In many respects GLOW is a youth club much like any other, offering a safe space for young people to socialise and take part in a range of positive activities. They also offer a range of support and information including work to help young people understand issues around sexuality, gender and identity. They meet every Tuesday 7pm - 9pm at CRMZ, Kingsway, Widnes and offer:

• A friendly, safe space and a chance for you to meet other young people.
• Access to information and advice.
• Youth worker and peer support.
• Interactive education and awareness raising sessions.
• Activities including arts and crafts, sports, film nights, music and more
• Trips out
• Access to events, activities and other LGBT groups from across the North West

If you have any concerns or worries about attending the group or would like to speak with one of the youth workers about attending for the first time or you simply want some more information, please contact them on 0151 257 2530 or HaltonAdmin@addaction.org.uk. You can also see their current plans and additional information on Facebook at GLOW Halton Youth LGBT.

On 21st May the Play Resource centre will have been open at 10 Mersey Road for 21 years and they are planning a special day to celebrate!!

They would like to invite businesses, groups and individuals to celebrate with them by remembering their own special event in the last 21 years.... A wedding? A new business? New house? A personal achievement? A birth? Or even in memory of a loved one.

They are inviting people to 'sponsor a year' and will display a timeline on their building with each year, the sponsors and their memory.

There will be a minimum donation of £5 per year chosen.... As always higher donations would be more than welcome. Please call 01928 574087 or email hpcoffice10@gmail.com to register or ask for further details.

They will also be holding a belated birthday celebration for their beloved volunteer Bill's 101st Birthday that day between 12pm and 3pm and  invite you to go along and join in the festivities!

If so, please get in touch with NYAS St Helens who are looking for male and female volunteers to become Independent Visitors for children and young people who are Looked After from St Helens. It is a long term committment of meeting a young person once a month to do an activity. Full training & support and reinbursement of expenses given.

To find out more, please contact Diane Watmough on 0151 649 8700 or email diane.watmough@nyas.net

GET YOUR COPY HERE......

You should start preparing now for changes that GDPR will require to your current policies and procedures. GDPR is not just a tick box exercise and it needs all staff and volunteers to embrace new procedures.

To help you prepare for GDPR, NCVO and the ICO has a range of services that can offer direct and through partners to support you on your journey – Click on to the link below and scroll down to access their FREE Webinar to help you on your way...

see all of NCVO's GDPR support on this page.

A FREE PDF Guide for Charites and Voluntary Organisations available from NCVO​

Information Commissioners Office (ICO) Advice Service for Small Organisations - CLICK HERE

Many organisations register with us to recieve our E-Bulliten every two weeks but very often we post news and opportunities on our social media sites as soon as we get to hear about them so why not get yourself and your organisation connected to us on both Facebook and Twitter to hear it first...

Just CLICK and CONNECT on:    TWITTER     and    FACEBOOK          

 Asset Training will be holding an open day at;

 Helena Central,
 4 Corporation Street,
 St Helens Merseyside
 WA9 1LD 

on the 25th May at 13:30pm.

Training Courses include, Werehouse and forklift training, Business Amin skills and also first steps to IT.

Please note for the warehousing they offer this is held 2 days a week for 4 weeks (In S Helens ).

Eligibility- You must be 19+ and be receiving JCA, UC or ESA WRAG.

For anymore information please contact Asset Training on 0151 706 0586 or 01704 566 956.

 Asset Training will be holding an open day at;

 Helena Central,
 4 Corporation Street,
 St Helens Merseyside
 WA9 1LD 

on the 25th May at 13:30pm.

Training Courses include, Werehouse and forklift training, Business Amin skills and also first steps to IT.

Please note for the warehousing they offer this is held 2 days a week for 4 weeks (In S Helens ).

Eligibility- You must be 19+ and be receiving JCA, UC or ESA WRAG.

For anymore information please contact Asset Training on 0151 706 0586 or 01704 566 956.

Healthwatch St Helens are holding a Making The Right Choices For Your Healthcare Needs which will take place on 5th June 2018 at  The Totally Wicked Stadium, McManus Drive, St Helens, WA9 3AL

This will be your chance to find out about all the healthcare services that you can use across St Helens and where you should go to get the best treatment for your needs.

There will be a marketplace where you can find out about other support services on offer in St Helens.

Your speakers for the afternoon will be talking about:

• Calling for an ambulance
• Visiting your GP 
• Going to the walk-in Centre 
• Using A&E 
• Waste medications 
• When you need to take antibiotics 
• Out of hours service (Rota) 
• Using your pharmacy 
• NHS 111

Saints RLFC Player, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook will be making a special appearance and you will have the opportunity to have your photograph taken with him. By booking a place you will be entered into a prize draw to win 2 tickets to a Saints RLFC game (match to be agreed).

Where and When 

Tuesday 5th June at the Totally Wicked Stadium, McManus Drive, Saint Helens, WA9 3AL

Start Time:

Arrival at 12.30pm for registration and lunch.

Finish Time:

4pm. 

How To Book:

To book your place email: info@healthwatchsthelens.co.uk or telephone 0300 111 0007.

Gift Aid is one way that registered charities can generate further income on the public donations they already recieve but can be difficult to navigate and understand. Experts from HMRC will be providing delegates with up to date information to help in making the most of levering extra funding through Gift Aid along with covering Corporation Tax and demistfyng VAT.

To book your place click HERE and register today..

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside has opened this funding opportunity for charities, community groups and social enterprises who deliver projects that 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.

Grants of between £5,000 and £25,000 are available. The expectation is that most projects will be delivered over 12 months however, projects over a longer period may be considered. Consortia bids are encouraged and priority will be given to projects that tackle serious and organised crime. Projects must contribute to at least one of the following PCC Police and Crime Plan priorities:

• Prevent crime and Anti-Social Behaviour
• Tackling serious and organised crime
• Support victims, protect vulnerable people and maintain public safety
• Working in partnership to improve road safety

Closing date for applications: 11th June 2018 by 5pm

Decisions: July 2018

You can get further details and apply at the link below

http://www.cfmerseyside.org.uk/funds/crime-prevention-fund

Power to Change, is the independent trust supporting community businesses in England, they have a £5 million Community Business Fund and it’s reopening for applications on 24 April and closes on 22 May. Successful applicants will receive grants between £50,000 and £300,000 and they have a free webinar coming up to take people through the criteria, application process and what they've funded in other rounds.

For more information contact Collette Harvey by email on coletteh@powertochange.org.uk  or telephone number 0114 312 2260.

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

Please find attached the schedule of events, workshops and drop ins available hosted by the Deafness Resource Centre during Deaf Awareness Week (14th-18th May 2018) across both Halton & St Helens.

All Deafness Resource Centre events are free and open to everyone, please be aware that workshops such as the British Sign Language taster session and Songs in Sign must be reserved in advance.

They are also holding a poster competition and a raffle for more information on these and any of the events please contact Alison Wallace or Amie Johnson at the Deafness Resource Centre (contact details are at the bottom of this email).

Please note the first Halton deaf families group will take place Wednesday 23rd May 4pm-6pm in Hope Corner Church, Runcorn, further details will be released shortly.

Deafness Resource Centre Ltd
32-40 Dentons Green Lane
St Helens
Merseyside
WA10 2QB

Email: alison.wallace@deafnessresourcecentre.org

Website: www.deafnessresourcecentre.org

Telephone: 01744 23887

Skype (BSL): alison.jayne.wallace

One Halton VCSE sector event

Wednesday 20th June, 10am to 12 noon at Halton and St Helens VCA, St Maries, Lugsdale Road, Widnes, WA8 6DB

Halton and St Helens VCA are hosting a morning network meeting with a chance to hear from David Colin-Thome, Independent Chair of One Halton Programme Board on Halton’s progress towards integrating health and care services, the ambitions of the Board for a new way of working in Halton and the opportunities for VCSE sector groups to play a greater role in that work.

There will also be a chance to highlight your organisations work and influence VCA’s work as a member of the Programme board.

To book a place click on the link

Wednesday 30th May 10am to 12 noon at Halton & St Helens VCA, St Maries, Lugsdale Road, Widnes, WA8 6DB

Halton’s Prevention Model Event working together to improve health for our local population is taking place on Wednesday 30th May, 10am to 12 noon at Halton and St Helens VCA, St Maries, Lugsdale Road, Widnes, WA8 6DB.

As part of the One Halton approach, Eileen O’Meara, Halton’s Director of Public Health has been developing initial thoughts on a prevention framework and model for Halton.

VCA are hosting a network event to enable groups to hear directly from Eileen about the work so far and to have a chance to influence this and shape the model to ensure the VCSE sector is at the heart of it.

To book a place click on this link

St Helens Town Hall will play host to a Big Band Night charity evening on Saturday 2^nd June from 8pm, in aid of Willowbrook Hospice.

Guests will be treated to a selection of ballads and up tempo toe tappers from the likes of Glenn Miller, Count Basie and Benny Goodman which will be performed by 18-piece band ‘Easystreet Big Band’ with accompaniment from vocalists Kim Birkett and Phil Heyes.

Diane Swann, Senior Fundraiser for Willowbrook Hospice said:

 “The Big Band Night promises to be a great evening out whilst at the same time helping to raise funds to maintain the care and support services Willowbrook Hospice provides to people across the communities of St Helens and Knowsley.”

Tickets are priced at £10 per person and available from Willowbrook – The Living Well, (Borough Road, St Helens, tel: 01744 453798), Willowbrook St Mary’s charity shop (Church Square Shopping Centre, St Helens) and Frank Mernaugh on 01744 345073.

Letter from Dr Andrew Davies, Interim Clinical Chief Officer, NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group explaining the new interim arrangements between Halton CCG and Warrington CCG.

Re: Interim Integrated Working Arrangements Update

Further to my recent communication with regards to the interim arrangements in respect of my role as Clinical Chief Officer for NHS Warrington CCG and this extending to cover the interim accountable role at NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) for an initial interim period of 12 months, I am writing to provide you with an update. NHS Halton CCG and NHS Warrington CCG have shared a Chief Finance Officer since April 2017 and more recently have agreed to share the role of Chief Nurse following the retirement of the Chief Nurse at NHS Warrington CCG. 

Given this and the fact that Halton and Warrington CCGs already have a long established working relationship and that we share the same main acute provider Trust, community and mental health providers and a number of clinical pathways it made sense to explore the potential for a single interim integrated Management Team function serving both individual CCGs.

Since March 1st 2018 both CCG senior management teams have been meeting together to discuss where we do things twice that could practically be done once, for example elements of contract management, data analysis and communication and PR. 

The outcome of these discussions and a review of the roles and portfolios of the two Senior Management Teams have concluded with a proposal and agreement in principle that we will start to work as a single interim integrated management team function. 

I would like to reassure you that this is about working collaboratively with the sharing of roles to support both individual CCGs to deliver on their strategic objectives.  We also believe that this provides a real opportunity to build upon the work both boroughs already do together and make best use of the expertise, knowledge and skills across both CCGs. 

This proposal has the support of each individual CCG Audit Committee, which is the Governance Committee that oversees and seeks assurance regarding the discharge of statutory duties. In terms of next steps, following formal approval from both individual Governing Bodies, the single interim integrated management team arrangements will take effect from 1st June 2018.

Whilst roles such as Corporate, IT, Estates and Finance will be shared we will be retaining two separate Chief Commissioner roles, that will focus solely on the individual boroughs in line with the population based needs.

We fully acknowledge that there are distinct differences between both Halton and Warrington and the developments in each borough around place based commissioning will remain to be a key focus of the individual Chief Commissioner roles.

It is not unusual for CCGs to share management and functional roles and a number of CCGs in the Cheshire and Merseyside area have shared single management functions since they were authorised and established.

The new interim integrated management team will be larger than both the former individual management teams and a lot of work has been done to understand the portfolios and ensure that each role has the capacity to manage across both individual CCGs.

We are confident that these interim joint working arrangements will have a positive impact and that the working relationships across both boroughs will benefit local people as we bring together our expertise, knowledge and skills.

Members of the management team from both CCGs are looking forward to working together more closely to address the challenges, and make best use of the opportunities as collective and individual health and social care systems.

Finally, as always if you have any questions please let me know and I am more than happy to answer them.

Yours sincerely

Dr Andrew Davies

Interim Clinical Chief Officer

NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group

Age UK Mid Mersey is now taking referrals in the borough of Halton for the Call in Time service, a telephone friendship service for the over-60s. The service is staffed by trained volunteers and offers lonely older people a weekly chat. 

Any person aged 60 years of age or over can be referred to the service if all the following criteria apply:

• they are living alone or are a full-time carer for someone els
• they feel lonely
• they lack a local social support network
• they have access to a landline and are comfortable having conversations on the phone

Please note that the service may not meet the needs of people: 

• diagnosed with major depression or anxiety, short term memory loss or dementia
• with hearing impairment

A leaflet about the service can found by clicking the link below:

https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/sites/sthelenscvs.org.uk/files/webform/Age%20UK%20Mid%20Mersey%20Call%20In%20Time%20Leaflet.pdf 

If you require printed copies of the leaflet or have any questions about the service please feel free to contact: Joseph Lavelle, Projects & Campaigns Officer, Age UK Mid Mersey, 44 Church Street, Runcorn, WA7 1LR. Tel: 01928575400. Email: josephlavelle@aukmm.org.uk

The Co-op Foundation is seeking projects addressing youth loneliness through social action.

Successful applicants will receive up to £70,000 over two years, for projects that:

• create high-quality youth social action opportunities, which can be sustainably embedded into local provision
• overcome barriers to young people talking about loneliness, and help them to develop effective forms of mutual peer support.

Applications are now open, and will close on the 22nd June.

All the application guidance and how to apply can be found by clicking the link below:

https://blog.coopfoundation.org.uk/index.php/2018/04/26/iwillapplications/

Building a Fairer Financial System in Liverpool City Region Summit - A Stakeholder Workshop facilitated by the Just Finance Foundation

AIMS 
To map financial exclusion, identify who is affected and consider priority groups; To define what inclusion for these groups entails, what improvements could be made – over 3, 5 and 10yrs; To consider the causes and how they could be addressed, what’s already being done; To identify key actors, partnerships and who’s missing, also assets and barriers and how these could be addressed to make progress over the first three years.

WHO IS THIS WORKSHOP FOR?

Financial service providers, from banks and the Post Office, to community finance organisations, the rent to own sector, pay day lenders, ATM providers; Money advice and support agencies; Other essential service providers whose clients are excluded or at risk of exclusion eg health, housing, family etc in the private, public or third sectors Community change agents – churches and faith groups, resident and community interest groups; Intermediaries who influence the conditions for financial services and their access eg local authorities, town planners, regulators, investors, politicians, financial inclusion teams/strategy officers in banks, policy makers and parliamentary groups.

Individuals and families affected by financial exclusion will be consulted in parallel

WHAT WILL BE DONE WITH THE FINDINGS?

Notes of participants’ contributions will be recorded, written up and distributed so interested parties can use them to inform their own planning;

JFF will use the insight to develop a three year programme of development, working with partners to act on systemic change.

DATE AND TIME

Mon 4 June 2018

09:00 – 16:55 BST

LOCATION

The Quaker Meeting House
22 School Lane
Liverpool
L1 3BT

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

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/building-a-fairer-financial-system-in-liverpool-city-region-summit-tickets-45194555131

St Helens Foodbank's stock of food is getting quite low.  They would be grateful for any donations - especially of the following items.  

• Milk
• Sugar
• Juice
• Coffee
• Tomatoes
• Tinned Vegetables
• Cereal
• Tinned Potatoes
• Fish
• Tinned Fruit
• Long Grain Rice
• Rice Pudding
• Instant Mash
• Biscuits
• Toiletries

Items can be dropped of at:

Hope Centre
Atherton St
St Helens
WA10 2DT

9.30am-4pm Monday to Thursday
9.30am-1pm Friday

Exciting opportunity to join the Halton OPEN Committee!

Halton OPEN is the voice for older people living in Halton.

They are seeking to appoint volunteers to join our friendly and dynamic Committee and are looking for people who have an opinion about how they can improve the lives of older people in our community .

You must be over 50 and be a resident of Halton.

For further information about what we do please visit their website at www.haltonopen.co.uk
or telephone them on 01928 242034 / 07711 048933

Please feel free to display the attached flyer

Volunteers Week 2018 (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:

Quiz Night - Monday 4th June 7.30-10pm. Cost: FREE (Sandwiches provided, bring your own tipple) at St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB. For teams of upto 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

Widnes Promotion Event - Wednesday 6th June 10-1pm FREE, Widnes indoor market. Book your group a slot or come and chat with Volunteer Centre staff who will be promoting the latest volunteering opportunities from across Halton and beyond.

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

Llandudno Trip - Thursday 7th June 9.15-5pm Cost £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 to trip to Llandudno. Limited availability

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

Canal Boat Trip - Monday 11th June 10-4pm Cost £5, payable on booking, non-refundable. (optional pub lunch extra charge) Pick up at The Brindley. Sit back, relax and float along on a canal boat to Stockton Heath for a pub lunch.

https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/canal-boat-trip

Salsa Party- Friday 15th June 7.30-10.30pm Cost £7.50 payable on booking, non-refundable (hot supper included, bring your own tipple) at St Marie's. Payment can be made in cash or by cheque (made payable to Halton & St Helens VCA) at our office based in St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB. 

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

Wellbeing Enterpieses are  looking for an experienced and highly organised Administration Officer to ensure the smooth running of a community wellbeing service working in partnership with Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group and funded by Macmillan Cancer Support.

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

Key responsibilities:

• To receive and validate referrals from a wide range of sources and contact the patient to arrange a convenient appointment
• To provide comprehensive administrative support to the Macmillan Community Wellbeing Officers
• Book venues and prepare equipment and materials for wellbeing one to one appointments and group activities
• To assist in the production of a range of marketing and promotional materials
• To assist with the social media duties for the organisation including maintaining Twitter and Facebook
• Develop and implement robust administrative processes and procedures to ensure the efficient delivery and monitoring of the service
• Organise and coordinate meetings using online calendars and monitor uptake of group activities using online and telephone systems
• Take minutes and prepare agendas and papers for internal and external meetings
• Maintain paper and electronic records in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act
• General administration duties including: filing, photocopying, answering telephone calls, taking messages and data inputting
• To coordinate the work of any administrative apprenticeships or assistants in the organisation
• To carry out volunteer induction sessions and liaise with volunteers, patients, partners and the wider public

Closing date:

Thursday 3rd May (5.00pm)

For more information and how to apply:

http://www.wellbeingenterprises.org.uk/macmillan-community-wellbeing-administrator-vacancy/

My Turn is a 2-day programme open to women and men living in the Liverpool City Region who are currently not in paid employment. This positive programme will invite participants to build confidence and to explore what they really want for themselves and their future. My Turn offers a flexible approach where they can opt in to day one, day two or both days of the programme depending on their individual needs. 

Day one of the programme has a focus on personal development including:

• Focusing on The Positives
• Putting Yourself First
• Making The Change 

Day two will take a gentle approach to exploring next steps and will invite participants to think about:

• What Motivates You
• Setting Your Goals
• Your Next Step 

In addition to the two day programme, participants can progress their next steps with the ongoing support of a key worker. The key workers on this programme are experts in financial capability and can provide a tailored service depending on the individual needs. 

Day 1

Day 2:

Please note that there are wider dates across all areas and participants can attend any of these.

For bookings or queries please don't hesitate to contact the team via 0151 706 8111 or hello@thewo.org.uk

My Turn is free to attend, and funded by European Social Fund and Big Lottery Fund. 

Salary: Salary: £18,500 – £20,000 (6 month probationary period) 16 month fixed term contract

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Place of work: Liverpool City Region

Purpose of post:

Working in partnership with Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and funded by Macmillan Cancer Support this two year project aims to revolutionise the care provided to people living with a cancer diagnosis and their carers in the Liverpool area.

The project will connect patients with community based support that will complement the care provided by clinicians. The aim of the project is to help patients to identify and address any needs that may be impacting on health and wellbeing. Moreover, the project will help patients to rediscover and reconnect with their strengths and talents to help make friendships, learn new skills, build confidence and get the best out of life.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide one to one community based support to patients living with a diagnosis of cancer and their carers. Focusing specifically on the social dimensions of health and supporting patients to make positive lifestyle changes.
• Provide group based educational and hobby and interest activities and programmes that enable people to learn new skills, make friends, build resilience and have fun.
• To act as a ‘navigator’ and connect patients to a range of support services to address issues that may be impacting on patient and carer wellbeing.
• To work with patients and carers to ensure the service is meeting the needs of this group. Recognising patients and carers as ‘assets’ who have a vital role to play in designing and delivering the service.
• Collaborate with a wide range of partner organisations to deliver community based initiatives that aim to improve the health and wellbeing of the community.
• To monitor and record patient outcome data to determine the impact of the service. This will include telephone consultations with patients.
• To recruit, train and support a team of volunteers who will support the delivery of the service and help to kick start a social movement for health in Liverpool

Closing date: Thursday 3rd May (5.00pm)

For more information and how to apply:

http://www.wellbeingenterprises.org.uk/community-wellbeing-officer-vacancy-liverpool-region/

Ladies social badminton every Tuesday, 10am-12pm at Broadway Badminton Centre, Broadway, Grange Park, St Helens, WA10 3RY

Fun and friendly badminton sessions, no experience needed. Beginners very welcome! All equipment provided. Stay for an hour or stay for 2, it's up to you! £3/£6 respectively, including tea/coffee, contact Linda if you're interested at lindapilkington7@gmail.com or just turn up on the day.

The Fun Day will be held on Saturday 5th May 2018, 12pm-4pm, at Haresfinch Rugby and Community Club.

Attractions on the day include children's entertainer, bouncy castle, climbing wall, classic cars, pony rides, exotic animal demonstration, Irish dancers, brass band, hook-a-duck, tombola, lots of stalls - toys, books, sweets, plants, cakes, jewellery, and much more.

All funds raised will go towards helping the HoneyRose Foundation to grant more wishes to adults (and their families) aged 40+ suffering with cancer and other life threatening illnesses.

Widnes Promotion Event - Wednesday 6th June 10-1pm FREE, Widnes indoor market. Book your group a slot or come and chat with Volunteer Centre staff who will be promoting the latest volunteering opportunities from across Halton and beyond.

To book on or for more information contact Volunteer Centre Halton by phone: 01928 593112 or email: volunteerhalton@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Salsa Party- Friday 15th June 7.30-10.30pm Cost £7.50 payable on booking, non-refundable (hot supper included, bring your own tipple) at St Marie's. Join in the dancing or just enjoy the music. Demonstrations and help for beginners.

Payment can be made in cash or by cheque (made payable to Halton & St Helens VCA) at our office based in St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB. For more information contact Volunteer Centre Halton tel: 01928 593112 email: volunteerhalton@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Canal Boat Trip - Monday 11th June 10-4pm Cost £5, payable on booking, non-refundable. (optional pub lunch extra charge) Pick up at The Brindley. Sit back, relax and float along on a canal boat to Stockton Heath for a pub lunch.

Payment can be made either in cash or by cheque (made payable to: Halton & St Helens VCA) at our office based in St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB. For more information contact Volunteer Centre Halton on: 01928 593112 email: volunteerhalton@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Llandudno Trip - Thursday 7th June 9.15-5pm Cost £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 to trip to Llandudno. Limited availability

Payment can be made in cash or by cheque (made payable to Halton & St Helens VCA) at our office based in St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB. For more informaiton contact Volunteer Centre Halton on: 01928 593112 email: volunteerhalton@haltonvsthelensvca.org.uk

Quiz Night - Monday 4th June 7.30-10pm. Cost: FREE (Sandwiches provided, bring your own tipple) at St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB. For teams of upto 6 people - at least one must be a volunteer. Need help raising a full team? We can help you partner with another organisation.

To book your team or for more information contact Volunteer Centre Halton on: 01928 593112 email: volunteerhalton@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Wat Phra Singh UK Buddhist Temple and Meditation Centre in Runcorn will be celebrating the Thai New Year, or Songkran, on Sunday 29 April 2018 from 09:00 to 15:00, and everyone is welcome. The monks will be chanting in the marquee on the temple car park from 10:00 to 11:00 following which they will offer lunch to the monks.

In the afternoon there will be Thai and Laos cultural events on the stage in the marquee. They hope very much that you can join them on this auspicious occasion.

Venue:

Wat Phra Singh UK,
88 High Street,
Runcorn, WA7 1JH

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 reopened and all the information on registering an enquiry relating to a project is on the following page:

http://www.coalfields-regen.org.uk/what-we-do/division-missing/coalfields-community-investment-programme-ccip-funding-support/

The award winning UC Crew has received recognition from the High Sherriff of Merseyside Police, Stephen Burrows for their commitment and dedication to reducing youth anti-social behaviour at the Merseyside Crimebeat awards, part of the National Crimebeat awards at Merseyside Police HQ in Liverpool.

UC Crew was the only St Helens project to make it to the Merseyside Crime Beat round, they did this through primary and secondary school engagement projects and hosting a free regular free Parkour and Break Dancing session at Sutton Leisure Centre for 11 - 24 year olds. The 'Off the street project' was funded by the Community Foundation for Merseyside.

For more information about projects, break dancing and parkour contact hello@uccrew.co.uk

Saturday 12th May 2018. 2pm till 4pm.

The St Marie's Heritage Group are delighted to invite you to attend the next of our Heritage Events at St Marie's on Lugsdale Road, Widnes.

“Millions Like Us” is a wonderful, funny and moving book about growing up in our community. It was written by the late Chris Delooze and first published in 1994. If like Chris, you grew up in the districts of West Bank, Marabone, Moss Bank, Lugsdale or Newtown there will be an awful lot of the book that you recognised from your own life. As John Walsh wrote in the book’s forward; “her memory is our history”.

At the event on Saturday 12th May, we’ll be reading passages from the book before discussing our own memories.  It should be a lovely afternoon with the chance to see old friends & familiar faces and as always, there will be hot drinks and biscuits to enjoy.

To book your free place at this event, please contact Matthew Roberts via (01928) 592 405 or mroberts@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Please note that places are limited so please book your place quickly if you’d like to attend.

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

Haydock Male Voice Choir will be having their next concert with the ladies choir The Chanterelles and also soloist Ellie Hull. 

The concert will be taking place on Saturday 28th April 2018 commencing at 7:30 pm.

It will be taking place at; 

St Helens United Reformed Church,
Ormskirk Street,
St Helens,
WA10 2TD.

Tickets are priced at £10 and can be obtained by ringing Ray Christian on 0161 288 9918 or Alan Gaskell on 01744 734176 and from any choir member. 

Registration is now open for Willowbrook Hospice’s 5^th annual sponsored cycle challenge on Sunday 15 July!

Starting and finishing at Rainford High School, Ride 45 is an amazing 45 mile cycle challenge through some of the most scenic countryside in Merseyside, Wigan and West Lancashire.

Whether you’re a keen cyclist, an amateur rider or just looking to get fit for summer, Ride 45 is the challenge for you!

Entry is £20 per person and cyclists must be over 14 (with those under 16 being accompanied by an adult over the age of 18).

For more information or to register please visit http://www.willowbrook.org.uk/event/ride45/

Citizens Advice Halton has a number of volunteering opportunities for local people. No prior experience is needed as they have a really good training and support program for each role.

Some of the roles available are:

• Giving advice
• Receptionist
• Information assistants
• Telephone assessors

Different people get different things out of volunteering. However, volunteering for Citizens Advice is very different to many other volunteer roles. There is a great sense of achievement and satisfaction when you help someone and there is a real need for understanding of the things that will affect nearly everyone at some point in their lives. Citizens Advice Halton ensure that there are opportunities to build skills and develop yourself. There is also an emphasis on empowerment, equality and anti-discriminatory practices.

Volunteering helps some people improve their job prospects, gain experiences or support their studies. It can also help people to get to know their community or give something back to the area they know.

If you are interested and want more information, you can contact them via their website, citizensadvicehalton.org.uk or by telephone on 0151 257 2449 to leave a message and they will get back to you.

Merseytravel is interested in the views of people from across the region. They will be holding a series of focus groups to help test new products and services and gather feedback on the services they provide. They would like to hear from you if you can spare two hours, up to five times between April and December 2018. Participants will receive vouchers for each session attended.

How To Get Involved:

Complete the online survey at: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/focusgroupslcr

email: Focus.Groups.LCR@wsp.com

telephone: 0151 5580882

Twitter: @FocusGroupLCR #HaveYourSayMerseyside

From 1st April 2018, Healthwatch services in Halton will be provided by a new contract holder, Engaging Communities Staffordshire CIC (ECS). For a bit of background information on ECS http://www.ecstaffs.co.uk/

The change of provider has led to a restructuring of the support team for Healthwatch Halton.

Sadly they are losing their admin officer, Julie Doyle, who has been a member of the team for almost five years.  Matthew Roberts who has very ably led the team for the past 18 months, will be returning to Halton & St Helens VCA in a full-time role.

From 1st April the Healthwatch Halton team will be:

Dave Wilson – Manager
dwilson@healthwatchhalton.co.uk

Irene Bramwell – Community Outreach Lead  
ibramwell@healthwatchhalton.co.uk

Jude Burrows – Engagement & Information Lead
jburrows@healthwatchhalton.co.uk
 

Contact details will remain exactly the same:

Healthwatch Halton, St Marie’s, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB
Tel: 0300 777 6543
General Email – enquiries@healthwatchhalton.co.uk

Everyone at Halton & St Helens VCA would like thank to our former colleagues with Healthwatch Halton for all their hard work with VCA and wish them continued success with the project. We look forward to working alongside them in the future.

Concern for the Community - The Co-op Foundation is working with UK Youth to find out how they can help local youth services do more to tackle loneliness. Their blog explains more, including a link to their youth worker survey. 

https://blog.coopfoundation.org.uk/index.php/2018/03/20/youth-workers-what-would-help-you-do-more-to-tackle-loneliness/

Anyone who works with young people, in either a paid or voluntary capacity, can contribute to the research. 

Sefton CVS are seeking to enhance how they deliver support to the voluntary, community and faith (VCF) sector across Sefton.  Moving to a locality based model of delivery they are looking to appoint three Area Leads to join them to deliver on this ambition. 

Leading a small staff team within a defined locality, post holders will enhance volunteering and access to funding for local groups and organisations supporting them to respond to the needs of local residents.  The roles also include taking responsibility for one of the following thematic areas: Equalities and Mental Wellbeing; Children, Young People and Families; and Older Citizens. 

