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Exclusive updates for CCVS members
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CCVS Update
April 8 2020

 

News and updates for charities and community organisations 

Please do get in touch if we can help in any way. You may have questions about your own situation or just want a friendly listening ear for guidance and reassurance.

 
Although many groups will be focussing on coping with the current situation, others may be beginning to think about the future and how their group will emerge after the crisis.

We have prepared a Business Continuity and Risk Planning template to help groups with this process which you can find on our website. It is designed to quantify the disruption to delivering your services, managing the risks in the activities that you ran during the crisis and how your restart process will be initiated.
 
We will be looking at this in more detail through our bulletins in the coming weeks but if you want to start using it and would like to talk your plan through with our Development Team then let us know.

Email us and we will call you or arrange a Skype session.
You can email us: enquiries@cambridgecvs.org.uk
You can also still call us on 01223 464696.

We are continuing to update the CCVS website

We are adding coronavirus  information in response to new advice and to questions groups are raising with us. We hope this will be useful for groups that are continuing to provide services as well as for new groups setting up in response to the current crisis.
The site includes guidance on the following issues:
Safeguarding
Insurance, liability and risk
Handling money and payments
Bank accounts
 
The Support Cambridgeshire website has a number of useful factsheets and a range of videos to support individuals and groups to keep safe in this difficult time.
Safeguarding Advice
What to think about when using volunteers
Telephone Befriending Advice
Top Tips for Volunteers 
 
A reminder that you can sign up to receive our regular bulletins and updates on our website here

Corona virus information updates

Coronavirus and your charity: key legal issues to consider

NCVO has made a free recording of its recent seminar on legal advice for charities available on demand. Run in association with Bates Wells the seminar covers the following topics:
  • HR and employment law
  • Contracts, insurance and serious incident reporting
  • Governance and solvency considerations
  • Legal considerations when managing volunteers
  • Meetings and decision making
You can register here
 

The Charity Tax Group Coronavirus Hub

Find the latest information on financial support packages and specific guidance for charities on this site
 

Carrying over paid holiday: information from Acas

The government has introduced a temporary new law allowing employees and workers to carry over up to 4 weeks’ paid holiday over a 2-year period. This law applies for any holiday the employee does not take because of coronavirus, for example if:
  • they’re self-isolating or too sick to take holiday before the end of their leave year
  • they’ve had to continue working and could not take paid holiday 
The employee may also need to carry over holiday if they’ve been 'furloughed' and they cannot take paid holiday because of coronavirus. 
Some employers will already have an agreement to carry over paid holiday. This law does not affect any agreements already in place. 
If an employee or worker leaves their job or is dismissed during the 2-year period, any untaken paid holiday must be added to their final pay ('paid in lieu').
These options may help avoid redundancies. But this should be a last resort for employers.
 
This item is taken from the Acas website. Read the advice in full here.
 
Go to the Acas website for all the latest coronavirus advice for employers and employees
 

Employment & Self-Employment Coronavirus Help

The Martin Lewis Money Saving Expert site has produced information on the rights of employees, self employed etc as well as freelance and agency workers. There is also information on the Coronavirus job retention scheme and on who can be furloughed.
See the Money Saving Expert website
 

Advice for village halls and community buildings

Acre has produced guidance for village halls and rural community buildings on their eligibility for COVID-19 support from government.
You can read the guidance here

Updates from the Charity Commission 


Read the latest updates from the Commission covering: 
  • Charity objects: understand if you can help with coronavirus efforts
  • Support to pay charity staff
  • Using reserves and restricted funds
  • AGMs and other meetings: postponing or cancelling meetings
  • Holding meetings online or by telephone
  • Reporting serious incidents to the Charity Commission
  • Keeping people safe
  • Charity SORP guidance
  • Information from other organisations

If you are a trustee of a local community group and have any questions or would like any guidance during this time please don't hesitate to get in touch with us at CCVS.
Email: enquiries@cambridgecvs.org.uk

Advice for Chairs

The Association of Chairs has published a page of coronavirus resources that may be especially helpful for chairs.

Have a look at the website for further updates as well as webinars, surgeries, peer support and other online help for chairs.

Funding News

Local funding news

 

New £5m Communities Capital Fund to help Cambridgeshire community-led projects

A new £5m fund aimed at creating opportunities and improving lives and skills across Cambridgeshire has been launched by Cambridgeshire County Council (7 April 2020).
 
The Communities Capital Fund will support projects that will make positive changes in the community, bringing people together and meeting the priorities that matter most to local people.
 
Grants of up to £500,000 are available to support community-led projects which improve the health, wellbeing, social and economic opportunities and outcomes in communities.
 
