustees as required.

7.      To observe all policies and procedures that are determined by VSNW’s Board of Trustees, e.g. Health & Safety, New Technology.

8.      To undertake regular supervision with your line manager and to keep her or him informed of significant developments in the progress of work.

9. To undertake such tasks as may be reasonably requested by the Chief Executive of VSNW to further the objects of the organisation in alignment with its values.

To apply, please download the full person specification, complete the application form and send to recruitment@vsnw.org.uk. Please state the position you are applying for in the subject line. 

Interviews are w/c 20th May 2019.

Job Description and Application form attached 

Genesis Jobs, Education & Training

Do you want a new career in Health & Social Care?

Training is available to get you ready for work.  There is an information and enrolment session on Wednesday 24th April at 10am at Genesis, 2nd Floor YMCA Beacon Building, College Street, St Helens, WA10 1TF (opposite the police station)

This is a fully accredited Health & Social Care qualification and gives learners a great introduction to the industry and readies learners for interview.  

They have 3 local employers who will be offering job interviews to learners who complete the training. 

Topics covered during the learning will include:

• Dementia Awareness
• The person-centred approach to the care and support of individuals with dementia
• Understand the factors that can influence communication and interaction with individuals who have dementia
• Understand equality, diversity and inclusion in dementia care
• Explore principles of healthy eating
• Consider nutritional needs of a variety of individuals
• Use food and nutrition information to plan a healthy diet
• The principles of weight management
• Understanding eating disorders

This gives learners the opportunity to:  

• Develop occupationally related knowledge and skills  
• Develop knowledge and skills that support employability and career progression
• Achieve a nationally-recognised Level 1 qualification 

To book a place call Joe Lennard on 01744 733 711 / 07503 963 457 

Easter egg quiz and trail in Taylor Park

Easter Monday, 22nd April 2019

Starting at 2.00pm

The Friends of Taylor Park are staging the annual easter egg quiz and trail around one of St Helens’ finest park on Easter Monday, 22nd April.

Youngsters under 12 or so, as long as they are accompanied by an adult, can take part in an easy quiz during a short walk around this fabulous park.

The first 200 to complete the walk will get a free Cadburys creme egg. There will also be 3 huge Easter eggs prizes in our draw which is open to those youngsters who complete the course.

The whole thing starts at 2.00pm from the boathouse in Taylor Park. Last quiz sheets will be issued at 3.00pm and the draw is at 4.00pm. It’s an afternoon not to be missed and the friends look forward to seeing you there.

The creme eggs are being donated by the council’s ranger service. The park (post code WA10 3HX) is located just off Prescot Road which is the main route between St Helens and Prescot. It is well served by buses and Thatto Heath Station is about 10 minutes walk away. Free public parking is available in the park at the Grosvenor Road and Holme Road entrances but it is limited. There is some on Street parking but the friends urge visitors who have to drive to be considerate of local residents when parking.  Poster attached.

Ladies badminton sessions every Tuesday, 10-11am, held at Broadway Badminton Centre, just Pay 'n Play. All equipment provided and beginners very welcome. 

Family badminton sessions run every Tuesday evening between 6-7pm at Broadway Badminton Centre. This is an open session for friends and family, everyone welcome, just turn up Pay 'n Play.

£4 per session run by Qualified Badminton England Coach and are held at Broadway Badminton Centre Broadway, Grange Park, St Helens, WA10 3RY 

Each year Earlestown Christmas Lights Committee invest into making the Town look spectacular during the festive season.  They are a very proud community and all take pride and look forward to different events throughout the year. They fund their main event which is the Earlestown Christmas Lights through various organised local events, public donations, business donations and sponsorship and also CIF funding from St Helens Council. 

The committee try to make this switch on a bigger and better event than previous years and the whole community get together and have a really enjoyable day, with fairground, attractions and market stalls before the countdown to the annual switch on of the Lights, which is usually turned on by a nominated school child. This year the annual switch on is Sunday 24th November 2019 and the event runs from 12 noon until 6pm on Earlstown Market square.

The majority of the lights are are coming up to 5 years old and some if not all may need replacing as well as buying additional ones, with this in mind they are asking if anyone would be able to donate funding for this, this is a much looked forward to event where all local schools, communities and organisations take part each year.  If you can donate please email Janine Billings on Earlestownchristmaslights@gmail.com, or phone 07817336326.

28 hours -£20,384 a FTE of £25,480 – Funded until September 2022

Based at head office in Warrington with a national reach and therefore travel nationwide

Purpose of Role:

Cycling Projects is a national charity that focusses on reaching connecting and weaving cycling into lifestyle of marginalised individuals and their communities. We have a particular focus on supporting people living with disabilities, inactive community members and those living with lifelong illness
This is an exciting opportunity for an individual to join a forward thinking and energetic team, as the lead person for our training programme portfolio. Cycling Projects is the largest provider of inclusive cycle training opportunities in the country, and to support the growth of our Wheels for All and Pedal Away national programmes, we want to further develop a range of training packages that support our participants, our volunteers staff and partner organisations.

The successful candidate will be responsible for co-ordinating and delivering the current range of training packages, supporting inclusive cycle delivery, community rides and maintenance programmes, as well as developing new packages. They will have the skillset and experience to manage and develop the training packages to meet the needs of everyone regardless of their ability. This role will be based at our head office in Warrington, but will travel across the country supporting our regional staff and training requirement through our partnerships and will manage our training programmes on a national scale.

Please see the attachments below for more information and application form.

For further information and an application pack please contact – Ian Tierney via email Ian.tierney@cycling.org.uk or phone 01925 234213

Closing date for returned application is Tuesday 9th April

Interviews to be held week commencing 15th April 2019

Job Title: Learning Disabilities Assistant
Salary: £18,000 p.a.
Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday (with some flexibility)
Responsible to: Learning Coordinator
Location: Knowsley Disability Concern, Huyton, L36 0SD and a variety of community settings across the Borough of Knowsley and occasionally further afield

Purpose of the role:
To support KDC’s vision which is for people with learning disabilities to improve their independence and be able to exercise choice and control over their lives by speaking up and having their views and wishes heard through active participation, engagement, learning and development. 

Who you are:
• You will have good organisation, administrative and time-management skills and the ability to work as part of a small team
• you will have the ability to juggle a variety of tasks whilst keeping track of the day-to-day requirements needed to provide effective administration.
• you will be flexible to the needs of the projects with a ‘can do’ attitude and ready to ‘jump-in’ and help out
• you will have ‘hands-on’ experience of working with people with learning and communication needs individually and in group settings
• you will be passionate about the rights of people with disabilities

What you would be accountable for: 
• Providing day to day support for the BIG Group and BIG Pathway projects
• Assisting with enrolment processes for BIG Pathway learners, and writing up individual learning plans
• Preparing learning resources and setting up sessions
• Providing one to one support for BIG Pathway participants in ‘classroom’ settings
• Supporting the Learning Disabilities Coordinator to develop the BIG Group through engagement with and in response to the needs and wishes of adults with learning disabilities 
• Supporting marketing and communication activities to promote the BIG Group and BIG Pathway including use of all social media platforms

Interested?
The detailed job description can be accessed from their website via the link - https://www.kdc.org.uk/learning-disabilities-projects-job-opportunities/ .

To apply, download the application and consent forms and complete in full returning them to recruitment@kdc.org.uk .

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 17 April 2019.

The Institute of Advanced Drivers Group is having an informal open 'morning' session at the Ibis Hotel, Haydock, on Sunday 28th April between 11:00am and 1:00pm, offering information and advice regarding RoadSmart courses on advanced motoring. A discount of £89 on the standard course fee of £149 is offered to drivers of 35 years and under and a discount of £50 for drivers of 60 years and over. Anybody with an interest in safer driving, saving money on fuel, vehicle wear and tear and possible car insurance is welcome. Free driving assessments can be provided on the day or at a later date and light refreshments are available.

For further information if required, Email: contact@shgam.org.uk, Web: www.shgam.org.uk, Mobile: 07849 674939 (after 6pm only)

St Helens Public Health are launching a physical activity campaign in April which aims to get the people living and working in the Borough more active.

They are promoting four activities – Walking, Running, Cycling and Swimming. Encouraging those who are currently inactive to do more physical activity. 

The campaign is for all ages and across the borough including businesses and professionals. They will be holding a number of events and challenges throughout the year to promote activities including events for workplaces. Additionally, there will be free training available for professionals on in the importance of physical activity, delivered by Public Health England. 

If you are interested and would like to find out how to get involved, please contact Emma Ciclitira on:  01744 673494 or emmaciclitira@sthelens.gov.uk

Become a Local Authority Foster Carer Information Session.

Interested in Fostering? Looking for a rewarding, home-based, flexible role that uses your skills with children? You could really change the lives of children and young people in the Halton area and develop a career that works for you and your circumstances. 

Come along and find out more, listen to the presentation and meet the friendly team of experienced foster carers and supervising social workers:

25 April 6pm - Castlefields Community Centre, Runcorn

21st May 2019 10am: Halton Stadium, Lower House Lane, Widnes. WA8 7DZ

If you're ready, at the end of the session, you can fill in an Expression of Interest form to take the next step.

You can find out more by access the website below or ringing 0800 195 3175
www.foster4.co.uk

In order to support the delivery of the prevention challenge across the sub region the Cheshire & Merseyside Health & Care Partnership requested the development of a Population Health Framework.

Traditionally efficiencies have been delivered through improved delivery of care but meeting the current goals of saving lives, reducing morbidity, improving quality, being more cost effective and reducing inequalities requires a new solution and a focus on stemming demand through delaying or preventing the onset of need.

The Cheshire & Merseyside Population Health Framework has been developed in conjunction with Cheshire & Merseyside Health & Care Partnership Prevention Board, Public Health England, Local Authorities, the NHS, the voluntary sector and third sector. It sets out evidence based guidelines partners can use to create a transformational and sustainable shift in the health and wellbeing of the Cheshire & Merseyside population.

The guidelines are not prescriptive; they aim to support prevention within local place based settings. They can therefore be adapted and interpreted at a local level.

The Population Health Framework promotes the integration of services, the development of multidisciplinary and multisector teams working together to improve population health. This includes individual care management, the mobilisation of community assets, committing to integrated care models, and making every contact count across sectors, as well as population level interventions like access to employment and workplace health and education.

In support of this approach the prevention framework provides practical suggestions for each Place Based Care System for working on population health with:

• Local system leaders
• General Practices or Primary Care Hubs
• Local tertiary and acute providers
• Communities

More information about the framework can be found in the attached documents. 

Healthwatch St Helens have been tasked by NHS England to do a piece of work around the NHS Long Term Plan Engagement, it is to find out about people’s experiences of health and care services in the borough and to tell them what the NHS can do to help them and their communities stay well and to make the support available better.

They have developed two surveys one for general health and one for long term conditions.  If you have more than one long term condition could you please fill out a survey for each condition that you have.  

https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/what-would-you-do

DIABETES UK
St Helens & District Group
 
The next meeting of the St Helens & District Group of Diabetes UK will be on Wednesday 3rd April 2019 at 7.30pm in St Helens United Reformed Church, King St, WA10 2JZ. The church is next to Windle Pilkington Hall. Due to a slight change to the programme the speaker will now be Michelle Cowan, thanks to Michelle for stepping in at short notice and talking about the following:- 
 
Looking after your feet when you have diabetes.
 
Michelle is an Advanced Podiatrist from the North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Trust.  Anyone with an interest in diabetes is welcome to attend, admission is free and refreshments are available after the meeting. There is also a large selection of diabetes leaflets available. If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes and have not been to a meeting before you are particularly welcome. They are a very friendly group and you may be assured of a warm welcome. 
 
For further details contact C Bowmaker on 0151 480 0821, 
or go to our website at www.st-helens-and-district.diabetesukgroup.org 
 

The JohnPaul Project is a charitable service which aims to improve the emotional wellbeing of veterans and their families across Merseyside through targeted psychological therapies and support programmes. The project was set up memory of JohnPaul Finnigan a local veteran who sadly lost his life to suicide in 2018 after a lengthy battle with PTSD.

The project is determined to reduce the number of Veteran deaths by suicide, saving lives by using prevention strategies that are based on the best evidence available, together with supporting both veterans and their families to join us all on the road of being a survivor who is equipped to deal with the complexities that life presents.

They have produced a new promotional video supporting veterans across the Liverpool City Region:

The JohnPaul Project is managed and coordinated by the registered charity Caring Connections. If you would like to find out more or need support please email veterans@caringconnections.org.uk

Our colleagues from Halton Borough Council’s External Funding Team have prepared some Funding Bulletins containing valuable information for voluntary organisations looking for grants to get projects off the ground.

The Monthly funding bulletins offering information on funding opportunities in the following areas:

Arts, Community & Voluntary, Environment & Heritage, European, Faith, Health, Schools, Sports and Youth.

To access the information, please click on the link below:

https://www4.halton.gov.uk/Pages/business/FinanceandGrants/finance.aspx

Mersey Gateway are offering to give presentations to local groups to hear all about the Mersey Gateway Project – one of the largest construction projects in the UK – from the construction phase to the continuing work in the environment.  If your group would like to take up the opportunity please email info@merseylink.com.

Mersey Gateway are also offering to take groups on a guided walk around Spike Island to hear about the Mersey Gateway Project, what’s going on in the environment now and in the past, and the chemical industry, if you are interested then email info@merseylink.com

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is looking for people with the passion to deliver on their vision and help them to create a truly global and competitive city region which works for everyone.  If you’re interested in a career with the Combined Authority take a look at their current opportunities.

Housing First Team Recruitment

​Closing date: 15 April, 2019 4:00 pm

Hours per week: 35.00

Salary: Various

Location: No1 Mann Island, L3 1BP

Employment type: Full Time

Contract type: Fixed Term for 18 Months

View Vacancy 

Assistant Investment Analyst

Closing date: 24 April, 2019 4:00 pm

Hours per week: 35 hours

Salary: £21,598 - £24,284

Location: Merseyside

Employment type: Full Time

Contract type: Fixed Term for 2.5 years

View Vacancy

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are looking for a new Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Specialist to join the WHH Family. 

This is a permanent, new role at Band 7 (£33,222 to £43,041 pa) Working pattern is 37.5 hours per week.

The closing date for applications is 7th April 2019 and the interviews will be taking place on 24th April 2019. 

For more information and details on how to apply please go to https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/vacancy/?vac_ref=915504302

Keep Britain Tidy is seeking new LitterHeroes Ambassadors to join the volunteer programme and they need your help! 

The LitterHeroes Ambassador programme is for people from all walks of life who want to get their communities involved in litter picking and improving public spaces for all .

You need to be at least 18 years old, good at motivating others and willing to get outdoors and lead by example.  Applications are now open until Monday 6th May 2019 and successful applicants will be notified of next steps during the week commencing 6th May. 

All you need to do is; apply directly online via https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LHAapply2019 or email them on LHAmbassador@keepbritaintidy.org and they will send you a link to the application form, alternatively you can visit the website here for more information..

The LitterHeroes Ambassador programme is supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery and aims to support community cohesion, improve public spaces and help benefit mental and physical wellbeing.

Please find attached a poster 

Job Vacancy: Telephone Helpline & Befriending Co-ordinator

• 30 hours per week  |  Salary: £15,444
• Closing date for applications: 7th April 2019
• Proposed interview date: 15th April 2019
• For an application form and pack: bethan.harries@sightline.org.uk
• Contract: Reaching communities Big Lottery funded until February 2020

Sightline is a unique service delivering practical and emotional support to the visually impaired community through a confidential, evening, Freephone helpline. The helpline service is available to callers with any visual impairment, families, carers and professionals.

Staffed by trained visually impaired volunteers the service operates each evening between 6pm to 10pm.

The post will have its office base in Preston, but the role involves working across the North West of England. Clean driving license needed.

For more information please see attachments. 

Rosa - the UK fund for women and girls, is pleased to open the fourth round of their flagship grants programme, Voices from the Frontline. The programme offers grants of up to £5,000 to women's organisations of all sizes for advocacy, campaigning and activism.

They want to encourage applications from a wide range of women's organisations from across the UK.