If you are committed to making a difference for local people through the voluntary, community and faith sector and have the experience, drive and ambition then this could be a role for you. 

Job Title: Area Lead
Salary: £34,538 per annum
Location: To be assigned to one of the following areas: South, Central or North Sefton
Hours: 35 hours (Full Time)
Accountable to: Senior Management team (SMT) in the first instance
Responsible for: Locality Team frontline staff

Downloads:
Job Description & Person Specification (Word / PDF)
Application Form (Word / PDF)
Guidance Notes (Word / PDF)
Diversity Monitoring Form (Word / PDF)
Criminal Convictions Declaration (Word / PDF)

Closing Date: 10 am on Monday 16th April 2018.

Interviews: Thursday 19th April 2018.  

Please note: candidates must be available to attend interview. 

All completed applications and for any enquiries, please email recruitment@seftoncvs.org.uk.

Do you know of a local cause that could benefit from funding?  

The Co-op Local Community Fund supports causes that bring people together and make a difference. 

Have you applied before and been unsuccessful? They've now changed some of their criteria and can support a wider variety of causes, so please apply again, you might be eligible this time around.

Applications close Sunday 8th April 2018.  

Find out more and apply coop.co.uk/causes  

If you or someone you know struggles with sight loss, Vision Support may be able to help you with things like; 

• Independent living 
• IT Training (computer lessons) 
• Low vision and daily living aids
• Volunteering opportunities 
• Home Visiting 
• Social clubs and activites 
• Welfare and benefits Advice 

Their mobile information unit will be visiting Halton on the following date 

Wednesday 4th April

Select Security Stadium,
Lowerhouse Lane,
Widnes 

at 10.00am-12.00pm 

And also 

Co-operative Food,
Old town,
Runcorn 

at 1:00pm-3:00pm 

For anymore information you can contact Vision Support at- 

ILC,
Collier St,
Runcorn,
Cheshire, 
WA7 1HB.

Or call them on 01928 582946. 

Are you a Woman born in the 1950's who would like to join a group of women against state pension inequality to campaign against the rise in the state pension age. 

You will be part of the National WASPI campaign asking for fair transitional arrangements for all women affected by the 1995 pensions act raising womens pension age from 60, and the subsequent 2011 act accelerating this rise. 

WASPI are meeting on Wednesday 10th April 2018. at 7:30pm. 

They are meeting at: 

United Service Club,
Prescot Road,
Widnes,
WA8 7PD

Come along and add to the swarm, you will get a buzz.

Widnes & Runcorn Cancer Support Group
Tel: 0151 423 5730

VACANCY - Outreach and Engagement Worker

Widnes & Runcorn Cancer Support Group has a vacancy for an Outreach and Engagement Worker to be based at their Widnes Centre but working across Halton.

The vacancy is for 17.5 hours per week.

In the first instance this role is offered for one year.

The opportunity offers pro rata remuneration at NJC Grade 3 spine point 16, £17,419 (Pro rata yearly salary is £8,709.5)

The role offers the equivalent to four weeks paid annual leave plus a pro rata share of eight days bank holidays.

The closing date for receipt of applications has been extended to 5pm Thursday 12th April. ​

Interviews will be held week commencing 16th April 2018.

For more information (including details of how to apply for this role) please click on the attached PDF

Training Strategies Ltd, are based in Liverpool but work across the North West.

Training Strategies Ltd are in a very fortunate position to have 90% Government Funded training, this means you would only pay 10% of the total cost (non –levy payers).

As part of the service for levy payers they can support you to ensure that you are meeting the requirements set by the government in the Apprenticeship Levy.   Working with businesses to align their learning and development needs so that, where possible, these qualifications are funded by the Levy .

About Training Strategies Ltd:

• High quality “local” Independent Training Provider, currently working with over 200 satisfied employers, over 1,000 learners into employment as a result of our training programmes.
• Approved on the Government Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers. Matrix and Investor in People Accredited.
• Graded “Good by Ofsted”. March 2015
• Exceptional Success and Achievement Rates. Apprenticeship success rates of 82% compared to national average of 67.0%
• FE Choices, nationally published Learner feedback fantastic at 97.6% – placing us with the top 10% of providers nationally 

Courses offered

Care

• Adult’s Health & Social Care (level 2, 3)
• Children’s Health & Social Care (level 2, 3)
• Leadership in Health & Social Care (level 5)

Facilities

• Facilities Management (level 3)
• Facilities Services (level 2)

Business

• Team Leading (level 2)
• ILM Management (level 3, 4, 5)
• Business Admin (level 2, 3, 4)
• Sales (level 2, 3)
• Customer Service (level 2, 3)
• Contact Centre (level 2, 3)

General

• Learning and Development (level 3)
• Warehousing (level 2)
• Performing Manufacturing Operations (level 2)
• Cleaning and Support Services (level 2)
• Hospitality Services (level 2, 3)

All training is delivered at your premises and there is no limit to the number of staff you can place on a course.

The main benefit of the training is to ensure all employees have been trained in the same way, to the same high standard covering key competency areas.

For more information please contact

Sharon Blaney
Account Manager

Tel    0151 523 9655
Mob  07590 880 494

sharonblaney@trainingstrategies.co.uk

Training Strategies Ltd
22 Oriel Road, Bootle
Liverpool, L20 7AD

The St. Helens Group of Advanced Motorists has recently secured funding through the St Helens Council from the Merseyside Road Safety Partnership for the Group to discount the Advanced Driver Course by £89 from £149 for drivers in the age range 17 to 35 incl. they will only pay £60! The group can give this discount to 45 young drivers over the next three years. They also offer a generous discount for the over 60’s reducing the course fee to £99. Free driving assessments are available to drivers of all ages, if you feel that they can help with improving your driving skills please contact M: Kay at 07849 674939 (after 6pm only) or Email: contact@shgam.org.uk and view their website at www.shgam.org.uk. 2018 courses start in May and September.

The completion of Inpatient Unit refurbishment at Halton Haven Hospice is on hold whilst the Hospice seek out additional funding.

The majority of work on the refurbishment has been completed but a few setbacks have led to unexpected and unwanted additional expenditure, meaning the Hospice requires a further £9,000 to finish the project.

Since work began on at the Runcorn-based adult hospice, all twelve patient bedrooms have been decorated and fitted with new beds, furniture, televisions and music systems. Three of the rooms were also relocated to provide views of the Hospice gardens. The Inpatient Unit now also has improved shower and bathing facilities for all patients, a more secure drug room, and a calmer better-located Quiet Room, an area for patients’ families and visitors to have some time to themselves.

To date, over £80,000 has been raised for the refurbishment, thanks to the generosity of local people, companies and organisations, and a donation of £42,000 from the Morrisons Foundation.

However, costs increased dramatically when several issues became apparent during the refurbishment, due mainly to the age and fabrication of the building; the floor of the bathroom and surrounding areas had to be dug out and resurfaced to ensure it would remain strong enough for future use, some support rods for plastering work had to be replaced, and a hole in a different floor had to be fixed after it gave way during ongoing works.

This unexpected increase in costs means the Hospice now requires a further £9,000 just to complete the essential aspects of the refurbishment which have already begun. This includes providing furniture and soft furnishings for visitors in patient rooms.

Viv Culleton, Director of Care and Operational Services at Halton Haven Hospice, said “The issues with the building that we discovered during the works have hit us hard. Sadly, instead of spending people’s generous donations on beds, paint and other furniture, we’ve had to put the money towards ensuring the building is safe for our patients, visitors and staff.

“The local community have been so generous in getting us this far in the refurbishment and we didn’t want to be in a situation where we find ourselves asking for further support. But sadly we need to find another £9,000 to complete what has been started.”

Donations can be made at www.tinyurl.com/hhhrefurb or www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/haltonhavenhospice/inpatientunitrefurb, or contact the Hospice on 01928 712 728 or info@haltonhaven.co.uk.

​After four years of preparation and debate the GDPR was finally approved by the EU Parliament on 14 April 2016. Enforcement date: 25 May 2018 - at which time those organisations in non-compliance may face heavy fines. 

The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) replaces the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC and was designed to harmonise data privacy laws across Europe, to protect and empower all EU citizens data privacy and to reshape the way organisations across the region approach data privacy. 

ICO (Information Commissioner's Office) have produced a guide to GDPR to help organisations prepare for the new regulations.  The Guide to the GDPR explains the provisions of the GDPR to help organisations comply with its requirements. It is for those who have day-to-day responsibility for data protection.

This is a living document and they are working to expand it in key areas. It includes links to relevant sections of the GDPR itself, to other ICO guidance and to guidance produced by the EU’s Article 29 Working Party. The Working Party includes representatives of the data protection authorities from each EU member state, and the ICO is the UK’s representative.

Alongside the Guide to the GDPR, they have produced a number of tools to help organisations to prepare for the GDPR, including "12 steps to take now" and "Getting ready for GDPR Checklist":

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/

The ICO are also issuing guidance for not-for-profit organisations, which aims to answer questions regularly raised by charities and voluntary organisations. You can access the information using the link below:

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/charity/

St Helens Bereavement Service have moved to the Deafness Resource Centre, 32-40 Dentons Green Lane, St Helens, WA10 2QB.  The have retained their phone number which is 01744 451793, you can contact them on Monday, Wednesday or Friday from 10am to 1pm or email sthelensberserv@gmail.com.

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

Carmel College are offering you the chance to come along to try some free workshops aimed at gardening. The workshops will consist of home composting, gardening in containers and gardening for enterprise. They see this as a great opportunity for the local community and entrepreneurs to expand their knowledge and skills around this subject. These workshops will be run by experts in this field with support and guidance being offered along the way.

When:

14th March - Home Composting 1:15-3:15                                                                                                                                           

19th March – Gardening in Containers 10:30-12:00                                                                                                                                      

28th March – Gardening for Enterprise 10:30-12:00 

Where:

Carmel College, Prescot Road, St Helens, WA10 3AG. The workshops will be located in the foundation learning centre in Carmel College.

Book your place on these workshops by emailing foundationlearning@carmel.ac.uk

On Wednesday 28th March at 7.30pm at the St Helens RFC Totally Wicked Stadium there will be a St Helens Memorial Service for anyone who has been affected by suicide.

If you would like to attend the memorial service simply turn up, or to secure your seat please visit www.listening-ear.co.uk or call 0330 0889255

Come and celebrate the first birthday of Parents in Mind Halton at a fun, informative, child friendly event on Monday 12th March, 10am to 1pm at Ditton Community Centre. 

FREE

• Buffet
• Kids craft
• Soft play
• Musical entertainment
• Beauty therapies
• Samples
• FREE entry

Find our more about their mental health peer support service designed to support pregnant ladies and new mums across Halton.  For more information call Catherine on 07702 900894 or email parentsinmind.halton@nct.org.uk

10th May 2018 - Beacon Building, College Street, St Helens:- We will use the time to explore topics such as: Why do applications fail? Policies and Procedures  - why do they matter? Telling funders about your organisation - the Do's and Don'ts. The workshop will be delivered by Annie Lawrenson and will include group work, discussion and case studies.

It is FREE for VCA Members and a charge of £60 for Non VCA Members... NOT SURE if your organisation are members? then contact Lynne Daffern on ldaffern@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Or to register for the workshop CLICK HERE

Saints Community Development Foundation got in touch with Halton & St Helens VCA in April 2017 asking for support in moving thier organisation forward and alongside registering them with the Charity Commission VCA have also worked with the Foundation in stregnthening their Board of Directors, governance and finances.

Steve Leonard said "The Saints Foundation cannot thank you enough for all your hard work getting us our Charity status" We believe that we can go on to achieve bigger and better outcomes within our community on the back of your hard work and cannot wait to work alongside Halton and St Helens VCA again. Club Captain James Roby said “Our Foundation does a lot of hard work within our community and quite rightly we as players are proud to support them whenever we can. So It is good to see other such organisations who are Community focussed like St Helens VCA helping out to make a bigger difference.

Steve Leonard Foundation Director said “ from day 1 the staff have been been brilliant, they made every step easy for us and nothing was too much trouble. Such a fantastic organisation in Halton and St Helens VCA and we very much like to thank them for all their hard work”

Babies born with HIV in Africa tend to be sent home wrapped in newspaper as they do not have any clothing, so the project involves following a pattern to make either a beanie style hat or a vest. 

If you can crochet these items they would also be very welcome, however there isn't a crocheting pattern.

If you would like to participate please contact Sarah Challands for a copy of the pattern, and please pass this on to as many people as you can, as the project needs all the help it can get!

Sarah.Challands@sthelensymca.org.uk

01744 455030

Facilitated by HMRC the workshop will be an opportuntiy to ask the experts in all things Gift Aid, Corporation Tax and VAT...Gift Aid is one way that registered charities can generate further income on the public donations they already recieve but can be difficult to navigate and understand. Experts from HMRC will be providing delegates with up to date information to help in making the most of levering extra funding through Gift Aid along with covering Corporation Tax and demistfyng VAT.

MORE INFORMATION and Booking

Sahir House are recruiting a Macmillan LGBT Cancer Programme Co-ordinator (full time £25,951-27,6680) for the Liverpool City Region (for one year initially)

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.

Applicants should send a short CV (up to two pages) and a covering letter demonstrating both: how they meet each of the criteria in the person specification (another two pages max) to Sahir House.

Sahir House is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We 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 6 month probationary period, satisfactory references and DBS check.

Closing date for applications: 12 noon on Thursday 15th March 2018

Full job description and person specification can be downloaded from their website here

Full time permanent position (Circa £34,000 plus competitive benefits package)

The role of Grant Manager requires an individual with at least 3 years’ experience of providing support for charities through business development as well as previous experience in undertaking grant assessment and grant management work, with established networks across the voluntary sector and with a good understanding of the environment that small and medium charities are operating in.

Applications for the position close on Thursday 8th March 2018.

For more information and how to apply please visit their website: Working for us | Lloyds Bank Foundation

Purpose of Post:

Wellbeing Enterprises are looking for an experienced and highly organised Administration Officer to ensure the smooth running of a community wellbeing service working in partnership with Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group and funded by Macmillan Cancer Support.

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

Key responsibilities:

• To receive and validate referrals from a wide range of sources and contact the patient to arrange a convenient appointment
• To provide comprehensive administrative support to the Macmillan Community Wellbeing Officers
• Book venues and prepare equipment and materials for wellbeing one to one appointments and group activities
• To assist in the production of a range of marketing and promotional materials
• To assist with the social media duties for the organisation including maintaining Twitter and Facebook
• Develop and implement robust administrative processes and procedures to ensure the efficient delivery and monitoring of the service
• Organise and coordinate meetings using online calendars and monitor uptake of group activities using online and telephone systems
• Take minutes and prepare agendas and papers for internal and external meetings
• Maintain paper and electronic records in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act
• General administration duties including: filing, photocopying, answering telephone calls, taking messages and data inputting
• To coordinate the work of any administrative apprenticeships or assistants in the organisation
• To carry out volunteer induction sessions and liaise with volunteers, patients, partners and the wider public
• Uphold Wellbeing Enterprises CIC’s core values: People Power, Positive Places and Productive Partnerships 

Closing date: Tuesday 20th March at 1pm

For more information or to apply please go to: http://www.wellbeingenterprises.org.uk/macmillan-community-wellbeing-administrator-vacancy/

The St Helens Group of Advanced Motorists has recently secured funding through St Helens Council from the Merseyside Road Safety Partnership, for the Group to discount the Advanced Driver Course for drivers in the age range 17 to 35 by £89 from £149, they only pay £60!  The group can give this discount to 45 young drivers over the next three years.

They also offer a generous discount for the over 60’s reducing the course fee to £99. Free driving assessments are available to drivers of all ages and if you feel that they can help with improving your driving skills. 

For more information please contact M: Kay on 07849 674939 (after 6pm only) or Email: contact@shgam.org.uk and view their website at https://www.iamroadsmart.com/groups/sthelensam.

2018 courses start in May and September.

The Merseyside Community Investment Fund aims to bring together businesses, organisations and individuals to address urgent social issues whilst making a modest financial commitment to collectively have a greater impact in the improvement of our communities.

The fund aims to support projects that may struggle to access funding from other sources.  As funding for this programme is unrestricted grants awarded from this fund can be used to respond to local issues of concern to the community or pro-actively tackle an urgent social need. The panel is also keen to fund projects that fit in with the social themes identified in the recent "Vital Signs" report, which can be viewed at http://www.cfmerseyside.org.uk/knowledge/vital-signs-2016

How much is available: up to £1000 (or more in exceptional circumstances). The total budget available is £15k so the fund will be closed when an oversubscription ration of 3:1 has been received.

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

Any special criteria: Download full criteria here

NB: Priority will be given to the following:

• Projects that target disadvantage and or deprivation
• Projects that encourage the community to take a pro-active approach to make a difference in their communities
• Ongoing activities rather than one off events
• Groups with small reserves as long as they are viable
• Innovative projects that would not be normally considered for funding by corporate driven criteria

The closing date is 26 March 2018 – this may be earlier depending on the number of applications received (as mentioned above)

Click here to apply

Footsteps 2000 Ltd have a new website and email addresses. The website and email addresses have changed due to some IT problems they were having.  Everything is as it was with .uk added at the end.  Please will you update your information on Footsteps 2000 Ltd as follows:

Website:  www.footstepsforfamilies.org.uk

Email address:  info@footstepsforfamilies.org.uk

Email addresses for staff:  Tony Murphy – murphyt@footstepsforfamilies.org.uk Pauline Pointon – pointonp@footstepsforfamilies.org.uk

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust has reopened the enquiry survey for the Coalfields Community Investment Programme providing funding up to £10,000. They also offer practical help to organisations/groups operating in the former coalfield areas in England.

The Coalfields Community Investment Programme – Funding Support is a £500,000 fund created to support activities that tackle some of the key challenges that still remain in coalfield communities. Funding of up to £10,000 is available for 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 projects that increase participation in activities/services that improve the health and wellbeing of people in former coalfield communities.

The offer is now reopened and all the information on registering an enquiry and applying for funding relating to a project is on the following page:

http://www.coalfields-regen.org.uk/what-we-do/division-missing/coalfields-community-investment-programme-ccip-funding-support/

Please read all the information and the guidance notes carefully before deciding whether to complete the Eligibility Survey.

The Coalfields Community Investment Programme – Practical Help is a range of free services and resources available to registered/incorporated organisations such as registered charities, companies limited by guarantee, community interest companies and charitable incorporated organisations operating in the top 30% most deprived coalfield communities.

For more information please see the link below:

http://www.coalfields-regen.org.uk/what-we-do/division-missing/coalfields-community-investment-programme-ccip-practical-support/

The deadline is looming for organisations who want a share of £115,000 to help make Merseyside 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.

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 money is coming from the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority and Veolia Community Fund 2018/19.

The deadline for submission of Expressions of Interest is Wednesday 28th February 2018.

The impact of last year’s Fund saw 10 projects deliver 23 full time equivalent jobs (created or safeguarded), participation by 136 volunteers, 25,970 people directly engaged, 1345 tonnes of waste material diverted from landfill and £134,500 of equivalent landfill costs avoided.

Chairperson of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA), Councillor Graham Morgan, 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.”

Previous Community Fund projects have included:

• creating a sensory learning garden from re-used materials in St Helens
• the development of a shop in Wirral to sell used clothes
• the repair and re-use of unused furniture for redistribution to the local community in Halton
• cookery skills clubs to help reduce food waste across Merseyside and Halton
• sewing classes in Knowsley
• timber waste re-use at a local community farm in Liverpool
• improving online retail skills for a charity shop in Sefton

This year 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 in 2016 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.

Interested groups should complete and submit an Expression of Interest with MRWA. If applicants are shortlisted then they will be asked to fill in a more detailed Community Fund entry. Projects will have ten months to deliver their schemes and will be expected to get started by June.

Organisations interested in this year’s Community Fund can:

• Download the Expression of Interest Form and Guidance at www.merseysidewda.gov.uk/waste-strategy/community-fund/community-fund-201819/    
• Contact the Authority by Email: communityfund2018-19@merseysidewda.gov.uk  / Tel: 0151 255 1444

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF EXPRESSION OF INTEREST:  28th February 2018

With support from Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the FSI is delivering a heavily subsidised training event in Liverpool on 25th April offering small and local charities and community groups four courses on key fundraising topics. Training courses on offer include Developing Your Fundraising Strategy, Fundraising from Trusts & Foundations, GDPR Essentials, Budgets, Management Accounts and Cash Flow Forecasting. 

Places fill up fast, so book your place today to access this fantastic training opportunity: http://bit.ly/2BSTAy1 

Volunteer Coordinator

Catalyst Science Discovery Centre in West Bank, Widnes

Hours of Work: Fixed term contract for 6 months. P/T – 2 days equivalent per week (based on 8hr day)

Place of Work: Based in Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, Widnes

Remuneration: £150.00 per day (inc all expenses)

Responsible to: Friends of Catalyst

Purpose of post: They are looking for a passionate and empathetic individual with qualifications and/or experience in Volunteer Coordination to play a crucial role in the delivery of the project to bring more volunteers into Catalyst and support them with their training needs and to enhance their experience of volunteering.

Catalyst is the only Centre in the UK which explores the science and technology behind the chemical industry and its impact on our lives through a host of hands-on exhibits, activities and demonstrations - for further details, see http://www.catalyst.org.uk .

Catalyst is a Registered Charity and is funded by entrance fees, grants, sponsorship & donations. Friends of Catalyst is a registered charity and provides support via donations and expertise. They are funding this post through a grant from Big Lottery Awards for All.

For an Application Form, Job Description and Person Spec please email: funding@halton.gov.uk or call: 0151 511 7960

The closing date is Mon 5th March 2018 and interviews will be held on Thursday 15th March 2018

The post is funded by the National Lottery Big Lottery Fund.

St Helens CDP (Coaltion of Disabled People) are proud to be working in partnership with Merseyside Police and the Liverpool Commonwealth Association to Service cycles and make them ready for shipment over to the Caribbean. In 2017 several small Caribbean islands were left devastated in the wake of hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Due to the reduction in motorised transportation the urgent need for the population was to have delivered cycles. A shipment is due to leave in July of this year. The cargo will be loaded in the Merseyside area and shipped to the Port of Road Town which is located on Tortola, British Virgin Island. 

CDP members are proud to be involved in such a worthwhile project and are currently working on bikes donated by several police forces. 

If you feel that you could support this project in any way then please contact them on the details below:

Email: info@sthelenscdp.co.uk

Telephone: 01744 453343

Address: Nuttall House, Clifton Street, St Helens. WA10 1EX

MSP (Merseyside Sports Partnership) are supporting social enterprise Oomph! to offer out a sustainable proposal to encourage community organisations across the Liverpool City Region to improve physical activity levels of older adults aged 65+.

Oomph! is an award winning social enterprise on a mission to ensure that older and vulnerable adults across the UK live life to the full. They believe that physical activity should be a habit to be enjoyed by older adults living in the community, delivered in familiar venues by familiar people.

Oomph have received £914,000 from Sport England, as the largest recipient of their new ‘Active Ageing’ fund. Through this funding they will get 27,000 inactive older adults active for at least 30 minutes a week through partnering with organisations who are experts in older adults, providing accredited training and support to these organisations to maximise their resources to enable older people to enjoy fun, accessible and sustainable activity.

Here's an example of what an Oomph! session training looks like: 

Organisations in the Liverpool City Region can take up a heavily subsidised and sustainable package of support from Oomph in order to increase activity levels and outcomes for older adults. This opportunity is open to organisations who support groups of older adults in the Liverpool City Region (including Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and on the Wirral), and could include:

• Extra care schemes
• Retirement living operators
• Sheltered housing schemes
• Day Care Centres
• Community Centres
• Libraries
• Church groups

n.b.: Care homes are not eligible for this subsidised offer, but can access the Oomph programme separately.

Click here  to access further information about the proposal, and for any questions or to register your interest please contact d.woodworth@merseysidesport.com or call 077300 28773.

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 training; HIV information; prevention and testing; and opportunities to volunteer.

After a successful tenure securing existing, and sourcing new funding, their current CEO is moving to another role. The organisation has recently improved governance, recruited new trustees, gained ISO9001 registration and won the 2017 GSK IMPACT Award as one of the best small health charities in the UK.

Chief Executive Officer – full time c£45k per annum

They are recruiting a suitably experienced CEO to guide the charity through its next stage of development. In particular they are looking for someone who can demonstrate:

• Significant senior management experience in the voluntary sector (or closely related field)
• The ability to work with stakeholders including: service users, volunteers, politicians, clinicians, commissioners, staff and supporters
• Strategic awareness and the ability to lead change in the organisation and in the sector
• Good core senior management skills, including strategic management of finance, marketing and human resources

Applicants should send a short CV (up to two pages) and a covering letter demonstrating both: how they meet the criteria in the person specification and their vision for how they would take the charity forward (another two pages max). Call Sahir House at the number below if you would like a call back from their Chair for an informal chat about the role.

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 subject to a 6 month probationary period, satisfactory references and DBS check.

Closing date for applications: 12 noon Tuesday 6th March 2018

Shortlisting: Later that week

Interviews: Wednesday 14th March 2018

Ideal start date: April 2018 however we understand candidates may have longer notice periods and will accommodate this

Full job description and person specification can be downloaded from their website here

Date: Tuesday 20th February 2018 - 10.00am – 1.00pm
Venue: Karalius Suite, Select Security Stadium, Lowerhouse Lane, Widnes. WA8 7DZ

Are you looking for training, qualifications, work or work experience and live in Halton?

The Ways to Work team and Halton Employment Partnership are holding an event focussing on the opportunities available linked to the Mersey Gateway and Silver
Jubilee bridges, which include the following fields:

• Customer Service
• Contact Centre Operations
• Construction
• Highway Maintenance
• Volunteering

A range of opportunities are available for people living in Halton and the Liverpool City Region:

• Training to develop skills the employers are looking for
• Training leading to relevant qualifications
• Vacancies for jobs linked to both bridges
• Work experience opportunities for adults
• Volunteering opportunities

Places are limited so DON’T MISS OUT – please come along to the stadium and register to access these opportunities. (Bring ID and Right to Work in the UK evidence documents)

Enquiries: telephone 0151 511 7555 or email: w2wreferrals@halton.gov.uk

Cycling or walking can offer a free/low cost and practical solution, especially where shifts or location rule public transport out. St Helens Council's Sustainable Transport Team can help you get to a new job through cycling or walking support. 1-2-1 support and advice is available through the 6 Community Bike Hubs across the Borough, or to groups within a community setting.

If you’re a job-seeker they can show you how to look after your bike and ride safely and with confidence. Eligible applicants could also receive £100 Halfords voucher towards a new bike or walking equipment (numbers are limited and eligibility rules apply). Support is available to job seekers or those within the first 6 months of employment. You could also volunteer and learn new skills that could lead to employment.

For further information please contact the Cycling and Walking to Work Hubs Initiative via email sustainabletransport@sthelens.gov.uk,

This project is wholly funded from the Department for Transport Cycling and Walking to Work Fund.

Attached is the latest edition of the Liverpool City Region Apprenticeship Hub newsletter, outlining all Apprenticeships Hub activity in Halton since the project started in May 2017.  

This is a new format, due to the vast amount of activity delivered to date by the LCR Apprenticeship Hub, they felt it would be useful for stakeholders in each of the LCR Authorities to receive information specifically relating to their own area.  However, if you would also like to receive the editions from any of the other Local Authority areas, please contact debi.shackley@halton.gov.uk

Have you thought about making the most of your organisational capacity and increasing your fundability?

Becoming a member of St Helens Third Sector Consortium could help you!

St Helens Third Sector Consortium has been running for 2 years and in this short time has already been successful in several funding opportunities, including a large public sector contract, giving VCSE organisations the opportunity to work together to deliver services and access support from each other.

For more details and an up to date prospectus please contact Catherine Cahalin at ccahalin@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk or call 01744 457112 for a chat

Autism & Asperger Society are organizing an awareness walk at Taylor Park, St Helens to celebrate World Autism Day on the 8th April 2018.

The walk will be taking place on Sunday 8th April starting at 1:50pm.  

There will be many things to do such as a children's fairgroud, information, awareness and funding, starting at 12pm-5pm.  

For anymore information contact the  Autism & Asperger Society by email- contact@theautismark.org. 

Or call them on- 01744 362260.

For sponsor forms please see attachment 

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.

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

Come along to Healthwatch St Helens Listening Event to find out about Community Nursing Services in St Helens and share your own experiences and views. 

They  want to know what works well and what could be improved. Professor Sarah O’Brien, Intrim Chief Accountable Officer for St Helens CCG will give a brief overview, and a representative from the Community Nursing service will be on hand to answer your questions. 

To book your place please contact Debbie on: 0300 111 0007 or email: deast@healthwatchsthelens.co.uk

Date: 20 Feb 2018 - 10:00 to 12:00 
Location: Beacon Building, College Street, St Helens. WA10 1TF

Registration is now open for this year’s Willowbrook Hospice Moonlight Colour Walk with a limited Early Bird offer of £10 per adult for those who sign up before midnight on 14 February.

The walk, which is on Saturday 9 June, is the charity’s most colourful fundraising event with people of all ages and abilities encouraged to join in the fun as they take on either a 6.5k or 10k route with the option of being showered by rainbow coloured powder paint.

Entry for children under 16 is £5 and will be £15 for adults who sign up after the 14 February. All walkers will receive a T shirt, a medal and a well-earned bacon butty (or alternative) at the end of walk.

Diane Swann, Senior Fundraiser at Willowbrook says: “Last year was the first time we offered walkers the option of getting ‘colour splashed’ and everyone seemed to really enjoy it! This year we’re hoping that even more people will come along to join in the fun. Although there’s no minimum sponsorship, every penny raised by our walkers will go towards the £4.5 million that it costs every year to maintain our care services to people across St Helens and Knowsley.”

To register, either go online at https://willowbrookhospice.charitycheckout.co.uk/MLW, ring Willowbrook’s Fundraising team  on 01744 453798 or pop into The Living Well on Borough Road, St Helens.

Disabled Childrens Services at Halton Borough Council in partnership with Everton in the Community have arranged activities for disabled children aged 12+ during the February Half Term.

