National News

• Charities scared to speak out amid cuts, says reportPublished in Email News,Featured,Fundraising,Local News,National News,News,Newsletter,WVA News on 16th January, 2012

  The Independence Panel, a commission set up to monitor the voluntary sector as it grapples with huge cuts in public funding, said service provider charities that traditionally have also had an advocacy role were censoring their public utterances for fear of reprisals from local authority and central government funders.
  To read the full article please follow [...]

• Town Centres: Expecting multinational retailers to solve the problems of town centres is like expecting drug dealers to run rehab clinicsPublished in Email News,Local News,National News,News,Newsletter,WVA News on 3rd January, 2012

  Thanks to one of our members we are highlighting a recently published report on the state of town centres which I am sure will give us all some food for thought.
  Walsall has a number of great district centres and a mixed variety of local and national retailers in its town Centre. We all too often [...]

• What could your organisation do with a £12,000 ESF Community Grant?Published in Email News,Fundraising,Local News,National News,News,Newsletter,WVA News on 1st December, 2011

  What could you do with up to £12,000 of ESF Community Grant to support Black Country people into work?
  What are ‘Community Grants’?
  The European Social Fund (ESF) is aiming to extend employment opportunities for all, but recognises that some workless people are a long way from the job market, and are not ready for mainstream education [...]

• The £16.8 million Advice Services Fund is now open for applications.Published in Email News,Fundraising,Local News,National News,News,Newsletter,WVA News on 1st December, 2011

  The Advice Services Fund will be administered by the Big Lottery Fund and offers grants of £40,000 to £70,000.
  Eligible applicants must offer free advice services in the following areas:

  Advice on debt.
  Advice on welfare benefits.
  Advice on housing.
  Advice on employment.

  Priority will be given to organisations experiencing the largest budget reductions, and those who have not received funding [...]

• Big Lottery Launches £10 Million Sustainable Living FundPublished in Email News,Fundraising,Local News,National News,News,Newsletter,WVA News on 1st December, 2011

  The scheme is designed to support partnerships of public, private and voluntary sector bodies which are helping communities address the economic, social and environmental effects of climate change.
  It is expected that up to 10 communities will be supported with a mixture of expert support and advice, up to £10,000 development funding to support the applications [...]

• Campaign Launched to Encourage Social EnterprisePublished in Email News,Local News,National News,News,Newsletter,WVA News on 1st December, 2011

  The Social Enterprise Mark Company has launched its first national campaign, 50 in 250, to support businesses’ use of certified social enterprises, improving the benefit they deliver to communities.
  The 50 in 250 campaign aims to secure a pledge from 50 companies to do business with at least five certified social enterprises within 250 days. It [...]

• Help in your community by taking part in a Christmas EventPublished in Email News,Featured,Local News,National News,News,Newsletter,WVA News on 18th November, 2011

  Walsall Lions are looking for volunteers to help with door to door collections between the 4th to 16th of December, if there is anyone willing to help and take part in an iconic Christmas event namely the Santa Float your support would be most helpful. A little time spent helping out this year will make a big [...]

• CIEH level 2 Award in Food Safety Training at Park Hall Community AssociationPublished in Email News,Local News,National News,News,Newsletter,Training Opportunities,WVA News on 9th November, 2011

  CIEH level 2 Award in Food Safety
  The food hygiene training course at level 2 is designed for anyone working in a catering, manufacturing, retail or community based setting where food is prepared, cooked and handled.
  Outline of Food Safety Level 2 ProgrammeThe food hygiene level 2 qualifications cover the following topics:

  Legislation
  Food safety and hygiene hazards
  Temperature control
  Refrigeration, [...]

• Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd’s open letter to the sectorPublished in Email News,Featured,Fundraising,Local News,National News,News,Newsletter,WVA News on 17th October, 2011

  Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd has set out the strategic framework for the programmes and work of the Office of Civil Society. In recent months, the Coalition Government has made a number of policy announcements which have important implications for charities and social enterprises. In an open letter to the sector, Minister for Civil [...]