The first three rounds of Voices from the Frontline have supported organisations and campaigns like the Good Night Out Campaign, an organisation working to change how licensed organisations deal with gendered violence and sexual harassment; Yorkshire Sound Women to lobby the music industry for better opportunities for women; and Women in Sport, to launch a campaign about the visibility of sporting role models for women. 

To date, Voices from the Front Line has supported more than 60 grassroots and national women’s organisations across the UK.

To apply or find out more about Voices from the Frontline please read the application guidance. 

The deadline for applications is 5.00pm on Tuesday 14th May. 

They will be running two 'How to apply' webinars for Voices from the Frontline. Please register below:

Wednesday 27 March 11.00 – 12.00pm Register here

Tuesday 30 April 12.30 – 1.30pm Register here

The team at Halton & St Helens VCA are sad to hear that Dr Lyons has left his role as Chair at NHS Halton CCG. We are grateful to him for his support  of voluntary sector organisations throughout his tenure. In particular, his championing of the CCG radio show (supported by the VCA) on Halton Community Radio.

Following much consideration, Dr Lyon took the difficult decision to resign from his post as Chair, with effect from 14th March 2019.

David Merrill, Vice Chair, who took up the position of Chair in the interim period, will continue to discharge the duties of Chair until a new substantive Chair has been appointed.

In terms of the next steps, discussions will be held with the CCG membership with a view to progressing the recruitment process.

Please be assured that Dr Lyon is well but he has requested that no formal leaving presentation arrangements are made. However, if you would like to extend best wishes to Dr Lyon then please feel free to send these to Dr Lyon via the Castlefields Health Centre or please contact Dr Lyon via his email address.

Changing Lives is a national charity that supports over 17,500 people each year. They are a well-respected, growing organisation dedicated to supporting the most vulnerable people across the UK. 

They began as a soup run, supporting people who were homeless in the North East over 45 years ago. Since 1970, their services have grown and developed to support people experiencing a wide range of personal challenges, including addiction and recovery programmes, employment guidance, help for people in prison or on probation, and support for people experiencing sexual exploitation or domestic abuse. 

They are looking for committed and compassionate professionals who share their enthusiasm for changing lives. 

About The Job
To provide high-quality frontline advice and support to women/men and their children fleeing domestic abuse living in the refuge.

Apply For The Job
Want to know more about this extremely exciting and rewarding opportunity? Download the full job description and application form from https://www.changing-lives.org.uk/careers/vacancies/ 

They are passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. 

HR017 – Refuge Project Worker

Location: Halton

Salary: £10,558.37 per annum (pro rata of £19,533)

Hours: 20 hours per week

Closing Date:  8th April 2019

Interview : TBC

Partnership Chair of the Halton Autism Action Alliance

Job Advertisement

Remuneration for the post is to the amount of £150 per half a day up to a maximum of 6 days per year.

The post is hosted by Halton Borough Council and will be filled for a period of two years on a consultancy basis paid through the local authority payroll for HMRC purposes.                           

The Halton Autism Action Alliance is looking to appoint a Partnership Chair of this newly established board, which will be responsible for the delivery of the new One Halton All-Age Autism Strategy and associated Delivery Plan.  This ambitious new strategy aims to take a more joined-up and holistic approach to developing opportunities and realising potential for people with Autism at every stage of their lives.

The Alliance brings together different organisations, services and stakeholders to create an integrated strategic planning forum that is responsible for identifying local commissioning priorities and developing/improving autism provision across the local health and social care landscape. This strategic, multi-agency approach will result in improved experiences and better outcomes for people with autism and their families/carers.

The successful candidate will be highly motivated and passionate about improving the lives of people with autism in Halton.

To be successful, applicants must have relevant experience in Autism and will need to demonstrate significant experience of working at a senior leadership level within health/social care.

The following skills and experience will also be required:

• The ability to build and maintain strong working relationships and productive partnerships;
• Experience of successfully chairing high-level, complex/multi-agency meetings;
• Exceptional communication skills and political astuteness;
• An awareness of the issues faced by people with autism and a sound knowledge of relevant legislation, good practice and guidance;
• A commitment to delivering the strategy in collaboration with all stakeholders.

The post holder will be required to attend six board meetings per calendar year and this would include setting agendas and reading/preparing for the meetings up to a maximum of 6 days per year.

The Partnership Chair will be accountable to the Principal Social Worker/Divisional Manager for Care Management and undertake quarterly meetings to review the role.

Application Process: Cover letter detailing your suitability for the role and relevant experience, accompanied by your CV.  The letter should be no more than 3 sides of A4. 

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Marie Lynch, Divisional Manager on 0151 511 8392 or Patrick Frost, Principal Manager on 0151 511 8086.

Closing date: 31st March 2019, close of play.

Address for cover letters/CVs to be submitted:

Emma Sutton-Thompson 

Principal Manager

Policy, Performance and Customer Care

Halton Borough Council

Runcorn Town Hall

Heath Road

Runcorn

WA7 5TD

“Pass it on” is a new, community-wide project starting early 2019 and closing with celebration and award events in June and July 2019.

Project Aim

To create a safer, more cohesive community with early identification and improved reporting of safeguarding and vulnerability issues. Halton is a borough that has always been a welcoming and inclusive place to live and work and is becoming a more diverse community. This project offers the opportunity for us to celebrate this. They are looking for people to participate- to share their good news stories, to try any activity on being a good neighbour and to look after each other, especially those people in our community that may have care or support needs. They are leading a public campaign, joining with partners in the community, across social media, the press and hosting public celebration events. They are offering FREE Alerter Training, delivered by award-winning Geese Theatre Company; that will help people to understand how to identify and find support for those who may be at risk of harm.

Issues being dealt with through this project

Many local issues were identified in a report that was written on behalf of Halton’s Faith Sector Forum and submitted to both Halton Safeguarding Boards (Children’s and Adults). Further details are provided in ‘background’ section of the attached document. Other issues have been identified and verified by partners within the two safeguarding boards and its sub groups.

The main, but not exclusive, ones being addressed by this project are:

• Safeguarding of adults, children and young people
• Hate crime and harassment reduction
• Loneliness and social isolation
• Diversity of culture, backgrounds and circumstances eg asylum seekers, refugees
• People who have been trafficked
• People who have been abused
• Vulnerability
• The introduction of Universal Credit (UC) and its negative effects on people e.g. evictions, homelessness, rising debt, increase in use of food banks, fuel poverty, destitution. 

Please see the attached documents for more information on the awards and details on how to book on the training.  Please feel free to share and encourage people to take part!

Healthwatch St Helens have been tasked by NHS England to do a piece of work around the NHS Long Term Plan Engagement, it is to find out about people’s experiences of health and care services in the borough and to tell them what  the NHS can do to help them and their communities stay well and to make the support available better.

They have developed two surveys one for general health and one for long term conditions.  If you have more than one long term condition could you please fill out a survey for each condition that you have.  

https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/what-would-you-do

Its important to let them know your views so feel free to pass this information on to family and friends so they can participate and complete a survey

Come along to remember those that have been lost to suicide, show support for one another and help raise awereness of suicide prevention. 

The event will be on Wednesday 10th April at 7pm-9:30pm, it will be held at St Helens RFC Totally Wicked Stadium. 

If you would like to attend the memorial service, simply turn up or to reserve a seat please visit https://www.listening-ear.co.uk/ or call 0330 0889255. 

Poster attached if you would like to help publicise the event

Apex Trust are inviting Women of St Helens to join them every Wednesday from 10:00am to 3:30pm at the Womens HUB at their base in Century House, Hardshaw Street, St Helens, WA10 1QU.  There will be a variety of activities so to find out more please call Apex Trust on 01744 612898 for more details. 

Gift Aid Small Donation Scheme

If you rely on donations from individuals please note that from April 2019 the Gift Aid Small Donation Scheme limit will increase from £20 to £30.

This means charities and community amateur sports clubs can claim top-up payments on small donations up to a maximum of £2,000, You also do not need to know the identity of the donors or collect Gift Aid declarations. There is more information available on Gov.uk.

Don’t forget claim Gift Aid on your other donations.

To champion the fight against poverty and inequality enabling people to take control of their lives. Based in Liverpool but travel to the surrounding areas

Role: Money Advice Caseworker

Hours: 35 hours per week

Pay: Scale 6 point 26-28 £23,688 - £25,463 (pro rata)

Established in 1999 Raise is an advice service that supports clients within their own home with welfare benefits, money advice and financial capability advice at a specialist level. This is an opportunity to be involved in the delivery of their money advice service to clients in the Liverpool City Region. In order to achieve this they need a highly motivated individual who is passionate about empowering individuals to manage their money worries. You will be experienced in providing high level debt advice within a performance management framework. You will have excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to relate and work with a large variety of different people.

Closing date: Monday 25 March 12 noon
Interviews will be held on: Thursday 28 March 2019

For a job pack please visit the website www.benefitsadviceteam.co.uk or email admin@benefitsadviceteam.co.uk
 

Our colleagues from Halton Borough Council’s External Funding Team have prepared some Funding Bulletins containing valuable information for voluntary organisations looking for grants to get projects off the ground.

The Monthly funding bulletins offering information on funding opportunities in the following areas:

Arts, Community & Voluntary, Environment & Heritage, European, Faith, Health, Schools, Sports and Youth.

To access the information, please click on the link below:

https://www4.halton.gov.uk/Pages/business/FinanceandGrants/finance.aspx

Free legal assistance

The Not-for-Profits Programme from Law Works is for small not-for-profit organisations that cannot afford or would struggle to pay for legal advice.

Where a not-for-profit organisation needs help with a one-off legal issue, Law Works match the organisation with a volunteer lawyer from its network of member law firms and in-house legal teams who can advise on that matter.  The advice is given for free (pro bono).

Examples of discrete matters volunteers can help with include:

• drafting a contract
• reviewing a lease
• updating a constitution/articles, or
• clarifying rights in a commercial dispute.

You can find out more about eligibility and how to apply for legal advice here. 

Self- Neglect Conference: Halton Stadium 9am-12.30pm Monday 18th March 2019

Halton Safeguarding Adults Board's would like to invite you to attend the annual awareness event, which this year focusses on Self-Neglect.

On the day they hope to raise awareness and understanding of this very sensitive and complex issue. The event is free to any adult who lives or works in Halton. This includes paid employees, volunteers, carers, including family carers, those employed through a personal budget and those who use services.  Hear from experts in the field and gain valuable tools and information to help the people you care for.

Self-neglect can be a complex and challenging issue to address, because of the need to find the right balance between respecting a person's autonomy and fulfilling a duty to protect the adult's health and wellbeing. Both perspectives can be supported by human rights arguments. SCIE. At a glance 71. Published October 2018.

The event aims:

•          to highlight what we already know about self-neglect generally
•          to understand what approach and support is available in Halton
•          to identify what is needed in Halton to further help adults that may be experiencing self-neglect.
•          to understand roles and responsibilities and address expectations of care and support

To book your place please click on the link below

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/halton-safeguarding-adults-board-awareness-day-self-neglect-tickets-53680607141

Applications are now open for SSE’s biggest UK programme: the Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Programme, in partnership with School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), supported by the National Lottery Community Fund.

They are looking for people across the UK who are starting up and growing projects that create social and environmental impact. They can help them at all stages, from idea through to scale.

The programme provides free support for a year:

• A grant (£1,000 - £7,000)
• A learning programme
• Mentoring
• A supportive community

Find out more here: http://bit.ly/lloyds2019
 

Crownway Community Centre are currently looking for people to lend a helping hand in the café for a few hours on Wednesdays and Fridays. If you are interested, please enquire in the office at Crown Street, Earlestown, Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, WA12 9DA, call 01925 22290 or email them to find out more information office@crownwaycommunitycentre.co.uk

Free Suicide Prevention Training at The Citadel, St Helens. On Wednesday 6th March, 11am - 12noon.

Be empowered to act!
• Learn how to spot the signs
• Learn techniques to reach out to a colleague, friend or family member you are concerned about
• Be prepared for a life-saving conversation, both in a professional & personal setting.

Free tickets available.  To book yours please call The Citadel Box Office on 01744 762300
or email: info@citadel.org.uk.

For more information, please visit: https://www.citadel.org.uk/event/zero-suicide-alliance/

The Merseyside Police and Crime Panel is seeking a committed and enthusiastic person from the Merseyside area to serve as a co-opted independent member on the panel from July 2019 for a term to end in May 2023.

This role is an exciting opportunity to be involved in the arrangements for police governance and accountability, which would involve scrutinising and supporting the Police and Crime Commissioner.

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 introduced significant changes in police governance and accountability; in particular, replacing Police Authorities by directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) from November 2012.

In summary, the public accountability for the delivery and performance of the police service within each force is now placed into the hands of the PCC on behalf of their electorate. The PCC draws on this electoral mandate to set and shape the strategic objectives of their force area in consultation with the Chief Constable. The PCC is accountable both to the electorate and the Police and Crime Panel; the Chief Constable is directly accountable to the PCC.

Each force area has a Police and Crime Panel to offer both support and challenge in relation to the PCC’s decision-making and actions. The PCC is required to consult with the Panel on the strategic plan for local policing, as well as the level of council tax needed to support the local policing budget, and the appointment of a Chief Constable. Independent members, through their knowledge and experience, are expected to enhance the Panel’s ability to play its role effectively.

The panel is made up of 10 local councillors in total from the five local authorities in the force area, plus two independent co-opted members.

The role of a panel member is an important and demanding one. The typical commitment required from a member of the panel is expected to average one day a month, including preparation time.

Applicants must live or work within the Merseyside area (Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral). Experience in community safety, victim support, criminal justice and related issues would be helpful, but is not essential. There is no salary for the role, but reasonable travel expenses can be reclaimed.

Panel Meetings are generally held in the daytime with meetings ordinarily being held in Huyton, Knowsley.  All panel members receive induction and other appropriate training.

Please find below a link to the application pack, which will provide you with the relevant documents you will need to consider when applying for this position, including the application form:

Application Pack

Alternatively, please telephone 0151-443-3367 to request a copy of the application pack.

There is no formal closing date for applications. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply early as the panel reserves the right to close the advert to new applications on receipt of sufficient eligible applications to enable progression to interview stage.

All completed application forms need to be returned either:

• by post to David Moran, Scrutiny and Partnership Manager, Knowsley Borough Council, Archway Road, Huyton, L36 9YU ; or
• by email to david.moran@knowsley.gov.uk.

The panel wishes to reflect the breadth of communities in the Merseyside area and particularly welcomes applications from all eligible people irrespective of gender, ethnic origin, religious belief, sexual orientation, disability or any other factor.

Halton Carers Centre & Halton Borough Council are holding a Carers Forum on 7th March 2019 in Halton Stadium 9.30am - 2pm. The event is open for carers in Halton to come and share their views on carers services in Halton and shaping future services. On the day they will be joined by 20+ organisations in Halton who will be be holding stands to promote their services.

Lunch will be served for those who attend. Place/s must be booked, to reserve your place please contact Halton Carers Centre on 01928 580182.

Salary: £19,516 – £21,074 per annum + up to 5% pension (dependent upon experience

Contract: Fixed term to 31 March 2020

Citizens Advice St Helens is set to deliver a new service called “Universal Support: Help to Claim” which offers end-to-end support to help people make a new Universal Credit claim and be ready for when their first payment arrives.

They are looking for an adviser with good IT skills to support clients to make and complete their new Universal Credit claim, as well as a commitment to the aims and principles of the Citizens Advice Service.

You’ll have the ability to interview clients using sensitive listening and questioning skills to get to the root of the issues and empower clients, whilst maintaining structure and control of meetings

Closing date: 12 noon Friday 8th March 2019

Interview date: Tuesday 12th March 2019

For more information and to apply, please see the link below:

http://sthelenscab.org.uk/vacancies/universal-support/?fbclid=IwAR1hQUM7_yqlSB01bask5E9DDAsL_zEfQoprZFSAGErwaiJkJ7jRxEhUKCw

Halton Carers Centre are facilitating a talk from ‘Captain Krankypants’ on Tuesday 12 March 2019 at Churchill Hall, Cooper Street Runcorn. Doors will be open from 12.30pm for tea/coffee for a 1.00pm start. The talk finishes at 3.00pm. Trace Dann (Captain Krankypants) is coming over from Australia and tours all over the country delivering his talks.