These activities are being funded from short breaks for disabled children age 12+ who would not usually be able to access activities provided by universal services. Some indicators as to whether a child would meet the criteria to attend the activities are children who may not have a definite diagnosis, attend special school such as Cavendish, Chestnut Lodge, Ashley, have an EHC plan or receive 15 hour+ individual support in school because of learning needs.

To Book families will need to contact Steve or Mark on Tel: 0151- 530-5254 or email- mark.dolan@evertonfc.com or steve.johnson@evertonfc.com.

Places still available for more details about the activities please see attached flyer.

Are you a Woman born in the 1950's who would like to join a local group of women agaist state pension inequality. 

To complain and campaign agaist the rise in their state pension age. 

WASPI Halton, Widnes and Runcorn supporters group. 

You will be part of the National WASPI campaign asking for fair transitional arrangements for all women affected by the 1995 pensions act raising womens pension age from 60, and the subsequent 2011 act accelerating this rise. 

WASPI are meeting on Tuesday 6th February at 7:30pm. 

The meeting wil be at; 

United Service Club,
Prescot Road,
Widnes,
WA7 7PD

Come along and add to the swarm, you will get a buzz.

A service of reflection will be held at Saints’ Totally Wicked Stadium this March for people affected by suicide.

The event, which will run from 7:30pm - 9:00pm on Wednesday 28 March 2018, is being hosted by Listening Ear's AMPARO service, which provides support following suicide, and is supported by St Helens Council, Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBs), State of Mind (a charity that promotes positive mental health for sportsmen and women) and St Helens College.

Bringing people affected by suicide together from across Merseyside and Cheshire, the evening aims to provide a space for thought and reflection in supportive surroundings. In attendance will be Danny Sculthorpe and Ian Smith from the world of Rugby League who have both been personally affected by suicide.

Richard Brown, CEO of Listening Ear said: "We have been delivering our post suicide support service, AMPARO, in Cheshire & Merseyside for nearly three years. AMPARO aims to reduce stigma, support bereaved families, and bring local services together to provide cohesive care and support when a suicide has occurred within a community.”

Cllr Gill Neal, St Helens Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing said: “I would just like to thank all those involved for organising this memorial service. It will give people a chance to remember their loved ones and come together with others who have also been affected by suicide. It’s also an opportunity to let people know that there is support available to help them through this tough time in their lives.”

Derek Hall and Anne Cunliffe, Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBs) said: “SOBs gives us a chance to talk and listen to others who, like ourselves have lost someone to suicide and understand the devastation for those left behind.”

Malcolm Rae, State of Mind Chair said: "State of Mind Sport are pleased to support this important event as we recognise that family members and friends can be supported and strengthened in their distress by remembering their loved ones in this way."

Suicide is an individual tragedy, life-altering for those bereaved and a traumatic event for the community and local services involved. It is also a major public health issue and a leading cause of years of life lost.

To continue this community support, AMPARO would like to invite all affected by suicide to attend the reflection at Saints’ stadium in March, with an opportunity to meet others who have had similar experiences.

The evening will seek to continue the work of AMPARO and other partners, ensuring all who have been affected by suicide are fully supported and are able to feel connected to their community.

If you would like to attend the memorial service, visit https://www.listening-ear.co.uk/Event/st-helens-memorial-service to book your place.

For further information:

Richard Brown CEO Listening Ear (Merseyside)

07850 476 360 Richard.brown@listening-ear.co.uk

amparo.service@listening-ear.co.uk

£5m fund launched to support local charities

The Garfield Weston Foundation has launched a new £5m fund to celebrate its 60th anniversary year, with a view to help local charities provide new or improve existing community facilities.

Up to £150,000 is available to projects that successfully apply. The Foundation is using this anniversary year to acknowledge the vulnerable position that many small and local charities are in, and by offering capital funding it hopes to invest in much needed facilities that will enable them to continue providing support.

Applications are open now until 30 June, find out more here.

The Homeless Halton Concert is coming to The Studio in Widnes.

The Voice UK's Mo Adeniran, Max Vickers & local artist Kerry Sheree will be performing.

Get your tickets for Monday 12th Feb, priced at only £4.

The event has been organised by NCS - National Citizen Service graduates to raise awareness for homeless people in Widnes and Runcorn.

Free DJ Workshop at Mossbank Library with DMC Finalist 'DJ Pnutz' on Monday 12th February 2018 from 2:00-4:00.

Children and young people can learn the essential DMC DJ skills of beat matching, scratching, mixing and turn table tricks.

DJ PNutz competed in Scratch DJing competitions across the world and performs regularly across the UK.

Check out his video below:

Please contact Mossbank Library to book your place:
01744 677988 

NHS Cheshire & Merseyside Partnership (STP) are planning the next 3 sector meeting.  It is planned that reps from regional planning in health will be present to support their understanding of the value of the third sector to the health outcomes detailed in the STP plans.

To help focus the event they will plan the agenda for a dragon’s den style event to demonstrate the value of the community and voluntary sector to health goals such as prevention, supporting and developing out of hospital care and mental health and wellbeing.

Can you please save the date in your diary - Wednesday 28 February 09.30 for 10.00 start until 13.00 at Halton & St Helens VCA, St Maries, Lugsdale Road, Widnes, WA8 6DB

If you would like to present it will be 20 minutes maximum with some time for questions, focusing on

• Your work
• How you deliver on out of hospital care – what difference this makes to use of statutory health services
• How you support health prevention and self-care
• How you support people with long term conditions in relation to their mental health and wellbeing

                   (You don’t all need to cover each point but some ideas to help)

Let them know if any of you have an individual story / case study demonstrating the range of support and benefit third sector groups bring to an individual as discussed in the last meeting.  If anyone has a volunteer or individual who can present the benefit the service brings that would complement it so well.

 This format for the meeting is building on the main discussion points in the last meeting held in October 2017, summary below:

• There is a need to know how the changes in the NHS across Merseyside and Cheshire / NHS Cheshire and Merseyside will work with and value the role the third sector can play in delivering on the STP goals.
• What is the plan for developing engagement (as opposed to consultation) with people who use the services and the community and voluntary sector.
• A dragons den style event with representatives from overseeing the NHS changes at a Cheshire and Merseyside level to present and discuss the value the third sector brings to STP objectives

If you want to present at this event please contact Des des.chow@haltonccg.nhs.uk Paul  Paul.Steele@sthelensccg.nhs.uk  or Ruth  Ruth.Austen-Vincent@mssociety.org.uk  for more information. 

Nick Mott (Deputy Head of Guidance & Practice) talks about the automatic disqualification rules coming into force on the 1 August 2018, and how you can prepare.

Almost anyone can run a charity, but restrictions mean some people are automatically prevented (disqualified) from being able to do this unless they have clearance from the Charity Commission.

Read the full article HERE...

Widnes and Runcorn Cancer Support Group support anyone who has been touched by cancer. One of the services offered is a confidential counselling service within a safe and comfortable environment where you can feel relaxed and able to discuss your concerns freely.

This service is for adults aged 18+.  Appointments are available Monday to Friday. If you would like to know more or make a referral please feel free to drop in to The Centre on Alforde Street, Widnes or give them a call on 0151 423 5730.

www.widnesandruncorncancersupport.org.uk 

Are you helping to support someone who has a Mental Health diagnosis, this can be someone with depression, anxiety, bipolar, OCD etc if so Halton Carers' centre have some great training which is available at their Runcorn Centre. There are 2 different courses which can be accessed the first is basic Mental Health Training which covers all mental health and is covered over 2 sessions, the 2nd course is specifically around Personality Disorders and again is 2 sessions.  You can choose which course is more suited to yourself or you can access both courses.  To book a place please contact the centre on 01928 580182, a refundable £5 deposit is needed to secure your place.

The dates for the MH training are:

• Basic Mental Health Training - Thursday, 1st & 8th March 2018 from 10:00 to 12:30pm
• Personality Disorder Training - Thursday 15th & 29th March 2018 from 10:00 to 12:30pm

All sessions are held at their Runcorn Office and you will receive a certificate at the end of the sessions..

They also have a Mental Health Carers Support Group which meets monthly in Runcorn, It offers peer support, activities and guest speakers in a friendly environment where carers can meet others in similar situations. The group meet the last wed of every month 1pm – 3pm in the Mencap Building, Laburnum Grove. The groups next dates are: 31st Jan, 28th Feb, 28th Mar,25th April.  For more information on the group please give them a call on 01928 580 182.

Community Action Wirral is recruiting for a Head of Service. This is a full time position based in The Lauries in Birkenhead with a salary of £30-35k dependent upon experience.  The post holder will deliver the newly acquired not for profit infrastructure contract for the Borough.

The deadline for applications is Wednesday 31st January 2018 at 5pm.

All applications and queries relating to the role should be sent to Karen.livesey@communityactionwirral.org.uk

For more information, please see the attached job description and application form.

Apex Charitable Trust Ltd provides information, advice and guidance to offenders/ex-offenders, supporting them into employment, training, education and voluntary work by assisting them in breaking down the barriers they face when moving forward with a conviction. Based in St Helens with outreach across the Liverpool City Region, ACT 4 Women is a peer support project. Beneficiaries are unemployed women ex-offenders. They currently have a vacancy for a Information, Advice and Guidance Officer (17 ½ hrs per week) and for a Volunteer Coordinator / Assessor (28 hrs per week). 

Information, Advice and Guidance Officer – 17 ½ hrs per week
Based in St Helens – delivering outreach across Liverpool, works with unemployed women offenders / ex-offenders (ACT 4 Women project). This project addresses barriers to education, training and employment faced by women with a criminal record residing in Merseyside. 17.5 hrs p/week (between the hours of 9am-5pm, Monday–Friday) – salary £24,168 p/a (pro rata)

The IAG (information, advice & guidance) Officer will recruit women offenders to engage in the project, working with them on a 1-1 basis, supporting them in achieving their goals, offering advice and guidance to them in securing employment, training, education or voluntary work. Delivery is in Liverpool.

Time limited contract – fixed term to 31st December 2018.

Volunteer Coordinator / Assessor – 28 hrs per week
The Volunteer Coordinator will recruit, train and support volunteers in volunteering as peer mentors with Apex Trust to enable service delivery and expansion. As Assessor you will deliver accredited training through Open Awards to appropriate level, working alongside Internal Quality Assurance to ensure high standards of deliver set out by the awarding body.

28 hrs p/week (between the hours of 9am-5pm, Monday–Friday) – salary £24,168 p/a (pro rata)

The project is funded through a number of grants and donations from valued supporters.

Due to the attendance at ‘women only’ establishments, the posts advertised require female only applicants (These posts are restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9 paragraph Equality Act 2010). As this role is across Merseyside delivering on an outreach basis, it is essential for a car owner applicant.

Appointments are subject to satisfactory references and enhanced DBS check

Closing Date for both Vacancies: Friday 16th February 2018 - midday
Interview Date - to be confirmed

Application packs can be requested by request emailing sthelens@apextrust.com
 

Halton Peoples Health Forum has 2 events taking place on:

• Tuesday 27th February 2018, St Maries, Widnes, WA8 6DB from 1pm to 3.30pm
• Thursday 1st March 2018, Halton Lead LIbrary, Runcorn Shopping City, WA7 2PF from 1pm to 3.30pm

Topics to be discussed

• Cancer awareness
• GP/Care home alignment - feedback
• Access to primary care

This is a free event and you can meet local GP's and Health professionals 

Presenters

Dr David Lyons (GP Castlefields/Chair of Halton CCG) Widnes and Runcorn Cancer Support Centre Primary Care Commissioners

HIT- Health Improvement Team

Representatives from Macmillan and Delamere Centre to be confirmed

For more information:  Email communications@haltonccg.nhs.uk or telephone 01928 593479

Listening Ear, a Knowsley-based social enterprise delivering counselling and therapy services, has been approved as a learning provider for the Skills for Growth Service. Skills for Growth supports businesses in the Liverpool City Region to invest in improving the skills and productivity of their workforce. 

Listening Ear has been approved as a training provider with Skills for Growth and as a result can offer subsidised training to companies within the Liverpool City Region, which includes Liverpool, Knowsley, St.Helens, Sefton, Wirral and Halton.

The funding is subject to the company being eligible, but in theory an SME could receive 80% funding, which is a huge saving for smaller organisations.

Listening Ear can offer the following training for your employees:

• Bereavement
• Suicide and Self-harm awareness
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Mindfulness

Listening Ear’s training courses are flexible and bespoke to the employer and we can combine some of the modules above to create a bespoke package for your employees and their needs. For example, they have a 1 day course, which covers mindfulness, stress and
anxiety.

Training courses can be held at Listening Ear’s newly refurbished building in Whiston or at your business premises and each course will last 1 day, although employers can receive funding for more than 1 course per learner.

For more information about this funding and the training delivered by Listening Ear, please contact:
Amanda McTomney
Project Manager
amanda.mctomney@listening-ear.co.uk

Do you care for someone who is currently in hospital, or do you care for someone and are going into hospital yourself for a planned admission? Lucia Urquhart who is a hospital liaison support worker at Halton Carers’  Centre can assist you with any questions you may have around hospitals / admissions / discharge / care at home and liaise with hospital staff and social services on your behalf. It can be a very stressful and confusing time not knowing what happens following a hospital stay. Lucia can attend discharge meetings with you to make sure you are fully aware what is going to happen when a patient is discharged.             

Some people do not consider themselves as a carer instead they are just looking after someone close to them. A carer is someone who provides help and support to a partner, child, relative, friend or neighbour who could not manage without their help.

Halton Carers' Centre offer information and advice, advocacy and support, emotional support, relaxation therapies, carer break funding, training courses, support groups, trips, newsletters and much more.

Contact details: Halton Carers’ Centre: 62 Church Street, Runcorn, WA7 1LD. Tel: 01928 580182. Peelhouse Family Centre, Peelhouse Lane, Widnes, WA8 6TJ. Tel: 0151 257 9673. Email help@haltoncarers.co.uk

Shopmobility St Helens which provides electric wheelchairs, mobility scooters and a range of transit wheelchairs for hire both short and long term, has now moved to the Independent Living Store based at St Mary's Arcade:

Independent Living Store
St Mary's Arcade
Church Square Shopping Centre
St Helens
WA10 1AR

Telephone 01744 613388 remains the same.

The Building a Stronger Britain Together (BSBT) programme is a Home Office funding opportunity, which supports civil society and community organisations who work to create more resilient communities, stand up to extremism in all its forms and offer vulnerable individuals a positive alternative, regardless of race, faith, sexuality, age and gender. The programme allows organisations that share these aims to bid for in-kind support and grant funding for specific programmes that deliver goals set out in the Counter Extremism Strategy. 

The call for grant funding is open from Monday 15th January 2018 at 3pm until Friday 16th February 2018 at 5pm.

You can still apply for funding if your previous application was unsuccessful.

If you applied for funding in rounds 1 and 2, you may apply for funding in round 3. You can also apply for funding if you have been or are in receipt of in-kind communications support.

For more information and to apply for the fund please click the link below which will take you to the Gov.uk site:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/building-a-stronger-britain-together

Liverpool City Council is holding an event with the BSBT Team on Monday 29 January 2018, 1-3pm, at the Quaker Meeting House, 22 School Lane, Liverpool L1 3BT. 

This is an opportunity to meet the team and find out more about the programme. If you are thinking of applying it would be useful to start to plan your application prior to the event so you have plenty of time to submit it before the deadline. 

For more information about the event, or to book a place, please contact, Joanne Matthews, Community Coordinator (Counter Extremism Strategy) at Joanne.matthews@liverpool.gov.uk or telephone 0151 233 7019.

St Helens is set to be the first area in the City Region to trial a digital approach to accessing travel information after Liverpool City Region Transport Committee members agreed to a six month pilot earlier this week.

Over the last five years the number of outlets receiving paper timetables and other information has reduced and increasingly more people are accessing travel information online. 

It means that during the pilot period, bus paper timetables, area map leaflets and general ticketing booklets will be removed from the St Helen’s Merseytravel Centre and 16 other outlets, such as health centres and libraries. If successful, the pilot could be rolled out across the Liverpool City Region, contributing to savings of up to £140k a year.

Starting 15th January 2018, the pilot includes plans for a number of roadshows, taking place across St Helens and run by digital champions. The aim of the roadshows will be to help customers who don’t traditionally use online tools, get used to ‘going digital’. Digital champions will show customers how to access ticket information, check and plan journeys using an online journey planner. During the Pilot the Merseytravel website ticketing pages will also be being updated and a new, improved Merseytravel ticket finder will also be developed to come online around February.

Those customers who are unable to use online tools or need additional support to plan their journeys, will be able to request personalised journey plans, including paper timetables, at St Helen’s Merseytravel centre, which will also display improved travel information.

Cllr Liam Robinson chair of The Combined Authority Transport Committee, which oversees the work of Merseytravel, said:

 “As digital journey planning tools become more popular with customers in the Liverpool City Region and with the financial challenges Merseytravel faces, it is important that information distribution channels are reviewed and cost efficiently strategies deployed. 

Removing paper leaflets from key distribution outlets will enable Merseytravel to understand the impact in a controlled manner and evaluate the success of the pilot based on customer feedback, before any decision is rolled out across the rest of Merseyside.

To find out more about Advice and Digital Training click on the link below

http://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/travelling-around/key-destinations/Pages/Digital-Roadshows.aspx

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is embarking on its search for exceptional individuals with the passion to deliver on their vision and help to create a truly global and competitive City Region at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse. If you have the skills and ambition for this City Region and thrive on tough challenges and getting results, then they want to hear from you. They currently a vacancy for a Senior Officer (Data Analysis) and also for a Programme Support Officer.

Senior Officer (Data Analysis)​:

Reporting to the Programme Manager, you will provide policy and data analysis support for all aspects of the Households into Work Programme. You will support colleagues, helping to ensure the programme’s aims and objectives are met, that targets and outcomes are achieved and that quality standards are adhered to.

You will hold a minimum of a Level 3 qualification (3 A levels or equivalent) and be able to demonstrate a commitment to continuous personal development.

Salary: £27,852 to £33,562
 

Programme Support Officer​

Reporting to the Programme Manager, you will provide programme support for the innovative Households into Work Programme. You will monitor and report on programme delivery, helping to ensure performance standards are being met and that suitable process and systems which aid management and delivery of the programme are in place.

You will hold a minimum of a Level 2 qualification (5 good GCSEs or equivalent) and be able to demonstrate a commitment to continuous personal development.

Salary: £24,764 to £26,783

Closing date for both vacancies is 1st February 2018

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

http://liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/vacancies

Cheshire Police is warning residents across the county not to fall foul of Courier Fraud following reports in Crewe, Nantwich and Chester.

Courier fraud is when the offender cold calls the victim posing as an official such as a police officer or a member of a banks fraud team.

They will instruct the victim to go to their bank and withdraw money. The offender will claim that they are investigating staff at the bank that they need the victim's help in some kind of undercover operation, for example they may claim that bank staff are handing out counterfeit bank notes and they need the victim to withdraw money so that it can be examined.

The offender will then send a courier to collect the money from the victim.

There are many variations of this scam, which may involve the victim handing over bank cards or high value items.

In one recent incident, a Crewe elderly couple were contacted by an offender posing as a Greater Manchester Police Officer. He told the victims that people had been accessing their bank account using blank cards and instructed them to withdraw money which was to be handed to a courier using a password system.

DC Liz Rankin said: "Over 5,000 pounds sterling and 2,000 euros was handed over to a man who called at their home. The victims described the offender as about 5'2"-5'3" with dark skin and straight black hair. He was of slim build and aged around 20-years-old."

If you have any information please contact DC Liz Rankin from Crewe CID on 101 quoting incident number 516 of 4 January 2018. Alternatively information can be given anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Here's some advice on how to avoid the scam:

• The police will never ask you to become part of an undercover investigation or for you to withdraw cash and hand it to them for safe-keeping.
   
• Be wary of any calls, texts or emails purporting to be from the police asking for your personal or financial details, or for you to transfer money
   
• If you are approached, or feel something is suspicious, hang up the phone and don't reply.
   
• Then report it to police on 101, Action Fraud and your bank on their advertised number.

Visit www.takefive-stopfraud.org.uk for more advice on how to stay safe from scams

St Helens Council would be very grateful if you could complete their online survey and let them know your views on the proposed changes to the way they maintain our parks and the future of the Ranger Service as well as any ideas you have about how they can deliver services collaboratively in the future.

You can complete the survey here https://applications02.sthelens.gov.uk/ConsultationSuite/SurveyIntroduction.aspx?id=502

The deadline for submissions is 11th February.

Time to Change Information Event 

22nd February 10am to 12 noon at The Studio, Lacey Street, Widnes, WA8 7SG

The event is being run in partnership with Time to change. They are hoping to engage people from all backgrounds to join them in tackling mental health stigma. 

Want to help tackle mental health stigma in Halton?

For further information phone  0300 029 0029 or email HIT@halton.gov.uk

Please feel free to share the attached poster with your partners and beneficiaries.  Any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Kate Bazley, Mental Health and Wellbeing lead, Halton Health Improvement Team.

Want to improve your general wellbeing and learn how to manage your stress level more effectively? Why not try Yoga at Willowbrook-The Living Well, Borough Rd, St Helens?

Focusing on strength, flexibility and breathing, yoga is a safe and effective way to improve your physical health, especially strength, flexibility and balance as well as being beneficial for people with high blood pressure, heart disease, aches and pains – including lower back pain – depression and stress.

There are 3 sessions every week:

Tuesday 6-7pm with Steve Thomas. Fee £5 (with £1 from every participant being donated to Willowbrook Hospice)

Wednesday 9.30am-10.30am with Steve Thomas. Fee £6

Saturday 10.30-11.30am with Shirley Horrocks. Fee £5

For more information, contact Steve on 07802367 669 or Shirley on 07515 336 367.

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE POLICE COMMISSIONER FOR MERSEYSIDE

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner is asking local people if they would be willing to pay a little extra to help protect police officer numbers and recruit new armed officers after the government sidestepped its responsibility to invest in the police service.

After seven years of austerity, the Government announced in December that the police would, once again, receive no more new money from the Home Office to tackle crime in Merseyside.

Instead, Policing Minister Nick Hurd MP announced Police and Crime Commissioners would be expected to ask local taxpayers to pay up to  £1 a month extra towards their police service through their council tax.

Since 2010, Merseyside Police has had to make cuts of £103m, with an estimated £18m still to make by 2021/22.

If the Commissioner, Jane Kennedy, does not win the support of local people, Merseyside Police will be left facing a further shortfall of more than £3.17m – the equivalent of 64 police officer posts.

Jane said: “The sad truth is that this government has once again left police forces around the country facing a funding black hole. They have washed their hands of their responsibility and instead are shifting the burden of paying for the police on to the shoulders of local council taxpayers.

“By freezing the grant provided by central government at the 2017/18 rate - a reduction on the previous two years - the Policing Minister has imposed a real terms cut on the police budget as we contend with pay and inflationary pressures. His proposal is that I make up this shortfall by asking local taxpayers to pay more.

“This is a step which I am reluctant to take, however, if I don’t raise the policing element of local council tax then Merseyside Police will be penalised and our communities adversely affected.

“This money will be used to save police officer jobs and help us to recruit 20 new armed officers who are needed to help tackling the scourge of serious and organised crime on Merseyside and to protect our communities.

“The Government did not bother to ask people if they would be willing to contribute more for policing before they made this announcement – instead they arrogantly assumed that local residents could stump up the cash.

“I know finances are tight for a lot of people on Merseyside at the moment so I don’t ask for this tax rise lightly.”

The Commissioner is now holding a region-wide consultation asking people if they would be willing to contribute the extra funding expected by central government to make up for the shortfall and help her to limit the impact of the ongoing cuts.

The increase equates to approximately 15p a week or £8 a year for a Band A household - the lowest Council Tax category and the amount paid by the majority of tax payers on Merseyside.  This would increase the police element of tax payers’ bills from £110.65 to £118.65 a year.

Even with this increase, the Commissioner and Chief Constable will still be forced to make savings of £7m over the next 12 months.

Jane said: “Since 2015 the Government have assumed that Police and Crime Commissioners like myself will put up the council tax precept to minimise the impact of their cuts to funding. It is a move which comes from a government who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

““Any additional funding we can raise from the precept will not replace the 1,000 officers we have lost over the last seven years. However, it will mean that we will have 64 officers more by March 2019 than we would otherwise.

“In a climate of growing demands, rising crime and increasing calls for help from the public, I do not believe we can afford to lose any more officers.

“I am therefore forced to ask people on Merseyside if they would be willing to contribute that extra 15p a week to help protect vital frontline police services.”

People are invited to have their say through a short online survey at www.merseysidepcc.info by Sunday 4^th February. The Commissioner will also be holding a series of road shows throughout Merseyside to ask people for their views. 

Please find details of the community consultation events below:

The Child Outcomes Research Consortium (CORC), in partnership with the Anna Freud Learning Network, has developed its first ever online eLearning module: ‘Measuring mental wellbeing to improve the lives of children and young people’

This eLearning aims to increase the awareness, understanding and confidence of non-specialist and school staff who support the wellbeing and mental health of children or young people to access the benefits associated with measuring mental wellbeing. This free interactive short course aims to demystify and simplify the whole process of using outcomes and feedback measures to monitor mental wellbeing and is laid out in six easy to follow parts:

1. Understanding mental wellbeing
2. Introduction to outcome measures
3. The benefits of measuring mental wellbeing
4. Selecting and using measures
5. Best practice using measures
6. Using and interpreting data

Outcome measurement has become a focus of funders, commissioners and policy makers, as a tangible and reliable way in which to assess the welfare of children and young people in the care of wellbeing services and schools. The process can also have important benefits for the children and young people themselves as well as for associated professionals, projects, interventions and services.

This course features engaging activities and quizzes to illustrate how staff can choose and use measures to monitor wellbeing and how to analyse wellbeing information to drive improvement and demonstrate effectiveness.

To access the eLearning module please go to http://www.corc.uk.net/elearning/ for more information.

The third round of Rosa’s Woman to Woman fund is now open. With grants of up to £25,000, local grassroots women’s organisations across the UK will be supported using funds from the ‘Tampon Tax.’ In celebration of the centenary of the women’s vote, this round of the Woman to Woman fund will have a renewed focus on leadership and representation and they are particularly interested in funding work that increases women’s representation, skills building and civic engagement.

Grants are available for groups with an income of under £100,000 per year, to support a wide range of charitable work that benefits women: from building confidence and leadership skills, tackling harassment and violence, to training in financial literacy and increasing engagement in decision-making – and much more besides.

Rosa is also interested in increasing the impact and sustainability of women’s groups. Therefore, grants can pay for core costs such as financial management, business planning, staff salaries, office rent, leadership development and staff training; as well as project costs such as drop-in support services, mobilising volunteers and outreach. They especially want to support groups that work with disadvantaged communities or in disadvantaged areas.

As well as grants, Rosa will provide additional support that women’s groups tell them they need, including mentoring, training and networking opportunities.

Who can apply?

If you meet the following requirements you can apply for a grant:

• You are a women’s sector organisation
• You are a charitable organisation – your organisation need not be a registered charity, but your activities must be charitable and legal
• You are a local organisation, which is not part of a national enterprise
• You have an annual income less than £100k or you employ less than two full-time paid members of staff
• You have a written governing document, such as a constitution or set of rules
• You have a governing body with at least 3 unrelated members
• You have a UK-based bank or building society account in the name of your organisation, with at least two unrelated signatories

What size grants are available?

Grants of between £5,000 and up to and including £25,000 are available. Any grant awarded must be spent within 12 months of receipt.

How will organisations be shortlisted?

Applicants will be shortlisted according to the fund criteria, the clarity and credibility of their plans, and to ensure a diversity of applications including across geography, Rosa’s four pillars, new and innovative or tried and tested approaches.
When to apply 

Round 3 of the Woman to Woman fund opens for applications on Tuesday 12th December at midday. There are two stages to submitting an application to the Woman to Woman fund. To apply for a grant you will first need to complete the stage 1 application. The deadline for stage 1 applications is Thursday 25th January 2018 at 5pm and no applications will be accepted after this date.

To find out more and to submit an application, please click the link below:

http://www.rosauk.org/resources/blog/woman-to-woman/

NHS St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are reaching out to local residents to talk about winter pressures on the NHS including misuse of antibiotics, knowing the right place to go to when you need care quickly and knowing how to best stay well over the winter period.

The NHS faces some of its biggest pressures in the winter time and they want to talk to you about how we can all best tackle issues with;

• ​Antibiotics - Bugs are becoming more resistant to antibiotics because of misuse. Did you know that St Helens has the highest number of prescriptions for antibiotics in the country?
   
• Emergency and Urgent Care - How do we make sure that everyone knows how to use urgent care in the right way?
   
• Pharmacy - Did you know you can use your pharmacy for advice on lots of health issues?
   
• Caring For Yourself - Most illnesses which are common in winter like cold and flu are best cared for by yourself at home, but do we all know how best to do this?

​Whilst the CCG's role at the NHS is to work on tackling these key issues, they want to talk to you to hear your ideas and questions about how we can all work together to help these pressures.

Join in the conversation at the Talkfest  debate event

What: they will be holding a live question time style debate to discuss the winter issues facing St Helens. There will be expert panellists from urgent care, pharmacy, GPs and the voluntary sector. 

When: 25th of January 2018

Time: 5.00-6.30 (5-5.30 registration, debate goes live at 5.30-6.30pm) 

Where: St Helens College, Water Street, St Helens, Merseyside, WA10 1PP

Attendees will also have the chance to sign up to be an Antibiotic Guardian to help support the fight against antibiotic resistance.

Registration for the event is through Eventbrite, or you can register on arrival on the day.

If you can't make the event, but would still like to pose a question to the panel, you can do this by emailing them on engagement@sthelensccg.nhs.uk, call on 01744 627 596, or post your question on social media via Facebook or Twitter.

Introduction

Youth social action has huge potential to create enjoyable opportunities and skills development for young people, benefitting local people and places.

The aim of this grant is to raise the level and quality of youth social action. The programme aim is to increase youth social action by 50% by 2020 taking the percentage of young people that volunteer from 40% to 60%. 

Social action involves activities such as campaigning, fundraising and volunteering, all of which enable participants to make a positive difference to their communities.

Social action develops the skills and knowledge of young people that employers look for.

The definition of young people is between 10 and 20, and up to 25 for disabled young people.

