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E-Bulletin - 06/12/07
Welcome to the CVS North Wiltshire e-bulletin. To view the latest e-bulletin online click here.
Millennium Volunteers Awards for Young People
Do you have young people, between the age of 16 and 24 helping out at your place? If so, they will be eligible for the Millennium Volunteers Award. This is a nationally recognised certificate that rewards volunteering hours. All the young volunteer needs to do is send me an email at mv@swindonvolunteers.org.uk or call Emma on 01793 420557 for a registration form. It’s really simple to complete, and costs nothing at all. You can even return the form by freepost! I then just need to keep in touch every now and then, usually by email, to find out how many hours have been spent volunteering. Certificates are traditionally issued at 50, 100, 200 and 500 hours, however anything over 2 hours can be accredited, so if a young person only volunteers for ½ a day, they can still claim the award. Please feel free to contact me, Emma Johnson, for more information, or for some registration forms for your young volunteers – email: mv@swindonvolunteers.org.uk.
Next Sound Healing Meditation Session at the Wellbeing Centre
Sound Healing Meditations help your body, mind and spirit. Sound helps remove physical blockages, experienced as pains or discomfort, bringing balance and alignment to your whole energetic system, which regularly becomes out of balance and affects the immune system. Sound rebalances your meridian lines & chakra system, bringing wholeness and energy. It eases the mind; even if you experience difficulty relaxing, sound helps ease away all stress and anxiety, bringing calmness and clarity, insight and spiritual awareness. It helps your spirit to become calm, focused and brings stronger awareness. You need to bring a mat, cushion and blanket, and the session lasts 11/2 hours. Experience bliss, some people report the sensation of loss of time! Next session: Thursday, January 17th 2008 7pm to 8.30 pm £10 /£7 VCS rate. For further information, contact Wendy Scott on 01225 705625. www.combinationtherapies.com
There are two new online articles from the ICT Hub: "What you can do to raise money online, however small your organisation" read article. Also "Social networking – raising funds, raising awareness and making a difference - It’s not all about the money – what can MySpace, Facebook et al do for local communities?" read article.
Wellbeing Centre - Still Growing!
The Wellbeing Centre, based at the CVS NW premises in Chippenham, is continuing to expand the range of services provided. There are new therapies and classes such as Crystal Healing, Bereavement Counselling, Parenting classes and mid winter promotions! Click here to find out more. The centre is also still open to new therapists joining at very reasonable rates, click the link above to read on.
Community Transport News
The Winter 2007 edition of Wiltshire & Swindon Community Transport News is available to download here. Compiled by the Community First Community Transport Team the latest newsletter includes: Details about a new shuttle and community bus at Solstice Park, Amesbury. Information about carrying wheelchairs and acceptable access, Passenger assistance, New vehicles update and Information about outings and Section 19 Permits.
Email and Web Usage Policy - Free ePolicy Guidebook from Messagelabs
Are you concerned about the
uncontrolled email and web use within your business? The ePolicy Institute and MessageLabs combine to bring you this free best practice guide to implementing and enforcing email and web acceptable usage. Ensure your email and web acceptable usage policies are up to date and learn how to effectively enforce your policies. Click here to download your free copy.
New CAB Spring Training Programme Out Now
Our Courses offer a comprehensive insight into complex areas of law through practical exercises and participative case studies. Choose from one of our half or whole day courses in Chippenham. Courses include: Housing Benefit, Pension Credit, Maternity Rights, Managing Difficult Interviews and much more... Click here to read the full programme.
Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service - Public Consultation
Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service is conducting a week long public consultation exercise beginning on 8th December 2007. All of our firefighters will be involved with face to face contact with the general public seeking their responses to a short series of questions about the service we provide to them and our plans for the future. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the questionnaire please contact Doreen Cooper on 01380 731105, or by email at doreen.cooper@wiltsfire.gov.uk. The questions are also available on a web based survey, which will be available from 8th December at www.wiltsfire.gov.uk I am more than happy to share the results of our consultation with you, should you so wish, please let Doreen Cooper know (doreen.cooper@wiltsfire.gov.uk) and she will forward the relevant part of the analysis to you in the New Year.
do-it.org.uk & The Media Trust - 'It's all about U' Campaign
The Media Trust, as part of their Volunteering for All strategy, launches a new campaign this week - 'It's all about U'. This campaign aims to celebrate the United Nations International Volunteer day as a way to thank volunteers and stimulate greater awareness of their contribution. Launching across the country this week, ‘It’s all about U’ is a new national campaign to celebrate volunteers. It is an initiative co-ordinated by the The Media Trust in partnership supported by do-it.org.uk. Objectives of the campaign: To increase awareness of volunteering and its benefits; To celebrate volunteering and those who currently participate; To refer individuals to voluntary organisations that have volunteering opportunities; To signpost users to gateway services such as do-it.org.uk and local volunteer centres. A new dedicated website will launched – www.itsallaboutU.org.uk, offering extensive volunteer support from a series of partner organisations and there will be a season of five short films broadcasting on the Community Channel, Dec 5, 7.30pm through to January 2008. Running until the end of January 2008, the campaign aims to drive national awareness of being a volunteer and to celebrate the diverse range of opportunities available. To get your volunteering opportunities online and noticed get in touch with Volunteer Centre North Wiltshire, visit the website by clicking here.