The talk is aimed at patients with PTSD and depression but their carers will benefit too. The talk is informative but also fun and will be in a relaxed environment. The talk highlights coping and living with these mental illnesses.

Tickets are £8 and can be bought at the door on the day.

Any queries please call Halton Carers Centre on 01928 580 182

Halton Safeguarding Adults Board would like to invite you to attend there annual awareness event taking place at Halton Stadium 9am - 12.30pm Monday 18th March, this year focusses on Self-Neglect.

On the day they hope to raise awareness and understanding of this very sensitive and complex issue. The event is free to any adult who lives or works in Halton. This includes paid employees, volunteers, carers, including family carers, those employed through a personal budget and those who use services.  Hear from experts in the field and gain valuable tools and information to help the people you care for.

1. Self-neglect can be a complex and challenging issue……. to address, because of the need to find the right balance between respecting a person's autonomy and fulfilling..[a]..duty to protect the adult's health and wellbeing. Both perspectives can be supported by human rights arguments. SCIE. At a glance 71. Published October 2018.

The event aims:

• to highlight what we already know about self-neglect generally
• to understand what approach and support is available in Halton
• to identify what is needed in Halton to further help adults that may be experiencing self-neglect.
• to understand roles and responsibilities and address expectations of care and support

To book your place please follow this link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/halton-safeguarding-adults-board-awareness-day-self-neglect-tickets-53680607141

Roll up, roll up. It's that time again to get reading your triva books and stop being a couch potato. St Helens Autism & Asperger Society second annual quiz is nearing. The date for your dairies is Firday 22nd March. The place is the UNISION Club, Bishop Rd, St Helens.

Your team is only 40 answers from glory and a cash prize, or no glory and a cabbage! So if you know what the capital of Eire is or how many beans make five your're out of luck because those questions are not in it. But if you know similar things this is the place to be.

Doors open 7pm, quiz starts 7-30, cost £5pp. All are welcome whether a veteran quizzer or a virgin or there just to have a laugh with your friends

There is a vacancy for a Non-executive Director at Warrington and Halton NHS Foundation Trust. This is an exceptional opportunity to share your talents and expertise to make a positive difference to the lives of people in your community.

As a Non-Executive Director, you will work with other Non-Executives, the Chairman and the Executive Directors as an equal member of the Board of Directors. You will also work in partnership with the Council of Governors who is also charged with holding the Non-Executive Directors to account for the performance of the Board of Directors.

You will act as an objective member of the Board and will be required to contribute to setting the strategic direction of the Trust, participate fully in all meetings of the Board and Board Committee meetings, ensuring effective challenge, governance and compliance as well as meeting performance targets required by NHS Improvement, NHS England, the Care Quality Commission and other regulatory bodies.

You will ensure that the Board acts in the best interests of service users, carers, members and the wider public.

You will commit to working and encouraging within the Trust, the highest standards of probity, integrity and governance and contribute to ensuring that the Trust’s internal governance arrangements conform to best practice and statutory requirements.

You will be expected to use your skills together with your personal experience of the community and the NHS to guide the work of the Foundation Trust .

The time commitment is currently a minimum of 3 days a month and may be during the working day or during the evening.

Non-Executive Directors of the Trust currently receive remuneration of £12,750 per annum.

Key dates:

• Advert Close date: 1 March 2019
• Shortlisting: 18 March 2019
• Interviews: 3 April 2019
• Appointment commences: May 2019

Find out more:

If you have any queries or wish to know more, please contact Michelle Cloney, Director of HR&OD on 01925 662237 or by emailing michelle.cloney2@nhs.net

For more information and to apply, please see the attached recruitment pack

Bold Rangers JFC is thriving in the Parr Community, so need somemore volunteers to become coaches and other important roles within the club.

No training needed, just give them 12 months of your time and they will give you the training and qualifications.

So anyone who loves football and is able to commit to the kids, then they would like to hear from you.  

You can contact them through Volunteer Centre St Helens, volunteersthelens@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk or phone 01744 751759

Aspire combat sports in partnership with the John Paul project has developed a new programme supporting veterans with PTSD / emotional health issues through Brazilian ju-jitsu.

• Develop new skills, improve fitness and improve your emotional wellbeing
• Develop a hobby that can last a lifetime
• Build a new social group in a friendly environment
• Develop effective self-defence skills taught by experts

Location:

Aspire Combat Sports Academy
818 Queens Drive
Liverpool L13 4BT

For more information and to book your place please contact them on the details below:

Telephone: 01512892761 

Email: veterans@caringconnections.org.uk 

The next meeting of the St Helens & District Group of Diabetes UK will be on Wednesday 6th March 2019 at 7.30pm in St Helens United Reformed Church, King St, WA10 2JZ.

The church is next to Windle Pilkington Hall. The speakers will be Hollie Fullerton and Claire Lee, who will be talking about the following:- 

Inpatient Care for people with diabetes. Hollie and Claire are Inpatient Diabetes Specialist Nurses, who are based at the Diabetes Unit at St Helens Hospital. Anyone with an interest in diabetes is welcome to attend, admission is free and refreshments are available after the meeting.

There will also be a large selection of diabetes leaflets available. They would particularly like to welcome anyone who has been recently diagnosed with diabetes and has not been to a meeting before. They are a very friendly group and you will have a warm welcome.

For further details contact C Bowmaker on 0151 480 0821 or go to their website at https://st-helens-and-district.diabetesukgroup.org/ 

Sahir House is an award-winning charity, which provides support for people living with (or affected by) HIV and delivers a range of sexual health promotion, training and information services to professionals and the wider public. The charity is looking for up to three forward-thinking trustees to drive the next stage of development.

Trustees will work with the rest of the board, and executive team, to set a refreshed vision and strategy for the charity, which is seeking to broaden its scope, making this an interesting and exciting time for someone to join.

They are seeking people who are committed to the values of the charity, who are fair but tactful communicators; who have the confidence to set and achieve high level goals and who can exercise fairness and good judgement. The current trustees have a mix of skills and experience; they are seeking to recruit new trustees who will complement their existing skills base and welcome applicants with experience in any of the following areas:

• Financial Oversight
• Company / Charity Law
• Business Planning
• Marketing, PR, Comms
• Knowledge/experience of health and social care services

Board members are unremunerated, although out of pocket expenses will be reimbursed by the charity. Sahir House invests in the personal development of board members, ensuring their skills base increases according to the changing demands of the role and providing development opportunities.

Applicants should send a short CV (up to two pages) and a covering letter demonstrating how they meet each of the criteria in the person specification (another two pages max) and a completed equal opportunities form and email to gillian.lewis@sahir.uk.com.  If you would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Gillian Lewis on 0151 2373989 or email gillian.lewis@sahir.uk.com

All appointments are subject to satisfactory references.

• Closing date for all application forms: 12th March 2019 (10am)
• Interviews will be held w/c 25th March

Sahir House welcomes diversity and hopes to get applications from all sections of the community. We always encourage applications from groups which reflect Sahir House service user population – HIV positive people, disabled people, people from BAME groups, LGBT people & refugee communities

Salsa Night, Fri 7th June 7.30-10.30pm. £7.50, payable on booking, non-refundable. (hot supper, bring your own tipple), at St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes. Join in the dancing or just  enjoy the music, demonstrations and help for beginners. To book or for more information, please contact Linda or Alison on: 01928 593112 email: volunteerhalton@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk. Address: St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB. Cheques pyable to Halton & St Helens VCA.

Llandudno Trip, Thurs 6th June 9.15-5pm. £13, payable on booking, non-refundable. Pick ups at St Marie's, & The Brindley, Runcorn. Sights, sea air or shops!. The choice is yours on our day trip to Llandudno. To book or for more information, please contact Linda or Alison on: 01928 593112 email: volunteerhalton@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk. Address: St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB. Cheques pyable to Halton & St Helens VCA.

Widnes Promotion Event, Wed 5th June 10-1pm Free, Widnes indoor market. Come and chat with Volunteer Centre staff who will be promoting the latest volunteering opportunities from across Halton and beyond. Book a slot for your group to promote themselves - sorry no fundraising. To book or for more information, please contact Linda or Alison on: 01928 593112 email: volunteerhalton@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk. Address: St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB 

Afternoon Tea on the Daniel Adamson, Tues 4th 1-3.30pm £4.50 payable on booking, non-refundable (cream scones, cakes and a hot drink). Enjoy cakes and a cuppa on board this historic steam tug, whilst moored at Sutton Weaver Swing Bridge. Live easy listening music. Optional free boat tour. Pay bar open. On X2 & X30 bus routes. Please note:  Not suitable for those with limited mobility. Very limited parking.To book or for more information, please contact Linda or Alison on: 01928 593112 email: volunteerhalton@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk. Address: St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB (cheques payable to Halton & St Helens VCA)

Quiz Night Monday 3 June 7.30-10pm. Free, (sandwiches, bring your own tipple) at St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB. For teams of up to 6 people - at least one must be a volunteer. Need help raising a full team? We can help you partner with another organisation. For more information or to book a table contact Linda or Alison on: 01928 593112 email: volunteerhalton@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Saints Community Foundation are coming together with YMCA St Helens, Y Sports, Teardrops and St Helens Sports Development to host a sleep out as part of the national YMCA Sleep Easy week, sleeping out in the Totally Wicked stadium for one night as part of the Saints Sleep Easy Fundraising event..

Taking place on Friday 15th March 2019, as part of YMCA’s National Sleep Easy Week, the Saints Community Sleep out will ask those taking part to give up the comfort of their own bed for the night and commit to raising Funds to be split three ways between SCDF, YMCA St Helens Sports and Teardrops.

One night can make a lot of difference to a homeless person and by sleeping out and raising funds you can make a difference too, so sleeping rough so that others wont have to.  

There is a £20 registration fee to take part and participants are asked to raise funds through sponsorship. Under 16s cost £10 and the minimum age limit is 14 (accompanied by an adult)

To take part in the saints Sleep out book online at saintssuperstore.com or call 01744 455052

What is Help to Save?

Help to Save is a new government saving scheme to support working people on  tax credits and Universal Credit build their savings. You can save between £1 and £50 every calendar month and accounts last for four years from the date you open the account.

Within these limits how much you save and when you pay in is up to you. After two years, you’ll get a 50% tax-free bonus on your savings. And if you continue saving you could get another 50% tax-free bonus after four years. This means you could receive tax-free bonuses worth up to £1,200, to spend how you like.

How to apply

Opening an online account is simple. Customers can check their eligibility and open an online account within minutes. You can do this at gov.uk/helptosave or through the HMRC app.

If you don’t have access to the internet, you can still get an account by calling 0300 322 7093. 

More information is attached to help you publicise this through your networks and a useful Top ten of what you need to know if you want to apply for an account.

With your help we will seek to improve the lives of older people who find themselves unable to manage in their current environment. As a volunteer your role will be flexible but will benefit people who may need practical support to do with their home and environment, or to help them reintegrate with others or join in leisure or activity groups, which will prevent isolation and loneliness, helping improve health and wellbeing. There will be training and support to assist you with this role, and become part of our volunteering team. We will work to your strengths and abilities.

The Staying Home Project is being extended to support vulnerable and isolated St Helens residents over the age of 55 to enable them to remain independent by experiencing a better quality of life. Volunteers will spend up to six months with an individual supporting them to access groups and activities with the ultimate aim that the individual will make friends and contacts, build confidence and continue with the activities without the volunteer.

A warm caring attitude is essential.  Excellent active listening skills. Good communication. Reliability is a must.  A desire to help others. Life experience.  I.T skills, optional.  An open friendly attitude.  Willingness to work in different sites within the borough.  Patience.  Willingness to use own car to travel to venues or take people to activities is desirable but not essential.  This role requires a DBS check.

Interested?  Contact the Volunteer Centre on 01744 751759 or email volunteersthelens@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Women First Fund

Smallwood Trust are inviting applications for projects that demonstrate good practice in achieving outcomes for women on low incomes by building their skills, confidence and aspirations to enable them to enter into employment. 

The fund is open to charities, social enterprises and other non-profit organisations who have projects that support their mission of enabling women to become financially resilient. Please note, they are looking to fund existing projects that show evidence of good practice.

In this funding round they are prioritising applications from:

• Greater Manchester
• Newcastle, Teesside and other parts of the North East
• Hull and Humberside
• Leeds and Bradford
• Sheffield
• Merseyside
• Rural communities in Kent, Cornwall, Cumbria, Dorset and Norfolk 

Organisations can apply for grants of £10,000 to £15,000. They expect to award 10 -15 grants in this round.

For further information about eligibility and how to apply please visit https://www.smallwoodtrust.org.uk/women-first.

The deadline for completed applications is 5pm on Monday 4th March 2019.

The successful applicants are expected to be notified in May 2019.

The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) has launched a new scheme for charities and other organisations to apply more quickly to become registered advisors to EU citizens when they apply to settle in the UK.

The scheme is aimed at smaller, community-based charities and other organisations, including faith-based and local advice groups.

Successful applicants will be able to provide basic ‘level 1’ advice (solely on EU settlement), without needing to complete the written exam, which is usually part of the application process.

The streamlined process will allow applications to be considered more quickly, with decisions expected 4 to 6 weeks after receipt.

It is a criminal offence for a person to provide immigration advice or services in the UK unless their organisation is regulated by the OISC or meets certain other specific criteria.

Details about what assistance can be given to migrants without the requirement to be regulated can be found in the OISC immigration assistance document.

Further guidance for the Community and Voluntary Sector about registering with the OISC, as well as information on the new EU settlement scheme registration is available on the OISC website.

Our colleagues from Halton Borough Council’s External Funding Team have prepared some Funding Bulletins containing valuable information for voluntary organisations looking for grants to get projects off the ground.

The Monthly funding bulletins offering information on funding opportunities in the following areas: 

Arts, Community & Voluntary, Environment & Heritage, European, Faith, Health, Schools, Sports and Youth.

To access the information, please click on the link below: 

https://www4.halton.gov.uk/Pages/business/FinanceandGrants/finance.aspx

Runcorn Sea Cadets are looking for enthusiastic and passionate volunteers to organise activities for young people and become Sea Cadet Volunteer Instructors. As a volunteer, you really can make a huge positive difference to the lives of young people from our region. Sea Cadets Volunteers come from all walks of life and no previous experience or qualifications are necessary as full training will be given. Please contact runcorn291@gmail.com for more information!

Have you served in the armed forces? In any capacity? Worried about housing, benefits? Or feeling isolated? The Merseyside Aged Veterans partnership helps older veterans in Merseyside who are struggling with a range of different issues.

Shelter offer practical support on:

• Housing issues, such as poor living conditions, problems with renting or eviction, or home adaptations.
• Financial issues, including making sure you are receiving the benefits you’re entitled to.
• Isolation and loneliness, through activities and events.

If you’d like support, please call Shelter on 0344 515 1900 or email MerseysideASG@shelter.org.uk and they will link you to the right services based on your situation.

What are Children’s Mental Health Week and Time to Talk Day?

Children’s Mental Health Week and Time to Talk (TTT) Day are held each year in February. TTT is an annual awareness raising event promoted by Time to Change (please see https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/timetotalkday for more information and downloadable resources).

This year's theme for Children’s Mental Health Week is about being Healthy: Inside and Out, and the Time to Change theme for Time to Talk Day is all about bringing together the right ingredients to have a conversation about mental health. Whether that’s tea, biscuits and close friends or a room full of people challenging mental health stigma, we want you to get talking.

With the above in mind, the Healthy Living Team is holding a week long campaign at a local primary school.  This will incorporate training and promotion of mental health related topics and messages such as Basic Mental Health Awareness and 5 Ways to Wellbeing to children, parents and staff, with a coffee afternoon to encourage social interaction – an important factor in reducing mental ill health and improving well- being.

Why is it important?

Mental health problems affect 1 in 10 children and young people. They include depression, anxiety and conduct disorder, and are often a direct response to what is happening in their lives.