Big Lottery Fund and the Office for Civil Society have invested £2million this year to fund groups delivering local youth social action opportunities. Local fundraising is also a key part of the Youth Social Action programme.   

Areas Covered
All Merseyside boroughs including Halton. 

How much can groups bid for?
The Youth Social Action Fund will provide funding of between £1000 and £5000 for each project.

Criteria

Please note, a key focus of this fund is young people tackling a social issue which also involves/educates the wider community.  
Important - Before applying for funding, all applicants must read the full criteria before applying. 

Criteria attached 

Deadline: 
There is very limited funding for this next round, therefore the fund will close when they receive 6 COMPLETE & ELGIBLE applications on a first come , first serve basis.They are aiming to have decisions by the end of February 2018 and would encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Click below to apply

Youth Social Action Fund Application

Do you have a spare room in your home? Would you like to become a host, accommodating a local young person?

SHAP are a specialist housing organisation, existing to enable young and vulnerable people to have their housing needs appropriately met. The organisation provides high quality accommodation with support for young and vulnerable people who are homeless, in housing need or experiencing disruption and difficulty in their life.

To expand on the work they are doing in St Helens and recognising that hostel or group living is not always the best option for some young people, they are working with St Helens Council to develop a Supported Lodging service and we would like to recruit suitable householders from the St Helens area. 

Supported Lodgings provide young people with safe, supportive places to live in the homes of local people. If you have a furnished spare room in your home and an interest in helping a young person become independent, they would like to hear from you.

You will need to: 
• live full time in the property but can have your own routine including perhaps attending work, holidays and weekends away
• provide a home-like environment and domestic routine which will support a young person engaging in education, training or work, including the provision of some meals 
• be able to establish an appropriate and consistent personal relationship with a young person, including nonintrusive practical help and advice

SHAP will:
• provide general skills development and training for you and the young person
• assess the needs of young people referred for living in Supported Lodgings, and match them to individual hosts/carers 
• regularly meet and work with you ,the host, in delivering a package of support to the young person 
• provide regular and out of hours support

For this you will receive a host’s payment in the form of rent for your room, a support fee and a housekeeping payment for any meals that you provide of up to £140 per week.

SHAP are committed to safeguarding the welfare and safety of young people and they will require references and DBS checks to be carried out. If you share the passion that SHAP have for helping young people and would like some more information please get in touch with Rhona O’Brien on 07471 035 386 or Andy Lee-McGurk at our head office on 01744 454056 

SHAP was started by a group of people who were concerned about the rising number of young homeless people in St Helen’s in the late 1970s. After some temporary solutions in a shared maisonette where young people were supported by volunteers, the first hostel, The 162 Project, opened its doors in early 1981. They have grown since then and much has changed but young people are still becoming homeless and still need shelter, food, warmth, support and respect. 

Did you know that by choosing Co-op branded products and services, members of the Co-op have helped raise an amazing £20 million for local causes across the country since September 2016?  That means they've been able to help fund thousands of local projects that benefit communities across the UK. The Local Community Fund is the Co-op’s way of giving back to local communities.

As a member, every time you purchase selected ‘own-brand’ products and services at the Co-op, 1% of what you spend goes into the Local Community Fund.  In addition, 5% will also go into your own Co-op Membership account, for you to spend on your next visit to the store. The money raised by all the members in your community, together with money from shopping bag sales, helps to fund local projects in the area where you live.  You can choose which local cause you want your own 1% to go to by visiting the Co-op website or using the Freephone number below.

On Saturday 25^th November 2017, Co-ops across the country celebrated their own local causes by presenting cheques to community leaders. 

At the Elton Head Road Store, Managers Mike and Karen, were delighted to welcome representatives from the local causes allowing them to thank members for their support. Assistant Scout Leader Andy and members of the 8^th Scouts Group braved the weather to be presented with a cheque for £1,225.69. The much needed funds will go towards the maintenance of the Scouts’ Meeting Room.

Jay, Treasurer of the St Helens Cancer Support Group joined them in the afternoon and was presented with a cheque for £1,436.90. These funds will be used to assist local people who are living with cancer by providing a support network as well as a counselling and therapy service.

To find out more about becoming a member of the Co-op, go online to coop.co.uk/membership or phone for more information on Freephone 0800 023 4708.

Elton Head Road Co-op Round 3 Local Causes  who will receive funding in 2018 are:

• The Lilac Centre – funding to provide complementary therapy and counselling services for cancer patients.

• The James Nicholas Foundation – funding to reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death through free ECG screening in the local area

• Sam’s Diamonds – funding to take their ladies on a respite weekend away where they can participate in workshops to help support them on their cancer journey.

These local charities will be supported by the 1% contributions from our members across the Elton Head Road area of Rainhill and St Helens.  It is really important to get the message out to family and friends that the more members who shop at the Co-op, for selected ‘own-brand’ products and services, the more money they will have to support these local causes. So it’s over to you.  You can support one of our Local Causes by simply becoming a member of the Co-op.  You can find out about Co-op membership in your local store or online at www.coop.co.uk/membership.

If you need any information about the Membership Pioneer and supporting members and staff at Elton Head Road Co-op store please contact Sandra on Sandra.roscoe@cooopmembers.co.uk

CLG (Change, Grow, Live) would like to invite you to their Information Afternoon and to learn about the fantastic recovery model called A.C.T (Acceptance Commitment Therapy).

CLG have had A.C.T Peer Recovery in their service at CGL St Helens for the past 6 months and it has been extremely successful. ACT are keen to expand this into other services in St Helens as it can be utilised in any form of wellbeing.

Charity Black Tie Event in aid of Age Uk Mid Mersey on Friday 18th May at 7.30pm till late at The Mansion House, Victoria Park, City Road, St Helens, WA10 2UE.

• Live Entertainment
• Raffle Prizes
• Auction
• Drinks Reception and a hot buffet

Tickets cost £20 and can be purchased by calling 01744 752644, email laurawalton@aukmm.org.uk or by visiting reception at The Mansion House

Are you a Woman born in the 1950's who would like to join a Halton group of women against state pension inequality, to complain and campaign against the rise in their state pension age. 

Then come along to WASPI Widnes and Runcorn supporters group. 

You will be part of a national WASPI campaign, asking for fair transitional arrangements for all woman affected by the 1995 pensions act raising womans pension age from 60. As well as the subsequent 2011 act accelerating this rise.

WASPI are having a meeting on Wednesday, January 10th at 7:30pm at:

Royal British Legion Club,
Halton Village,
Runcon,
WA7 2BE

Please go along and add to their swarm, you will get a buzz.

What are the Charity Awards?

The Charity Awards is a civil society media’s annual awards programme held to identify, recognise and reward those organisations doing exceptional work in all areas of charity activity. The awards provide a perfect opportunity for you to propel your charity’s work into the spotlight. Submitting an entry is free, and you can support your organisation’s efforts to influence policy-makers and funders and boost the morale of your staff and stakeholders. You may enter any type of project or campaign and it will be judged by a distinguished panel of sector leaders against entries from other organisations in your own sector. 

How are the awards judged?  

The independent judging panel will take a range of attributes into account when reviewing the entry forms - these are called the ‘Hallmarks of Excellence’. The project or initiative you are putting forward should be able to demonstrate achievement in most, if not all, of these Hallmarks. 

The entry form invites you to explain how your project demonstrates these attributes:

• Outcomes and effectiveness
• Value for money 
• Innovation 
• Sustainability 
• Replicability and scalability 
• Best practice. 

Categories  

Awards are given out in the categories below and an overall winner is chosen from the winners of each category. 

• Arts, culture and heritage 
• Campaigning and advocacy 
• Children and youth 
• Disability
• Education and training 
• Environment and conservation 
• Grant making and Funding 
• Healthcare and medical research 
• International Aid and Development 
• Social care, advice and support. 

How to enter the Charity Awards? 

1. Visit charityawards.co.uk to download your entry form 
2. Complete your form (guidance notes are available online to help you to complete the form).
3. Submit your form by Friday 23rd February (you can submit your entry by email or through the website). 

The form is designed to help you describe how your initiative or project has improved the delivery of your charity’s mission. 

Key Dates 

• • Entries close 23rd February
• • Judging April 
• • Shortlist announced 9th May 
• • Gala presentation 7th June 

Merseyside’s Deputy Police Commissioner is inviting anyone looking for a new challenge for 2018 to consider becoming an independent custody visitor.

Cllr Emily Spurrell is looking to recruit more volunteers to be part of an important scheme which sees members of the community check on the welfare of people detained in police custody.

The Independent Custody Visiting programme was established following the investigation into the Brixton riots in 1981 and is now the responsibility of Police and Crime Commissioners to operate in their respective areas across the country.

The scheme sees volunteers undertake random, unannounced visits of police cells to check on the conditions and make sure those being held are being cared for appropriately.

There is currently a committed team of 23 volunteers who dedicate their time to the scheme, but the Deputy Commissioner is now looking to get up to 10 more people involved.

The volunteers visit the region’s custody suites in pairs, at varied times of the night and day, throughout the year. Once on site, they check on the welfare of those detained and the conditions within the suite and produce a report for the Police Commissioner, Jane Kennedy, and her Deputy. They can then raise any issues directly with Merseyside Police.

Emily said: “Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) carry out an important public duty which provides reassurance to the public, the police and to me that we are detaining men and women here on Merseyside properly and caring for them appropriately.

“Detainees are potentially vulnerable and visits by our ICV volunteers are a key protection for them and a vital part of our criminal justice system, ensuring their legal entitlements and rights are respected.

“This is an interesting and rewarding role where volunteers can make a real difference within their community and get an insight into how our police system operates. By volunteering for this scheme, people can play their part in promoting the highest standards of policing. This is a fantastic opportunity for people who are looking for a new challenge for the New Year.”

The ICV scheme in Merseyside has been in operation since April 1984, when 20 members of the public were trained as visitors.

Last year, Merseyside’s ICV volunteers made a total of 265 impromptu trips to custody suites in the region, offering to see more than 2,300 detainees.

ICVs must have good observational and thinking skills, strong ethical principles and be able to maintain confidentiality. They should also be comfortable challenging authority if required. Ideally the volunteers will also come from a range of backgrounds, ages and experience.

Volunteers must be over 18 years old and live or work in the Merseyside area. Full training will be given. It is expected that volunteers make one visit a month.

If you are interested in applying, please find a full recruitment pack and all the documents on the PCC’s website at www.merseysidepcc.info

The deadline for applications is Friday, 2nd February 2018.

You can also find out more about the ICV scheme here. 

The fine people of Mind Halton are conducting a survey with the aim to hear from as many men as possible living in Halton about their perception, attitudes and understanding of Mental Health.

They have put together a short survey using Survey Monkey, the questions are not intrusive and it are completely anonymous.

You can access the survey by clicking on this link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/JK2SPLB

Their aim is to get a better insight into men’s perception and understanding of mental health so as to inform service delivery and support men appropriately.

For more information on Mind Halton, please visit www.mindhalton.org.uk

A warm invitation from the Management Committee to join them for their Annual General Meeting at Chain Lane Community Centre, 6.00 pm on Tuesday 30th January.

You can find out what has been happening over the last year at the Centre, how it's run, the community of users and the Centre's future.

They are keen to recruit more Trustees too!

For further information or to let them know if you're attending the AGM, please contact Pam on 07586 842 161 or email ccchainlane@gmail.com

Christmas can be stressful

Although Christmas is meant to be a happy and joyful time, this isn't how everyone feels at this time of the year. Christmas can be a stressful time for many people.  Some people find that the Christmas spirit can be spoilt by:

• Money worries
• Feelings of being alone
• Family arguments
• Separation and divorce
• Bereavement
• Becoming a step-family
• Health worries

Some people find Christmas time difficult because of marital break-up, or being separated from their family and children. The emphasis on family, friends and shared good times during the 'festive season' can make people feel sad.

The attached a leaflet from CAHMS, "Family Christmas Survival Guide 2017", could help to give you some ideas to ease the stress and contact details of various organisations that could provide some support.

Runcorn Food Bank:

Runcorn District Foodbank
Holy Spirit Church
Fernhurst
Halton Brook
Runcorn
WA7 2NJ

Email: info@runcorndistrict.foodbank.org.uk           

Phone: 07922 072906

The Christmas opening hours for Runcorn District Food Bank are: 

23rd December- 10am til 12pm
26th December-2pm til 4pm 

To get help, more infomation and how to get foodbank vouchers click here 

To donate food or money click here 

Widnes Foodbank:

CHRISTMAS OPENING TIMES

Centres Open    Office Open    Warehouse Open

Thursday, 21st December    St Mary’s Church, 11am – 1pm    

Friday, 22nd December    St Paul's 1pm-3pm 
Crossing point 10am-1pm     

Saturday, 24th December    CLOSED    

Sunday, 25th December    CLOSED    

Monday, 26th December    CLOSED    

Tuesday, 27th December    CLOSED    

Wednesday, 27th December    Crossing pointy 11am – 2pm       

Thursday, 28th December    St Mary’s Church, 11am – 1pm        

Friday, 29th December    Crossing Point 10am – 1pm

St Paul’s Church, 1pm – 3pm     

Saturday, 31st December    CLOSED        

Sunday, 1st January    CLOSED    

Monday, 2nd January    CLOSED    

Tuesday, 3rd January    CLOSED    

To access help and find out how to get vouchers please click here

email address: http://info@widnes.foodbank.org.uk

Phone: 0151 422 0031

St Helens Foodbank

Atherton St , 
St Helens ,
Merseyside, 
WA10 2DT

Email: info@sthelens.foodbank.org.uk
Phone:01744 26414

Friday 22nd December 2017                          Atherton Street, St Helens                                 11am-2:30pm
                                                                        
 Saturday 23rd December 2017                     Hall Street, St Helens                                         11am – 2.00pm

 Sunday 24th December 2017                                    Closed                               

Monday 25th December 2017                                    Closed

Tuesday 26th December 2017                                   Closed

Wednesday 27th December 2017            St John the Baptist Church, Earlestown                  11.30am – 1.30pm                

Thursday 28th December 2017                        Atherton Street, St Helens                               11am-2pm      

Friday 30^th December 2016                              Atherton Street, St Helens                               11am-2:30pm

Saturday 31^st December 2017                                    Closed

Monday 1st  January 2017                                           Closed                                                 

Tuesday 2nd January 2017                                Atherton Street, St Helens                              11am-2:30pm                                                               

ALL DISTRIBUTION CENTRES OPEN AS NORMAL FROM TUESDAY 2ND JANUARY 2017

PLEASE NOTE: FROM TUESDAY 26TH DECEMBER TO FRIDAY 29TH DECEMBER EMERGENCY FOOD PARCELS MAY BE OBTAINED FROM HOPE HOUSE, 103 CHURCH STREET, ST. HELENS.  OPENING HOURS ARE 10 AM – 2 PM.

To get help, more infomation and how to get foodbank vouchers click here 

To donate food or money click here 

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.

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

Let Willowbrook Hospice collect your real Christmas tree from your door...and they will take it to be recycled into garden mulch.

Why Your donations Are Needed:

All the support during the Christmas Tree collection is provided free of charge and any donation goes directly to fund the vital work of Willowbrook Hospice.

If you can donate £5 (or more if you wish) you will be helping to provide the specialist care to somebody’s loved ones now and in the future. Thank you for helping them to care.

How To book A Collection:

Ring them on 01744 453798 or register online at https://charityxmastreecollection.com/who-we-support/willowbrook-hospice/

Volunteers needed - Week commencing Monday 8th January 2018 between 10am and 4pm.

If you are interested in volunteering to help collect Christmas trees please call Ian Turnbull on 0151 430 8736 or send an email to: iant@willowbrookhospice.org.uk

This e-bulletin aims to provide a synthesis of national and regional developments in mental health; highlight newly available data and policies, support collaboration and share best practice.  

 In This Issue You’ll Find:

• Community Mental Health Survey 2017
• Mental Health Act 1983: Implementing Changes to Police Powers
• Establishment of New Mental Health Policy Research Unit
• Youth Mental Health Mixtape
• National Mental Health Intelligence Network Profiling Tools
• National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Signals
• NICE Consultations and Shared Learning
• Mental Health Reports, Resources and Research
• Mental Health Statistics

The purpose of this event is to provide a forum to disseminate the current challenges and opportunities for Halton’s faith sector specifically in terms of external funding, to share best-practice from the experience of successful local projects and seasoned bid-writing practitioners, and to learn from all parties actively involved in the sector about future strategy and direction for taking the sector forward and maximising its collective external funding potential.                

For more information and to book your place CLICK HERE NOW

The Next Volunteer Managers/Co-ordinators Forum will be onTuesday 23 January 2018 - 11.30am-2pm, at St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB

Thr 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

We look forward to seeing you at the forum.

Regards Linda & Alison

Volunteer Centre Halton Development Officers

A local Runcorn man with his friends and family are taking on a day-long physical challenge to raise funds for his local Hospice.

Nick Vaughan, aged 56 and from Windmill Hill in Runcorn, along with his friends, will be on static bikes, rowing machines, skipping ropes and a treadmill for six hours on Sunday 17th December in Tesco in Widnes. During this time, one of the group – Bob Lewy, a former soldier who recently completed a 54 mile running challenge in memory of a former colleague who died aged 54 – will be completing a full 26.2 mile marathon on the treadmill. They aim to raise £4,000 for Halton Haven Hospice from the challenge which will take place between 11am and 5pm.

Nick and his friends raised £4,400 from doing a similar challenge in Tesco in October, which led to Nick being shortlisted for volunteer of the year at Trinity Mirror‘s Your Champion awards last month.

Nick’s wife Roslyn was cared for at Halton Haven before she passed away in September 2014. Nick has now raised over £20,000 for the Hospice, from two skipathons, two bikeathons and personal donations.

In addition to all his fundraising efforts, after Roslyn passed away, Nick trained to become a bereavement listener within the Family Support department at Halton Haven, on hand to listen to people who have lost loved ones at the Hospice. Of his listening volunteering, Nick said “I became a bereavement listener for men at the Family Support unit after Roslyn passed away. I felt I had something to offer dealing with bereavement as I have sadly been widowed twice now. It is something that I am passionate about; if I can possibly help someone then I’ll try my best to help and support”

As well as the cycling, rowing and skipping at Tesco on the 17th, there is scheduled to be an appearance from The Voice contestant Charlotte Olivia Shepherd, an army bugler, carol singers, acoustic bands and singers to keep shoppers (and Nick!) entertained.

Nick said, “The Hospice is close to my heart as sadly my wife passed away there. She asked me to raise funds and I’m a man of my word! This is the fifth time we’ve done a fundraising challenge like this and we would love the help of the Halton public to ensure we raise plenty of money for the Hospice! I would like to thank Tesco for their support in this and previous fundraising efforts.”

Chris Andrews, Community Fundraising Manager at Halton Haven Hospice, said “We’re blown away by what Nick has done for the Hospice. He raised over £4,000 two months ago and now he’s back at it! Without Nick and others like him, the Hospice wouldn't exist, so we are incredibly grateful for his hard work and support.

“I urge anyone who is going to be near Tesco on 17th December to pop in between 11am and 5pm to give Nick a bit of encouragement and show your support. It will mean a great deal to Nick and to the Hospice.”

To sponsor Nick, please visit www.justgiving.com/n-vaughan.

• Two thirds of Liverpool’s small charities expect to provide services to more locals in need next year.
• But local charities are forced to do more with less – three in five Liverpool charity leaders surveyed by the Weston Charity Awards say charity income is unlikely to rise in 2018.
• CEO of Apex Charitable Trust, who won a Weston Charity Award in 2016, calls on supporters and staff of the area’s local charities to take advantage of the year-long package of free strategy coaching delivered by Pilotlight and funding provided by the Garfield Weston Foundation.

New research by the Weston Charity Awards among leaders of small and medium sized charities highlights that Liverpool charities expect to do more with less next year. Around three in five (61%) Liverpool charities surveyed feel their income will stagnate or decline over the next year. Yet it is remarkable that in spite of financial pressures two thirds (67%) of these charities said they expect to help more local people in 2018.

The research¹ is being released in December to mark the start of the application period for the Weston Charity Awards. The Awards offer twenty small to medium sized charities a one year programme of intensive leadership and strategy coaching from a hand-picked team of business leaders along with funding.

When it comes to planning ahead, two thirds (65%) of Liverpool charity leaders admitted they had spent only a few days over the past year on forward planning. The vast majority (83%) say that the pressure of tackling day to day operational matters is preventing them from taking a long-term view and 78% don’t have the budget to bring in specialist expertise in this area.

Philippa Charles, Director of the Garfield Weston Foundation which established the Weston Charity Awards said:

“Small charities are the lifeblood of the Liverpool area, helping people of all ages overcome a range of issues.  Charities tell us they urgently require leadership and strategy support to ensure they are able to keep doing what they do well. That’s why we are asking people in Liverpool to tell charities that mean a lot to them about the Weston Charity Awards. We’re offering charities a helping hand so they can continue to help your community in the years to come.”

Each of the twenty winning charities will benefit from a year of intensive leadership coaching through the Pilotlight Programme along with £6500 in funding.  Charities with income under £5million that provide frontline services in the fields of Community, Welfare and Youth are eligible to apply.

The Awards were first established in the North East of England in 2014 and then extended to the North West the following year. Among the 2016 winners was the Apex Trust which provides opportunities for unemployed people with a criminal record living in Merseyside. Apex Trust’s CEO Kim Hughes said:

“Through the Weston Charity Awards, we have made huge strides in changing our way of thinking. I urge supporters and staff of charities across Liverpool and Merseyside to consider how the Weston Charity Awards could help them face the future with confidence.”

Gillian Murray, Chief Executive of Pilotlight which manages the coaching and mentoring component of the Weston Charity Awards said:

“We’ve worked with some fantastic charities in Liverpool and Merseyside - including the Apex Trust - and we expect to identify more ambitious local charities to help next year. The benefits of focussing on leadership development and organisational strategy are overwhelming. Charities report that within two years of completing the Pilotlight Programme they are, on average, reaching 53% more people and achieving 28% income growth.”

Applications for the Weston Charity Awards open on 1st December 2017. Charities can find out more about the Awards on the Weston Charity Awards website. https://westoncharityawards.org/

Charity In The North West – Generous Givers And Government Cuts

• According to online directory Charitychoice.co.uk, there are 15,768 charities operating in the North West.
• Two out of three (64%) of people in the North West donated to charity in the last three months. This is above the national average of 61%. Insights into Charity Fundraising 2017, Institute of Fundraising                                                                     
• Highlighting the importance of well-run charities in the region, over a third (38%) of North West respondents would be encouraged to give more if they knew more how their money would be spent, and just under a third (30%) if they knew more about the charity’s effectiveness. Insights into Charity Fundraising 2017, Institute of Fundraising                                                    
• The typical monthly amount donated by people in the North West to charity in 2016, was £18. CAF Charitable Giving Report 2017
• Third sector organisations based in the North West, alongside those in London and the North East, saw the largest proportional falls in income from government in 2011/12 and 2012/13 – the North West experiencing a 7.2% drop in funding. UK Civil Society Almanac 2015

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.

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

The Salvation Army and the Hope Centre invite you to celebrate with them on Monday 18th December 11.00 am - 12.00 noon at St Helens Parish Church. 

To book your place and mince pie, please contact Sarah McDonagh, Funding Officer, The Hope Centre 01744 26414 sarahmcd@hopecentre.org.uk by Friday 15th December.

Sahir House are holding its yearly World AIDS Day activities and are collecting at various locations, they are keen to to get some extra helpers with this task.

Raising money for the charity is a life saver for many of Sahir House service users, as all funds raised are unrestricted and they can direct them straight to what is needed and where they are short on funds to help. It often helps service users with bus tickets to get in and receive the vital support service they need such as counselling and benefits advice. All support is greatly appreciated.

It is on Friday 1st December, city centre train stations for 2 hour collection shifts with a Sahir house representative so no one is on their own. They can supply an event ID badge and certificate of thanks.

Shifts are from 8am – 10am, 12 – 2pm and 4pm – 6pm, one or as many is welcome

If you are intested in volunteering, please contact Cathy Turner or Serena Cavanagh at Sahir House:

Sahir House, 151 Dale Street, Liverpool, L2 2AH

Telephone: 0151 237 3989

email: Cath@sahir.uk.com

http://www.sahir.org.uk/

Whats on at The Studio during December 

• Fri 1st  Dec 7.30pm Stand Up at The Studio
• Sat 2nd Dec 7pm Los Pacaminos ft Paul Young
• Tues 5th Dec 6pm Cronton College Music Night
• Wed 6th Dec 7.30pm A-VOID Mooncup Theatre FREE
• Sat 9th Dec 11-2pm  Christmas Bazaar Free stalls and live music & Father Christmas
• Sun 10th Dec 10 am Record Fair and Rock n Bowl Cafe
• Fri 15th Dec 7.30pm Authentic Acoustic with Alex Darley, Greg Oldfield, Clive Little, You Can 2 & James Swift

They look forward to seeing everyone at the events.

The Studio now have a monthly Radio Show 'Loose at The Studio' with guests, live music, cultural chat, reviews and previews of what's happening at The Studio.  Next Show on Halton Community Radio 92.3fm Sat 16 Dec 6-8pm.

There is also an exhibition of artwork from Hunter Tyghe (two time winner of our under 18s Open Art and Artspace awards) running in the gallery until the end of January 2018.

And finally they are collecting Festive Food and gifts for Halton Families in Need and are helping to distribute them with Trinity Kings Cross. Donations can be dropped off on Sat 9th & Sun 10th Dec 10am - 3pm

To find out more contact Louise Nulty, The Studio Project Manager on 0151 420 8997 / 07930388844 or email nultylouise@gmail.com or visit the website www.thestudiowidnes.org.uk

This winter, don’t forget to claim your £140 off your electricity bill through the Government’s Warm Home Discount Scheme. This is in addition to the Winter Fuel Allowance you may receive.

Each energy supplier taking part in the scheme has its own criteria for who qualifies. Examples of who may qualify include:

• If you are a pensioner in receipt of Pension Credit Savings Credit; or
• You receive Employment and Support Allowance; Disability benefit or
• Your household’s gross annual income is less than £16,190.

Funds are limited, so the discount is offered on a first-come-first-served basis. You therefore need to get your application in as soon as possible.

To find out if you qualify for the discount and to apply please contact your electricity supplier IMMEDIATELY

Don’t miss out on this opportunity. Don’t delay – apply today!

The local NHS is encouraging people in St Helens to get prepared for winter.  

The Stay Well this Winter campaign aims to get people, especially those with long-term conditions and those over 65, prepared for winter in a bid to ward off common winter illnesses. 

Cold weather can be very harmful, especially for people age 65 or older: it weakens the immune system, increases blood pressure, thickens the blood and lowers body temperature, increasing risks of high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections. For those with COPD; bronchitis, emphysema; diabetes or heart and kidney, cold weather, and winter illnesses such as flu, can make health problems like these far worse. 

There are a number of things which can help people prepare against the cold weather:

At the first sign of a cough or a cold get help from your pharmacist before it gets more serious and make sure you speak to your pharmacist about medicines you should have in stock to help get you and your family through the winter season

• If you do need help out of hours when your GP surgery or pharmacy is closed, call NHS 111 or visit www.nhs.uk who will be able to provide advice or arrange for you to see the on call out of hours doctor
• It is important to keep warm in winter – both inside and outdoors as it can help to prevent colds, flu and more serious health problems, such as heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia and depression. Heat your home to at least 18°C (65°F), if you can, you might prefer your living room to be slightly warmer.

Professor Sarah O’Brien, Interim Clinical Accountable Officer said: "We are asking everyone to get ready for winter and visit their local pharmacist at the first sign of illness. Pharmacies can offer a wide range of services to help you get better quicker when common illnesses such as coughs and colds or stomach bugs strike.

"Also, remember the needs of friends, relatives and neighbours who could be at risk. Many people who are particularly vulnerable to the cold, older people, those with underlying health conditions, pregnant women and those with young children, are not aware that by not keeping warm they may be putting themselves in danger."

Top advice to keep warm and well this winter:

• Keep warm and healthy by keeping rooms heated to at least 18C
• Don't put off getting the flu vaccination. If you're eligible get it now. It's free because you need it
• Look out for friends, relatives and neighbours who may be vulnerable to the cold
• Stay tuned to the weather forecast and plan ahead with supplies
• If you meet the criteria register for priority service with your energy and water suppliers
• Have regular hot meals and drinks throughout the day and keep active to help you stay warm
• Get financial support to make your home more energy efficient, improve your heating or help with bills
• Have your heating and cooking appliances checked regularly
• Wear a few layers of thin clothing rather than one thick layer, and when you need to go outside wear shoes with slip resistant, good grip soles

Widnes Rotary Club are looking for Volunteers to help with The Christmas Float which tours the streets of Widnes and this year runs from 4 December to 21 December they are particularly looking for volunteers, either individuals or a group of volunteers from an organisation, for the following dates:

• Friday, 8th December - Upton Rocks West/Norlands Lane  -  5.45 until approx 8.30 pm.
• Thursday, 21st December - Stewards Avenue / Milton Road  -   approx 7.15 pm - 8.30 pm  -  note this is a shorter route as the first half of the route is covered.

If you are unable to help on these dates then there may be other opportunities to help on other evenings (see attached).

To find out more contact Linda Ord on widnesrotaryclub1937@gmail.com 

Healthwatch Halton are holding an event to let local people know about fun activities they can join in their community. You could join a dance class, art club or get involved in your local community centre. The first event at Widnes market, in November, was a great success with 15 organisations meeting with the public to share information about their great work and how to get involved. The second event will take place on Tuesday 5th December at Runcorn Shopping Centre, 10am-3pm. Getting out and about whilst trying something new is a great way to meet people, stay active and improve your wellbeing. Please drop along and chat with a variety of brilliant, local organisations.

New Youth Work Projects In Runcorn Run by ‘Four Estates Ltd’ for Children and Young People who have parents who have been in the military or are currently serving or who are particularly vulnerable online. Approximate age range 10-18.

Social action projects, film clubs, open mic nights, film making, dance, drama, art and music sessions.

The Service aims to allow these young people to:

• Make New Friends           
• Get Their Voice Heard
• Learn New Skills
• Be Themselves 
• Run Their Own Projects 

To be held in the Community Centres in Halton Brook and Palace Fields in Runcorn on Mondays and Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons.