The Charities Aid Foundation has launched an online advent calendar aimed at heightening awareness of lesser-known causes. Each door on the calendar reveals a donor who gives to a less well known charity, with an explanation of why they give to that particular cause. CAF hopes the calendar, which is available online will encourage people to think about the range of charities that need their support. Head of client management for individuals, Julie Gayler, said: “So many people think about making a gift to charity at this time of year but the reality is that charities need our support all year round.”
Community Led Development 2007 - 2013 Public Meeting
Please click here for notice of a public meeting to be held on Friday 14th December in Devizes Town Hall. We hope very much that all who have any potential interest in the delivery in Wiltshire of ‘Community Led Development’ (successor to LEADER +) will be represented. The prime objective is to maximise the strength of the collective Wiltshire bids to SWRDA.
The Improving Reach Project aims to provide free communications and media support for small to medium-sized charities and voluntary organisations that work with the following priority groups: Black and Minority Ethnic; Migrant and/or Refugee; Isolated Rural; and Faith. We are offering seminars/training in Introduction to Web Design and Introduction to Media, throughout England in 2007/08 for these target groups. We are holding an Introduction to Media course in Bristol on 11th December (2pm-5pm). Venue details to be confirmed. To book onto the course, please contact the Improving Reach team directly on improvingreach@mediatrust.org or 020 7874 7657.
Reforming Community Services in Wiltshire - Step by Step November edition
Click here for the latest from Wiltshire Primary Care Trust.
Health and Social Care Awards - South West
I am delighted to announce the launch of the new South West Health and Social Care Awards. So often during my visits across the region, I meet staff who are doing a fantastic job providing first class health and social care services for those who live in the South West. These regional Awards offer a real opportunity to thank you, our staff for your hard work and commitment in delivering world class, high quality services. Your work will be recognised at a regional Awards ceremony on 17 April 2008 at Sandy Park Conference Centre in Exeter. The winners will then be automatically entered into the prestigious national awards in London on 1 July 2008. This is an excellent opportunity to have your outstanding work recognised at a local, regional and national level. I would encourage you to enter the Awards. They give us the opportunity to come together and celebrate local successes and innovation, and honour those who have made an outstanding contribution to caring for patients and users.” Sir Ian Carruthers OBE, Chief Executive of NHS South West. Click here to find out more.
Discounted Open University Courses for the Children's Voluntary Sector
The Children’s Workforce learning Network (CWLN), in partnership with the Open University, are once again offering a series of ‘Openings’ courses for a September start. There are no entry requirements – the courses are designed for people who have not studied before or who may have studied some time ago. Participants will receive support from an Open University tutor, and the packs include a text book, course guide, CD and a DVD. ‘Understanding Children’ will be particularly useful for parents, volunteers, sessional workers in Sure Starts, Children’s Centres, playworkers, crèche workers and staff in Children’s Fund supported projects. It is relevant for those working with young people and children alike. ‘Understanding Management’ will be useful to those wishing to learn about or improve their organisation skills, be they volunteers, committee members, co-ordinators, trustees or similar. We are encouraging people to apply as soon as possible. Applications must be received no later than the 8th February 2008. To obtain a registration form, or for more information on the courses, please contact Daniel Moore on daniel.moore@barnardos.org.uk or tel: 0117 937 5527.
Invitation to Westminster Briefing - 'Increasing The Role Of The Third Sector In Public Services: Design, Delivery, Innovation and Change'
A Westminster Briefing Conference entitled "Increasing the Role of The Third Sector In Public Services: Design, Delivery, Innovation and Change" will be hosted by The House Magazine on Thursday 24th April 2008 in Westminster. This Westminster Briefing Conference will give delegates the opportunity to discuss the relevant issues, whilst viewing Third Sector public service delivery within the context of the sector’s wider social roles and values. Delegates will have the chance to engage with the panel in investigating key questions such as: What are the full range of investment and funding options available? How best can charities share their unique experiences and knowledge of local areas and service requirements? How can the skills base within the third sector, in particular HR, be lifted across the board in readiness for public service delivery? And What role is there for the Third Sector in the design and delivery of specific user focused services in areas such as health, social care, employment and education? It is possible to book online at www.westminster-briefing.com by following the ‘full day conference’ link.
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