1 in 4 adults in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year Depression and Anxiety impact on our ability to work, and to work productively. Globally, more than 300 million people suffer from depression, the leading cause of disability. More than 260 million are living with anxiety disorders. Many of these people live with both.

More than 800,000 people take their lives each year across the world and up to 25 times as many make a suicide attempt. In the UK and ROI, more than 6,000 people die by suicide a year - an average of 18 a day.

Reaching out to people who are going through a difficult time or have become disconnected from others can be a game changer. Those who are feeling low or suicidal often feel worthless and think that no-one cares. Small things like hearing from friends or family, feeling listened to or just being asked the question 'are you ok?' can make a huge difference.

What you can do

Focusing on 5 Ways to Wellbeing #5waystowellbeing can help us to maintain or improve our mental health and wellbeing, to keep us well mentally, physically and cognitively and improve our self-esteem and self-confidence.  Being mindful (in the moment) of ourselves and the world around us, is part of the 5 Ways theme, and can help to improve our wellbeing.

Start a conversation today if you think a friend, colleague or family member may be struggling. You can also join us on Twitter to spread the word using the #itsokaytotalk

When a person reaches a point where they are focused on taking their life, they’ve often lost sight of trying to find a way through their problems. This period usually only lasts a short while and often it doesn’t take a huge amount to bring someone back from that decision – something as simple as asking, ‘are you ok?’ can be enough to move someone out of suicidal crisis.

How can people reach out?

It can be daunting to approach someone who is struggling to cope; you may not know what to say or worry that you'll make things worse. However, you don’t need to be an expert. Often, just asking if someone's OK can give people the confidence to open up about how they're feeling.  The information shown in the attachement below are useful resources in supporting you or others who may be experiencing mental ill health.

Are you a voluntary and community organisation (VCO) or a not-for-profit group?

Do you require research, policy review or a work based learning research project that will support the aims of your organisation?

Are you looking to expand your knowledge base?

Can you support a Student Community Researcher for 12 or 20weeks?

If you have answered yes to any of the above then you SHOULD read on about

The Interchange Experience (T.I.E.) 

Who are Interchange?

Interchange is a registered charity that connects Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with Voluntary and Community Organisations (VCOs) for the purpose of research, policy review and work-based learning research projects. 

Interchange staff will work with you and your organisation to create and/or develop one or more of your research or policy review ideas.  Working together they will produce a research or policy review project brief. 

They will then provide a Student with the opportunity to work with a VCO and carry out a piece of work that will assist your organisation with areas to include:

• Evaluating a service provision;       
• Business Planning;
• Increasing service provision           
• Annual Reports;
• Becoming more sustainable;          
• Improving services;           
• Funding applications;                     
• Policy Reviews
• Gaps in knowledge from a specific area

Where is Interchange based?

They are based in one of their partner organisations, the University of Liverpool, Bedford Street South, Liverpool. 

Which area do they work in?

They work with VCOs mainly in the Greater Merseyside area.  They can also provide Student Community Researchers to VCOs across the North West and North Wales.

Who are the Students?

Their students are 3rd Yr Undergraduate students mainly from the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology within the School of Law and Social Justice at the University of Liverpool. 

How will TIE and a Student benefit your organisation?

Both the VCO and the Student will benefit from this experience as VCOs will receive an in-depth report on a specific area of your work and Students will have the opportunity of working in the ‘real time’ VCO sector.  Working together, they will develop a research or policy review brief.  A Student will undertake your project and carry out the research or policy review.

When will the Students start?

Students will start in September 2019 and produce a final report for you in January 2020 (for Policy Review) and in May 2020 for the Research Report.

Is there a charge for this service?

They make no charge for this service – but ask that you meet the travel costs and pay for the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) if required.

What do VCOs do next?

If you have a research or policy review idea, then please complete the attached form and email it to the email below as soon as possible

interchange@liverpool.ac.uk

Once Interchange has received your form they will then arrange a meeting to discuss further.

If you have any queries or would like to talk to the Interchange before completing the form then please contact: 

Claudette or Alishia on

Tel: 0151 794 2986 / 0151 795 8684

 Email: interchange@liverpool.ac.uk

One Halton Transformation Programme are looking for someone who is highly motivated, innovative and experienced in project/programme support along with significant administrative experience to work with them to deliver a challenging but exciting programme of change.

They are currently working with a wide range of stakeholders across Health and Social Care to identify opportunities and transformation schemes for the next 5 years. They are working in partnership with a range of organisations across our health economy to deliver our Strategic Vision.

First and foremost they are highly committed to providing the best possible care to the people they serve. To do that they make sure their systems and processes are tip top and that they invest heavily in employing and keeping highly skilled, committed staff by ensuring they work in a stimulating environment that provides professional development opportunities.

In particular the post holder will be required to provide a comprehensive administrative and project support service to the One Halton Programme Management Office, including proactively providing general administrative and secretarial services to the One Halton Board and associated meetings.

They are looking for an experienced administrator who can arrange, attend and minute meetings across the borough. As the meetings involve a variety of stakeholders the post holder will need access to a car to be able to travel to these meetings.

This is a 12 month fixed term post. Secondments would be considered.

If you are looking for an exciting post in an innovative place based environment which offers challenge and opportunities for development, then this could be the post for you.

Employer: Halton Clinical Commissioning Group

Department: Project Administration

Location: Runcorn Town Hall, Runcorn

Salary: £20,150- £23, 363 pa

Closing Date: 13th February 2019

For more informaition and to apply please click the link below:

https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/vacancy/?vac_ref=915438938

For informal discussions or any further information please contact Sophie Bartsch, One Halton Project Manager on 01928 593016 or sophie.bartsch@nhs.net

St Helens Youth Aspergers Social Group is a registered charity that helps and supports Autistic teenagers. 

The main goal for this role is to help organise activies, to provide peer support and get involved with the teenagers whist they play games and activies.  Also attend occasional social trips to the bowling ally and laser tag ect. 

They ask that the volunteer gives 2 hours of their time fortnightly 7-9pm on a Tuesday at The P.E.R.T.H centre Thatto Heath. 

For all enquires please email aspergersthelens@hotmail.co.uk 

The Next Volunteer Managers/Co-ordinators Forum will be on Tuesday 30 April 2019 - 11.30am-2pm, at St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB

The Forum meets six monthly to share information, discuss issues, monitoring and anything else to do with volunteering.

The meetings are informal and enjoyable. We hope you will feel able to participate.

Should you feel it would be helpful or appropriate for your role as a Volunteer Manager/Co-ordinator, please come along on the above date.

Lunch is not provided, so please bring along your own. Tea and coffee will be provided.

If you would like to attend please confirm your attendance to Linda Goodier either by phone: 01928 593112 or email: lgoodier@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk If you would like any items adding to the agenda please let Linda know on: lgoodier@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

FREE event on Sunday 17th February 2019. 11am-3pm. Norton Priory Museum & Gardens, Tudor Road, Runcorn, Cheshire WA7 1SX

The Snowdrop Walk is a special day to remember the babies and children who have died and the children who are bereaved each year.

Norton Priory have very kindly opened the stunning Walled Garden, exclusively for Child Bereavement UK.  It will be available for you to explore at your leisure with the addition of a children’s Treasure Hunt where they receive a fun-filled goody bag at the end.

Snowdrops are available for purchase on the day and charity staff and volunteers will be on hand to help with the planting at a dedicated area within Norton Priory.

Refreshments will be available from the traditional Straw Bale building.

Only guide and hearing dogs are permitted within the Walled Garden.

If you have any questions about the event, please don’t hesitate to contact Seb on sebastian.farrell@childbereavementuk.org or on 01928 573539  

There are many ways you can volunteer but here are 3 opportunities that need volunteers and can offer different challenges.  If you are interested in any of them, please get in touch with the Volunteer Centre to discuss. 01744 751759 / volunteersthelens@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

The Staying Home Project

With your help we will seek to improve the lives of older people who find themselves unable to manage in their current environment. As a volunteer your role will be flexible but will benefit people who may need practical support to do with their home and environment, or to help them reintegrate with others or join in leisure or activity groups, which will prevent isolation and loneliness, helping improve health and wellbeing. There will be training and support to assist you with this role, and become part of our volunteering team. We will work to your strengths and abilities.

The Staying Home Project is being extended to support vulnerable and isolated St Helens residents over the age of 55 to enable them to remain independent by experiencing a better quality of life. Volunteers will spend up to six months with an individual supporting them to access groups and activities with the ultimate aim that the individual will make friends and contacts, build confidence and continue with the activities without the volunteer.

A warm caring attitude is essential.  Excellent active listening skills. Good communication. Reliability is a must.  A desire to help others. Life experience.  I.T skills, optional.  An open friendly attitude.  Willingness to work in different sites within the borough.  Patience.  Willingness to use own car to travel to venues or take people to activities is desirable but not essential.  This role requires a DBS check.

Independent Visitor

Independent Visitors are adult volunteers who befriend children and young people who are looked after by St Helens Council. You will be matched with a young person in care based on age, interests, likes and dislikes and will visit them every month. You will offer support, advice, guidance and take them out on activitities of their choice. You don't need special qualifications but patience, stamina and a non-judgemental attitude is essential.

We are looking for someone with good life skills, communication skills and the ability to understand the circumstances of looked after young people.  This role will require a DBS check.

Social Group Volunteer

The Aspergers Social group, which is a charitable group run by trustees to provide a social group for teenagers with ASD and Aspergers, help them make friends and socialise in a safe environment. We run like a youth group from the PERTH Centre in Thatto Heath, and hold fortnightly meetings every alternate Tuesday 7-9pm. If you have friends or siblings who have ASD, and feel you can commit a few hours to help develop social skills among high school age children and have some fun at the same time, please get in touch.

A person with a non judgmental attitude, patience and good communication skills

For more information about any of these roles or the many other volunteer opportunites we have, please contact us on:

Telephone: 01744 751759

email: volunteersthelens@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Taking volunteers into your organisation can make a massive difference not only to you but to your service users and the volunteers.  Don’t take our word for it, read what a volunteer and a volunteer involving organisation think:

The Volunteer

I enjoyed working at the playscheme. It was fun watching and playing with the children. I found it very enjoyable. The children were all well-mannered and polite. The playscheme staff were so kind and friendly, they all made me feel very welcome.

I enjoyed volunteering over the summer as it gave me something to do, rather than just sitting at home all day doing nothing. It made me challenge myself, as you cannot talk to children the way you do with your friends or adults. You have to think like them, and almost put yourself in their shoes. When we got to the last session, I was sad, because I did not want it to end.

If you find yourself having nothing to do, I cannot recommend volunteering enough to you. If you are a student, it looks great to your college, and it is something that looks good on your CV. It also gives back to your community and, in the end; you could be making an impact on someone’s life.    

The Organisation

Just emailing to say we were delighted to receive 2 responses to our 'advert' for our Summer Playscheme at Chain Lane Community Centre. One of the respondents gained employment and so wasn't able to join us, but one volunteer joined us and was an excellent addition to our staff team. She has asked to join us again next year - and offered her services for other volunteering at the Centre. We hope she will become a regular member of our Summer Playscheme staff.

This really demonstrates the value of recruiting through the Volunteer Centre in St. Helens.

If you would like to find out more about volunteering or registering your voluntary opportunities with us please contact us:

Telephone: 01744 751759

email: volunteersthelens@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Willowbrook Hospice Fundraising Team is excited to announce the return of Bananaz Bingo – a wild night of partying, music and dancing … with a bit of bingo thrown in!

Bingo-goers are welcomed to join in the fun at Rainhill Ex Services Club on 8 March, starting from 7pm, with tickets only £15 which includes bingo books, pens and a glass of prosecco

Melissa Kenny, Community fundraising officer for Willowbrook Hospice, said: “Following the success of last year’s events, Bananaz Bingo is becoming a regular feature on the Willowbrook Fundraising Calendar. Bananaz is a great night out for anyone who ‘up for a laugh’! There’ll be music and dancing as well as the traditional elements of bingo with a chance to win some fabulous prizes.  Every penny raised at the event helps Willowbrook continue to care and support local people and their families, so why not get together with your family and friends and come and join us for a fantastic evening which definitely puts the ‘fun’ in fundraising!”

Tickets are available online at https://willowbrookhospice.charitycheckout.co.uk/bananaz-bingo#!/ or by ringing 01744 453798 or emailing events@willowbrookhospice.org.uk.

As the Government has increased its planning for a "no deal" Brexit, growth hubs around the country are seeking insights from local businesses to inform a cross-departmental intelligence gathering commission.

The Liverpoool City Region Growth Hub are encouraging businesses to provide their insights via this Brexit preparation local insights survey.

https://activeprofile.typeform.com/to/H2bXRP

The survey questions are as follows: 

• How do you think the UK leaving the EU is going to impact your business / organisation? Will this be a positive or negative impact? 
• What are your top five priorities regarding your business right now? 
• Do you have any concerns regarding the UK leaving the EU in relation to your business operations? If so, what are these? 
• Are you undertaking any activities to prepare your business for EU exit? If so, what are these? If not, please explain why?  
• What are the upcoming issues / challenges your business is facing (i.e. looking to the short, medium and long term)?  
• What are the barriers / blockers to progress faced by your business / organisation right now? 
• Where would you look for business advice regarding the UK leaving the EU? 
• Through what avenues / in what formats would you find advice regarding Brexit most useful? (e.g. tools, questionnaires, articles, videos, telephone hotline, face-to-face help etc.) 
• Do you have any additional thoughts you would like to add? 

The survey should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete. It is an opportunity for businesses to feedback their thoughts to the Government via a cross-party unit comprising the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. 

As a reminder, the official advice to businesses for a potential “no deal” Brexit can be found on the gov.uk website, with any new guidance and assets to be published in a dedicated Brexit section. The BBC have also published a Brexit Checklist to help businesses consider the changes that Brexit may bring to your firm, and to help business planning at both operational and Board levels. 

The New St.Helens Borough Local Plan 2020-2035

St.Helens Council is preparing a new Local Plan. This Plan will set how much new development for housing, employment and other uses should take place in the Borough. It will identify where new development should take place and set out the policies for assessing planning applications.

Have your say on the St Helens Local Plan

They have prepared the next stage of the new Local Plan,known as the Submission Draft.  They are holding a number of local drop in sessions in neighbourhoods across St Helens. These sessions are open to all and will give you an opportunity to ask questions about the Local Plan and how to make your comments.

Drop-in' Events
The events are as follows:

• St John Vianney School, Thatto Heath – Tuesday 12th February, 2pm–6.30pm
• Newton Library, Newton-le-Willows – Thursday 14th February, 2pm–6.30pm
• St Julie’s Church Hall, Eccleston – Monday 18th February, 2pm–6.30pm
• Billinge Road Community Hall, Garswood – Wednesday 20th February, 2pm–6.30pm
• Haydock Library, Haydock – Monday 25th February, 2pm–6.30pm
• Chester Lane Library – Tuesday 26th February, 2pm–6.30pm
• Rainford Village Hall, Rainford – Thursday 28th February, 2pm–6.30pm

For more information on the Local Plan visit: sthelens.gov.uk/localplan

Poster attached.

The FSI's popular small charity training is back in Liverpool this 17th April, with support from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Explore 3 different courses covering topics including developing a case for support, fundraising strategy and corporate relationships.

The Liverpool event will offer 60 delegate training places so that all small charities, wherever they are, can access the skills they need to become self-sustaining. This training day is part of the Small Local Charities and Community Groups Training Programme.

Training sessions cover a wide range of fundraising techniques and back office skills delivered by experienced and knowledgeable trainers.

Venue: Gateway Conference Centre, 71 London Road, Liverpool, L3 8HY.
Time: 9.45am – 4.30pm (registration from 9.15am)

To find out more and to book your place, please click the link below:

https://bit.ly/2APQSY2 

SERVICE:  Halton Integrated Recovery Service

SALARY:  £17,078.83 - £17,848.98

HOURS: 37.5

CLOSING DATE: Thursday, 31 January 2019 - 11:45pm

JOB REFERENCE: CGL2987

A vacancy has arisen within the service for an administrator. You will work as part of a small team of full time administrators and volunteers in ensuring that all of the administrative systems and processes required in running a busy substance misuse service are established and function efficiently.  As well as taking part in reception and front line delivery duties as part of a wider team, you will be expected to provide day to day support to the recovery workers and managers.  You will work on the production of a prescription generating process, as well as supporting the supply of goods services and utilities required in maintaining quality service delivery. 