If you would like to know any more about this please contact Rob on:

office@fourestates.co.uk or 01928 568 536.

Funded By Children in Need

The Sanctuary in Widnes has extended its hours and now runs from 10:30-2:30 serving cakes and hot soup and crusty bread all free. Credit savvy course continues and concludes 29th November 12-2. Beautician offering Indian head massage, hands and nails etc will be present 13th Dec. Usual crafts available, games and 1-1 chats if wanted with MIND support worker and Laura. All welcome every Wednesday at St Ambrose Church, Halton View Road, Widnes .  Open to all ages and can cater for children.

For more information, please contact:

Rev. Laura Leatherbarrow
Acting Team Rector
07780448274
revlauraleatherbarrow@gmail.com

Pilotlight and the Garfield Weston Foundation are excited to announce that applications for the Weston Charity Awards will be open from Friday 1st December 2017 to Friday 12th January 2018. 

Established to celebrate and support ambitious charities working in the fields of Youth, Welfare and Community, they 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 expanding to support 20 charities across the North East, the North West, Yorkshire, the Midlands and, for the first time, 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 Weston Charity Awards website: https:/westoncharityawards.org/

Although Christmas is a time for celebration, for many people it can be a time for reflection and to think about the family and friends who are no longer with them.

Willowbrook Hospice’s Light Up A Life appeal gives people an opportunity to commemorate the lives of their loved ones by making a donation in their honour.

Everyone who makes a donation to the appeal receives a personalised Light Up a Life card and a token for a Light Up A Life badge which can be redeemed at the hospice, The Living Well building on Borough Road, St Helens or at any of the Willowbrook charity shops. The names of their loved ones will also be recorded in the Book of Honour which can be viewed at the Lights of Love ceremonies in December and at the hospice and The Living Well building from Monday 18 December until Friday 5 January.

Light Up A Life organiser, Diane Humphreys said: “Christmas is a chance to spend time with loved ones. Sometimes our loved ones are many miles away, or perhaps no longer with us, but one of the most important things we can do for them is to remember. At Willowbrook Hospice we help people honour the memory of their loved ones through our Light Up A Life appeal. Every dedication and donation helps Willowbrook Hospice raise the £4.5 million needed to ensure that we can continue to keep caring for local people and their families.”

The Light Up A Life church services include carols, readings and the lighting of the Light Up A Life tree and are: 11 December at Prescot Parish Church, 12 December at Church of the Holy Spirit in Dovecot and 13 December at St Mary’s Lowe House in St Helens – all services start at 7pm.

To remember your loved one this Christmas you can donate online at: https://willowbrookhospice.charitycheckout.co.uk/LUAL, call into the Fundraising office at Willowbrook-The Living Well, Borough Road, St Helens. WA10 3RN or ring 01744 453798.

Kick start your Christmas by coming along to the Willowbrook Hospice Christmas Market on 2 December!  For those looking to indulge in a bit of festive retail therapy there will be 30 stalls on site offering everything from unique and handmade gifts and crafts to hot and cold food and drinks.  Or if you want to get the kids in the festive mood there’ll be a fabulous Winter Wonderland and Santa’s grotto as well as donkey rides and children’s fair rides. There’s literally something for everyone!

The event  will run from 11am-3pm at The Living Well building on Borough Road, St Helens. Entry is free with the exception of the Santa’s Grotto which is £5 per child.

Do you want to make a difference to your community in Halton? Do you like stories, meeting new people and sharing your thoughts and ideas? The Reader would really like to meet you!

The Reader will be hosting free, Volunteer Christmas Coffee Mornings:

Fri 24th November 2017 11 am – 1pm The Box, Shopping City

Tue 28 November 2017 11 am - 1pm  Norton Priory

Drop in to find out more about volunteering opportunities with The Reader over a hot drink and a mince pie. 

For more information contact volunteer@thereader.org.uk 

Innovative Operations Director for careers/employment support services for adults and young people

Liverpool/Manchester Base £70k pa

Established since 2001, Career Connect are a North West charity with an innovative track record in delivering high quality independent advice, guidance and support that enhances access to learning and employment for adults and young people. In recent years, they have increased their presence across Merseyside, Manchester and the North West delivering services in a diverse range of settings including Schools, Colleges, Jobcentres, Business, Prisons etc

Innovation has been at the heart of their success, they have lead the way in winning social investment for contracts that deliver change. With the early retirement of their current Director they now seek an innovative and determined leader to head up a range of multi site/agency services delivery teams.

As a member of the Executive and Board teams, you will play a key role in:

• Developing client and market presence
• Driving excellence in delivery
• Continuously improving performance management framework and associated systems
• Building capacity in teams of professionals to grow and achieve

Specific knowledge of the careers sector is not essential and they seek candidates who are:

• Experienced in leading targeted services delivery such as careers guidance, employment/skills, social services, housing support etc
• Experienced in successfully managing and overseeing a diverse range of contract types, including PBR
• Innovative, able to shape our strategy and identify novel services approaches
• Bright and inquisitive, highly data/IT literate
• Customer and business development oriented and experienced in focused networking

In return they offer a competitive salary and benefits package, the opportunity to grow your skills and make a difference for the people they serve.

To request a candidate pack please contact the recruitment adviser at bmcpaul@brophy-mcpaul.com, or contact Bryan McPaul on 01244 675 132 to arrange an informal discussion.

Closing Date for applications: Nov 30 2017.

Interviews are planned for Dec 7/8 2017.

Salary: Salary: £18,500 – £20,000 (6 month probationary period) 16 month fixed term contract

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Place of work: Liverpool City Region

Closing date is Tuesday 12th December 5.00pm and interviews to take place Monday 18th December

Purpose of post:

Working in partnership with Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and funded by Macmillan Cancer Support this two year project aims to revolutionise the care provided to people living with a cancer diagnosis and their carers in the Liverpool area.

The project will connect patients with community based support that will complement the care provided by clinicians. The aim of the project is to help patients to identify and address any needs that may be impacting on health and wellbeing. Moreover, the project will help patients to rediscover and reconnect with their strengths and talents to help make friendships, learn new skills, build confidence and get the best out of life.

Wellbeing Enterprises are looking for four passionate Community Wellbeing Officers to join the organisation and help to bring about this extraordinary opportunity working with the Liverpool community. If you are a positive, energised and entrepreneurially minded person then they want you to apply today. If you are passionate about helping people to get the best out of life and if you can help someone to stay strong during difficult times then this is right job for you.

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

http://www.wellbeingenterprises.org.uk/macmillan-community-wellbeing-officer/

Amparo will be holding a memorial and reflection service for all those who have been affected by suicide on Tuesday 21st November 2017 at 7-8pm. It will be held at the Lady Chapel in Chester Cathedral, St Werburgh St, Chester CH1 2DY.  

All will be welcome to come and remember their loved ones in a safe and supportive environment, staff from Amparo and other services will be available for people to talk to on the night. Light refreshments will be available afterwards.

St Helens Public Health will provide a 16 seater minibus to the memorial and reflective service in Chester Cathedral for family, friends and staff affected by suicide.

If you would like to attend please contact nattaliekennedy@sthelens.gov.uk or lynnsaunders@sthelens.gov.uk to book your place.

Crownway Community Centre in Earlestown is looking for a responsible, committed and skilled person to join the staff team in the New Year. They will require a part-time Evening Caretaker / General Assistant from February 2018 onwards to support in the smooth running of the community centre.

The main responsibility of the role will be to maintain a secure on-site presence, working flexibly Monday to Friday between the evening hours of 5.00pm – 9.30pm, with occasional Saturdays. The suitable candidate will possess good DIY skills, have knowledge of Health and Safety guidelines, good customer service skills as basic café duties will be required, and a willingness to learn new things.

The successful candidate must hold a full valid driving licence and have use of their own vehicle. Travel expenses will be paid.

For more information, please call Carol Bostock on 01925 222907 or email info@crownwaycommunitycentre.co.uk

Wellbeing Enterprises CIC are looking for an experienced and highly organised Administration Officer to ensure the smooth running of a community wellbeing service working in partnership with Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group and funded by Macmillan Cancer Support.

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

Salary: £14,500 – £15,600 (6 month probationary period) 16 month fixed term contract

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Place of work: Liverpool City Region

Responsible to: Macmillan Community Wellbeing Project Manager

Closing date is Tuesday 12th December 5.00pm and interviews to take place Monday 18th December

For more information or to apply please go to: http://www.wellbeingenterprises.org.uk/macmillan-community-wellbeing-administrator/

Chorley Central Library is holding workshops at:

Chorley Central Library, 
Union Street, 
Chorley,
PR7 1EB

Each day costs £80 or book all 3 days for £225.

Workshop one involves Understanding Anger And Giving Children The Tools To Help Themselves.

 From this training you will explore: 

• Knowledge of how anger works 
• Different types of anger 
• Strategies to manage an angry outburst  
• Strategies enabling children to control their own anger 
• Anger from a child and adult perspective

Workshop starts on January 26th 2018 at 9.30 to 3.30

Workshop two is Working Therapeutically With Children Who Have Special Needs

From this training you will explore:

• What we mean by ‘Special Needs’
• Using sensory and creative materials
• Special needs and attachment
• The importance of self-awareness
• Explore effects of labeling

Workshop two is on February 23rd 2018 at 9.30 to 3.30

 Workshop three Working In Schools.

 From this training you will explore:

• Creating a safe therapeutic space 
• Safeguarding and Confidentiality 
• Working with other professionals 
• Working with parents 

Taking place on  March 23rd 2018 at 9.30 to 3.30

Bernadette Smith (www.wingsofgrowth.co.uk) and Diane Ball (dianeball11@talktalk.net) have had many years of experience working therapeutically with children as well as supervising training and have combined their knowledge to bring you these courses.

Diane Ball (Drama Therapist/Supervisor) – 07980348386

Bernadette Smith (Person Centred Counselor/Supervisor)-07805891582  email: bernadetteanddiane@hotmail.com

If you would like more information or how to book yourself onto any of these workshops please contact Diane Ball or Bernadette Smith via phone or email. 

Halton & St Helens VCA in conjunction with Probado would like to invite you to a Workshop on Cyber Security and General Data Protection (GDPR)

Cyber Security and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Workshop - Is your organisation prepared?

1st December 2017 - 1pm to 2pm

• Just under half (46%) of all UK businesses identified at least one cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months.  This rises to two-thirds among medium firms (66%) and large firms (68%) according to Department for Culture Media and Sport (April 2017) - Cyber Security Breaches Survey
• The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on the 25th May 2018 replacing the Data Protection Act.  The new regulation will impact how organisations store and manage their personal data.  Are you ready?

Who should attend? Any organisations – we are all targets of cyber attacks and must now be implementing GDPR 

Will it be technical? No, it is aimed at the lay person and will allow the audience to relate to and understand the subject matter

Is there a cost? None, it is free of charge

Agenda for the workshop

• Introductions
• Essentials of Cyber Security
• GDPR and the 3rd Sector
• Questions and Close of Workshop

To book a place click on the link below

https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=263

The Federation’s vision is that the future health and social care system in Halton needs General Practice that puts the patient at the centre of everything they do and offers:

• Accessible local care for everyone, when and where people need it the most;
• Care continuity, because it’s proven that relationships between clinician and patient adds value and benefit to patients with long term conditions or on-going needs;
• 24 hour services, with a single entry point regardless of the time of day or the day of the week;
• Variable appointments lengths that meet the needs of every individual, because a standardised 10 minute rule doesn’t work for everyone;
• The right staff seeing the right patients, utilising every staff member’s skills and knowledge;
• Using alternative technology, embracing what’s available and delivering some services in new and innovative ways;
• Community service developments delivered in partnership with our providers, ensuring patients get better access to services, in a more local setting;
• A new workforce model, embracing, enhanced and sharing the skills, expertise and knowledge of a diverse workforce, developed alongside the new service delivery model; and
• Well-developed integrated community teams, wrapped around a population, working together to provide the very best services and support to our patients.

This is the vision and the Federation now want to talk with the people of Halton to make sure this is what you want too.  

If you’re interested in getting involved, Healthwatch Halton are hosting an event for the Federation at 7pm on Thursday 30^th November at The Heath Business & Technical Park, Runcorn

To book a place on the event, please contact Julie Doyle at Healthwatch Halton on 0300 777 6543 or register online using the button below.

Please note that spaces are very limited.

Groundwork's Green Doctors are looking for community groups throughout Halton to speak too about Affordable Warmth. The Green Doctors have a wealth of knowledge around Smart Metering, switching energy suppliers, finding the best deals on electricity and gas and many other things, such as applying for Warm Home Discount, finding and applying for grants to help with upgrading central heating systems, loft and cavity wall insulation etc. If you are a group that would be interested in a session about Affordable Warmth please get in touch with Alison Beckett alison.beckett@groundwork.org.uk

Digital Champion Volunteers are helping residents, who are out of work, gain confidence using computers in Halton and St Helens.  They are part of a project called Include-IT Mersey which focuses on helping over 40’s get online and supporting them to become job ready.

Rachel Moxon, who volunteers at Kingsway Learning Centre in Widnes, said, “It’s all about giving people confidence and that’s what my role is all about.  Witnessing the transformation from fear of pressing the wrong key to sending emails is really rewarding.”

“Having the skills to use digital technology is essential in this day and age with many services being offered online such as doctor’s appointments, housing association queries and job applications” said Rachel. “It can save us time and money, make us feel better connected, less lonely and better informed”. 

Volunteer Coordinator, Sally Dobbing, is recruiting volunteers now.  “Digital Champion Volunteers can make a significant difference to people’s lives, they just need to be able to chat to people and be confident using a computer.  Volunteering is an excellent opportunity to help others, gain new skills, meet new people, gain work experience or improve your CV.”

Volunteers will be fully briefed before commencing there role and can volunteer at a time and venue convenient to them.

If you think you could spare a couple of hours a week then please contact Sally on 07860 846604 or email sally.dobbing@seftoncvs.org.uk or visit www.includeITmersey.org.uk.

Background Information: 

The Knights House Charity was originally established in February 1875.  In 1972 it was merged, with the permission of the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales, with the Charity of Richard Garnett, to be administered as one scheme.

The Knights House fund is one of a number of funds which comes under the umbrella of the Halton Foundation. The Halton Foundation was launched in February 2016 and aims to forge links between local community groups who need help, with local businesses who may be able to provide it. The partnership is led by Halton Chamber of Commerce, Halton Borough Council and Halton and St Helen’s Voluntary and Community Action (VCA).  The Foundation’s grant making arm is administered by the Community Foundation for Merseyside.

What is the focus of the fund:  The Knights House Fund aims to support people in the borough of Widnes who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress.  The fund will fund both voluntary and community groups that are working in the Widnes area on a wide range of charitable projects and also individuals in need of additional help and support.

Voluntary and community groups need to be able to evidence the requirement for their project and show how it will reduce the need, hardship or distress of their beneficiaries.  The fund aims to support projects that are alleviating poverty, responding to a basic lack of provision and relieving emotional and physical suffering.

Individuals can apply for items such as white goods and furniture and need to evidence a need for their request and demonstrate that funding is not available from elsewhere ie government funding.  Applications from individuals should also be accompanied by a letter of support/reference from an appropriate organization/individual such as Citizens Advice Bureau, local Councillor, local charity or community group.  They should be aware of your situation and your need for the items requested.

How much is available: The maximum grant available is £1000 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 individuals.

Which areas are covered: Beneficiaries must come from the Widnes area

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 for groups:

• Activities for people with disabilities
• Foodbanks
• Self-help groups
• Luncheon clubs
• Projects to reduce social isolation for vulnerable groups
• Debt advice sessions
• Domestic violence project
• Mental health initiatives

Examples of the sorts of items that may be funded for individuals:

• Equipment such as white goods, furniture, bedding
• Clothes/winter wear
• Specific equipment to help with disabilities such as mobility aids

The fund is willing to respond to emergency situations affecting both groups and individuals and is willing to consider an application for funding outside of the scheduled open rounds. Please contact Joan Ford if you wish to submit an emergency application – joan.ford@cflm.email

The closing date is Monday 20 November 2017

How to apply?

Please visit the Community Foundation for 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.  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.

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 Widnes (a copy of a utility bill/ driving licence or other similar document stating your home address will suffice)
• A copy of a recent bank statement
• Letter of support/reference

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
• 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 of just members of the same 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?

All completed applications are assessed by Community Foundation staff to confirm 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 232 2444

Email: joan.ford@cflm.email

This year, volunteers from the area are planning an event on Christmas Day – Billinge and Senely Green Community Christmas - whereby local Billinge and Garswood residents will be invited to attend a traditional 3 course lunch, complete with carols, presents, entertainment, and all the cheer of the festive season. 

The event is being entirely run by volunteers, and St Aidans Primary School in Billinge have very kindly allowed them to use their kitchen and dining room facilities for the occasion. 

For the Billinge and Senely Green event, they are hoping to accommodate up to 50 guests, and the invitation is open to anyone who may find themselves alone on Christmas Day – be they elderly, living with a mental or physical health condition, socially isolated, or simply find themselves alone for whatever reason. As long as they are over the age of 18 they will be welcome to attend.

They will also require many more volunteers to help in the run up to the event and of course on the day itself – without this generous support, this event can’t happen. Volunteers can be any age but all children need to be accompanied by an adult – and the more people who come along to help, the merrier! Whatever amount of time you can contribute will be more than welcomed.

It is sure to be a fun and happy day and is a wonderful opportunity for all sections of the community to come together in a party atmosphere. Christmas can be a wonderful time, and in the run up to it we are frequently bombarded by adverts, programmes and images of large happy groups of people celebrating together. The reality is that for significant sections of any given community, this does not happen and they find themselves alone on the day, when they would really rather not be.

That is why the community is coming together this year to celebrate Christmas Day in the true spirit of the season. It is hoped that by attending this event, guests will also be able to access signposting advice on any concerns or issues they may have going forward (for example, by volunteers giving out some of the Council’s Winter Warmer packs on the day, this may assist some guests to access help in keeping warm throughout the Winter). It is also hoped that new friendships will be forged and this all combines to create a positive legacy which will last well beyond Christmas Day.

Anyone wishing to put themselves forward as a guest, or who knows someone who may wish to attend, should email Yulehelp@hotmail.com, or alternatively can telephone 07598 506871.

In addition, if anyone would like to volunteer, or make a donation towards the event, please also get in touch using the above contact details. Any help at all will greatly appreciated!

District Taxis are organising Christmas lunch with all the trimmings in December, for the older generation who live in the Halton area.

You might know a neighbour or a family relative who can do with cheering up. As you know Christmas can be a lonely time for some people.

Every week in December District Taxis are going to bring 15 lovely people together for a Christmas Lunch and maybe meet new friends. They will cover all the cost of the meal plus transport to and from the Evenwood pub, Runcorn.

For further details or to put someone’s name down email District Taxis: districttaxis@live.com

Volunteer Centre Halton are holding their Free Christmas Quiz for volunteers & volunteer co-ordinators on Monday 4 December, 7.30-10pm at St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes WA8 6DB. Sandwich supper provided, bring your own tipple. Teams of 6 (at least one must be a volunteer), if you need help raising a full team, we can help to fill your team. For more information or to book a table contact Alison or Linda on: 01928 593112 or email: volunteerhalton@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Age UK are having a Christmas Craft Fayre at:

The Mansion House,
Victoria Park,
City Road,
St Helens,
WA10 2UG

On Sunday 26th November at 10:30am-3.00pm. 

Activities include things like Local creative craft stalls/Tombola/Donkey rides and a Santa Grotto. 

Free entry (£5 to see Santa with a gift) 

For anymore information please contact 01744 752644. 

You can also email on enquiries@themansionhouse.org.uk 

Or check out their website by clicking here 

Calling all Volunteers...... Open every weekday, Hope House day centre in Church Street provides a cooked breakfast and warm drinks, hot showers, laundry facilities, clean clothing, as well as access to phones and the internet and help and advice about getting off the streets and into housing. 
The coming cold winter months and Christmas time can be especially difficult for St Helens’ homeless people. That’s why Hope House will be open from 9.15 to 3.30 every weekday and right through the festive period from 23rd to 31st December, providing a full Christmas dinner on Christmas Day, as well as making sure that everybody has a present to open.

If you would like to volunteer at Hope House at this difficult time of year contact Volunteer Centre St Helens on 01744 751759 or email volunteersthelens@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk and we can put you in touch.

Save the Date: 20th November 2017, 4pm to 7pm at Halton Stadium

NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group are holding a FREE Winter Health Event at Halton Stadium.

Find out about everything that impacts the NHS during the Winter months. You will find out about Flu, how to save money and how to stay warm and healthy during the Winter.

There will also be a health debate with NHS Halton CCG's Chief Officer, Dave Sweeney.

More information will be posted on the website and twitter @haltonccg within the next few days

As of 25th October 2017 John Moores Foundation has moved premises to 1st Floor, 96 Bold Street, Liverpool, L1 4HY (above News from Nowhere bookshop).  The phone and email contacts remain 0151-707 6077 and info@johnmooresfoundation.com.

They are now accepting applications on a first come, first served basis; final funding decisions are normally made 3 to 5 months after receipt of application. John Moores Foundation fund a wide range of local organisations supporting their communities. For more information, please get in touch or visit www.jmf.org.uk

The Ways to Work project can offer grants for businesses that employ Halton residents that are registered Ways to Work customers for 6 months:

• Funding covers salary costs at national minimum/living wage
• Must not displace any existing roles
• Minimum of 35 hrs per week (some part time placements available)

Eligibility:

• SME (max 250 full time employees)
• Annual turnover less than €50 million or balance sheet not exceeding €43 million
• received less than €200,000 in State Aid over the last three years
• Can demonstrate business growth and/or community benefit
• Preferably based in Halton
• Commitment to continue employment after initial ILM placement

For more information please email ILMS@halton.gov.uk

The Ways to Work project is supported by the European Social Fund and The Youth Employment Initiative 

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.

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

Halton Diabetes UK Group is a support group for people who live in Halton and have diabetes.

They are a small, friendly group of people who have regular meetings which alternate between Widnes and Runcorn where they have guest speakers from the healthcare profession who give lots of information about the various aspects of diabetes in an informal and relaxed atmosphere.
People attending the meetings are more than welcome to bring along family, friends or carers and they are always pleased to see any healthcare professionals who wish to come along! 

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, November 21st 7.30 – 9.00pm, at The Old Police Station, Mersey Road Runcorn WA7 1DF

Guest speaker will be Paul Swift who is a dietician at The Countess of Chester Hospital as well as part of the Halton Diabetes Essentials Education Programme. With Christmas is approaching - and all it's extra parties and family gatherings, it is easy to be tempted by all the festive food! Paul will be giving us some timely tips to follow so as to help reduce the impact on blood glucose levels.

Everyone is welcome.

There are no charge and light refreshments are included

For more information, please email on haltondiabetesgroup@yahoo.co.uk or call on 07708578257 

You can also contact them through the web site on halton.diabetesukgroup.org where you will find up-to-date information.

This will be the last meeting of this year and they will be busy organising our programme for 2018 so if anyone has any ideas about anything they would like to see them do as a Group to help you or any areas of special interest which you would like to be incorporated into next year's meetings then please do not hesitate to contact them!

It is important that voluntary, community and faith sector organisations are aware of their responsibilities when it comes to safeguarding children and young people and so this one day course will cover: 

• Define key terms in safeguarding, including the categories of abuse
• Explain how stereotyping and variations in attitudes and values can have an impact on the way abuse is identified and dealt with
• Identify common indicators of possible abuse
• Explain the correct and incorrect responses to disclosure
• Demonstrate an increased awareness of action to take if there is cause for concern
• Clarify the importance of operating within an arena of safety and adhering to relevant safeguarding policies and procedures

To book your places please contact Niccie Jones at the LSCB Training Dept on 01744 671709 or email on: NiccieJones@sthelens.gov.uk

Two members of staff at Halton Haven Hospice will be shaving their heads in a bid to raise money to fund the Hospice’s services.

On Friday 10th November, Sue Roberts and Kath Walker will both clip their hair down to a grade four to raise money to help fund the Hospice.

Sue, from The Uplands in Runcorn, is the Activities Co-ordinator within Day Hospice at the Haven and, having worked there since January 1990, is one of the longest-serving members of staff. Kath, also from Runcorn, is a Therapist in Day Hospice and has been with the Hospice since 2007. Both Sue and Kath interact with patients on a daily basis and understand the impact that the Hospice’s care can have on people.

“A friend of ours has been living with cancer and we’ve just seen her with short hair. That inspired me and Kath to raise money for the Haven by getting our hair cut short too. One of our patients has even said she’s going to do it as well! I’ve got bobble hats ready for us so we can cope with having no hair throughout the winter!” said Sue.

Kath, who gets married three days before the date of the head shave, wanted to wait until after the big day before braving the shave. “I want to get rid of the processed rubbish in my hair! But we were also inspired by our friend who has been battling cancer and this will be a nice way of showing her our support, all whilst raising money for the Hospice. And it will be good to see my natural hair colour again!”

Chris Andrews, Community Fundraising Manager, is impressed with their fundraising efforts. “I’m very proud of Sue and Kath! They’re doing a very selfless thing to raise money for the Hospice and the rest of the team here really appreciate it. Sue and Kath know from first-hand experience the important role the Hospice plays for local people and it’s fantastic they’ve chosen to raise money to ensure we can carry on doing the work we do.”

Since only half of the Hospice’s £2.5 million annual running costs is covered by government funding, they rely on the support of local people like Sue and Kath to help raise another £1.25 million every year.

The head shave is being done by Tanya Freeman (daughter-in-law of Jan Gray, the head of the Hospice’s Family Support Unit) who is a qualified hairdresser.

If anyone would like to sponsor Sue or Kath, they can visit their online fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/SueAndKathHeadShave or make a donation at the Hospice.

SPARC charity  is launching a new “Venture Club” for people with a learning disability living in Halton.

It  will run  every Monday during the day and is based at The Studio in Lacey Street, Widnes.

The Venture Club will host a range of different fun projects and  activities that will include the following :

• making new friends
• fitness
• improving wellbeing
• diet
• personal safety
• confidence building
• and lots of other fun activities. 

The  cost to attend the new club can be funded  as part of  Direct Payments or by being self-funded.

Booking is essential and for more information please contact:

Cath Mannion: SPARC project manager:

Mobile: 0792-923-1090.

E Mail: sparc-charitycatherine@hotmail.co.uk

St Helens Cares is the new approach to delivering Health and Social Care in St Helens. It brings together a wide range of public service organisations united by one goal, to improve people’s lives in St Helens and to improve the place as a whole. Organisations involved with St Helens Cares will take joint responsibility for the quality of care and for managing the available funding to provide services.

Join in, to give your views on the future of Health and Social Care services in St Helens – you are invited to attend one of the following events:

• Chain Lane Community Centre, Friday 3 November, 1.30-3.30pm
• Newton Community Centre, Monday 6 November, 9.30-11.30am
• Perth Community Centre, Monday 6 November, 1.30-3.30pm
• Park Farm Community Centre, Friday 10 November, 1.30-3.30pm
• Crownway Community Centre, Monday 13 November, 2-4pm
• Town Hall Assembly Hall, Tuesday 14 November, 5.30-7.30pm
• Eccleston Library, Monday 20 November, 2.30-4.30pm
• Rainford Library, Thursday 23 November, 11.30am-1.30pm
• Chester Lane Library, Monday 27 November, 11.30am-1.30pm
• Rainhill Library, Tuesday 28 November, 2.30-4.30pm

Everyone welcome, no need to book – refreshments available (except in library venues).

Hope House is a charity that has been helping homeless and vulnerable people in St Helens for well over ten years. Open every weekday, the day centre in Church Street provides a cooked breakfast and warm drinks, hot showers, laundry facilities, clean clothing, as well as access to phones and the internet and help and advice about getting off the streets and into housing.

The coming cold winter months and Christmas time can be especially difficult for St Helens’ homeless people. That’s why Hope House will be open every day, right through the festive period from 23rd to 31st December, providing a full Christmas dinner on Christmas Day, as well as making sure that everybody has a present to open.

If you’d like to help people trying to survive on our streets throughout the winter, they are always looking for donations of warm clothes, gloves, socks, underwear and thermals as well as blankets and sleeping bags. You can find them at 103 Church Street (opposite B&M) and they are open from 9.15 to 3.30 every weekday.

If you’d like to find out more about Hope House and the work they do, follow this link to their website: https://www.hopecentre.org.uk/home/hope-house 

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust are holding a series of Big Conversation Events to help them shape NHS community services in the area.  

During the summer the Big Conversation events brought staff, partners, commissioners and local people together to talk about how to develop services to keep people healthy and out of hospital.

The organisational strategy will be launched soon with plans tailored to the needs of the place you live or work in. If you would like to be involved in helping to create the plans you can join them at the next set of events. Drop in anytime during the sessions at:

• Halton: Tue 21st Nov - 9.30 to 12.30pm Warrington Rd Children’s Centre, Widnes, WA8 0BS
• Oldham​:  Wed 22nd Nov - 12.30 to 14.30pm Alexandra Children’s Centre Wildmoor Ave, OL4 5PU 
• Warrington: Fri 24th Nov - 9.30 to 12.30pm The Gateway, WA1 1SR 
• Wigan: Mon 27th Nov - 9.30 to 12.30pm St Peters Pavilion Hindley, WN2 3DN 
• St Helens: Wed 29th Nov - 9.30 to 12.30pm Mansion House, WA10 2UE
• Bolton: Fri 1st Dec - 10.00 to 12.30pm Bolton College Dean Rd Campus, BL3 5BG

To book a place or to find our more please contact Louise.Fairhurst@bridgewater.nhs.uk or telephone 01942 482676.

The Big Lottery Fund are changing the way they work in England by improving the grant making and moving closer to the communities they fund. They will work across six local hubs, covering the Midlands, south west, Yorkshire and the Humber, London and the south east, north west and north east regions. The teams in these areas will be the main point of contact for communities. They will work with people to develop their ideas, from application through to project completion, and they will create opportunities for groups to come together.

Roles Available

Funding Manager: You will coordinate the grant making across a broad geographical area and make sure that the funding responds to the local context.

Band: Starting salary £30k - £35k

Type of employment: Permanent Full Time

Hours per week: 37

Location: North West: Greater Manchester

Part time and job share will be considered. 
 

Funding Officer: You will build long-term relationships with people and organisations, talk about their ideas and ambitions and assess funding requests, providing useful feedback and support.