• New Best Value guidance released from Government to Local AuthoritiesPublished in Email News,Fundraising,Local News,National News,News,Newsletter,WVA News on 17th October, 2011

  New Best Value guidance has been released from the government which details reasonable expectations of the way authorities should work with voluntary and community groups and small businesses when facing difficult funding decisions.
  You can download a copy below:
  Best Value Statutory Guidance Sept 2011

• 2011 Young Achievers AwardsPublished in Local News,National News,News on 16th September, 2011

  The Young Achievers Trust is pleased to announce that the 2011 Young Achievers Awards are now open for nominations!  

   

  Through these Awards, the Young Achievers Trust celebrates and supports the outstanding contribution of young people working to make their communities a better place across the following four categories:  arts, environment, community and sport. If you know [...]

• Volunteering England welcomes budget change for volunteer driversPublished in Featured,National News,News on 24th March, 2011

  Volunteering England has welcomed the announcement that volunteer drivers will be able to claim a higher level of expenses to cover their costs.
  The announcement follows sustained calls for better support for volunteer drivers by Volunteering England, the Community Transport Association and other civil society organisations and will be welcomed by thousands of volunteer drivers across [...]

• BTEG offers bursaries to voluntary groupsPublished in Featured,National News on 11th February, 2011

  Are you a voluntary or community organisation providing mentoring or befriending to BAME people aged between 13 and 25?
  If the answer is yes, then your organisation may be eligible for a bursary of up to £300 to achieve the Mentoring and Befriending Approved Provider Standard.
  The bursaries are being offered by BTEG and to apply, you [...]

• Nominate your favourite Lottery Good CausePublished in Featured,National News,News on 4th February, 2011

  The National Lottery Awards are an annual search to find the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects.  Lottery players raise £28 million each week for projects all across the UK, and the Awards are a great way to highlight how that funding has changed the UK for the better.  This is your chance to tell your story and celebrate [...]

• Government seeks sector’s savings ideasPublished in Featured,National News,News on 20th August, 2010

  Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude and Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd are asking the country’s voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors for their ideas for saving money, as part of the Government’s drive to reduce the deficit.
  The Ministers have issued an open letter, which you can read by following the link here.  Organisations can [...]

• Wanted: your views on a National Skills Strategy for the voluntary sectorPublished in Featured,Local News,National News,News on 9th July, 2010

  As the Government looks to expand the role played by the voluntary sector in delivering public services and building strong communities, organisations need people with the right skills in order to rise to the challenge.
  Skills – Third Sector is working to develop a National Skills Strategy for the voluntary sector and would like to hear [...]

• HMRC release guidance on “fit and proper persons” testPublished in Featured,National News,News on 29th June, 2010

  The 2010 Finance Act introduces new rules governing entitlements to UK charity tax reliefs.  The new rules require charities and organisations to satisfy a “management condition” stipulating that their managers are “fit and proper persons”.
  However, the legislation does not define what constitutes a “fit and proper person”. HM Revenue and Customs have now issued guidance [...]

• Charity Commission warns of bogus telephone callsPublished in Featured,Local News,National News,News on 24th June, 2010

  The Charity Commission has been made aware of a scam involving people being telephoned by individuals claiming to represent the Charity Commission.  In the phone calls these individuals claim to be from the “debt collection department” of the Commission and they demand payments for various services and advertisements.  
  Some of the bogus calls have demanded payments of [...]

• National Falls Awareness Week comes to WalsallPublished in Featured,Local News,National News,News on 15th June, 2010

  This week is National Falls Awareness Week – a UK-wide campaign to help keep thousands of older people active and to reduce their risk of falling.
  To mark the week, there will be a number of small open access events throughout the Walsall borough to provide helpful information and raise awareness about falls.   A number of [...]

• Local schools are seeking your skillsPublished in Featured,Local News,National News,News on 14th June, 2010

  Volunteering to become a school governor is an excellent way to get involved in your community and help make sure that local children receive the highest standards of education.  You’ll get to meet new people, develop valuable skills and take on fresh challenges that differ from everyday life.
  Governors are people like you.  You don’t have to [...]