You will have excellent engagement skills, be committed to high quality service provision and the active involvement of service users. You will have relevant qualifications, or experience.

Change, Grow, Live are committed to creating an inclusive environment, which celebrates difference and allows staff and service users to flourish. They recruit the very best staff from a wide range of backgrounds, ensuring service user’s benefit from our diverse skills and expertise. They always work to the principles of fairness and equality of opportunity in all their recruitment processes.

They also expect an assertive approach to ensuring the safety and well-being of all children, young people and adults, and applicants to these posts will need to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to best safeguarding practice.

To find out more and how to apply, please click the link below:

https://www.changegrowlive.org/vacancy/project-administrator-halton-cgl2987

Research shows that social Isolation and loneliness is harmful to your health. There are nine million lonely people in the UK and four million of those are older people. Loneliness is one of the biggest public health challenges of our time, associated with higher risks of mortality and morbidity.

The good news is that people can ‘recover’ from loneliness. Community life, social connections and active citizenship are all key factors that can enhance a person’s wellbeing and reduce the feeling of loneliness.

The purpose of the Halton Loneliness conference is to bring together people from across Halton including local residents, businesses, schools, housing providers, local police, community leads and health and social care organisations and the voluntary sector to discuss how we can tackle loneliness in Halton.

They will be holding a series of breakout workshops to look at how to identify and help people in Halton who are lonely and more fundamentally make a pledge to end loneliness in our community.

If you cannot attend for the whole day, you are still welcome to come along to any of the workshops.

The Halton organisations supporting the conference are:

Halton Borough Council
Deafness Resource Centre
Royal Voluntary Service
Age UK Mid Mersey
Vision Support
Cheshire Fire Service
Cheshire Police
Halton Open
British Red Cross
Community Connectors

Date And Time

Thu, 7 February 2019

10:00 – 15:00 GMT

Add to Calendar

Location

Halton Stadium
Lower House Lane
Widnes
WA8 7DZ

View Map

To find out more and to book your place, please click the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/halton-loneliness-conference-registration-54593409357

#HaltOnLoneliness

We all go through times in our lives when we are either too busy or lack the motivation to look after ourselves properly. Between work, taking care of kids or relatives, paying bills, making meals, and so many other responsibilities to juggle, it can seem almost impossible most days to fit in time to take care of yourself too.

Willowbrook’s Holistic Support Services, based at The Living Well on Borough Road, St Helens, is offering a ten week programme of workshops and activities to help local people improve their health and wellbeing by enjoying some ‘me time’.

Focusing on developing confidence, self-esteem and independence, the sessions are led by volunteers and take place every Tuesday - the next programme starting on 12 February, the following programme beginning 23 April.

Available sessions are: Creative wellbeing, Wellness for you and Complementary therapy with participants able to pre-book a programme of 10 individual sessions at £2 each week, ‘pick and mix’ or sign up for the whole day of activities at a reduced rate of £5 per week.*

The Holistic Support Services is based in an informal but supportive setting with sessions open to anyone aged over 18 living in either St Helens or Knowsley.  

For more information or to book onto the programme, please contact Debbie Ryan on 01744 646810 or email debbier@willowbrookhospice.org.uk

*Participants must pre-book for the 10 week programme.

Do you have spare time once a month? Are you able to make a long term commitment to a young person in care for a minimum of two years? NYAS are looking for adults of all ages and from all walks of life who relate well to young people to become a Volunteer Independent Visitor. No formal experience necessary as full training and induction provided including out of pocket expenses. Interested & would like more information? Please contact Di Watmough diane.watmough@nyas.net More details on NYAS website www.nyas.net.

Young Carers Awareness Day 31st January 2019 is focusing on Mental Health and encouraging #CareForMeToo.

Halton Carers Centre have organised an event at St Marie’s Church, Lugsdale Road Widnes, for Young Carers and their families to attend the Market Place of organisations that work with Young people across Halton. This will show case different hobbies, interests and social clubs that are available.

There will also be an opportunity to meet The Young Carers Team and find out what activities and trips they have planned.

The event is free of charge and will be starting 5pm-7pm.

Come along to Young Carers Awareness Day 2019 and find out what activites for young people are on offer in your local area. 

Halton Peoples Health Forum have two forums taking place next month;

Widnes
Thursday 7th February 2019
1.30pm – 3.30pm
Halton Stadium, Widnes

Runcorn
Wednesday 13th February 2019
1.30pm – 3.30pm
Grangeway Community Centre, Runcorn

All forums are free to attend.

The main topic of conversation will be the development of the Urgent Care Centres into Urgent Treatment Centres. The commissioners will explain about the additional services that will be provided and talk about the possibility of changing the opening times.

They will also be discussing Care Navigation, and how it is progressing around the Borough.

It will be great if you get the chance to join them at any of the meetings, and as always there is more information avalaible online at http://www.haltonccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/health-forums you can also email them at engagement@haltonccg.nhs.uk or even call on 01928 593479.

Halton Play Council's Open Access Playschemes will be starting Monday 11th to Thursday 14th February.

It will start at 10AM-12.30PM and 1.30–4PM and will be £1 per session. 

Open Accsess Playschemes will be suitable for ages 5 to 12 years old.

If you would like to join in or know someone who would you can find the playscheme at St Peter & Paul High School, Highfield Road, Widnes and Holy Spirit Primary Cotterill, Runcorn.

For anymore information please contact Halton Play Council on 01928 574087.

The Oglesby Charitable Trust has just launched a new £275,000 fund focused on supporting people who are refugees or seeking asylum in the North West of England.

Spotlight is their first fund that is open to proposals, rather than invitation-only. They hope that this approach creates an opportunity for the learning, ideas and contributions of those working at the grass roots to be heard – enabling even the smallest organisations to tell them where their support would be most effective.

They have set up a simple application process, consisting initially of a two-page outline proposal. Applications can be for one-off or multi-year projects up to a total value of £20,000 per year, and must be for direct work with people who are refugees or seeking asylum. The deadline for applications is 5pm on the 4th February.

More information can be found at www.thespotlightfund.org.uk. or the attachment below.

Are you a voluntary organisation or community group based in Halton and want to share information about your service directly to the people who need it most? Then Wellbeing Enterprises can help! Contact Katherine on 01928 589799 and find out how you could promote your service in all GP Practices across the borough today. They can help you connect with your community!

The Mayor of St Helens Charity Valentines Ball.

The Ball is on Saturday 16th February from 7pm till late at the Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens RFC, McManus Drive, St Helens, WA9 3AL.  The Mayor's chosen charities are The Steve Prescott Foundation and The Diabetes Centre of St Helens Hospital, tickets are £40 and include a three course meal and great entertainment from Marble Eyes and Olivia Parr, Disco from DJ Terryokee.  To reserve a place or for further information contact info@steveprescottfoundation.co.uk or purchase online at www.eventbrite.com/e/mayors-charity-valentine-ball-tickets-52817796451

Forced Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation Orders are civil injunctions that offer a legal means to protect and safeguard both victims of, and potential victims of these harmful practices. The process to obtain an order is very simple, and their effects can have a significant positive impact on the life of the person to be protected.

This event aims to raise awareness of the scope and effectiveness of the orders, along with a practical guide to applying, with the aim of encouraging professionals to always consider them in any safeguarding plans.

What can you expect to learn?

• What is FGM?
• What is Forced Marriage and so called ‘Honour Based’ Violence?
• How to identity risk
• Powerful survivor experience
• The practicalities of obtaining an order
• Tools to assist in the application
• Application of learning - case studies

Who is the event aimed at?

• Social Workers
• Police
• Those working in the family and criminal courts
• Legal professionals
• Health professionals
• Education professionals
• NGO’s
• Safeguarding charities
• In fact, anyone that might be able to make a difference in someone’s life by advising them or assisting in applying for an order.

This event is FREE to attend and is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Ministry of Justice, Merseyside Police and the National FGM Centre.

To book a place please follow the link: https://gov.smartwebportal.co.uk/homeoffice/public/webform.asp?id=139&id2=30E342

There is limited availability for this event which is expected to be very popular. To this end, they ask that anyone that is unable to attend after having registered please advise as soon as possible on the email address below to allow your place to be reallocated. A waiting list is available.

Refreshments

Please note that tea/coffee will be provided, however there is no lunch provided for this event.  Canteen facilities are available at the venue.  There are also cafes and shops within a few minutes’ walk.   You are welcome to bring your own refreshments with you.

Directions

You are advised to travel by public transport.  There are excellent links to Liverpool by bus or train.  The venue is next to Liverpool One Bus Station.  The mainline train station is Liverpool Lime Street where you can transfer to the lower level and take the Merseyrail service to James Street train station and walk through Liverpool One shopping area to Police Headquarters.

If travelling by car, follow the brown tourist signs for Liverpool Waterfront and Albert Dock. Merseyside Police Headquarters is opposite the Albert Dock.   

Parking

There is no parking available at the venue.   However, there are several car parks available at a charge in the city centre.

For all booking enquiries contact

There is limited availability for this event which we expect to be very popular. To this end, we ask that anyone that is unable to attend after having registered please advise as soon as possible on the email address below to allow your place to be reallocated. A waiting list is available.

Refreshments

Please note that tea/coffee will be provided, however there is no lunch provided for this event.  Canteen facilities are available at the venue.  There are also cafes and shops within a few minutes’ walk.   You are welcome to bring your own refreshments with you.

Directions

You are advised to travel by public transport.  There are excellent links to Liverpool by bus or train.  The venue is next to Liverpool One Bus Station.  The mainline train station is Liverpool Lime Street where you can transfer to the lower level and take the Merseyrail service to James Street train station and walk through Liverpool One shopping area to Police Headquarters.

If travelling by car, follow the brown tourist signs for Liverpool Waterfront and Albert Dock. Merseyside Police Headquarters is opposite the Albert Dock.   

Parking

There is no parking available at the venue.   However, there are several car parks available at a charge in the city centre.

For all booking enquiries contact Gillian.Squires1@homeoffice.gov.uk

Please read carefully before booking:

• This is a free event however you are requested to contact the organiser asap should you be unable to attend to allow your place to be reallocated.
• Please DO NOT book multiple tickets in one name. Each delegate must register separately to assist with registration and fire regulations.
• Lunch is NOT provided.
• If you require any reasonable adjustments, please let the organiser know.

Exhibitors - If you would like to promote and share information on your organisation’s services at the event then please request a table via DC Gill Squires on Gillian.Squires1@homeoffice.gov.uk

Please read carefully before booking:

• This is a free event however you are requested to contact the organiser asap should you be unable to attend to allow your place to be reallocated.
• Please DO NOT book multiple tickets in one name. Each delegate must register separately to assist with registration and fire regulations.
• Lunch is NOT provided.
• If you require any reasonable adjustments, please let the organiser know.

Exhibitors - If you would like to promote and share information on your organisation’s services at the event then please request a table via DC Gill Squires on Gillian.Squires1@homeoffice.gov.uk

Sahir House are recruiting a Macmillan LGBT Cancer Programme Co-ordinator for the Liverpool City Region (for one year initially)

Sahir House has been offering HIV support, information and training across Merseyside since 1985. It offers a wide range of services to people living with or affected by HIV; HIV related training; up to date HIV information; prevention and testing; and opportunities to volunteer.

After a successful pilot project run between Macmillan Cancer Support and the LGBT Foundation in Manchester, Macmillan are now funding this post based in central Liverpool. The post holder will work with lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people affected by cancer, their families, supporters, carers and clinicians. They will ensure the needs of LGBT are acknowledged and addressed in provision of services, information and support across the Liverpool City Region.

Macmillan LGBT Cancer Programme Co-ordinator – part time (21 hours) as a job share £25,951-£27,668 (pro rata)

Sahir House are recruiting a suitably experienced person to lead the development and implementation of this new and exciting project. In particular, they are looking for someone who can demonstrate:

• Experience of developing and delivering effective partnership work
• Ability to communicate well with a range of individuals/stakeholders
• Experiencing of conducting primary research, utilising quantitative and qualitative methods
• Experience of delivering high quality training
• Significant knowledge of the LGBT communities across the Liverpool City Region and the challenges they face

Applicants should send a short CV (up to two pages) and a covering letter demonstrating how they meet each of the criteria in the person specification (another two pages max) email to info@sahir.uk.co.

Sahir House is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. They especially welcome applications from groups which reflect Sahir House service user groups – HIV positive people (and other disabled people), people from Black and Minority Ethnic groups, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people and refugee communities.

The post is offered on a fixed term basis of one year initially with the possibility of extension funding beyond this. Appointment is subject to a 3-month probationary period, satisfactory references and DBS check.

Closing date for applications: 10am on Tuesday 5th February 2019

Shortlisting: Later that week

Interviews: Friday 15th February 2019

The full Job Description and Equal Opportunities Monitoring form can be found in the attachements.

One of the outcomes from the successful 'We Stand Together' Redeming Our Communities (ROC) event held in November 2017  was to have two follow up events, the result of which is that they have the following ROC Conversation (community engagement) events to be held this February: Come to meet with others from your local community including police and fire services, the local council, and faith-based groups to discuss ways of working together for the good of the community.

Monday 11th February (7 - 9pm) in Runcorn

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/roc-conversation-runcorn-tickets-53805638112

Monday 18th February (7 - 9pm) in Widnes:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/roc-conversation-widnes-tickets-53808762457

ROC would like to invite you to these events. Please join in as they celebrate the good that is already happening in our community. Discover how to support those who work to serve us. Help identify the key issues that really need addressing. Get involved in suggesting practical solutions. Become a part of the Action Team to ensure the Conversation isn’t just talk. In over 160 communities ROC Conversations have made a difference. As one person described it ... “Great and encouraging event and something I'd love to get involved in. Great for all the community to be together,” a friend said “I feel like we’ve really achieved something!”.

Sam's Diamonds Cancer support have moved back to Widnes and are now based at our Widnes office! Their new phone number is 01928 592405.

Sam's Diamonds support ladies with all different types of Cancer through a diagnosis and to move forward with their lives with a positive outlook. Founder Sam says " we are delighted to be in such a beautiful building, with some great people, we are very excited for the year ahead!" Sam's Diamonds have regular meet ups in local coffee shops and provide 24hr support on their private Facebook page. If you have had a cancer diagnosis and need to be surrounded by women who get how you are feeling, please get in touch with them:

New Address:

Sam's Diamonds
St Maries
Lugsdale Road
Widnes
WA8 6DB

Telephone number: 01928 592405

email: samsdiamonds@hotmail.com

Want to gain or use your management, decision making, leadership and team working skills? Want to get behind the scenes of a charity and be involved in shaping how it operates? Then the role of a Trustee with Stick ‘n’ Step is for you.

Stick ‘n’ Step is a small but ambitious charity. They aim to enable, inspire and support children with cerebral palsy and their families. They achieve this by providing a programme of excellent conductive education, delivered from their specialised centres in Wallasey and Runcorn.

They have been on an exciting journey to reach and support more families and are looking to strengthen the Board to ensure the organisation has the expertise and knowledge to support the charity’s recent and continuing growth.   

They are looking for individuals who have a strong empathy with Stick ‘n’ Step’s mission and ethos. In particular they are looking for individuals who have experience, skills, and knowledge in the following areas:

• Digital marketing & communications
• Health & Safety management
• Risk management & strategic planning
• HR & organisational development
• Corporate fundraising or sales

If you feel you have other skills and expertise that would benefit Stick ‘n’ Step, they would love to hear from you.

This is a fantastic opportunity to make a lasting and positive difference to a growing organisation, alongside friendly, professional people. Please read the attached role description for full information.

If you would like to apply, please send your CV with a covering letter to Amy Couture – amy@sticknstep.org. Your covering letter should explain why you are interested in becoming a Trustee at Stick ‘n’ Step and what expertise specifically you can offer.