Band: Starting salary £21k – £25k

Type of employment: Permanent Full Time

Hours per week: 37

Location: North West: Greater Manchester

Part time and job share will be considered. 

Executive Officer: You will provide administrative support to the team, ensuring they can be effective and maximise time in communities.

Starting salary: £19k - £22k

Type of employment: Permanent Full Time

Hours per week: 37

Location: Manchester

Closing Date for all Roles: 

Closing date: 12 Nov 2017

Interviews will take place week commencing 27th November and 4th December 2017

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

https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/jobs

Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram will kick-start a programme of community question time events on Tuesday, 7 November at Langtree Park, McManus Drive, St Helens, WA9 3AL. Doors will open with refreshments available from 19.00 with the event starting at 7.30 prompt. Places are limited and tickets allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Those wishing to attend can register via Eventbrite or by calling 0151 330 1467. For those unable to attend the event, it will be filmed and streamed live across social media, with the chance to take part by using the hashtag #AskSteveLCR.

Steve Rotheram is honouring an election pledge to be accessible and available to communities across the City Region and will be holding similar question times in each of the six boroughs over the next few months. The next scheduled event will be in Wirral on 12 December (venue to be confirmed).

Steve Rotheram said:

“It’s really important that politicians listen and remain in touch. Over the last six months I have been out and about across the City Region meeting businesses, community groups and getting a picture of every area, its challenges and opportunities. The Question Time events are another really important way to stay connected and give people a chance to ask me about my priorities, and tell me the things that matter most to them.”

The session will be chaired by Sally Yeoman Chief Executive of Halton and St Helens Voluntary and Community Action.

Sally Yeoman said:

“I’m looking forward to the event and would really encourage as many people as possible to come to ask the Metro Mayor questions and let him know what they think and want for the future. Devolution and the creation of a Combined Authority for our City Region will have a big impact on people’s lives and it’s great that Steve is so keen to meet, talk and listen to people in every borough. It’s democracy in action.”   

Sign up to this two hour introduction to the UN Sustainable Development Goals for the Public and Social Sectors to find out more about the Global Goals, and how the Liverpool City Region can become a beacon for best practice and collaboration. They will explore...

• What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals / Global Goals?
• What do these look like in a Liverpool City Region context?
• Why cities are the next big thing on the UN radar
• What extra resources are available via the 2030hub and the United Nations through Local2030
• Who are the local SDG early adopters and historic leaders
• How to stimulate and create additional private sector collaboration

Sign up quick as places are limited for this workshop. (Free to attend for Community Groups and Charities). Tickets are available at the following link - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/introduction-to-thesdgs-for-public-social-sectors-tickets-38081355359?aff=es2 - Price = £1 per Global Goal

This paid workshop for the private and public sectors also offers rest of day access to a hot desk (including refreshments) at the 2030hub.

For more details on the event, contact david.connor@the2030hub.com or ring 0151 558 1066

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.

Alfred Shaw Trust fund is now open for applications.

The fund supports groups working in the Runcorn (WA7 postcode) area on projects that help vulnerable adults and children and also it can fund young people for educational projects.

Closing date is Monday 11 December.

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.

Please see their website to complete the online application form or to find out more information http://www.cfmerseyside.org.uk/

Or see the attached guidelines for further information.

28th November 2018 at Barnton Memorial Hall 30A Townfield, Barnton CW8 4LH 10am-4pm

The Diocese of Chester Committee for Social Responsibility in partnership with Contact the Elderly would like to hear from those in partner organisations who are aware of the effects of Loneliness and Isolation upon their beneficiaries, service users, customers or members.

Are you in statutory, voluntary, community, faith or private sector organisations that have gained an insight into the causes and effects of loneliness and isolation upon individuals and communities? If so then they would be delighted if you joined them for this one day seminar!

The aim of the day is to provide an opportunity for those who have developed responses to this crucial issue to share their approach and learning.  As a result of the seminar they hope to set up a loneliness and isolation partnership or network, which they are happy to host or facilitate, to drive strategic and operational responses shaped in part by the outcomes of the day.

The Diocesan Committee for Social Responsibility wants to co-ordinate and collaborate more effectively on this issue in the future so that individual church communities can become  more visible and engaged partners in this shared response. The information and signposting gained from the seminar will be a resource in itself and should provide an immediate benefit to those who attend.

If you would like give a brief presentation on your insight or experience your contribution would be most welcome. It is envisaged that the day will be organised into five focussed sessions looking at loneliness and isolation amongst young people, older people, those in rural areas, those facing financial challenge and generic issues relating to loneliness and isolation.

A series of pre-prepared presentations of between five and ten minutes under the headings outlined above, followed by round table discussion and planning should give plenty of opportunity for all present to participate.

If you wish to attend and/ or present please follow the Eventbrite link below to book. For further information regarding the format and content of the day please contact Debbie Dalby or Hannah Jones for more detail. Telephone: 01928 718834 or email: Debbie.dalby@chester.anglican.org or Hannah.jones@chester.anglican.org

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tackling-loneliness-and-isolation-in-cheshire-and-beyond-tickets-39005274827

A hotpot lunch will be provided giving space for lunchtime networking under the theme of hospitality!

NHS St Helens CCG is currently working to fill the lay member role for engagement on the CCG board. You may have already sat or attended board meetings for a local or national charity and would be familiar with a lot of the practices used in the CCG.

If you are passionate about health care services, know St Helens and would like to be involved in shaping the delivery of health care services in St Helens, when admittedly these services are under pressure then please consider this role. There is a commitment in St Helens CCG as in the health care system as a whole, that the voice of people who use the services is developed to influence the changes taking place in recognition of the fact that without this the services will not be as effective. This is why it is important that the CCG has this role in place.

Attached is a pdf letter from Ruth Austen-Vincent, who explains more about the role of being a Patient Engagement Lay Member with the CCG.

If you are not sure whether the role is right for you and would like to have a chat to Ruth about it, then please email Angela Delea, Associate Director for Corporate Governance at the CCG, and Angela will sort out a time for a phone call angela.delea2@sthelensccg.nhs.uk

St Helens College, Prince's Trust team programme, Team 86's community project.

As part of the twelve week employability and personal development course for ages 16 to 25 the team have to research and contact organisations from around the St Helens area enquiring about the possibility of doing a community project that would take two weeks to complete, no more or less. 

The project can be indoors or outdoors depending on weather conditions that requires painting and decorating, gardening to even making a sensory area.

 This team’s community project, after being chosen by the team is at the Autism & Asperger’s Society located in Hall Street, St Helens were they will be painting and decorating the ground floor rooms and hallway. 

The team has purchased all equipment and paint after raising £590 from a bag pack at Marks and Spencer, St Helens.

The team would like to thank members of the public for their generosity.

In week six of the course, they will hand over the project back over to the Autism & Asperger’s Society 

The Mayer of St Helens, potential employers, family and friends will all be attending a presentation planned by the team on 1st November 2017 at 1:45pm at the society in Hall Street.

 If you would like to attend the presentation please contact Prince’s Trust staff, office on 01744 623358. 

Or email Khobson@sthelens.ac.uk or call the Autism and Asperger Society on 01744 362260.

If you are interested in finding out more about the team programme please contact Prince’s Trust staff.

 The next team start dates are 29/01/18, 08/05/18 and 24/09/18.

Health Education England (North West) and Cheshire and Mersey Local Workforce Education Group have commissioned Voluntary Sector North West (VSNW) and a research team from CLES and Leeds Beckett University to better understand carers, and the support and resources available to carers. As part of this, we are asking groups which support carers to complete this survey.

The results from this survey will be used to develop a map of assets for carers in Cheshire and Merseyside and will inform the work of the NHS in Cheshire and Merseyside. 

This work builds on the understanding that carers play an essential role for our friends and family, for our communities and for our health and social care system. This is at the heart of this research. 

The following survey takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete. There are 16 rapid quickfire questions.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CandMcarers

WASPI Women Against State Pension Inequality to complain and campaign against the rise in state pension age.

Are you a Woman born in the 1950's and interested in joining Halton, Widnes Runcorn Supporters Group?.

WASPI will be having their next meeting on the 24th Oct at 7:30pm.

The meeting will be held at;

Royal British Legion Club, 
Halton Village 
Runcorn 
WA7 2BE

You will be part of the national WASPI campaign asking for fair transitional arrangements for all women born in the 1950's affected by the 1995 pension act raising a woman's pension age from 60. 

The subsequent 2011 act accelerating this rise.

For anymore information email- waspihalton@outlook.com or find them on facebook by searching WASPI Halton 

Knit and Natter Group based at Grangeway Community Centre Runcorn.

They knit dolls and twiddle toys for dementia suffers! 

The group are always looking for donation of dolls, wool, buttons, etc.

If you have anything that you would like to donate please either bring into Grangeway Community Centre or email/ring them to organise a pick up.

Also if you would like to join in their group do get in contact they have also set a group up at Ditton Community Centre so it doesn’t matter which side of the bridge you’re on!

For all information please can call Linda Watson on 0772 552 4410 or call Angela Kelly on 0744 358 3285.

You can also email on comfortdollsuk@gmail.com

Halton Haven Hospice have launched sales of their 2018 calendar, intended to raise money to fund care at the Hospice.

The theme of the 2018 calendar is local landmarks and sights. Each month features a different photo of a well-known or eye-catching location from within the Hospice’s catchment area of Halton, Frodsham, Daresbury, Moore and Hale.

The featured landmarks include the Silver Jubilee Bridge, Hale Point Lighthouse, Bridgewater Canal and the Dream. Local photographers have provided all the images, many of which were purpose-taken for the calendar. 

Chris Andrews, Community Fundraising Manager at Halton Haven, said “We opted for a local theme to highlight the fantastic landmarks and sights of Halton and surrounding areas, and the photographers who submitted photos have done a great job in capturing them. We are very proud of the finished product and we hope the people in our local communities feel the same. It makes a great Christmas present and every calendar sold means we can continue caring for the people who need us.”

The calendars are available to purchase now for just £1 each from the Hospice (Barnfield Avenue, Murdishaw, Runcorn, WA7 6EP) or any of their charity shops in Widnes (Widnes Road, WA8 6AZ), Runcorn (High Street, WA7 1AP) or Frodsham (Main Street, WA6 7AU).

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) 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

CRT offer is now re-opened and all the information on registering an enquiry relating to a project is on the following page:

http://www.coalfields-regen.org.uk/what-we-do/division-missing/coalfields-community-investment-programme-ccip-funding-support/

Please read all the information and the guidance notes carefully before deciding whether to complete the Eligibility Survey. 

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is seeking to recruit two Employment and Skills opportunities.  Based on the iconic and historic Liverpool waterfront, these posts will support the Metro Mayor and Combined Authority in supporting people into work and helping employers access the skills they need for growth.

Principal Officer – Employment and Skills (£42,899 to £43,821 per annum)

You will support the implementation of the employment and skills aspects of the Liverpool City Region’s Devolution Agreement with Government. The successful candidate will have an excellent understanding of skills and employment funding policy along with a good track record of developing and implementing new skills and employment initiatives.

The successful applicant will be capable of delivering to deadlines and achieving challenging targets.  Applications are encouraged from applicants with an understanding of employment or skills policy and delivery.

Senior Employment and Skills Officer (£30,785 - £32,486)

You will provide policy and research support to the employment and skills team and will be responsible for analysing labour market information and producing detailed reports to inform both strategy development and commissioning plans. The successful candidate will have a good track record of labour market policy and analysis and experience of commissioning and managing external resources.

The successful applicant will be capable of delivering to deadlines and achieving challenging targets.  Applications are encouraged from applicants with an understanding of employment or skills policy and delivery.

For an informal discussion, please contact Rob Tabb on 0151 330 1250.

The closing date for both applications is Tuesday, 31 October 2017. 

Interviews are scheduled to take place week commencing 13 November 2017.

For further details and an application pack, please visit  http://www.knowsley.gov.uk/jobs/knowsley-council-vacancies.aspx

Healthwatch Halton are holding 2 events to let local people know about fun activities they can join in their community. You could join a dance class, art club or get involved in your local community centre. The first event will be at Widnes market on Wednesday 1st November 10am-3pm, with the second event taking place on Tuesday 5th December at Runcorn Shopping Centre 10am-3pm. Getting out and about whilst trying something new is a great way to meet people, stay active and improve your wellbeing. Please drop along and have chat with a variety of brilliant, local organsations. 

The Voice for Halton’s Older People are looking for people to join their panel.

They are a friendly consultation panel and have the opportunity to talk to decision makers and influence how services are designed.

For further information please contact them by;

Telephone: 01928 242034

Email: clarelightfoot@aukmm.org.uk

Or by website: http://haltonopen.co.uk/ 

The Spooky Welly Walk is a two mile interactive walk for families, the largest Halloween themed event in the city of Liverpool, organised and run by The Roy Castle Lung Foundation.

An incredible 8,700 people donned their wellies and best Halloween fancy dress in 2016, helping The Roy Castle Lung Foundation raise an astonishing £60,000 and making the Spooky Welly Walk the biggest Halloween family event in Merseyside.

Families visited over 20 separate attractions with a combination of free gifts, fairground rides and Halloween themed activities all designed to give an excellent family day out as well as raise vital funds for The Roy Castle Lung Foundation's cause as Liverpool's only national charity based here in the city.

In order to the make the event a huge success they are looking for volunteers to help man stalls such as Yucky Dip, Pumpkin Patch, Gruesome Graveyard to name a few!

They also need volunteers to help with stewarding, de-rigging and ticketing. They are expecting this year to be the biggest and spookiest yet!

If you would like to get involved please get in touch with Volunteer Centre St Helens by Tuesday 24th October 2017 and we will pass your on your details.

Call or email Volunteer Centre St Helens - 01744 751759 or volunteersthelens@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk

Are you a single parent? 

Gingerbread, the charity for single parent families, is running free courses for young mums and dads 19-24 in the Cheshire and Merseyside area. 

 The Cheshire Works and Merseyside Works programme, help young single parents to get back to work. 

You will meet other single parents, learn new skills including how to write a CV, interview preparation and work skills. 

After your training, every parent on the programme will have a work placement with Marks & Spencer. 

This programme is for you if you are:

• Living in the Cheshire or Merseyside region
• Not on the work proramme 
• Aged 19-24
• Interested in accredited training

On the programme you will also receive free childcare, free lunch and travel costs paid.

If you would like anymore information please contact Kelly Arrowsmith. 

Office: 0161 6367540

Mobile: 07538 576 561

Email: kelly.arrowsmith@gingerbread.org.uk

You can also find out more information on their website https://gingerbread.org.uk/content/2389/Merseyside-Works

At just after midnight on Saturday 14th October the Mersey Gateway Bridge will open to traffic for the first time.

The Mersey Gateway Bridge tolls start at just after midnight on Saturday 14th October…

As soon as it opens tolls will be enforced by dedicated cameras on the toll gantry scanning vehicle number plates and special merseyflow stickers. So far over 82,000 vehicles have been registered for discounts on tolls, and people can still register after the new bridge is open, or pay for one-off crossings in advance or by 11.59pm the day after they travel.

If you live in Halton and are eligible for the local user discount you need to pay a £10 annual fee and register with merseyflow to guarantee your unlimited personal crossings at no extra cost for a 12-month period.

Registering with merseyflow is the only way to get discounts on your trips, or if you’re eligible, free personal travel once you have paid your relevant administration fee.

The quickest way to register is online using www.merseyflow.co.uk, but you can also register in person at our Runcorn walk-in centre, or over the phone on 01928 878 878, both are open 8am - 8pm weekdays, and 9am - 6pm weekends and bank holidays.

A temporary walk-in centre is available at the Halton Direct Link, Brook Street, Widnes. This is open between 9am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday, and 9am – 1pm Saturday. This facility will close at 5.30pm on Friday 13th October.

If you don’t register with merseyflow and cross the new bridge, you will need to pay the full toll rate by 11:59pm the day after you travel, or face a penalty charge notice of up to £60.

The unregistered toll rates are: £2 per trip for cars, £6 per trip for light goods vehicles and £8 per trip for heavy goods vehicles. Motorbikes and local buses are not subject to tolls.

Last minute registration

If you have successfully registered with merseyflow but do not receive your sticker before the bridge opens, you will be able to use the bridge for up to 7 days before your sticker arrives.

The system will recognise you have registered and the fee for your crossing will be deducted from your account.

You will not be charged extra for any crossings made during this 7-day period.

Once you receive your sticker please attach it to your windscreen as soon as possible.

Anthony Alicastro, Chief Executive Officer of emovis operations (Mersey) Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of emovis, which runs the merseyflow operation, said: “I would urge anyone who has yet to sign up with merseyflow to register as soon as possible.

“Our records show that while thousands of eligible Halton residents have signed up for their local user discount, there are still some people who are eligible and live in Halton who have chosen not to.”

“It’s really important that eligible local residents remember that in order to qualify for your unlimited personal journeys across the bridge you will need to register with us and pay a £10 annual administration fee.”

David Parr, Chief Executive of Halton Borough Council and the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board, said: “After a lot of hard work the bridge is nearly ready to open.

“It will provide quicker and easier trips for people travelling through Halton and the wider north west region, getting commuters to work quicker, improving business reliability and allowing families to enjoy the area without facing unpredictable delays.

“Remember, if you live in Halton and are eligible for the local user discount, you must register with merseyflow before you cross the bridge.”

To register with merseyflow please visit www.merseyflow.co.uk, to find out more about the bridge project visit www.merseygateway.co.uk

How to register

There are various ways to sign up:

• Online at www.merseyflow.co.uk, which is the quickest option
• By phone on 01928 878 878, or
• At the walk-in centre at 9 Howard Court, Manor Park, Runcorn, WA7 1SJ.

It will still be possible to cross the bridges without registering but, if you do, you will have to pay the full unregistered toll fee which is £2 per car per crossing, with additional charges for larger vehicles.

Once registered, you will receive a merseyflow sticker to place in your registered vehicle’s windscreen.

A guide outlining exactly where to place the sticker on your windscreen is also available. 

Garfield Weston Foundation and Pilotlight would like to invite you to take part in this short survey of charity leaders for the Weston Charity Awards.

Your answers will help them to gauge and respond to attitudes in the sector towards leadership development and strategic planning.

 The survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete and all of your responses will be analysed anonymously.

As a small incentive, a donor has provided a £50 John Lewis voucher which will be won by one person picked at random from those who choose to enter.

Entries close on Monday 23rd October.

The survey might also help you to consider whether your charity could benefit from a free programme of intensive leadership coaching and mentoring which we will offer, along with funding, to up to 20 charities in 2018.

Please click on this link to take part.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GarfieldWestonCharitySurvey2017

St Helens Council Trading Standards Section are working with Wargrave Big Local, St Helens Citizens Advice and the Illegal Money Lending Team England (National Trading Standards) to deliver a project which is intended to assist residents in the Wargrave avoid falling prey to illegal money lenders, known as Loan Sharks. The project has been funded by Wargrave Big Local, with Trading Standards and Citizens Advice providing staff time to deliver the project.

They will be providing residents with a tool kit "Save Smart with Smiley", which they are hoping will help people to stay out of debt through budgeting, saving and making better choices when they do need to borrow. They are also encouraging residents to report loan shark activity.

Because of the funding element, the initial work will be in the Wargrave area, but they are hoping to roll the project out into all areas of St Helens, where there are reports suggesting that illegal money lending is an issue for residents.

Trading Standards will be present at Newton Community Centre, along with Citizens Advice, throughout the week of 16th - 20th October, speaking with residents and handing out free toolkits. There is also a money box to encourage saving. Residents who speak with them will be offered an opportunity to make an appointment with Citizens Advice for further advice and information around benefits, budgeting and debt.

They are also offering information sessions for councillors and those who work in the community, which will:

• Describe the impact of illegal money lending activity on communities
• Provide information about the work of the Illegal Money Lending Team
• Explain how Loan Shark Activity can be reported
• Help those working in the community recognise the signs of illegal money lending
• Provide information about what help is available for those who are struggling financially.

Following the information session there will be an opportunity to speak with representatives of the Illegal Money Lending Team England, Trading Standards and Citizens advice.

These sessions will be held on Thursday 19th October, at 11.00 am and 12.00 noon - at Newton Community Centre, Park Road South, Newton le Willows, WA12 8EX.

If you would like to attend the session on Thursday, could you confirm attendance to Collette Rai on the email below:

If you would like further information, please contact Collette Rai on 01744 676488 or colletterai@sthelens.gov.uk

Following the appointment of Lynn Collins as Chair of the Mayoral Fairness and Social Justice Advisory Board, work has now begun to establish the terms of reference of the board and its ways of working, which will be signed off by the Combined Authority in due course. The Mayor and the Chair met recently and agreed the following broad principles:-

• The Board needs to be trusted and respected by both the Combined Authority and the communities of the Liverpool City Region
• The Board would want to draw on the rich and diverse expertise of those within our communities to assist in its role, not just those at the top of organisations.
• The Board would not duplicate or replace work already being done in Local Authorities or the Combined Authority. More so it would draw on existing work to ensure best practice is shared
• The Board would provide a range of opportunities for organisations and individuals to input into areas of its work, though work groups and open sessions

In line with other similar Boards and Fairness Commissions, membership of the board will be by direct appointment of the Metro Mayor, however both the Chair and the Mayor are keen that as wide a pool of potential board members is sought as soon as possible. They are therefore inviting people to express interest in a range of areas of the Board's work, including expressing interest in becoming a member of the Board itself or one of its specific work groups which will be established over time.

Express Interest in Becoming a Member of the Board

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority want people to express interest if they think they can bring their skills and, as important, their lived experience to the work of the Board. Through the 12 to 14 members of the Board they want to try and ensure that as many aspects of our diverse city region are represented – both in terms of geography, protected characteristics, and real life experience, so are seeking people with a real drive and commitment to representing the voices of our communities.

Membership is voluntary and unpaid, although reasonable expenses will be paid to ensure board members can carry out their role. It's intended that the board would meet every two months .

Join one of the Working groups

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority also recognise that from time to time the Board will need to seek wider expertise and experiences to inform its work. That’s why they will use the option to establish smaller more focused working groups as and when needed to. Again, they would like to hear from you if you have a particular area of expertise that you would like to feed into the Board's work. You might be a representative of an organisation or campaign, or again might have the lived experience needed to inform the Board's work. Please get in touch if you would like to be included in some of the work of the Board.

Inform the Future Work of the Board

Finally, the Board's remit will allow for it to focus on particular areas of future policy development, to ensure social and economic justice are at the heart of policy formation. They would like to hear from you about the issues you see as important for our City Region going forward and would encourage you to get in touch.

For the Board to make a difference it has to be open and communicative to as wide an audience as possible, and be trusted and respected by policy makers. Both the Chair and the Mayor are committed to these aims and will work with the Board to ensure its standing and profile are established within the governance arrangements for the Liverpool City Region.

You can get in touch easily to express interest in any aspect of the board's work. A simple on line form is available by CLICKING HERE, or you can email your expression of interest by CLICKING HERE.

Expressions of interest in becoming a member of the board should reach the Mayor’s office by Friday 27th October. It’s hoped that the Board will be appointed in November and its first meeting will be towards the end of 2017.

This e-bulletin aims to provide a synthesis of national and regional developments in mental health; highlight newly available data and policies, support collaboration and share best practice.

In this issue, you'll find:

• Prevention concordat for better Mental Health
• Lancashire and South Cumbria suicide prevention logic model action plan consultation event
• East riding Mental Health strategy consultation
• National Mental Health intelligence network profiling tools
• NICE consultations and shared learning

If you have any comments on this edition, ideas for improvements or suggestions for future editions, please get in touch, with Hannah Towler-Lord:

Hannah Towler-Lord
Quality Improvement Project Manager 
(CYP Mental Health, Adult Mental Health and Dementia)

Mobile Telephone Number: 07730 380791

Email: hannah.towlerlord@nhs.net

Hospice Care Week is an annual week of activity to raise the profile of hospice care across the UK, taking place this year from Monday 9^th to Sunday 15^th October.

This year Halton Haven will be publishing stories from their patients and patients’ families to highlight the valuable, and often unknown or misunderstood, work that takes place within the Hospice.

Linda Miller has been visiting the Hospice once a week for the past few months following the death of her husband in January this year. Linda, 67 years old, met her husband Alexander aged 17. After dating for a short while they went their separate ways, and made lives with other people. Linda and Alexander’s marriages both came to an end and they found each other again, promptly getting married and starting their life together. Linda, originally from Blackpool, and Alexander, from Dagenham in London, settled into life together in Runcorn with their son and Alexander’s two daughters. Sadly in August 2016, Alexander was diagnosed with lung cancer.

His ten day stay in Warrington Hospital was followed by a return home but with regular visits to Chester for further treatment. Alexander soon became fed up with the constant trips along the M56 to fit in all his treatment, until the doctor mentioned Halton Haven Hospice. The Hospice, according to the doctor, could be an option to have all the treatment done under one roof. The back-and-forth journeys from Runcorn to Chester to Runcorn to Warrington could be done away with. So, after meeting Dr Averil Fountain, Medical Director at Halton Haven, Alexander started visiting the Hospice once a week. When Alexander’s condition began to worsen, Dr Fountain assured them he would have a bed on the Hospice’s Inpatient Unit when the time came. That time did come in late January and Alexander was admitted to the Hospice as an inpatient. He arrived on a Friday and passed away the following Tuesday.

It was during Alexander’s time at the Hospice that Linda met Jan Gray who heads up the Family Support team at the Hospice, offering practical and emotional support to Hospice patients and their family members whenever it is needed. Linda was dealing with an incredibly difficult situation with Alexander’s illness, but it was made worse by the fact that he had had his benefit payments stopped having been deemed well enough to work. Thankfully for Linda, Jan was on hand to provide practical help and guidance to rectify this. After arranging for a benefits assessor to visit Linda at home and restart Alexander’s payments, Jan also helped Linda arrange the funeral and gave her a list of departments to get in touch with to process the administrative side of Alexander’s death. Jan even arranged a meeting with a solicitor when Linda was having some other personal concerns, and came along to the meeting with her to help her through it. Linda cannot emphasise enough the importance of Jan’s support at this difficult time. “Jan is so helpful and kind. She’s so understanding and nothing was too much trouble for her." She said to me ‘If there’s anything you need, I’ll help’ and I was so grateful to hear those words.” It was after this practical help that Jan suggest Linda may benefit from some emotional support too, and she suggested counselling. Linda’s response of "I don't know but I'll give it a go" was one of the first steps in her grieving process. Linda now goes into the Haven once a week to see Maxine, one of Jan’s colleagues in Family Support. “I have found it useful. It’s helped tremendously,” Linda says. “The sessions with Maxine have made me feel better. It takes time but I am getting there.I just need to get rid of this rubbish in my head.” Jan and the whole Family Support team have been a great help to Linda. “She’s brilliant. An absolute star. I don’t think I would be where I am now without them. I talk and they listen, and it helps me find my own solutions. They’ve helped no end and pulled me through some black times.”

There is a common misconception about hospices across the UK with many people believing they are ‘just a place where you go to die.’ Whilst Halton Haven does provide end of life care for many patients, there is so much more that happens at the Hospice.

Throughout Hospice Care Week, Halton Haven will be publishing stories and news every day on their facebook and twitter pages in a bid to eradicate these misconceptions and shine a light on what Hospice Care really means.

For more information, you can visit https://www.haltonhaven.org.uk/, Facebook search Halton Haven Hospice, or twitter.com/haltonhaven. 

You can contact Chris on 01928 712 728 or chris.andrews@haltonhaven.co.uk.

A Question Time-style panel debate focusing on the issue of obesity is coming to St Helens next week.

The F Word – How does St Helens tackle the rising tide of obesity? takes place at the Totally Wicked Stadium on World Obesity Day, Wednesday 11th October.

Hosted by the BBC’s Kevin Fitzpatrick, the event will feature health experts from the council, NHS, education sector and the food and drink industry.

Panellists confirmed are:

• Laura Street, Nutrition Business Partner at Kellogg’s
• Charlene Mulhern, Public Health England
• Kate Anderson, Head of Service Development, ABL Health
• Lisa Ellis, Chief Nurse, St Helens CCG
• Kevin Hardy, Medical Director, St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospital NHS Trust
• Victoria Roberts, Deputy Principal, St Helens College

Organisations will also have the chance to sign up to the town’s Healthy Weight Declaration and help to shape St Helens’ vision to ‘grow the economy, not our waists’.

This will be a great opportunity to learn more about best practice in raising the issue of obesity and, for those who would like to get involved, to take part in a lively debate.

The event takes place from 6pm-8pm. Refreshments are provided.

If you’d like to attend, please contact Alison Klabacher at aklabacher@ablhealth.co.uk or register at Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-f-word-how-does-st-helens-tackle-the-rising-tide-of-obesity-tickets-37840493936?aff=es2

Last year 1.1 billion prescription items were dispensed in primary care at a cost of £9.2billion.

As the NHS has limited resources and this is a growing cost a number of areas of prescribing are being reviewed to ensure they are providing safe, high quality and cost effective treatments for patients.

NHS England is working with Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to ensure its prescribing resources deliver the best possible value and health outcomes for local populations.

A national consultation on commissioning guidance for items which should not be routinely prescribed in primary care has now opened, and will be running until 21st October 2017.

This consultation includes a total of 18 medicines/products which are either clinically ineffective, unsafe, not cost effective or where the NHS can offer a clinically-proven alternative for patients.

They are also seeking people's views on whether a wider list of 3,200 products that are available over-the-counter, without prescription, may be considered appropriate for future restriction.  

More information can be found by clicking here 

Why is this happening?

This consultation is about making the best use of NHS resources.

They are asking everyone who works in or uses the NHS to contribute to and support the consultation so the NHS can improve people's health, reduce waste and get better value from the £141 million currently spent on these 18 products and the significant amount of money spent on products for minor self-limiting illnesses.

Where can I find out more?

Consultation document – You can access the full consultation document and take part here

Survey - You can access the consultation survey here 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NHS England have produced a series of FAQs which provide further information. 

Please visit their website for anymore information http://www.haltonccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/items-which-should-not-be-routinely-prescribed-in-primary-care

If any groups are organising community bonfires, WSR Recycling are offering free wood and free delivery in the Halton area.