Closing date: 13th March 2019

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust is dedicated to improving the quality of life for the 5.5 million people living in Britain’s former mining communities. Many of these communities still require support due to the huge impact the closure of the mines had upon them.

The Coalfields Community Investment Programme (England) is a £500,000 fund created to support activities that tackle some of the key challenges that still remain in coalfield communities. The fund is open to projects that deliver in the top 30% most deprived coalfield communities and that will make a positive difference in addressing the following themes:

Skills: Growing the skills of people in order to increase their opportunities

Employment: Developing pathways to increase the number of people in work

Health: Supporting activities that improve the health and wellbeing of all age groups

Their offer is now re-opened and all the information on registering an enquiry relating to a project can be found in the link below:

https://www.coalfields-regen.org.uk/funding

Please read all the information and the guidance notes carefully before deciding whether to complete the Eligibility Survey. 

Following publication of the NHS Long Term Plan, NAVCA have produced a member briefing note, outlining a summary of the document’s key priorities and how it’s significant for our sector.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing project from the Halton Health Improvement Team are offering free training for anyone who lives or works in the Halton borough to help improve mental health and tackle mental health stigma. 

They are currently offering the following training. (Further details about the training are available via the weblinks):

Ditton Community Centre

Mental Health Awareness - Wednesday 13th February & 14th August  2019 9:30am – 12 noon

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mental-health-awareness-tickets-53807043315

Suicide Awareness – Wednesday 13th February & 14th August 2019 1pm – 3pm

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/halton-suicide-awareness-guidance-tickets-53807234888

Mental Health Awareness for Managers Wednesday 14th February & 15th August 2019 2pm – 4:30pm

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mental-health-awareness-for-managers-tickets-53808298068

Grangeway Community Centre

Mental Health Awareness - Wednesday 22nd May & 13th November 2019 9:30am – 12 noon

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mental-health-awareness-tickets-53807440503

Suicide Awareness - Wednesday 22nd May and  13th November 2019 1pm – 3pm

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/halton-suicide-awareness-guidance-tickets-53807394365

Mental Health Awareness for Managers – Thursday 24th May & 14th November 2019 2pm – 4pm – 4:30pm

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mental-health-awareness-for-managers-tickets-53810286014

They can also support you to complete the "Time to Change Employers Pledge" which helps improve mental health within your own organisation.

A new SIA Security course in Widnes starts on Monday 21st January at 9.30 till 3.30pm at Widnes Masonic Hall, Kingsway, Widnes WA8 7QH and runs for 14 days consecutively (excluding weekends).  Learners receive a full Level 2 in Door Supervision, Level 2 Customer Service and the SIA badge is fully funded.  The badge payment is made by Training Strategies if the learner successfully passes. 

The whole process can take around 8 - 10 weeks.  3 for the course, 4 for awarding body to mark the 3 SIA exams and 3 or so weeks for a badge payment run. 

They work with Cordant Security, who have Retail Security Officer positions in Tesco, Iceland, Morrison’s or Matalan. They also have site security positions through Nationwide.

The start date is short notice but if you are interested and would like further information contact Training Strategies on 0151 523 9655 or email info@trainingstrategies.co.uk.  You can also look at their website www.trainingstrategies.co.uk for more information.

You are warmly invited to the Chain Lane Community Centre's Annual General Meeting which they are holding on Tuesday 29th January, 6.00 pm at the Community Centre, Hinckley Road, St. Helens WA11 9HT.

They would be delighted to welcome you - you can hear about their progress in 2017/18, their volunteering and the work of the management committee.

Run 'by the community for the community' they are also looking for additional Trustees/Directors to join the committee and help drive the Centre forward for the benefit of the local community. 

Please contact Pam on 07586 842 161 or email ccchainlane@gmail.com for further details.

DIABETES UK

St Helens & District Group

The next meeting of the St Helens & District Group of Diabetes UK will be on Wednesday 6th February 2019, at 7.30pm in St Helens United Reformed Church, King Street, St Helens. WA10 2JZ. The speaker will be Professor Sarah O`Brien, who will be talking on the subject of :-

Reducing the risk of diabetes complications 

Sarah is now the Clinical Accountable Officer of St Helens CCG. She will be explaining all about the risks that may develop because of diabetes, and how we can reduce those risks as much as possible.

Anyone with an interest in diabetes is welcome to attend, admission is free and refreshments are available after the meeting. There will also be a large selection of diabetes leaflets available. They would particularly like to welcome anyone who has been recently diagnosed with diabetes and has not been to a meeting before.

For further details visit the website at www.st-helens-and-district.diabetesukgroup.org 

or contact C Bowmaker on 0151 480 0821.

Our colleagues from NHS Halton CCG have sent us the following press release about a consultation opportunity regarding the future of Halton's Urgent Care Centres. 

Please note the link to the consultation further down in the article. 

Development of Halton Urgent Care Centres in Urgent Treatment Centres, have your say…

NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) intends to develop the two Urgent Care Centres (UCCs) in Halton into Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs). This development will continue to provide the best possible treatment for our residents whilst making them sustainable for the future.

Why are we changing these services in Halton?

In 2013 there was a national review of emergency and urgent care services. This review called for these services to be more responsive, offer personalised care for patients and deliver even better clinical outcomes.

The review involved a public consultation, where patients and the public informed the national review that there is a confusing mix of services offering varied levels of care.

To end this confusion, a national set of core standards has been established for

Urgent Treatment Centres, including having a generic name for these services which will be Urgent Treatment Centres and that the UTCs will be open for at least 12 hrs a day.

What have people already told us?

Between October and December 2018, we asked Halton residents about their experiences of the current UCCs in Widnes and Runcorn and their views of the national model to ensure that both local Urgent Treatment Centres meet the needs of Halton residents. Healthwatch Halton has also engaged with people who have used both services and their findings have also been taken into account. 

The results from this report are available on NHS Halton CCG’s website.

What is NHS Halton CCG proposing?

The current opening hours of both Urgent Care Centres is 15 hours, per day (7am to 10pm). 365 days per year. 

In line with national standards, but following feedback from the pre-consultation and to ensure there is a comprehensive primary care offer the CCG is proposing to reduce the opening times from 15 to 13 hours, with the opening hours proposed as being 8am – 9pm.  

As this proposal is a change of service, NHS Halton CCG is keen to consult with patients, the public and key stakeholders to ask their views on the opening hours of the Urgent Treatment Centres.

How you can have your say

We are looking for your views on the new model for the two Halton Urgent Treatment Centres and on the CCGs proposal to reduce the opening hours to 13 hours. 

A formal 8-week public consultation will commence on Monday 7th January 2019 and will conclude on Sunday 3rd March 2019.  

The survey can be completed by heading to NHS Halton CCGs website or by following this link www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HaltonUTC2019

Paper copies are also available at Runcorn Town hall and at both Urgent Care Centres;

Widnes Urgent Care Centre                             Runcorn Urgent Care Centre

Healthcare Resource Centre                            Halton General Hospital

Caldwell Road                                                 Hospital Way

Widnes WA8 7GD                                            Runcorn WA7 2DA

There is more information available on our website www.haltonccg.nhs.uk including how to get in contact with us and how you can get more involved.

Runcorn Foodbank Christmas opening times: 

Wednesday 19th Dec - The Rise, Halton Brook 2pm - 4pm
Thursday 20th Dec - Christ Church, Castleflds 1pm - 3pm 
Friday 21st Dec - Hope Corner(Old Town) 11am -1pm
Saturday 22nd Dec - Bethesda Church, Palaceflds 10am - 12pm
Sunday 23rd Dec - CLOSED
Monday 24th Dec - CLOSED
Tuesday 25th Dec - CLOSED
Wednesday 26th Dec - CLOSED
Thusday 27th Dec - Christ Church, Castleflds 1pm - 3pm
Friday 28th Dec - Hope Corner(Old Town) 11am - 1pm
Friday 28th Dec  -  Frodsham Guide HQ 1pm - 3pm
Saturday 29th Dec -  Bethesda Church, Palaceflds 10am - 12pm
Sunday 30th Dec - CLOSED
Monday 31st Dec - CLOSED
Tuesday 1st Jan - CLOSED
Wednesday 2nd Jan - Brook Chapel, Boston Ave 2pm -  4pm
Thusday 3rd Jan - Christ Church, Castleflds 1pm - 3pm 

Widnes Foodbank Christmas opening times:

Saturday 22nd Dec - CLOSED
Sunday 23rd Dec - CLOSED
Monday 24th Dec - Crossing Point 11am - 2pm 
Tuesday 25th Dec -  CLOSED 
Wednesday 26th Dec - CLOSED
Thursday 27th Dec - West Bank 11am - 1pm
Friday 28th Dec - Crossing point 10am - 1pm and St Pauls 1pm - 3pm 
Saturday 29th Dec - CLOSED
Sunday 30th Dec - CLOSED
Monday 31st Dec - Crossing point- 11am - 1pm 
Tuesday 1st Jan - CLOSED 

All opening times return to normal Wednesday 2nd January for Runcorn and Widnes.

St Helens Foodbank Christmas opening times:

For all information about St Helens foodbanks please contact St Helens foodbank on 01744 26414 or email them on info@sthelens.foodbank.org.uk or visit https://sthelens.foodbank.org.uk/

The festive season can be a joyous time for most, celebrated with friends and loves ones. However, many people can be gripped by stress, anxiety and loneliness. To help people cope with loneliness, Northwest Boroughs Healthcare have produced a short animation, with handy tips and advice on how to maintain good mental health and wellbeing:

For anyone struggling over the festive period with stress, anxiety or feeling they can’t cope with day-to-day life, including thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the help in a crisis page on the Trust’s website for support and advice: www.nwbh.nhs.uk/help-in-a-crisis 
 

They also have mental health assessment teams in Halton, Knowsley, St Helens, Warrington and Wigan. These are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. If you feel you are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can contact your local assessment team directly on the numbers below:

• Halton: 0151 422 6804
• Knowsley: 0151 676 5263
• St Helens: 01744 621 688
• Warrington: 01925 666 647
• Wigan and Leigh: 01942 482 239

Below is the schedule of office opening hours for DWP Jobcentres and information letting customers know when they can expect their payments over the Christmas Period.

Christmas Opening hours

Date                                                                  Offices                              Phone lines

Friday 21 December                                           Open                                  Open

Monday 24 December                                        Closed                                Open for missing or urgent payment enquiries only. Closing at 5pm

Tuesday 25 December                                        Closed                                Closed

Wednesday 26 December                                   Closed                                Closed

Thursday 27 December                                      Open                                  Open

Friday 28 December                                           Open                                  Open

Monday 31 December                                        Open                                  Open, closing at 5pm

Tuesday 1 January                                             Closed                                Closed

Wednesday 2 January                                        Open                                  Open

The payments dates for benefits or pensions (excluding Universal Credit) are shown below. If the date is not shown then the usual payment date will apply.

Payment due date                                                                                       Payment date Other benefits

21 December 2018                                                                                          21 December 2018

22 December 2018                                                                                          21 December 2018

23 December 2018                                                                                          21 December 2018

24 December 2018                                                                                          21 December 2018

25 December 2018                                                                                          21 December 2018

26 December 2018                                                                                          21 December 2018

27 December 2018                                                                                          27 December 2018

28 December 2018                                                                                          28 December 2018

29 December 2018                                                                                          28 December 2018

30 December 2018                                                                                          28 December 2018

31 December 2018                                                                                          31 December 2018

1 January 2019                                                                                               31 December 2018

2 January 2019: All benefits                                                                           31 December 2018

2 January 2019: ESA, JSA and Income Support in England and Wales             2 January 2019

The payment date for Universal Credit is shown below. If the date is not shown then the usual payment date will apply.

Payment due date                                       Payment date Universal Credit

21 December 2018                                          21 December 2018

22 December 2018                                          21 December 2018

23 December 2018                                          21 December 2018

24 December 2018                                          24 December 2018

25 December 2018                                          24 December 2018

26 December 2018                                          24 December 2018

27 December 2018                                          27 December 2018

28 December 2018                                          28 December 2018

29 December 2018                                          28 December 2018

30 December 2018                                          28 December 2018

31 December 2018                                          31 December 2018

1 January 2019                                               31 December 2018

2 January 2019                                               2 January 2019

Monitoring & Database Worker –   £21, 693 pro rata.

Hours - between 16 and 21 hours per week (there is some flexibility in the number of hours required, which can be worked across 3, 4 or 5 days per week).

The Monitoring and Database Worker makes sure that all of the data is recorded, tracks everything that happens with their service users, writes reports on this with other staff members and helps identify where they can make improvements. 

In particular, they are looking for someone who:

• Pays meticulous attention to detail and can produce detailed, accurate written reports for monitoring and evaluation purposes
• Understands the world of outcomes and outputs; monitoring and evaluation; and knows how services like Sahir House can demonstrate the impact they make
• Can develop and maintain their new database
• Communicates effectively, both face-to-face and in writing, and can adapt their communication style and for different audiences
• Has excellent IT skills, particularly Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook
• Likes flexibility and being part of a team
• Has bags of energy, is happy to manage their own time and prioritise their workload

Sahir House is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. They especially welcome applications from groups that reflect Sahir House service user groups – HIV positive people (and other disabled people); people from Black and Minority Ethnic groups; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people and refugee communities.

Appointment is subject to a 3-month probationary period, satisfactory references and DBS check.

Closing date for applications: 1pm on Thursday 9th January 2019

Interviews:  Tuesday 22nd January 2019

Applicants should complete a Sahir House application form demonstrating how they meet each of the criteria in the person specification.

Full job description, person specification, application form and equal opportunities form can found in the attachments below.

The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England is asking people across Halton to comment on its draft proposals for new council ward boundaries.

The Commission’s plans would mean changes to all wards in Halton.

A 10-week public consultation on the recommendations is now in place and will end on 11 February 2019. The consultation is open to anyone who wants to have their say on new council wards, ward boundaries and ward names across Halton.

The Commission’s draft recommendations propose that Halton should have 54 councillors in future: this is 2 fewer than there are now. The recommendations also outline how those councillors should represent 18 three-councillor across the borough.

The full recommendations and detailed interactive maps are available on the Commission’s website at consultation.lgbce.org.uk and www.lgbce.org.uk. Hard copies of the Commission’s report and maps will also be available to view at council buildings.

Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission, said: “We are publishing proposals for a new pattern of wards across Halton and we are keen to hear what local people think of the recommendations.

“Over the next 10 weeks, we are asking local people to tell us if they agree with the proposals or if not, how they can be improved. 

“Our review aims to deliver electoral equality for local voters. This means that each councillor represents a similar number of people, so that everyone’s vote in council elections is worth roughly the same, regardless of where you live.

“We also want to ensure that our proposals reflect the interests and identities of local communities across Halton and that the pattern of wards can help the council deliver effective local government for local people.

“We will consider all the submissions we receive, whoever they are from and whether your evidence applies to the whole of the borough or just a part of it.”

The Commission wants to hear as much evidence as possible to develop final recommendations for Halton. If you would like to make a submission to the Commission, please write or email by 11 February 2019.

The Review Officer (Halton)
Local Government Boundary Commission for England
1st Floor, Windsor House
50 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0TL

Email: reviews@lgbce.org.uk

Follow on Twitter @LGBCE

Have your say directly through the Commission’s consultation portal:

https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk/node/13208

Link to the dedicated web page for the Halton Council electoral review:

http://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/north-west/cheshire/halton

For further information contact:

Press Office: 0330 500 1250 / 1525

press@lgbce.org.uk

In January, Halton Haven Hospice are running a Christmas tree collection across Widnes, Runcorn, Frodsham and surrounding areas, saving people the hassle of having to dispose of their Christmas tree in the new year.

In return for a donation of your choice, Halton Haven Hospice will pick up your real Christmas tree from your home on Thursday 10^th and Friday 11^th January. The money raised from the initiative will help fund patient care at the hospice, caring for local people who are living with end of life and life-limiting conditions.

The collection is being made possible thanks to the support of several local organisations. Display Team, the point of sales company based in Manor Park in Runcorn, are using their own vans and staff to pick up the trees; Runcorn-based tree surgery company Treebor is taking care of the chipping and disposal of the trees; and St Michael’s Primary School in Widnes are very kindly allowing the hospice to store the trees in their grounds before being chipped.

Chris Andrews, Senior Fundraising Manager at Halton Haven Hospice, said “This is a great initiative for the Hospice and the local area. People don’t have to worry about getting rid of their tree when we can do it for them! And it all raises vital funds for the Haven too. Thank you to everyone who has already registered their tree for collection. If you haven’t done it yet, don’t miss the 8^th January deadline! A big thank you also to Display Team, Treebor and St Michael’s Primary School for their wonderful support.”

For Halton Haven Hospice to pick up your tree, simply visit www.haltonhaven.org.uk/christmastree and register your details before Tuesday 8^th January. The hospice is picking up trees from the WA6, WA7, WA8 and WA4 6 postcode areas.

VISION SUPPORT

Rehabilitation Assistant

12 hours per week over 2 or 3 days

Vision Support is seeking to recruit a Rehabilitation Assistant for people with sensory loss. The post will be based at the Halton Sensory Services Office with travel throughout the Runcorn and Widnes areas providing practical help and support to enable individuals to live independently.

They are looking for someone who is hard working, enthusiastic and flexible.

If you are interested in this position and would like further details please contact Derek Hough on 01244 381515. Alternatively, if you would like an application pack please email recruitment@visionsupport.org.uk

Closing date for applications is 2nd January 2019

Successful completion of a DBS check is required for this position (costs will be met by the employer). 

The Borough of Culuture have launched an open competition to design the official logo for the Borough of Culture initiative and want residents and artists (amateur and professional) from across the Liverpool City Region to get involved.

As the first Combined Authority in the country to have powers over culture included in its devolution deal, they created the Borough of Culture award last year, to encourage cultural activities across the whole city region.

The Borough of Culture title is awarded annually on a rotational basis to one of the six local authorities that make up our city region, as part of our 1% for Culture programme. 

The purpose of the Borough of Culture award is to stimulate new cultural and creative opportunities; highlighting the unique character and distinctiveness of its people and places, and developing  the skills and talents of its residents in order to create an exciting year of cultural events and activity that everyone can enjoy and take part in.

Each host borough will create its own programme of cultural and creative events, activities and opportunities, but all will include five key elements:

• Children and Young People – accessing, enjoying, learning through culture and creative engagement, developing skills and talents.
• Positive outcomes – wellbeing, health, education, cohesion and future world of work.
• Communities – increased opportunities for participation and involvement
• Distinctiveness of place – promoting the creative and culture offer to local people and visitors
• Infrastructure and Legacy – building future cultural and creative opportunities beyond the Borough of Culture year.

The Borough of Culture initiative is designed to utilise many of the region’s existing assets and talent to stimulate cultural and creative opportunities, both formal and informal, wherever they can be found.

They want you to help them to inspire and make more people aware of the fantastic cultural and creative opportunities on offer across the Liverpool City Region by creating a logo for Borough of Culture.

The winning submission will receive a prize of £800 and will be developed into the Borough of Culture official logo from 2019 onwards.

The brief:

• They need a logo design that can be used by each borough throughout its host year in the year it is awarded the title.
• The competition is open to anyone aged 16 years or over living in the Liverpool City Region.
• Your design must be an entirely original unpublished work that you have created.

What they are looking for:

• An original design for a logo that will represent the Borough of Culture brand.
• A design that captures the spirit of creativity and Culture in ALL its forms but which is simple, clear and easily recognisable.
• It should not be too cluttered or use stereotypical images eg theatre masks/paintbrushes/film reel.
• The logo could be a type treatment (eg uses the words Borough of Culture) and/or can be an image based design.
• The brand must not incorporate any of the already established elements of each Liverpool City Region Borough’s logo identity – but must be compatible with them.
• The logo will need to be able to be applied across all promotional materials, including merchandising in print and online through social media channels and website.
• Your design should be effective in both colour and black and white versions.

They will accept your design ideas in the following formats:

• Digitally produced artwork
• Scanned hand drawn sketches / paintings
• Full colour and in horizontal, rectangular format

Submissions:

• Entries should be submitted no later than Monday, 7 January 2019 at midday to boroughofculturelogo@liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk 
• Files should be in jpg format and no larger than 5MB
• Please include your name, age and contact details with your submission.
• You must also include a short explanation about your design concept in no more than 250 words.
• If you have difficulties submitting your entry in this format please contact boroughofculturelogo@liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk

The prize:

The winner will receive a cash prize of £800 and the design will be developed into the Borough of Culture official logo from 2019 onwards.

More details about the competition and full terms and conditions can by found by clicking the link below:

http://liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/logo-competition

Please find below the details on the next series of Basic Bid-Writing Training and Monitoring & Evaluation Courses run by Halton Borough Council’s External Funding Team. If you wish to attend please complete and return the attached booking form or complete it online.

https://halton.me/external-funding-course-booking-form/

The training will be provided for free to Halton groups and to those groups who do work in Halton only. For any other organisations, there is a £40 charge.

Basic Bid Writing Training:

- Tuesday 5th February 2019: 9.30am-1pm, Upton Community Centre

- Tuesday 7th May 2019: 9.30am-1pm, Murdishaw Community Centre

- Tuesday 3rd September 2018: 9.30am-1pm, Upton Community Centre

- Tuesday 3rd December 2019: 9.30am-1pm, Castlefields Community Centre

Subjects covered in the course include: Essential requirements of a strong bid (‘Top-Tips’); Basic bid-writing skills to meet the funder’s essential requirements; Common reasons for bid failure.

Monitoring and Evaluation Training

- Thursday 4th April 2019: 9.30am-1pm, Upton Community Centre

- Tuesday 5th November 2019: 9.30am-1pm, Murdishaw Community Centre

Subjects covered in the course include: To understand what Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) involves; To learn why it is necessary; To understand where and how Monitoring &Evaluation should be used in grant-funded projects; To learn best practice (‘top tips’) for producing good quality and effective data and reports.

If you require any more information, please get in touch with Jonathan Patten via (0151) 511 7214 or jonathan.patten@halton.gov.uk

VCA would like to express a huge thank you to Harrison Lightfoot, a pupil at Wade Deacon High School, with the help of his family and a generous donation from Uncle John they have donated a large amount of toys to the Halton Christmas Toy Appeal.  All of the toys collected will go to help make Christmas special for less fortunate children who otherwise might not have very much to celebrate. 

We will still be collecting until the 14th December at our Halton Office, so if you'd like to donate any new and unopened toys for children aged between 0 and 18 we would be very happy to accept them.

A new shop in the heart of St Helens is rescuing unwanted furniture from the scrap heap while providing practical skills for job-seeking residents.

The ReStore St Helens shop is the brainchild of Changing Communities – a Community Interest Company established by local charity The Hope Centre – and sees unwanted household furniture repaired and re-used instead of being thrown away.

The new shop on Peckers Hill Road in Sutton houses an on-site workshop where volunteers repair, restore and upcycle donated furniture – anything from dining tables, chairs and bookcases, to drawers, desks, wardrobes and cupboards. Any waste wood or by-product is used to create new items such as garden planters, benches and ornaments. All items are sold in the shop with any profits being ploughed back into the venture.

On 16th November the ReStore shop was officially opened by local MP Marie Rimmer OBE, Director at The Hope Centre Angela Metcalfe, and Carl Beer, the Chief Executive of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority who have provided £8000 towards the project as part of their Community Fund for waste prevention, re-use and recycling initiatives. 

Marie Rimmer OBE said: “Sutton Village is one of the oldest communities in the borough and it’s great to see ReStore St Helens providing a valuable service in this area. ReStore offers the opportunity to upcycle furniture items, which may have gone to landfill, whilst at the same time offering skills and work experience to local people.

“This is yet another example of the valuable service The Hope Centre provides in supporting the local community and I know this project will go from strength to strength.”

Carl Beer congratulated everyone involved in the scheme and hoped to see more similar initiatives in the future: “I’d love to see more of this type of shop throughout the whole of Merseyside where usable furniture doesn’t even make it into the waste stream but instead back into people’s homes. This is such a great scheme and I’d like to give everyone here a huge round of applause for their efforts in getting the shop up and running.”

By the end of the project it is hoped that well over a tonne of furniture will have been repaired and upcycled. If successful ReStore will look to develop the re-use and upcycling of a wider range of furniture such as sofas and white goods.

The Project Manager at ReStore Julie Waring said: “St Helens has a number of well-established charity and commercial second hand furniture shops, proving there is a strong market for second hand furniture. However, these organisations don’t tend to repair or upcycle household furniture. ReStore will take unwanted furniture that would otherwise become waste. We will add life and value to these items, preventing them from entering the waste stream and avoiding new items being purchased.

“We’re basically creating something new and desirable from something old and unwanted.”

ReStore is primarily volunteer run and as well as refurbishing unwanted furniture is also providing opportunities for long-term unemployed individuals with mild/moderate mental wellbeing issues. Using The Hope Centre’s extensive volunteer network participants are being provided with opportunities to learn DIY and retail skills, giving practical experience of working routines to help gain employment.

ReStore will directly engage with at least 24 people including 10 volunteers, four people seeking work and 10 local residents.

Angela Metcalfe, Director at The Hope Centre, said: “It’s wonderful that so much furniture is being saved, but just as importantly by building links with the local community we are giving people valuable experience that they can take to the job market. Volunteering combats loneliness and reduces social isolation. As participants gain new skills their confidence should increase and hopefully they’ll feel they can take control of their situation.”

MRWA is a local government body with nine elected members from the five constituent councils in Merseyside. It organises and manages disposal of all waste collected by the five councils and operates 14 Household Waste Recycling Facilities. merseysidewda.gov.uk

The MRWA and Veolia Community Fund 2018/19 has seen 14 community groups from Merseyside and Halton receive a funding boost to help make the region a cleaner and greener place. The financial support will see the groups help reduce household waste, encourage recycling and resource re-use, and prevent carbon emissions. For more information see http://www.merseysidewda.gov.uk/waste-strategy/community-fund/community-fund-201819/

Halton Carers Widnes office has now moved! They are no longer based in Peelhouse Family Centre, every wed & Thurs 10am - 4pm the Carers Support Worker will be based in Halton & St Helens VCA on Lugsdale Road, Widnes, WA8 6DB (the old St Maries Church, next to Tesco). Their weekly Therapy & Podiatry appointments will also be here! If you wish to telephone to speak to their worker in Widnes you can ring 01928 592405 (which is Halton & St Helens VCA number) and we will transfer you to them.

There is no change with their Runcorn office or telephone number 01928 580182.

Civil Society Involvement (CSI) will work to help third sector organisations access European Funding ahead of Brexit and to shape future legacy funds.

The new programme has launched to help voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations across England access European funding for the remaining 2014-2020 programme. The project will also work to influence the shape of future legacy funds post-Brexit, including the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

CSI will work with the third sector to understand the issues within the current European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) programme, which are preventing organisations from accessing the funds.

These findings will be communicated through skilled representation on the national Growth Programme Board and its nine national sub-committees, meaning that the voice of the sector will be heard at a national level.

The dedicated team of CSI representatives include the Vice Chair of the Social Audit Network, Anne Lythgoe, the CEO of The Women’s Organisation, Maggie O’Carroll, and Deputy CEO of the Workers’ Educational Association, Joanna Cain. Representation will also come from Citizens Advice Halton, The National Trust, as well as Network for Europe and VONNE.

A new website launched this month which will act as a vital resource for those wanting to find out more about accessing funding and will also enable colleagues to contact the relevant representatives on the Growth Programme Board.

The CSI team are calling for third sector support organisations to share the resource with colleagues from across the sector. Those wanting to be kept up-to-date with current funding calls and industry news are also been encouraged to sign up to the CSI newsletter.

Helen Millne, Deputy CEO of The Women’s Organisation, the lead partner of the CSI project, says: “Navigating European funding can be a very complicated and time-consuming process, which can turn many organisations off from the possibilities. We want to make sure that those working in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector are able to access European funds and make it work for their projects.

“There is still plenty of opportunity to access this pot of European money before the programme comes to an end in 2020. We would encourage anyone working within the third sector to engage with the CSI project, either by sharing your experiences with us to help shape future funds post Brexit, or by signing up to our newsletter to be kept in the loop about the remaining programme”.

The CSI project is receiving funding from the European Social Fund, as part of the 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme in England, and will run until December 2020

The project is led by Liverpool-based charity, The Women’s Organisation, with the Workers Educational Association (WEA) and Citizens’ Advice Halton working as project partners.

If you would like to find out more about how Civil Society Involvement can help you, please contact info@civilscoietyinvolvement.com. To receive updates from the project and latest news on European Funding, you can join the mailing list via www.civilsocietyinvolvement.com.

Widnes and Runcorn Cancer Support Group are holding a Christmas Fair at Farnworth Methodist Church Hall,  Derby Rd, Widnes WA8 9JX, on Saturday 8th December between 11am and 3pm. There will be stalls from local businesses selling all manner of gifts and treats along side stalls selling goods made by their service users.

There will be refreshments including hot chocolate with marshmallows and non-alcoholic mulled wine available to buy, raffles, games and Santa himself will be in his grotto, you can check if you're on his nice list!

Entrance is free and they look forward to seeing you there.

Halton and St Helens VCA were very proud to sponsor one of the awards at the inaugural Pride of St Helens Business Awards, which were organised by Invest in St Helens (in partnership with the Steve Prescott Foundation and the St Helens Star). .

The evening was a tremendous success as representatives from public, private and voluntary organisations gathered at the Totally Wicked Stadium (home of St Helens legendary rugby league team) to celebrate local success stories. With a fun casino, excellent musical performances and a host from Sky Sports, it was an evening full of glamour and entertainment.

The award we sponsored was “The Community Impact Award” and there were 3 superb nominees: Apex Trust, Co-op Lea Green Distribution Centre and Groundwork. We’d like to offer heartfelt congratulations to Groundwork who won the award.

Kim Hughes, Apex Trust CEO stated “we were already winners in being selected as 1 of 3 finalists for this award.  On behalf of Apex Trust staff, trustees and volunteers past and present, we are thrilled to have been selected and recognised for the work and support we offer to a marginalised client group, facing many barriers”.

Congratulations to everyone who was involved in the evening for delivering an event which made everyone proud to be working or living in St Helens and successfully raised the profile of the town.

Pilotlight and the Garfield Weston Foundation would like to announce that the Weston Charity Awards are now open for applications.

Established to celebrate and support ambitious charities working in the fields of Youth, Welfare and Community, we are looking for charities who would like mentoring and coaching support to get their organisation to the next stage in its development. This year the Awards are will support 20 charities across the North, the Midlands and Wales.

Winners will receive £6,500 unrestricted grant funding alongside business mentoring support from award-winning charity Pilotlight.

For more information or to apply visit the website here or call them on 020 7283 7022.

Deadline for applications: Friday 11th January 2019.

Our colleagues from Halton Borough Council’s External Funding Team have prepared some Funding Bulletins containing valuable information for voluntary organisations looking for grants to get projects off the ground.

The Monthly funding bulletins offering information on funding opportunities in the following areas: 

Arts, Community & Voluntary, Environment & Heritage, European, Faith, Health, Schools, Sports and Youth.

To access the information, please click on the link below: 

https://www4.halton.gov.uk/Pages/business/FinanceandGrants/finance.aspx

If you are looking for things to do why not go along to the Studio, they have lots of groups and taster sessions, all the groups and taster sessions take place at The Studio, Lacey Street, Widnes, WA8 7SQ or you can phone 07930388844 or email info@TheStudioWidnes.org.uk for more information, see below for group and taster session details:

The Studio Sings is a free choir, just turn up, sing your heart out and feel great.  It meets on Monday's from 6.30pm to 8pm 

Mindcraft - Come and join the free craft group or just have a cup of tea and meet like minded people.  It meets on Friday's 12.30pm to 2.30pm

Taster sessions - all taster session are taking place until 14 December 

• Singing the musicals - whether you want to kick start your career on the stage or just sing through your favourite musical hits, composer and musical director Ashley M A Walsh (Closets, The Jury) will take you from warm ups to the West End.  The sessions are on Wednesdays from 6.30pm to 8pm  and you need to be 16 +.  
• Write On - free creative writing sessions are being held on Monday 6.30pm to 8pm for 16+, Friday 1pm to 3pm for 16+, Saturday 11am to 12.30pm for 7-11s.  Writing to be published in the new seasonal newsletter
• Tambourine Tots - a free musical group for 0-5s, accompanied by their parents or carers exploring rhythm and movement through song.  The session are on Saturdays 11am to 12pm 
• Games Tank - Meet up group for Gamers.  Share, play, compete, on new and vintage games and consoles.  The sessions are on Mondays 4.30pm to 6.30pm for 11 -17s 
• Can do Fridays - Reclaiming, refreshing & reinvigorating held on Fridays 1pm to 3pm.  Sound sessions - upgrading and refurbing at The Recording Studio and Rehearsal Rooms, Get Up - Gardening & Upcycling - giving new life to the outdoor spaces & old instruments.  Bring your ideas, skills and tools.  Free refreshments.  