If you are interested please contact Lee on the details below

Lee Goodier

Transport Planner

WSR Recycling Limited

( +44 (0)151 4235928 – Ext. 241 | Ë+44 (0)7738131054 | 6+44 (0)151 4239353

* WSR Recycling Ltd, Ditton Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 0PA

ü www.wsrrecycling.co.uk | 8 lgoodier@wsrrecycling.co.uk

Come and Join and Award Winning Street Dance Crew! 

Try Outs - Thursday 5th October, 6pm -- 8.30pm £5 at St Helens Parish Church Hall, Church Square, WA10 1BN. 

The Try Outs is open to ALL AGES from primary years right up to University Students and Adults. They have crews for all abilities and everyone is welcome to attend.

Learn Street Dance Styles such as Whacking, Hip Hop, Commercial & Krump plus many more. Have a chance to compete Locally, Nationally and Internationally. 

St Helens Mind urgently needs volunteers aged 18+ to help support people as befrienders for a couple of hours a week and to help the social groups run smoothly.  They particularly welcome men and people over 50 but people of all ages, interests and backgrounds are also required.

“People who are experiencing mental health difficulties can often feel lonely and isolated. They may not be alone as such but may feel they don’t want to burden their family or that they can’t be open about their feelings.” Says Gill Ellison, Manager

“When you’re lonely, it can feel like no one really understands you – and this can be a terrible place to be in.”

St Helens Mind Volunteer Befrienders can make a positive impact on the lives of people they support. Even seemingly small things, like arranging to meet for a coffee or a drink and a catch up, can make a big difference.

Ellen who is currently being supported by a volunteer said: “I have found the Befriending Service invaluable. It has helped me get out of the house but more importantly I have received unconditional acceptance and encouragement.”

There are people of all ages, with varied interests and from all walks of life waiting for someone who can support them for just a couple of hours a week to help them on their journey to playing a fuller part in community life.  Could that person be you?

The next Volunteer induction is on the 1st November, if you are interested in volunteering for St Helens Mind then now is the time to submit your Volunteer Application form - you can down load a form from sthelensmind.org.uk or you can ring the office on 01744 647089

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.

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

Halton Peoples Health Forum

Topics to be discussed at this event include:

• Isolation and loneliness
• Flu information
• Halton Haven

Refreshments available

For more information and/or to book a place please email communications@haltonccg.nhs.uk or call 01928 593479 or visit the website www.haltonccg.nhs.uk

Third Sector Engagement event by NHS Halton CCG, NHS St Helens CCG and NHS Warrington CCG

Date and time: 17th October 2017, 1pm to 4pm

Venue:  Halton & St Helens VCA, St Maries, Lugsdale Road, Widnes, WA8 6DB

The aim of the event is to bring together third sector groups across Halton and St Helens to find out more about the changes in Health Care / STP and the third sector and how we can work together going forward around the Local Delivery System and Sustainability Transformation Plan to support third sector involvement in all programmes of work.

This meeting will focus on

• Follow up on the points raised in the first meeting
• An update on STP structures
• Discussion on work in care homes and how the third sector can build on what they are already doing, and develop their support of this.

Please pass this invite to other groups and community organisations you think might be interested.

If you would like to register a member of your organisation to attend please do so by clicking the following link using the password - Engagement1:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/third-sector-engagement-event-tickets-37689403019 

Feedback from previous event attached.

Staff, pupils and parents of Ditton Primary School in Widnes have come together to raise vital funds to purchase new syringe drivers for Halton Haven Hospice.

The school chose to support this worthy cause in memory of Lesley Hardman, a much-loved teaching assistant who died in February.

A total of £1,401 was raised by the school from their summer fun day and a raffle organised by Lesley’s seven year old niece Harriet, also a pupil at Ditton Primary.

Stella Hardman, Lesley’s sister and a teacher at the school, said “Lesley was a member of the school for four years. She always had a smile for everyone and was loved by all the children and staff at Ditton Primary. Lesley battled for two years with secondary cancer. The school now has an award in her memory that is given out at the end of the year to a pupil that has carried on and never given up, no matter what life has thrown at them.

“Staff at Ditton Primary decided to hold a fun family afternoon to raise money for Halton Haven. The staff and Lesley’s family were overwhelmed by the generosity of the community for all their donations and support”

In addition to the £1,400 raised by the school, several thousand pounds more has been raised by various friends and family of Lesley Hardman, as well as friends and family of Phyllis Plumpton, a good friend of Lesley’s.

Over the past six months, those who remember Phyllis and Lesley have organised live music nights, arranged corporate donations from employers, co-ordinated charity rugby matches and auctioned football shirts. The aim of their fundraising efforts is to raise enough money to purchase twelve new syringe drivers, one for each patient room in Halton Haven's Inpatient Unit. These important pieces of medical equipment, which help control pain and symptoms of terminal conditions, cost around £1,300 each, meaning the families set themselves a target of £15,600.

Chris Andrews, Community Fundraising Manager at Halton Haven, said “It is wonderful to see everyone coming together to do all these amazing activities in memory of Lesley and Phyllis. We are so incredibly grateful to the two families for deciding to fund the new syringe drivers and to Ditton Primary and everyone else who has really got stuck into the fundraising efforts. The syringe drivers we have in the patient rooms at the moment are functional but are getting old and won’t last forever. The twelve new drivers will be hugely appreciated and go a long way to helping our patients manage their pain.”

With the fundraising total steadily increasing, it won’t be long until the two families have raised enough money to see their plans come to fruition.

For more information about the Hospice and how you can support, please visit www.haltonhaven.org.uk or contact the fundraising team on 01928 712 728 or info@haltonhaven.co.uk.

On the 29th-30th September at 1-5pm the Wonky Garden will be creating a BIG Community Garden at Halton Farnworth Hornets Rugby Club, Wilmere Lane, Widnes WA8 5UP. 

They are holding a combined event to celebrate this new garden and raise funds for both the garden and Macmillan, a charity dear to their hearts.

 Come along, meet the team and chat about what you would like to see in this community garden and consider getting involved in this exciting project.

 Donations of cake/biscuits would be lovely!

About The Wonky Garden: They are 3 friends who met at a well-being event during cancer treatment. 

They come from very different business backgrounds and together have created The Wonky Garden.

It's not all about gardening, but it is definitely about new experiences, designing and growing together, physical/mental well-being, sharing knowledge, creating funky art and craft activities and having oodles of fun!

Anyone can attend, no matter how young or old, how much or little you know about gardening - they welcome visitors that simply want to enjoy the company and have a chat.

For more information please go to; 

Follow them on Facebook- The Wonky Garden

Website- http://thewonkygarden.co.uk/

Twitter- @thewonkygarden

Or email them on thewonkygarden@gmail.com

Stick ‘n’ Step supports children and young people with cerebral palsy, and their families, from across North West England and North Wales. Through the provision of free group conductive education sessions, they help each individual to reach their personal potential in terms of their confidence, mobility and independence.

The organisation is in an exciting and transformative season of growth which will see capacity grow by 86% in the next three years. The team of staff, Trustees and volunteers has been on a journey to improve and develop every aspect of the organisation to guarantee a vibrant and strong future for the organisation. Stick 'n' Step has recently opened a second centre, which will serve the Cheshire community from a base in Runcorn. 

They are looking for an experienced fundraiser (with paid or voluntary experience) to join the dynamic fundraising team, and to help to generate the income that required to allow the classroom team to continue their incredible work. The post is based across both centres, and the successful candidate will be expected to work three days per week from Runcorn, and two from the Wallasey centre.

The successful candidate will have a broad and successful track record of community or corporate fundraising, and will have a strong work ethic; driven by values of openness and honesty, and a desire to create excellent experiences for our supporters and volunteer teams.

If you would like to discuss this opportunity in more detail before making an application, please call Matt Meaney, Development Manager on 0151 638 0888. If you are ready to make your application, you can find all the information you need on the jobs section of the Stick 'n' Step website. http://www.sticknstep.org/jobs

Closing date: 3rd October at 17:00.
Interviews:  Friday 13th October.

Halton Disability Partnership are holding a relaunch event on September 27th to showcase the support that they can offer to disabled people and their families in Halton.

HDP provides a range of services including welfare and benefits support, making a lasting power of attorney, and recruiting social care personal assistants.

The event will be held at All Saints Church on Church Street in Runcorn from 10:00am until 1:00pm.

HDP will be joined by other organisations that they work with to provide a network of support including; Nightstop (homelessness support), Halton Carers' Centre, Admiral Nurses (dementia support), Wiltshire Farm Foods (frozen food delivery), Citizens Advice Widnes, and Halton Borough Council Children's Services.

More information about the organisation and event can be found on the HDP website http://www.haltondisability.org.uk/news-and-events/save-date-hdp-relaunch/

The Engagement and Inclusion Officer – Families and Disabled People will work within the Committee for Social Responsibility department of the Diocese of Chester.  The role is to enable, support and resource parishes engaging in social action, particularly in relation to work: with parents and children facing disadvantage; supporting engagement in family life and awareness; acceptance and celebration of disabled people.

The successful candidate will be a person of deep conviction and passion concerning areas of social responsibility relevant to the Church of England, with a full understanding of the areas of engagement and inclusion. Sympathy with the aims and objectives of the Church of England is essential.

This is a part-time post of 28 hours a week, on a three year fixed-term contract.

The remuneration package will include a FTE salary of £26,818 (pro-rata £21,454) and membership of the Church of England Pension Scheme.

Closing date: Monday 2nd October 2017 at 12noon
Interviews: Friday 20th October 2017

For more information and how to apply please click here to go to the Church of England Diocese of Chester website.

Healthwatch Halton are holding 2 events to let local people know about fun activities and clubs they can join in with. The first event will be at Widnes Market on Wednesday 1st November 10am-3pm, with the second event taking place on Tuesday 5th December at Runcorn Shopping City 10am-3pm.

We would love to hear from Halton clubs, groups and organisations who run fun activities such as lunch clubs, art or exercise classes.

If you would like to attend or have your information shared please contact Jude Burrows at jburrows@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk or call 0300 777 6543 for more information or to sign up.

When

The course will run in 2 small groups for 16 weeks from Thursday September 28th and Friday September 29th , average 4 hours per week with occasional evening and weekend activities.

What?

Opportunities to:

Learn to operate sound and light equipment or play an instrument, or record, perform, contribute to a radio show, help plan & publicise events in a safe friendly environment with full support from inspirational staff.  Working as a team and as an individual, building your skills and confidence can help you into further education: Training? Employment? Volunteering?

Get more out of life because you can.

Where

The Studio, Lacey Street, Widnes, WA8 7SQ.  The Studio is a community venue with performance, rehearsal, and recording facilities and an artspace gallery.

To find out more and book your place email info@thestudiowidnes.org.uk or phone 07930 388844

Merseyside Youth Association Limited in partnership with Mersey Care are seeking to recruit an Employment Mentor.

Salary: £23,679 p.a - (JNC Pt. 13)

Hours: 35 Per Week

(May Include Some Evening and Weekend Work)

Fixed Term Funded for 12 Months from Start of Project

The above post will be subject to Enhanced Disclosure

The successful candidates will be required to support Health Education Englands Investment in entry level Vocational Learning Developments to assist the pipeline of employment within NHS Trusts. The postholder will deliver effective personalised pathway to employment for young people and adults  who are not in education, training or work.

The successful candidate will hold a recognised qualification to at least an NVQ Level 3 in a relevant subject. They will also have substantive experience of 1-1 mentoring, as well as groupwork delivery, caseload management, supporting people into meaningful progressions, together with post employment support.  The successful candidate will have an excellent track record in ensuring individual and project targets are met.

For an application pack and further information please forward your request to recruitment@mya.org.uk alternatively visit their website on www.mya.org.uk or send a large SAE for £1.20 to:

The HR Department, Merseyside Youth Association Ltd, 65-67 Hanover Street, Liverpool L1 3DY

Please note, CV’s will not be accepted and should not be part of your supporting information.

Closing Date for Completed Applications: 5pm Friday 29th September 2017

Merseyside Youth Association Limited/the Youth Federation is an Equal Opportunities Employer and is committed to maintaining a non-abusive environment

NHS St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are working in partnership with North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, to review the Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Sunflower services provided for the children and young people of St Helens. They would like to know your views on the current services and how they could be improved going forward.

Please click on the short survey (5 - 10 minutes) that most relates to you:

Children and young people
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CPDVMML

Parents / carers
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CPHJXDR

Professionals that interface with the services
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/C6KS3TL

All surveys will close on Friday 29th September. 

Thanks very much for your time and involvement in this review.

If you would like to speak with someone about this review please call Andy or Susannah (see details below):

Andy Howard, Senior Commissioning Manager, St Helens CCG (andrew.howard@sthelensccg.nhs.uk / 01744 624442); and

Susannah Green, Interim Operational Manager Paediatric Therapies, North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (susannah.green@nwbh.nhs.uk / 0151 244 3499)

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.

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

Healthwatch Halton is hosting a Macmillan Coffee break. Please come along to St. Maries on Wednesday 27th September any time between 12pm and 2pm. Everyone is welcome to drop in for a brew and some cake. We really look forward to seeing both organisations and individuals for coffee and a chat in aid of this great cause.

Hack Back CIC and Runcorn Rotary Club are running a series of FREE workshops in Runcorn for people 65+.

Come and join in the 6 week programme; build confidence, make friends, have fun and learn about birds of prey, and nature. 

You’ll meet Murray and the other Hack Back owls, and get the chance for hands on experience. 

People with disabilities and those with long term illness including mental health issues etc are very welcome.

The workshops start in September.

Wednesday 10am – 12pm  Castlefields Community Centre 6th September 2017

Monday 10am – 12pm Murdishaw Community Centre, starting on 2nd October 2017

Booking is essential – maximum 20 people per session to book 

To book your place call  Anita – 0151 257 9480, 07813 683466

Or email at  anita@hack-back.org.uk

PS Not suitable for people with bird phobias, the birds will be flying to participants.

Homestart St Helens have a new Volunteer Training Programme starting on Tuesday 26th September, 10 am to 2:30 pm. It runs every Tuesday for 8 weeks.

Home-Start St Helens supports local families with young children throughout the Borough of St Helens. They offer friendship, support and practical help in times of family difficulty to help improve the quality of life and healthy well-being of children and their parents.

Their service is free of charge and totally confidential, Volunteers, who know what it is like to be a parent, offer their skills and experiences to other parents in a non-judgemental way.

Being part of the Volunteer Team at Homestart can be very rewarding.

If you are interested and would like more information please ring Home-Start St. Helens on 01744 737400

Peter Street Centre,
Peter Street,
St. Helens
WA10 2EQ

The Course runs for eight weeks on a Tuesday only from 10.00 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.

Congratulations to St Helens Carers Centre who received the most votes in West Lancashire and have secured a grant of £25,000!

Everyone at Halton & St Helens VCA would like to send their congratulations to St Helens Carers Centre!

For more information about Masonic Charity and the work they do, please click here to visit their website

Information Volunteers (North West)

Pancreatic Cancer UK are offering an exciting part-time volunteering opportunity (1-2 days per month) to support the regional team in the North West (Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside). The Information Volunteers will help the team to reach people throughout the North West who are affected by a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, providing them with access to information and support.

You will have excellent communication skills, a good knowledge of Pancreatic Cancer UK services, an empathy for people affected by pancreatic cancer, and an understanding of the importance of confidentiality and personal boundaries.

In return, you will gain experience in a busy, friendly team, meet new people, receive support and induction, reimbursement for volunteer expenses, as well as the satisfaction of making a valuable contribution to the work of Pancreatic Cancer UK.

How to apply

Please read the full Role Description and send an email outlining your relevant experience and why you’re interested in this volunteer role, together with your CV, to getinvolved@pancreaticcancer.org.uk. They will then contact you to arrange an informal telephone call to discuss the role, and any further details they may need.

If interested, please email by: Friday 29th September at 9am

Training

If we think you’ve got the appropriate skills and experience for the role, you will be invited to attend a 1 day training session. This will likely be on Friday 6th October at a venue in Manchester. Reasonable travel expenses to and from the training event can be paid in line with their Volunteer Expenses Policy, and lunch and refreshments will be provided. Depending on the number of applications they have for this role, and their suitability, they may not be able to invite all interested applicants but will let you know of other opportunities or future training dates as they become available.

Volunteers have been integral to Sahir House since its former entity as Merseyside AIDS Support Group which started in 1985 and pride itself in high quality and purposeful opportunities to volunteer who make a positive difference to the HIV community in Merseyside.

Health care buddies, skills coaches, fundraisers & reception volunteers needed!

• Can you provide practical & social home care support?
• Help when attending benefits & asylum appointments?
• Provide basic IT & job search skills?
• Join our dynamic World AIDS Day campaign team?
• Want to develop valuable work experience for your CV?
• Do you want good quality training?

Full induction training, support & travel expenses provided

Open evening: Thursday 19th October 6pm – find out more about volunteering at Sahir House

Informal interviews: week of 23rd October  - call/email for an appointment

Induction training course: Fri 3rd (eve), Sat 4th (day) & Sun 5th (day) November - 100% attendance needed

(Please note, these dates have recently changed to above dates)

Sahir House welcome people from all areas of the community especially people with some mid-week day time availability, people living with HIV, those from local BME, asylum LGB&T communities.

For more information and a Volunteer Information Pack:

www.sahir.org.uk/volunteer

training@sahir.uk.com

tel: 0151 237 3989

Join the Honey Rose Foundation on Friday 22^nd of September at Wishes Function Room, to celebrate their 14th Year with Robert Taylor who will be performing as George Michael!

Dress to impress!

• 7:30pm Start
• Disco
• 2 Course Meal
• Raffle & Auction

Set to be a fantastic night, make sure you get your tickets at least 2 weeks in advance as there will be no on the door sales for this event!

Compare Gary Conley

£25 per ticket, 

For more information and to book your ticket, please contact them on:

T: 01744 451 919 

Address: 2-4 Cotham Street, St Helens, WA10 1SA

Website: https://www.honeyrosefoundation.org.uk/

The new Mersey Gateway Crossing is due to open this Autumn to make sure your volunteers and staff members get their discounts they need to register with Merseyflow.

The official Merseyflow website is the only place to register for an account and to find about the best deals on toll costs for Halton’s new Mersey Gateway Bridge and the Silver Jubilee Bridge. 

There are different options for Halton residents, Blue Badge holders, monthly passes and pre-pay accounts – but if you don’t register, you’ll have to pay the full toll fee.

The easiest way for everyone to register is online at https://www.merseyflow.co.uk/.  

Active St Helens – Fit Forever 2017 Sessions for age 60+ – more people, more active, more often.

All abilities welcome! Improve your fitness and well-being.  All activities are designed to be gentle and suitable for all levels of ability.  There is no pressure, have a break and a chat when you want.

To find out more and get up to date information on all activities click on the link below:

https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/culture-sport-leisure/sports-development/age-60plus/

For sport and physical activities for other age ranges you can access the information using the link below

https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/culture-sport-leisure/sports-development/

For more information on any of the activities, please contact:

Sports Development

Tel:  01744 675403

Email:  gemmawebster@sthelens.gov.uk

There are a small number of places left at the services launch for the St Helens Information and Advice Service and the St Helens Advocacy Hub which will take place on Wednesday 13th September 17 at the Beacon building in St Helens, therefore if anyone would like to attend, or for further information please ring Jo Pilkington-Burrows, Communication Officer on 01744 453053 or send an e-mail to jp@informationsthelens.org.uk.

The St Helens Information and Advice Service will assist local people with a wide range of issues including benefits advice, accessing care and support, homelessness, and housing issues. The service will also signpost people to statutory voluntary and community organisations, and enable individuals to make informed choices about their health and social care. Their direct telephone number is 01744 758034, or visit www.informationsthelens.org.uk or drop in at the Millennium House, Bickerstaff Street, WA10 1DH.

The St Helens Advocacy Hub offers a single point of contact for all advocacy enquiries in the borough. The Hub will provide information, sign posting and one to one independent advocacy support for all health and social care related issues.

Advocates will support people to explore their options, defend and promote their rights, speak out about issues that matter to them and ultimately be involved in decisions about their lives. Direct telephone number is; 0300 303 0202 or e visit www.sthelensadvocacyhub.net.

Halton Council is launching a survey to find out how easy it is for residents to access healthy and affordable food. The results of the survey will be used to inform future council policy.

The survey is the final part of a detailed study that has looked at food provision across the borough.

The survey was launched on 4th September and will run for 6 weeks until 13th October. Anyone who takes part in the survey will be invited to enter a prize draw. The first prize will be a £30 in shopping vouchers with 3 runners up prizes of a £10 shopping voucher.

The results of the survey will be published at the end of the year.

This is a great opportunity for residents to share their views and experiences on food provision in Halton and to help develop future council policy

The survey can be accessed online at https://webapp.halton.gov.uk/survey_snap/foodaccess.htm

Paper copies of the survey have also been distributed to community groups to ensure the views of all residents are considered. 

World Suicide Prevention Day is held each year on 10 September. It is an annual awareness raising event organised by International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

This year's theme is about connecting with others and letting people know that  #ITSOKAYTOTALK.

More than 800,000 people take their lives each year across the world.

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 can be a game changer.

People 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 told that 'it's ok to talk' can make a huge difference.

If you want to know more information about how you can help by learning how to talk to others, or are having difficulties yourself or would just like more information, there are a lot of brilliant and useful websites. 

https://www.samaritans.org/media-centre/our-campaigns/world-suicide-prevention-day

https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/60848-no-more-suicide

If you are struggling or feeling like you can’t cope don’t bottle it up, you can talk to many other people who feel just like you and even talk to trained people to help.

By following the link below and talking and passing contact numbers for registered charity’s you could help save a life.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Suicide/Pages/Getting-help.aspx 

The Halton Diabetes UK Group is a support group for people who live in Halton and have diabetes.

They are a small, friendly group of people and have regular meetings which alternate between Widnes and Runcorn where they have guest speakers from the healthcare profession who give them lots of information about the various aspects of diabetes in an informal and relaxed atmosphere.

People coming to the meetings are more than welcome to bring along family, friends or carers and are always pleased to see healthcare professionals who wish to come along!

The next meeting will be on Tuesday September 19th from 7.30pm - 9.00pm at St Paul's Church Hall, Vicarage Road, Widnes WA8 7QD.

There no speaker this time - just them so, if you have not been to a meeting before, please do come along and meet them all for a chat and a cuppa!

Find out more about the group, with a chance to share experiences. ideas and concerns.

Everyone is assured of a warm and friendly welcome so if you would just like to see what they are all about, or you would like to tell them what you would like Halton Diabetes UK to do to help and support you then please do come along.

There are no charges and light refreshments are included.

If you require any further information they are always very pleased to hear from you.

Please e mail on haltondiabetesgroup@yahoo.co.uk

Or call on 07708578257

You can also contact them through their website by following the link below. 

https://halton.diabetesukgroup.org/

The awards, previously known as the Special Constable and Police Support Volunteer Awards, highlight the vital role volunteers play in support of policing, by giving up their free time to make communities safer, and enhancing the effectiveness of policing across England and Wales. 

In 2013, they were renamed in memory of Lord Ferrers, the former Home Office minister who created the awards in 1993. This year, they are including a new award for Technical Innovation, to recognise those volunteers who have used technology creatively. Therefore, this year, the awards will recognise achievement across 9 individual and team categories: 

• Ferrers Special Constabulary – Individual Award: open to individual Special Constables who have demonstrated a sustained and significant contribution to policing in their local communities. 

• Ferrers Special Constabulary – Team Award (sponsored by Police Mutual): open to teams of Special Constables who have demonstrated a sustained and significant contribution to policing in their local communities. 

• Police Support Volunteer – Individual Award: open to individual Police Support Volunteers who have demonstrated a significant and sustained contribution to policing in their local communities. 

• Police Support Volunteer – Team Award: open to Police Support Volunteer teams who have worked together to make a significant and sustained contribution to policing in their local communities. 

• Volunteer Police Cadet – Individual Award: open to individual Volunteer Police Cadets who have demonstrated a significant and sustained contribution to policing in their local communities. 

• Volunteer Police Cadet – Team Award: open to teams of Volunteer Police Cadets who have worked together to make a significant and sustained contribution to policing in their local communities. 

• Employer Supported Policing Award: open to organisations that support their employees to volunteer in policing. The award recognises the contribution of employers and includes those accredited under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme. 

• Leadership Award (sponsored by ASCCO): open to individual Special Constables who have demonstrated a significant and sustained contribution to leadership. 

• Technical Innovation Award – Team or Individual: open to Special Constables, Police Support Volunteers and Volunteer Police Cadets. The award recognises the contribution volunteers can bring to using technology to support policing. 

This year’s awards ceremony will take place at a central London location on Tuesday 28 November. 

The 2017 awards launched on 18 August 2017 

The deadline for nominations is 17 September 2017

For more information and to make a nomination visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lord-ferrers-awards-2017

Citizens Advice Halton are looking to recruit a number of new volunteers to help their team to help the local community.

Full training is given to a nationally recognised standard .

They are looking Assessors and Advisors in both in Runcorn and Widnes offices who are able to commit to two days a week.

Offering free, Independent, Impartial and Confidential advice across a number of subject areas including Benefits, Employment, Housing, Debt, and Consumer issues.

Due to the nature of the role they ask that volunteers have a basic understanding of computers and a good level of numeracy skills.

If you have some spare time and want to learn new skills, make new friends and make a difference to your community then please contact them for an application form.

You can call into one of the offices at:

Citizens Advice Halton,
Unit 3,
Old Co op Building,
Lugsdale Road,
Widnes,
WA8 6DJ

Citizens Advice Halton,
Ground Floor,
Grosvenor House,
Runcorn,
WA7 2HF

Or E mail -  advice@citizensadvicehalton.org.uk

You can also call them on 0151 257 2443 and leave a message with your details on the answering machine.

Sefton CVS, as lead for the Include-IT Mersey partnership, have launched an Invitation to Tender inviting applications from suitably qualified and experienced applicants to conduct an evaluation of the Include-IT Mersey Project. 

The ITT document can be found on the SCVS website, which contains all relevant details and instructions.

The deadline for tender responses is 5pm, Wednesday 13th September 2017, which should be emailed to communications@seftoncvs.org.uk

The Next Volunteer Managers/Co-ordinators Forum will be onTuesday 10 October 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

We look forward to seeing you at the forum.

Volunteer Centre Halton Volunteer Recruitment Fair 2017 - Tuesday 17th October 11-2pm

The event will be held at Riverside College, Kingsway Campus, Centre Stage, Kingsway, Widnes

The fair 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 public. We would like to request that your stand is manned for the whole time so that the last visitor has as good an experience as the first one.

We recommend that you bring your own lunch / tea.  Alternatively, refreshments can be purchased from the canteen or Costa coffee shop on site.

If you are coming by car there is free parking available off Caldwell Road, behind the college.  There is a footpath leading from the car park to Centre Stage and the main entrance.  You will be able to gain access from 10.30am and we ask that you arrive no later than 10.45 am, so that everything is in place in good time for the first visitors.

Just to confirm, the event will take place on Tuesday 17th October, 11-2pm at Centre Stage, Riverside College, Kingsway, Widnes, WA8 7QQ. 

Contact Linda on: 01928 593112 or email: volunteerhalton@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk to register your organisation on this event by Tuesday 3 October. Places are limited.

The St Helens Star is once again offering charities in the area the chance to apply for a Gannett grant.

The Gannett Foundation is the charitable arm of Gannett Co Inc., the parent company of Newsquest Media Group, one of the UK's largest publishers and owners of the St Helens Star.

They provide funding to registered charities in the areas where we operate local newspapers and websites.

They support those registered charities with projects which take a creative approach to fundamental issues such as neighbourhood improvements, local problem-solving, economic development, youth enterprise, sport and healthy living, assistance to disadvantaged or disabled people, care of the elderly, environmental conservation, and educational or cultural enrichment.

A spokesman added: "We value projects that bring lasting benefits to communities served by our local newspapers and websites. "While preference may be given to ideas which create a durable legacy for the community, we will consider single events or projects of limited duration that otherwise meet our criteria. "We entertain applications of any size or ambition."

"Typically our grants are modest sums for practical projects, but we will consider awards to larger projects which deserve our backing."

Decisions about funding will be made by the trustees based on the evidence submitted.

The Foundation will favour projects that demonstrate good planning, oversight and financial responsibility.

As a prerequisite, the submission of copies of the charity’s most recent financial accounts are required.

Applications must be submitted on the approved application form.

You can download the application form and view the original post by St Helens Star following the link below. 

http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/15491219.Calling_all_charities___Apply_now_for_a_Gannett_grant/?ref=fbpg

The completed form and supporting document should be sent via email to maureen.friday@nqnw.co.uk.

Deadline for applications is 5pm on Monday, 9th October 2017.

Liberty Pregnancy Counselling are starting morning support sessions for those who need support over miscarriage. It does not matter how long ago you may have had a miscarriage or if it is a recent one- they are here for you. 

This is an informal support group set in a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.

They are also having a breakfast together, croissants and a hot drink, where you can get to know each other and have a chat. How much you want to share is entirely up to you and there will no pressure at all, just the knowledge that it is a safe environment for you to talk when you are ready.

Dates: 14th September; 12th October and 9th November
Time: 9.30 -11.00 a.m.
Venue: St John's Church Annexe, St Johns Street, Newton-Le-Willows, WA12 9BL

For more information and to book your place please email enquiries@libertypcc.co.uk 

Closing date: 31st August at 5pm 

Recent developments have seen a partnership arrangement between Community Action Wirral (CAW) and Wirral Chamber of Commerce (The Chamber) to collaborate on a new Local Authority funded Third Sector (Not for Profit) Infrastructure Support contract. The contract is due to start on 1st October 2017 and has an initial duration of 3 years, with the option to extend for a further 12 months x 2 on the basis of successful delivery and value for money, so a possible 5-year total duration.

The Third Sector plays an important role in identifying local needs, providing services to support communities and developing new projects and services. This infrastructure contract is to support community, voluntary and faith groups to engage in activities that will improve their neighbourhoods, deliver services to meet the needs of Wirral residents and take a more active role in the design and delivery of local services. Using shared intelligence, it is to nurture and support asset based community development principles and foster community-led solutions through social action. In addition, it is to facilitate the delivery of the Wirral Together Strategy, promoting greater participation of local residents and groups to make a difference in their areas through volunteering and/or neighbouring.

The overall aims and objectives of the role are to ensure that Wirral based third sector organisations have effective leadership and are equipped with the support and skills to participate in the delivery of the Wirral Plan 2020 outcomes, and to deliver the aims of the Wirral Together Strategy to increase the number of volunteers, types of volunteering and range of volunteering opportunities.

Key service outcomes:

1. Enabling the Third (Not for Profit) Sector in Wirral
2. Increase growth and external income generation in the Third Sector in Wirral
3. Act as the lead delivery partner to the Wirral Together Strategy, including leading on creation and delivery of a volunteering plan
4. Provide leadership and representation to the Wirral Partnership and to contribute to the ongoing development of the Wirral Plan
5. Develop a sustainable model for Third Sector infrastructure support.

Purpose of the role:

To provide the design, development, delivery and successful realisation of a Social Sector Infrastructure strategy in Wirral, in line with the Infrastructure contract requirements, the vision and aims of CAW and Wirral Chamber, and contributing to the objectives and outcomes set out in the Wirral Plan 2020
and the Wirral Together Strategy, including a coherent, innovative and broad volunteering plan and actions.

The closing date is 31st August at 5pm – interested parties to submit their application form to karenlivesey@communityactionwirral.org.uk. 

For more information and application form, please see the attached documents below.

Sahir House are recruiting new volunteers!

They provide HIV support, prevention, information & training in Merseyside. 

Sahir House are looking for health care buddies, skills coaches, fundraisers & reception volunteers.

•     Can you provide practical & social home care support?
•     Help when attending benefits & asylum appointments?
•     Provide basic IT & job search skills?
•     Join our dynamic World AIDS Day campaign team?
•     Want to develop valuable work experience for your CV?
•     Do you want good quality training?

Full induction training, support & travel expenses given.

Open evening: Thursday 19th October 6pm – come & find out more about volunteering at Sahir House

Informal interviews: Week of 23rd October  - call to book in

Training course dates: Fri 3rd (eve), Sat 4th (day) & Sun 5th (day) November - 100% attendance needed 

They welcome people from all areas of the community especially people with mid-week day time availability, people living with HIV, those from local BME, asylum LGB&T communities.

For all other information please contact them by phone on 0151 237 3989 or email on training@sahir.uk.com. 

You can even visit their website http://www.sahir.org.uk/volunteer/

 ​

Salary: £15,997.97 to £17,517.84

Closing date: Friday, 25 August, 2017

Interview date: Tuesday, 5 September, 2017

Job type: Part Time

Working closely with the hospital and community multi-disciplinary teams you will provide emotional and practical support to stroke survivors, their families and carers, as well as running communication support sessions for stroke survivors with a communication disability.

Reporting to the Regional Management Team, the Stroke Recovery Coordinator will provide support and information to stroke survivors and their families both on the ward and at home.

By assessing the needs of each stroke survivor and their family you will aim to reduce the risk of further strokes by supporting people to make lifestyle changes based on their identified risk factors, along with helping them to set personal goals and work towards them.

The service operates within St Helens with referrals being received from Hospital, families and other healthcare professionals. 

Applicants are likely to have a background in the caring profession, preferably with knowledge of stroke.

You must have all round flexible skills in listening, communication, organisation, IT and resourcefulness.

The role will require you to have your own car and a current driving licence.

To find out more information on how to apply or more information about The Stroke Association then please follow the link below.

https://www.stroke.org.uk/jobs/stroke-recovery-service-coordinator-2

Healthwatch St Helens Communication and Engagement Officer (Part time 28 hours)

Salary (£21,159) pro rata salary £18,721

26 days holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata)

Halton and St Helens VCA wants to employ someone who can support and develop Healthwatch St Helens through the provision of an information and communication service to ensure that the views of patients, the public and local communities inform the development of local health and social care services.

Duties include:

• Assist Healthwatch members and the general public across all sectors to have a voice to ensure that Healthwatch St Helens has a significant influence on healthcare provision and social care services within St Helens. 
• To use social media and other appropriate methods to promote the work of Healthwatch and to recruit new members and volunteers. 
• Develop the Healthwatch St Helens website providing consistent and up to date information on the work of Healthwatch. 

You will need to be able to communicate effectively and confidently both orally and in writing and have a good working knowledge of Microsoft office and content management systems.

For more information and application form, please see the attached documents below. Please note, CV's will not be acceptable for this role.

Closing date:  midday on Friday 8th September
Interviews: will take place on Friday 15th September.

Halton & St Helens VCA is an equal opportunities employer and complies with the Equality Act 2010.

Registered charity number:  1106001

The Include-IT Mersey digital inclusion project offers IT skills training and employment support to local unemployed people, especially those aged 45 and over.

 
Include-IT Mersey digital inclusion Project offers free IT training to help you:

• Improve your computer skills
• Get online
• Get job ready with employment support

Enrolment Dates

• Wednesday 6th September at 10.30am – 6.30pm, drop in Acorn Learning Centre, Runcorn, WA7 2JE
• Thursday 7th September at 10.30am – 6.30pm, drop in Kingsway Learning Centre, Widnes, WA8 7QY

for more information on course details and drop in surgeries see attached flyer or contact Halton Borough Council on 0151 511 7788

WWW.INCLUDEITMERSEY.ORG.UK
Include-IT Mersey—Project ID: 0010298050

St Helens Mind are set to hold their first Family Fun Day on Thursday 31st August from 12 until 4pm at the Phyllis Pope Studio at The Mansion House, Victoria Park.

Mayor Joe Pearson will be there to open proceedings, as the independent charity has been chosen as the Mayor’s Charity Appeal 2017-2018.

Local children’s entertainer Paul Storey will be performing his magic and puppets and kids can get their face painted, take part in colouring competitions, delve into a lucky dip or throw a wet sponge at a member of Mind’s staff in the stocks!

There’s a raffle for the adults with a host of special prizes as well as tombola, a bric-a-brac sale and arts and crafts activities and items for sale.

Drinks and snacks will be available to buy at The Victoria Bistro Café.

St.Helens Mind volunteers will be manning an information stall with more details about the charity and the work they do in the area; including information about the social groups that they run, the befriending of local people who are experiencing isolation and distress due to mental illness and how people can get involved as volunteer befrienders or help with the social groups.  

Gill Ellison, Manager said: “As an independent local charity, we raise funds locally and they stay local, any funds raised at this event will go a long way in supporting people.”

For more details about St Helens Mind please visit their website https://www.sthelensmind.org.uk/

Pathways to Recovery have a Volunteer Recruitment Event on Monday 21st August starting at 10am—2pm, the event will be taking place at The Hub, Museum Street Warrington. 

They have opportunities like;

•  Peer Mentors
•  Volunteers
• Counselling volunteers
•  Prison volunteers
• Group facilitator volunteers

Application forms & information are available from Jess or Leeanne the BRIC Coordinators. 

If you would like more information please call them on 01925 657866.

NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group would like to invite you to their Annual General Meeting, which is being held on Thursday 7^th September in Norton Priory Museums and Gardens from 1pm-3pm.

The event will be an opportunity for stakeholders to hear presentations from the CCG’s Governing Body about work undertaken in 2016/17; including achievements, key challenges and an update on the annual accounts.

You will also be able to listen to performances from local groups and individuals, including:

• The Sunshine Choir
• A poetry reading from the Women of Windmill Hill’s Margaret Hicks
• Keith Fielding, comedian
• Rhythm Reaction drumming group
• A ukulele group

The event will also be broadcast live on Halton Community Radio 92.3FM for anyone who is not able to attend.

If you are able to attend please contact them on 01928 593455 or e-mail communications@haltonccg.nhs.uk.to confirm your attendance.

Free Course - How to Enjoy Retirement

Have you recently retired and are aged 50 plus?

Would you like to take part in a free how to enjoy retirement course piloted by Age UK Mid Mersey and St Helens Mind?

• Course starting Wednesday 13th September 
• am or pm
• 10am to 12 noon or 1pm to 3pm (for 6 weeks)

Book Early as places are limited

To find out more details and book a place contact Fiona on 01744 752644 or email inspire&include@ageukmm.org.uk

Willowbrook-The Living Well) is holding a Car Boot sale on Saturday 16th September from 9am - 1pm.

Pitches cost £10 - strictly no traders and only second hand sales. To secure your pitch, please call the fundraising office on 01744 453798 or email events@willowbrookhospice.org.uk

They are looking for volunteers to support their retail outlets and help to fund their vital research;  they have the following roles:

Accessories Volunteer - Are you interested in fashion and trends and love accessorising your outfits? If this sounds like you? We have the perfect role to suit someone who would love to get involved in selecting, merchandising and displaying our amazing stock of exciting and interesting accessories.

Whether you’re a lover of handbags and shoes, stunning jewellery or beautiful accessories or fancy the company of other friendly volunteers the British Heart Foundation shop is the place to be…

Customer Service Volunteer - Are you a chatterbox? Can you talk about anything and everything? We like to talk to our customers, make them feel welcome, help them find the things they’re looking for and inform them of the BHF’s life saving heart research. We keep the shop floor looking fresh and inspiring and thank everyone who brings in their donations and custom. Come and be a part of your local team and learn customer service skills and gain experience. Don’t worry if you’re not a confident speaker, with this role all you need is a welcoming and helpful attitude.

Sort Room Volunteer - Whether you’re a keen rummager, an organised operator or love the look of a freshly ironed shirt we have a role for you. If you like things to be neat and tidy then we need your help sort the donations we receive into their different categories. If you’re a lover of the iron then master the mighty steamer and watch those creases and wrinkles disappear. If you love searching for the best finds carefully sift through our sort room and uncover the hidden riches that lay beneath.  Whether you’re a lover of vintage clothing, stunning jewellery or beautiful bric-a-brac or fancy the company of other friendly volunteers the sort room is the place to be.

Volunteer Stock Collection Driver - Do you love driving around and keeping yourself busy? If you’re an active and bubbly person looking for a flexible role that gets you out and about meeting people and exploring your local surrounding then come and join our friendly team. Help collect stock from people’s houses, businesses or our clothing banks and deliver them to your local shop.

If you are interested in these opportunities contact us by phone 01744 751759 or email volunteersthelens@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk.  If you would like to discuss other volunteering options you can make an appointment with a team member.

We have received the following message from Mike Palin, St Helens Council Chief Executive, about the plans to re-generate St Helens Town Centre:

This week the council and its partners launched an event for town centre businesses to inform them of our plans to transform St Helens Town Centre.

Over the coming days you may also see stories within the local media and on social media detailing some of those proposed key developments, so I want to take this opportunity to tell you personally of our plans for the redevelopment of the town centre.

I know a high proportion of you live within the borough and will naturally see St Helens Town Centre as your local shopping area, and I’m sure, like myself, you want to see our town centre develop and thrive into a town that can rival the best and make us all feel proud.  However, there can be no denying that in recent years our town centre has declined and fallen behind others, who have been quicker to take advantage of opportunity and investment.

The regeneration of the town centre is top of most residents’ wish lists and it is also one of the council’s biggest priorities.  That is why we have developed an ambitious strategy which sets out the direction and vision for the town.  As a council we are currently seeking to take greater control of key assets within the town centre, as we currently own less than one percent of the retail space, meaning we have little or no control over what development occurs. With direct intervention, our intention is to have greater control over the type of retail and leisure facilities that are developed in the town centre over the coming years.

The redevelopment of St Helens Town Centre is an ambitious plan with multiple elements which will gradually roll out over the next 10 years. If all the proposals suggested were to be delivered, it would cost in the region of £300 million to achieve, realised through a range of public and private sector investors.  External investors – both public and private – will only fund initiatives when they see it is part of a long-term deliverable plan. The strategy we have launched for engagement provides that plan so that funds can be secured and the council has already committed to engaging a private sector property partner to work with on delivery.

From the council perspective, funding could also take the form of borrowing – where the initial investment is repaid through the increased income from the development in future years. The council agreed the basis on which it would act in this way at Cabinet in late 2016 in preparation for this next stage. This does not change the need for the council to make revenue budget reductions due to our national grant being reduced.  In terms of grant funds, the council has been successful in the last year of obtaining outline approval for over £30m of grant funds from the Liverpool City Region Strategic Investment Fund for investment in the borough and the council has already met with senior officers of the Combined Authority to raise awareness of our long-term plans for the town centre.

This is a typical process for this type of long-term, multi-phase, economic development programme and examples such as Stockport Town Centre, Oldham, Rochdale, Warrington, and others have been looked at in terms of developing the St Helens approach.  Programmes of £300m and above are not uncommon for town centres of these sizes and that should be St Helens ambition too.

A booklet summarising our proposals for the town centre has been produced and we will be welcoming your feedback and that of local businesses and residents, as part of a formal engagement process which will begin on Monday 4th September and end of Friday 13th October 2017.  Comments on the proposals can be sent to hello@investinsthelens.com.

You can view our “Transforming our Town” booklet on https://www.investinsthelens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/TransformingOurTown.pdf

As I am sure you will appreciate, plans on this scale will take a number of years to evolve, but I will continue to keep you informed of our progression from time to time and when any significant developments take place.

Mike Palin

Chief Executive
St Helens Council

Merseyside Sports Partnership (MSP) have teamed up with the Mersey Forest to launch a new Geocaching project, starting in Liverpool and St Helens.

Geocaching is a great way to enjoy being outside in the Mersey Forest discovering somewhere new, getting fitter and enjoying the thrill of the hunt!

Geocaching is a bit like orienteering or Pokemon Go, in that you use GPS coordinates to find 'caches' that have been hidden within public parks.

The first lot of caches have been placed around:

• Calderstones Park, Liverpool
• Colliers Moss, St Helens
• Croxteth Hall Park, Liverpool
• Everton Park, Liverpool

Taking part is simple - all you need is a mobile phone and an internet connection.

You'll then be able to navigate your way to a cache location, and use the clues provided to find the cache! Set yourself a challenge to see if you can find all 20 caches in the summer holidays! 

Danny Woodworth, Physical Activity and Sport Officer, MSP commented:

“MSP are delighted to be working in partnership with the Mersey Forest and local community groups to create this opportunity, which encourages people of all ages to explore their local green spaces and be more physically active in the process.  We would encourage anyone to get involved and give it a go – no matter what your age or level of fitness.”

Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants (Geocachers) use a smartphone with GPS to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches").

These containers have a log book for hunters to record their names and the dates on which they find the stash. The ‘treasure’ is in the form of all sorts of trinkets and souvenirs. The main rule is: if the finder decides to take anything away, they're required to leave something of equal or greater value for the next person to discover.

Local green spaces that feature new hidden treasure include Everton Park, Calderstones Park and Croxteth Country Park in Liverpool, and Colliers Moss in St Helens.

Suzanne Londra, Nature4Health Officer at the Mersey Forest said:

“Geocaching is great activity for the holidays because it doesn’t break the bank. It’s great fun, free, and gets you out being active in local green spaces. It turns a walk into a treasure hunt!”

Click Here to read more about Geocaching, and how people can take part for free! 

 On Tuesday, 5th September at Haydock Conservative Club, Bellorophon Way, Haydock, St Helens.WA11 0GT, between 7:30 and 9:30 PM, Haydock Male Voice Choir will present a free concert to attract men to join the choir.

They will attain their centenary in March 2023, and would like to reach this milestone by recruiting new "younger" members to perpetuate this august body.

Haydock MVC have a new dynamic conductor, Dan Craddock and two magnificent accompanists, Ruth Webb and Rachel Fright, both with post graduate qualifications from the Royal College of Music.

They will sing a few pieces and then invite prospective members to join with them, sitting next to an experienced chorister to help them, and continue the concert.

Dan will illustrate how the choir works with each one of four parts singing their part of the harmony and the men will join the part they feel most comfortable with.

It should be a really "fun" evening.

Singing is renowned for promoting the "feel-good" factor, good health, camaraderie and teamwork, with a good sense of achievement.

They will give you a really good welcome and look forward to meeting new members.

To find out more about HaydockMVC visit the website at http://www.haydockmvc.com/ or contact the Secretary at secretary@haydockmvc.com.

The governments new Digital Strategy offers incentives to promote businesses to take on apprentices and also up skill existing staff to bridge the skills gap in the UK as there is a huge skills shortage.

If your business has less than 50 staff, you get fully funded training paid for by the government! You can use this funding to either;

1.            Take on an apprentice to mould to your business and grow with your business

2.            Use Baltic's training to up skill existing staff

Baltic courses are fully funded for you and all of their training and support throughout the apprenticeship is inclusive of the cost paid by the government. 

Infrastructure Technician CompTIA - £15k – Paid

Technical Sales - £12k – Paid

Digital Marketing - £12k - Paid

There is no age limit now to apprenticeships, if your apprentice is between the age of 19-24 you pay ZERO national Insurance.

If you take on a new apprentice aged 16 – 18 you not only get the course paid but you get extra incentives;

• £1000 incentive paid half at month 3 and half at month 12
• Free Microsoft On Demand Course to use for any member of staff (£500)
• If you recruit your own candidate you get x2 Microsoft On Demand Courses(£1000)

If your business has over 50 staff you would pay 10% of the programme costs. Up skilling existing staff would be paid by the government by 90% and you would cover the remaining 10%.

If you choose to upskill existing staff you will get x2 Microsoft On Demand Courses.

All of the training is provided via online Live (Virtual Classroom). Baltic trainers are both in the top ten in the UK.

They are the only training provider awarded with the customer service institute award and this is due to the service they provide throughout the programme. They have support networks for both the apprentice and the Business with regular reviews and support so you never feel that you are alone with this training.

In terms of talent they have a dedicated team to source the talented individuals you need to fit your business and meet your job description. They spec and interview the candidates and make sure you get the right individual to mould and help your business grow.

Website -- https://baltictraining.com/

Welcome to our 1st ABCD newsletter. We aim to keep you updated on our latest community developments and also keep you up-to-date about what opportunities are available in the St Helens area for CGL service users.

Would you like to work with Wellbeing Enterprises CIC? They are growing and need administrative firepower! They are looking for a part time talented administrator to join the Runcorn team, details and how to apply below; 

Salary: £14,664-£15,600 pro rata – 18 month fixed term contract (6 month probationary period)

Hours: 22 hours per week

Place of work: Halton

Responsible to: Service Delivery Manager

Purpose of Post:

They're looking for an experienced and highly organised Administration Officer to ensure the smooth running of a Big Lottery Funded health and wellbeing project.

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

Key responsibilities:

• Assist the project delivery team to coordinate rolling training programmes in St Helens and Knowsley.
• Booking venues and preparing equipment and materials for training sessions.
• Develop and implement robust administrative processes and procedures to ensure the efficient delivery and monitoring of the project.
• Organise and coordinate meetings using online calendars and monitor training course booking systems.
• Taking minutes and preparing agendas and papers for internal and external meetings.
• Maintaining paper and electronic records in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
• General administration duties including: filing, photocopying, answering telephone calls and taking messages.
• Replenishing office items and project equipment
• Managing project petty cash.
• Coordinate the work of administrative apprentices who support the project.
• Uphold Wellbeing Enterprises CIC’s core values: People, Place and Partners.

The details contained within this job description reflect the content of the job at the date it was prepared. However, it is inevitable that, over time, the nature of the job may change. Existing duties may no longer be required and other duties may be gained without changing the general nature of the post or the level of responsibility entailed. Consequently, they will expect to revise this job description from time to time and will consult the postholder/s at the appropriate time.

To apply please send a copy of your CV (no more than two sides of A4 please) along with your cover letter detailing why you want to work with Wellbeing Enterprises CIC and your suitability for the role. 
For more information please contact Helen McPeake (01928 589 799).

Deadline for applications: 31st August – 5.00pm

As part of the Well Halton Programme, they have been supporting a new social enterprise, Sewing Rooms Halton. 

It is based upon a successful model from Skelmersdale, which is being adapted for Halton by local seamstress and community worker, Victoria Begg.   

Sewing Rooms is based in Runcorn Shopping City and will be launching its first two free sewing courses on 11th and 13th September.  

You can find out more about Sewing Rooms (Halton & Skelmersdale) here: http://www.the-sewing-rooms.co.uk/

These 8 week courses are free to Halton women who are in receipt of benefits. 

Participants will even get their bus fairs reimbursed.

For anymore information or to book your place call Victoria on 07913 662402.

Or you can email her on:Victoria.begg@ntlworld.com

21st September, The Beacon Building, College Street, St Helens, WA10 1TF

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust will be giving 2 presentations to introduce the Coalfields Community Investment Programme offer.

10am – 11am – An introduction to the Coalfields Community Investment Programme: Funding Support - comprehensive information on the eligibility criteria and how to apply for up to £10,000 of funding for projects that will improve the Health, Employment Opportunities or Skills of people living in former coalfield areas.

The Trust’s funding is only available to organisations operating in former coalfield areas.

Please see the CRT website for more information about our geographical eligibility criteria by clicking in the list of eligible wards for your region https://www.coalfields-regen.org.uk/what-we-do/division-missing/coalfields-community-investment-programme-ccip-funding-support/

And one of the following sessions:

11.15am - 12pm - An introduction to the Coalfields Community Investment Programme: Practical Support Offer – information about their range of free resources and services available to incorporated/registered charitable organisations operating in coalfield areas. 

Or:

11.15am - 12pm - For those organisations not eligible or interested in the Practical Support offer a session will also run where you can speak directly to a member of CRT staff to discuss any project ideas.

 (Please note there may be a wait)

There will be an opportunity to meet CRT staff following each session. 

In order to ensure you get the most out of your attendance please see below further eligibility criteria for CRT funding as they would prefer to let you know what they are looking to fund in advance rather than you arriving on the day and potentially being disappointed. 

• The maximum award is £10,000 of which up to £2,000 can be specifically for capital items such as equipment, as such we have very limited capacity to fund improvements to buildings/land – they will not accept capital only applications
• Your organisation/group must have its own governing documents, bank statement and annual accounts (or cashflow for newly formed groups/organisations)
• Your project must directly improve the health, skills or employment prospects of people living in former coalfield areas
• Your organisation’s unrestricted income should be less than £250,000 based on the figure in your latest annual accounts
• They are unable to fund one off events, large equipment purchases such as mowers
• Also are unable to pay any director/trustee/management committee member for work they may undertake on a project

To book a place at the event please click on the following link https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ccipsthelens

Please do not hesitate to contact them if you have any questions.

The Community Investment Team
Phone- 01226 272811
Web- https://www.coalfields-regen.org.uk/ 

Willowbrook Hospice is inviting local people to join them for their Anniversary Dinner on 27 October at St Helens Town Hall.

The event, which is part of the hospice’s 20th anniversary of caring for people across St Helens and Knowsley, promises to be a fabulous evening with delicious food, brilliant live entertainment and great prizes in the silent auction and raffle.

Nichola Saunders, Head of Fundraising at the hospice said: “Many people don’t realise that Willowbrook is a charity and that without the generous support of the local communities of St Helens and Knowsley we wouldn’t be able to continue to provide our specialist care to our patients and their families. The Anniversary dinner is a great opportunity to help us celebrate the hospice’s 20 years of caring and I’m sure it will be a wonderful evening.”

Tickets for the Anniversary Dinner are £35 and can be purchased by calling 01744 453798 or emailing events@willowbrookhospice.org.uk

Merseyside Crime Commissioner reopens fund to help communities prevent crime

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

This is the third 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 be run between now and April 2018.

This year, the Commissioner is specifically urging organisations that are working to tackle the causes of serious and organised crime to apply for funding.

Jane said: “Serious and organised crime is, for many people, their greatest concern.

It blights the communities, bringing misery and suffering and causing lasting harm.

“Merseyside Police allocates extensive resources to tackling this issue, but they cannot succeed alone.

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, 12 grassroots organisations were chosen to share £132,000 from the Crime Prevention Fund from a total of 116 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.

Local groups who would benefit from the funding can find more details on its website here http://www.cfmerseyside.org.uk/funds/crime-prevention-fund

Job Specification for an Office Assistant

Full Time

Salary £23,000 per annum

Genlab are in need of an enthusiastic and competent Office Assistant to fill an important role in busy office team.

They manufactur industrial ovens and incubators and are looking for a hard-working professional to be able to undertake a variety of office based tasks essential to the day to day operation of the business.  

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Taking enquiries for new sales and setting up new customers accounts (both in the UK & abroad)
• Forge close-knit relationships with suppliers & customers
• Managing customer queries from the very first initial enquiry through to delivery and also aftersales service.
• Banking, invoice financing, paying wages
• Invoicing customers & paying suppliers
• Bank reconciliation
• Managing information on the Pegasus Opera system
• Undertaking VAT returns & taxation documents
• File and organize documents
• Supporting the Directors in the management of staff

REQUIREMENTS:

• Previous experience of working in an office environment
• Professional telephone manner when dealing with customers
• Computer literate in Word, Excel & Outlook
• Strong analytical abilities and good in problem-solving
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Motivated to learn and develop
• Ability to work under pressure

ADVANTAGES:

• Working knowledge of Pegasus Opera or Sage
• Previous experience of export sales administration
• Supervisory positions held
• Customer service experience desirable

LOCATION

• Based in Genlab office in Widnes, Cheshire
• 8:30 – 16:45 Mon to Thurs & 8:30 – 15:00 Fri
• Occasional overtime will be required

If you want to apply for the job or find out more information please email you CV or questions to P.Crompton@genlad.co.uk 

Please find attached the new programme of meetings for St Helens & District Group of Diabetes UK.

The programme will commence with the 1st meeting on Wed 6th Sept 2017 at 7.30pm in St Helens United Reformed Church, King St, WA10 2JZ.

Please note that all their meetings will now be held in this venue.

They are a friendly group offering information and support to people living with diabetes, and to anyone who wants to find out more about the condition.

Diabetes UK meetings are free to attend and they have a good selection of information on diabetes available.

For further information, feel free to contact them on 0151 480 0821, or visit our website at https://st-helens-and-district.diabetesukgroup.org/

Innovative New Youth Work Programme        

YOUTH WORKER (2 x 18hr posts)

£24,000 pro rata (0.5) and £21,000 pro rata (0.5)

PARTICIPATION............PASSION.............PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT........

Can you demonstrate your own experience and commitment in working with children and young people in an informal setting? 

Do you have the right qualifications and training needed to apply for these two youth worker posts?

Can you demonstrate that you are always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that children and young people can access the best possible opportunities to improve their own life chances?

Are you looking for a new job opportunity which is based in Halton Brook, Runcorn?

Post 1: Senior Youth Worker 18 hrs per week. The successful candidate will demonstrate significant experience in this field and, as well as providing direct youth work delivery with individuals and groups, will be responsible for the development, management and impact measurement of this initiative.  Salary £12,000 pa (£24,000 pro rata)

Post 2: Youth Worker 18 hrs per week.  The successful candidate will demonstrate experience in this field and, as well as providing direct youth work delivery with individuals and groups, will hold responsibility for recording sessions and accurate statistics. 

Salary £10,500 pa (£21,000 pro rata).

Regular weekend, evening and holiday time working will be required; applicants required to produce DBS and details of recent employers.

This is a three year programme funded by Children In Need. 

Employment is subject to continued funding on an annual basis.

To apply by email please send your CV and a covering letter to admin@fourestates.co.uk, suitable candidates will then be sent an application pack. 

If you prefer to use the post, please send your CV and a covering letter to Four Estates, Hillcrest Centre, Leaside, Halton Brook, Runcorn WA7 2DY.

Closing date: 18th August 2017

Various dates and venues.

The course is designed to focus on adult sexual offending, and the impact of sexual abuse on the child victims, and Non-Offending Parent (NOP).

The day will also explore risk factors that offer a hypothesis relating to target groups, pathways and grooming strategies, along with the application of research-based frameworks designed to assimilate the heterogeneity of sexual offending behaviours and characteristics.

On completion of this course, participants should have an understanding of:-

• The use of legislative and professional guidance that informs professional practice when working with children and young people exposed to CSA
• Explore best practice in Multi-agency working
• Recognise the importance of multi-agency working and responses to child sexual abuse
• Consider sexual offending dynamics and diversity from Paedophilia, Female offenders, Intra-familial Sexual Abuse to Internet Abuse
• Discuss and reflect on various grooming behaviours and pathways to sexually abuse children and young people
• Increase awareness and understanding of contemporary research on Adult perpetration of Child Sexual Abuse
• Myths and facts about child sexual abuse
• How sexual abuse can affect children and young people and the implications for their cognitive and emotional capacity and psychosocial development.
• Consider and explore signs and symptoms of sexual abuse
• The complexity of disclosure and why it is so difficult for a child to unveil details of their abuse
• Explore best practice in managing potential risk when there is reunification into the family
• Develop an understanding of the importance of Non-Offending Parents/Caregivers.
• Impact of sexual abuse and the impact on the child
• To identify when specialist advice, consultation or intervention is needed
• The importance of professional resilience and supervision. 

For more details and to book a place go to Halton Safeguarding Children Board website http://haltonsafeguarding.co.uk/training/

Please note HSCB training is free to agencies that make a financial contribution to the Board of at least 15% and not for profit or voluntary organisations with a national turnover of less than £100,000 per annum.  

For all other agencies there will be a charge of £80 per participant for this full day course, visit the charging policy for further details https://children.haltonsafeguarding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/HALTON-SAFEGUARDING-CHILDREN-BOARD-TRAINING-CHARGING-POLICY-OCTOBER-2016.pdf

Clovemead have recently closed an office in Leics and as a result have some office furniture which is in need of a good home. 

It is currently residing in their warehouse in Widnes and they would love to donate it to a start up company / an organisation that is in need of some great quality office furniture. 

They currently have 9 complete desks comprising of polished chrome frames with cherry wood tops. 

In additional there are 4 low, desk top height filing draws that can fit at the end of the desk therefore allowing an L shaped design. 

Along with 4 sets of matching shelves.

If you know of anyone or any organisation that may be interested in this furniture please contact Rachael Owen at Halton Borough Council on 0151 511 7114  or email  Rachael.Owen@halton.gov.uk  

SILS (St Helens Independent Living Services) need your help to obtain equipment you or your family and friends no longer need.

As a charity they have donated over £10,000 worth of equipment to people in urgent need. 

By supporting your local NHS they can return items and save money. 

The drop off point is: Shopmobility St Helens, Chalon Way Multi Storey Car Park, Chalon Way West, St Helens, WA10 1BF. Monday to Friday 10:00 - 16:00

Please telephone 01744 613388 first for details of items that can be reused. 

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.