For more information about The Studio click the link below to go to their website:

http://www.thestudiowidnes.org.uk/

The first ever Festive Faith Fair,  will be held at St Helens Town Hall on Wednesday 5th December from 3.30-6.30pm. 

 The hope is that during this busy festive period, the event will shed some light on the Christian organisations that are working all year round at the heart of our communities to reach out and help people who are in need.

 Why not join them for a free mince pie and a hot chocolate and take the time to find out about how the church is working in St Helens today.

Mike Palin, Chief Executive of St Helens Council would like to appeal for gifts for those in care.  They want to provide something for those who have left care - including a Christmas lunch on the 24th December as well as a hamper for young  people who for whatever reason couldn't be cared for by family and hence were in care and in reality may not have a family to spend Christmas with.  Mike is looking for any groups or businesses who could make a donation of gifts for hampers or offer any other support.

Cathryn White has volunteered to coordinate the process and you can contact her on CathrynWhite@sthelens.gov.uk or you can contact Mike Palin on MikePalin@sthelens.gov.uk 

St Helens Council would like to invite you take part in an interactive engagement event to help shape the future of St Helens Parks and Green Spaces.

The Mersey Forest Team is supporting St Helens Council to develop a Vision for Parks and Green Spaces in the borough.

The event is taking place at St Helens Town Hall on Tuesday 4th December. There are two sessions planned, one from 2-4pm and the second from 6-8pm. You can book your free ticket by simply clicking on this link;

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-vision-for-st-helens-parks-and-green-spaces-4th-december-2018-tickets-52090103903

From this link you can  "Select a Time" to choose which session you would like to attend.

Each session will follow the same format, with presentations to provide the context and then an opportunity to have your say about parks and green spaces in small groups - so everyone will have a chance to contribute.

If you have any questions, please contact Paul on the details below:

Paul Nolan
Director | The Mersey Forest Team
01925 816217 | 07788 438670
paul.nolan@merseyforest.org.uk

The main focus of the meeting was the 6 “Priority Programmes”. They are:

1.      Healthy Streets

Develop a Healthy Streets programme that builds on the work of the Well North Programme and being dementia friendly and takes forward the whole systems approach to healthy weight.

2.      Making Every Contact Count

Build a prevention culture within providers by embedding Making Every Contact Count at scale.

3.      One Halton Population Health Framework

Pilot the One Halton Population Health Framework model for Primary Care Hubs.

4.      Workplace Health Programme

Develop a Workplace Health Programme across Halton that enables employees to stay well and supports more people with health conditions and disability to remain in the labour market, to support productivity, reduce non-clinical demands on primary care and to reduce the flow of people who move onto long-term sickness and disability benefits.

5.      Social and Emotional Health Programme for Young People

Develop a social and emotional health programme for young people in education aged 16 – 22 years commencing with Halton College.

6.      Physical Activity

Build on the current work for physical activity by promoting and engaging people in every walk of life at scale.
 

Attendees stated what they were currently doing and how they might “fit into” or under one of the priorities.

At the end of the meeting, Chair Person Eileen O’Meara asked everyone present to consider which priority their work best fitted under.

At Halton & St Helens VCA, we want make our member organisations aware of the priorities and to ask them if they are delivering any projects which could be seen as contributing towards one of the 6 priorities.

If your VCSE organisation is delivering a project which you think should be taken into consideration, please contact Lynne Woods via Lynne.Woods3@halton.gov.uk before Friday 7th December.

If you have any questions about the One Halton Board, please feel free to contact VCA Chief Executive, Sally Yeoman via syeoman@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Two local organisations are looking for volunteers to help them over the Christmas period:

Hope House will be opening their doors over Christmas for those less fortunate people in St Helens.  They are looking for volunteers to help them bring cheer during the festive period.

Warrington and Halton Hospitals Charity need Volunteer Christmas bag packers  to help collect much needed funds to support equipment and activities to help patients of all ages. If you can spare an hour or two get in touch to register.

 If you would like to know more about either of these opportunities, please contact the Volunteer Centre St Helens on 01744 751759 or email volunteersthelens@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk for more details

Newton Community and Family Centre has 3 new oppportunties for you to get involved with:

Family fun time is a stay and play for under 5’s. Its is on Tuesdays 12.30-3pm (term time only) for children aged 0-5 years.

Club 426 is an after school club (term time only)  for children aged 5-13 years old on a Thursday 3.30pm-6.30pm. Club 426 is full of crafts, games, sports and food.

Coffee Bar Volunteer  - To help run a coffee bar and provide a friendly atmosphere for centre users, tutors and members of the public. You will be serving the public with refreshments and light snacks.

If you would like to know more contact the Volunteer Centre St Helens on 01744 751759 or email volunteersthelens@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk for more details

Lucem House Community Cinema in St Helens are looking for volunteers to assist in the smooth running of the cinema both front of house and behind the scenes.

Front of house volunteers will amongst other activities, meet and greet cinema goers, help with box office duties and the provision of refreshments.

Technical volunteers will assist in the smooth running of the screening of the film.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, get in touch with Volunteer Centre St Helens on 01744 751759 or email volunteersthelens@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk for more details.

More than 13,000 problems with purchases in England and Wales on online marketplaces were reported to the Citizens Advice consumer service last year.

Online marketplaces - websites where traders and private individuals list and sell products - are becoming increasingly popular for people trying to find the best deal.

As customers turn to online marketplaces in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, Citizens Advice Halton is warning residents in Widnes and Runcorn to be aware of the dangers.

This year’s National Consumer Week, which runs from 26 November to 2 December, focuses on customer rights when buying from an online marketplace. Citizens Advice Halton says people don’t always know they have fewer rights when they buy from a private seller, compared to if they buy from a business.

If you buy from a private seller the principle of “buyer beware” applies. This means while the seller can’t mis-describe the item, they can omit information. For example, if a laptop is described as being a silver laptop in “excellent working condition” but it’s faulty, you could ask for your money back. But if “excellent working condition” is missing from the description, you won’t be able to.

As part of National Consumer Week, Citizens Advice Halton suggests people check all the product information carefully before buying something on an online marketplace. They also recommend that shoppers take extra care, like reading previous reviews and saving screenshots of their purchases.

Hitesh Patel, Chief Officer of Citizens Advice Halton said:

“Far too many people are being ripped off on online marketplaces. As part of National Consumer Week we want to make sure customers know what to look out for when making a purchase and their rights if something goes wrong.

“With millions of people trying to find a bargain online on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, buyers need to beware when purchasing off online marketplaces.

“To reduce the risk of being left out-of-pocket it’s a good idea to check the product information on these sites carefully before they make a purchase.”

Here are Citizens Advice’s tips for using online marketplaces:

• Check the product details - This should include: photos; a description; cost of the item; delivery charges; contact details for the seller; and any cancellation rights. It should be clear if it’s being sold by a trader or private seller - this is important as your rights are different. It is wise to read previous reviews as these can often flag potential issues, but watch out for fake reviews. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

• Take screenshots of the item you want to buy - This will come in handy if the item you receive is different to what you saw on the website.

• Use a payment method that protects you - You’ll have a better chance of getting your money back if there’s a problem by using a card or Paypal, particularly if it’s an overseas seller. Avoid paying by bank transfer.

• Go back to the seller if there’s a problem - Explain what’s happened, how you’d like them to fix it and give a deadline for them to respond. If they don’t sort it out, see if there’s an alternative dispute resolution service that can help. Report them and the online marketplace to Trading Standards if you think the issue is unfair.

• Getting your money back from a private seller - The product description needs to be accurate, but if information is missing you won’t be able to ask for your money back. If the item doesn’t match the photos on the website, you may also have grounds to ask for your money back.

Halton & St Helens VCA are now a drop off point for Halton Christmas Toy Appeal. Donations can be dropped off at our office on Lugsdale Road, Widnes during opening times Monday to Thursday 9-5pm & Friday 9-4pm. Donations are needed for boys and girls ages ranging from 0-18. The purpose being to supply disadvantaged children living in Halton with a present to open on Christmas Day, which they would not normally receive. 

A share of £115,000 is up for grabs to help make the region a cleaner and greener place.

The funding has been made available for Merseyside and Halton community and voluntary groups, schools, faith groups and not-for-profit organisations, who can reduce household waste, encourage recycling and resource re-use and prevent carbon emissions. The projects will also have to demonstrate wider positive impacts on the environment, health and education.

The money is coming from the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority and Veolia Community Fund 2019/20, which has been running annually since 2006.

Successful applicants can be awarded up to £25,000 for schemes which operate across all six districts in Merseyside and Halton, and £8,000 for projects which work solely at one local authority level.

The impact of the 2017/18 Fund saw 12 projects deliver 28 full time equivalent jobs (created or safeguarded), participation by 486 volunteers, 29,435 people directly engaged, 1222 tonnes of waste material diverted from landfill and a 1181 tonnes reduction in CO2 equivalent emissions.

Previous Community Fund projects have included:

• creating a sensory learning garden from re-used materials at a college in St Helens
• the development of a shop in Wirral to sell used clothes and develop sewing and textiles re-use skills
• the repair and re-use of unused furniture for redistribution to the local community in Halton
• bicycle repair and maintenance workshops in Knowsley
• using cookery clubs across Merseyside and Halton to improve people’s diet, to reduce food waste and make financial savings.
• improving online retail skills for a charity shop in Sefton

Bids must tackle one or more of the four priority household waste materials which have been identified by MRWA as key, namely Food, Plastics, Textiles and Furniture. An analysis of waste in Merseyside and Halton highlighted that a greater amount of these materials could be re-used or recycled. Projects can also include other household waste materials, for example paper, card, metals.

The Liverpool-based Granby Toxteth Development Trust (GTDT) is one organisation to have benefitted from the Community Fund. The project has used the funding to engage residents around Lodge Lane with waste reduction and recycling messages.

Dr Lindsey Guy, Chief Executive of GTDT, said: “We have been delivering recycling and waste management projects for several years around the Granby Toxteth area, and recently more further afield. Funding from MRWA and GTDT’s own Big Lottery funding – L8 Living Sustainably - has enabled us to develop a transferable model which works successfully with many different communities and groups.

“For 2017/2018 we continued to work with these, and new, communities as well as working with MRWA to develop our models of good practice within communities to create packages of support which promote good re-use and recycling practices and help to change people’s behaviour.”

Chairperson of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA), Councillor Tony Concepcion, said: “We’ve made this money available for new and existing projects which can have an impact on their local community and make Merseyside and Halton a cleaner and greener place for us all to live and work. Giving groups the opportunity to get involved in looking after their environment can only bring benefits to all and can help us appreciate items as valuable resources rather than something which otherwise might be just thrown away.”

Interested groups should complete and submit a Stage One form with MRWA. If applicants are shortlisted then they will be asked to fill in a more detailed Stage Two entry. Successful projects will receive the funding in April 2019 and will have twelve months to deliver their schemes.

Organisations interested in this year’s Community Fund can:

• Download the Stage One application form and Guidance at www.merseysidewda.gov.uk.   
• Contact the Authority by Email: communityfund2019/2020@merseysidewda.gov.uk / Tel: 0151 255 1444

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF STAGE ONE APPLICATION: Friday 4th January 2019, 11.59pm.

MRWA will be holding a Community Fund Application Workshop to help interested groups get advice on applying for funding. The workshop will take place on Thursday 6th December 2018, 10.00am, at Liverpool Quaker Meeting House, 22 School Lane, Liverpool. For tickets please visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mrwa-community-fund-201920-application-advice-workshop-tickets-52933845557

Newton Community Centre's Christmas Craft Fair will be taking place on Saturday 1st December 2018 at 12pm-5pm 

Everybody is welcome to come along.

Activities include things such as:

• A Choir
• Candles
• Jewelry 
• Lots of gift stalls
• Also Santa himself 
• And many more

If you would like to come along and join in the fun the fair will be taking place at;

Newton Community Centre
Park Road South
Newton-le-Willows
Merseyside
WA12 8EX

For more information you can contact them on 01925 224731 

Willowbrook Hospice are inviting you to Light Up A Life 2018 where you can remember a loved one this Christmas. Christmas is a time when we think about our family and friends, past and present so come along and join Willowbrook at one of their special services across St Helens and Knowsley (poster attached).

The two church services will include carols, readings and the lighting of the Light Up A Life tree, followed by a moment of silence so you can sit and reflect on special times and memories of loved ones. Each year many loved ones are remembered in the Light Up A Life appeal and thousands of pounds are raised for Willowbrook Hospice.

The services will be taking place at 7pm on:

Monday 10th December 2018 at;

Prescot Parish Church,
Church Street,
Prescot,
L34 3LA

and on  Wednesday 12th December 2018 at;

St Mary's Lowe House,
North Road,
St Helens,
WA10 2BJ

Everybody is welcome to attend the services, refreshments will be served from 6pm. 

For more information about donating to Willowbrook Hospice see flyer attached or you can contact Willowbrook on 01744 453 798 or email events@willowbrookhospice.org.uk, you can also check out their website at  https://www.willowbrook.org.uk/

Healthwatch Halton are moving offices. 

As of Monday 3rd December 2018 the Healthwatch Halton team will be based at:

Suite 5,
Foundry House,
Waterside Lane
Halebank,
Widnes
WA8 8GT

Their contact number will remain the same 0300 777 6543

On Sunday,13th January 2019 at the Ibis Hotel, Haydock, 10:00am to 1:00pm anyone who may be interested will be welcomed and able to discuss the Advanced Drivers Courses with Members and Officers of the Group. The St Helens Group of Advanced Motorists offer substantial discounts to those aged 17 to 35 years, a saving of up to £89, you pay only £60 and a discount of £50 to those of 60 years and over.

Advanced drivers could get cheaper insurance, use less fuel and brake wear, gain confidence on motorways and rural roads and become more aware to avoid road collisions and injuries. Free driving assessments will be available and light refreshments are provided. If you wish you can contact them by mobile at 07849 674939 (after 6pm only), Email: contact @shgam.org.uk or visit their website: www.shgam.org.uk

Trustees' Week 2018

Between 12-16 November 2018 those in the third sector, and beyond, celebrated trustees during Trustee week.  Trustees are vital to the successful running of charities. They provide direction, guidance and valuable, practical skills, and what’s more they do it all for free. Trustees' week is the annual event that showcases and celebrates the role of trustees, the great work that they do and the many opportunities that are available for people to get involved with charities and groups local to them.  The Trustee Week website is still open and has many useful resources for trustees.  To find out what is available click on the link below

Trustee Week Website 

FFTransport are a not for profit organisation part of former forces support and have an affordable 17 seat community mini bus for hire, available with a driver or can be hired on a self drive basis. 

The minibus is available to book at an affordable rate

Self Drive:

• 4 hours £50 (minimum hire)
• 8 hours £80
• 12 hours £100
• 24 hours £150

If you need a driver they may be able to provide one at a cost of £10 per hour (the driver will stay for the whole duration of the minibus hire)

For more information or to check availability email fftranzport@gmail.com or use the contact area on the website www.formerforcessupport.co.uk/fftransport 

All bookings must be in writing and include the following

• Group name
• Date/s and time of travel
• Full address of destination
• Where the vehicle will be kept overnight (if applicable)
• Purpose of the trip