Projects will need to show how they will:
  • bring people together and involve them in the design and implementation
  • improve local places and spaces that are important to communities
  • help to address local priorities e.g. increasing skills, reducing loneliness, improving physical and mental health
  • improve access to new or existing services or activities e.g. sports, leisure, education
  • demonstrate match funding – this includes in kind contributions, land transfer etc
  • minimise any potential impact on carbon emissions
The fund is open to any voluntary, community organisation or social enterprise alongside public bodies such as District, Parish and Town Councils, schools or any other organisation that can demonstrate how their project will benefit Cambridgeshire residents. Applications can relate to buildings, land, vehicles, equipment or any other capital related item
 
The Communities Capital Fund was announced by Cambridgeshire County Council Leader Cllr Steve Count as part of the 20/21 Budget in February and its rollout will be overseen by the Council’s Communities and Partnership Committee.
 
Community organisations that wish to submit an application must do so through their County Councillor or Community Champion to ensure that projects meets with the strategic aims of the council and will add real value to local communities.
 “We want to encourage bids for projects which will help to fill gaps in provision or service, and where the community wants some support to help them take the lead in meeting local need. For example, we want this fund to help more rural communities to have the same opportunities to engage with services or activities that more urban places already enjoy,” said Cllr Steve Criswell, Chairman of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Communities and Partnerships Committee. 

Further details of the Communities Capital Fund are available on the Communities Capital Fund page on Cambridgeshire County Council website. Contact your County Councillor or community champion to submit an expression of interest.
 

Cambridgeshire Coronavirus Community Fund

The Cambridgeshire Coronavirus Community Fund is open to constituted community organisations throughout Cambridgeshire (including Peterborough), who are supporting isolated older and vulnerable people at this time.
 
Grants between £1,000 and £5,000 will be considered (larger grants may be available for groups working in partnership). We aim for the process to take between 5 and 10 days.
 
The focus of the fund will be to offer community organisations emergency funding to deal with emerging issues in the community, affecting older people (aged 60 and over) and other vulnerable people (high risk, pre-existing medical conditions), as a result of the continuing threat of Covid-19. This will include; the need for self-isolation, financial hardship, potential for hunger, lack of shelter, further exacerbation of health issues, loneliness and isolation of these people.
 
To be eligible to apply your project must support older people or other vulnerable people and help to:
  • Support ongoing needs of people, to ensure that their well-being is maintained
  • Reduce isolation and vulnerability during any isolation period that may arise as a result of the threat of Covid-19
  • Ensure people remain, safely connected with the outside world during this time 
For full details about this fund and how to apply go to the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation website here
 

Cambridge City Foodbank: COVID-19 Grant Scheme

During the current pandemic crisis, Cambridge City Foodbank is accepting applications for grants of up to £1,000 from organisations and groups which are, directly or indirectly, enabling people in financial distress to receive food and/or meals.

The following guidelines apply:
Grants of up to £1,000 are available but smaller claims are welcome.
  • Only applications from groups or organisations will be accepted- not individuals. You need to show a clear plan for helping people who are facing, or potentially facing, hunger due to poverty.
  • Applications that support the aims of Cambridge City Foodbank for feeding local people in need will be given priority.
  • The information provided will be handled according to our Privacy Policy for Referral Agencies which is available on our web site: https://cambridgecity.foodbank.org.uk/about/privacy-policies/
  • Application forms can be submitted at any time.
  • Any number of applications can be made, but no more than two grants a year will be made to the same group.
  • The decision of Cambridge City Foodbank will be final. In the event of rejection, we may provide feedback but we reserve the right not to do so.
  • All monies are to be spent within 12 months of receipt.
  • A report is to be sent to the Foodbank, as soon as the money has been used, stating how the money has benefited the local project and furthered the aims of Cambridge City Foodbank.
Applications shall only be accepted using the application form. To request an application form email info@ccfb.org.uk  with the subject “CCFB Grant Application”.
 

Innovate and Cultivate Fund

Please note that due to the Coronavirus emergency, the 1 May Innovate & Cultivate Fund application round has been cancelled. Any grant applications submitted for this round will be deferred to the 1 August funding round

 

Cambridgeshire County Council is supporting the new Cambridgeshire Coronavirus Community Fund. 
See details above.


National Funding News

 

COVID-19 Emergency Funding for Charities and Social Sector Organisations

Charity Bank has a list of emergency funds for charities and social enterprises that are experiencing difficulties. This will be updated as further opportunities arise
 
The Directory of Social Change also lists and updates coronavirus funding programmes. This includes new funds that become available as well as updates from individual funders on their own response to the current situation, including how they may be supporting their current grant recipients as well as any future plans.

News and updates 

 

A reminder of how people can get support and volunteer in Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire County Council’s COVID-19 Hub has information for residents who need help as well as a link for anyone wanting to volunteer.

Cambridge City Council is coordinating its response to the coronavirus crisis through local ward based groups. Contact details for these are on the website here
Other information on how the City is responding to the crisis is on the website here

South Cambridgeshire District Council has information on its website for residents and those in need of help.

Fenland District Council has information for residents here

COVID Mutual Aid groups - the link to find your nearest local group is here
 

Qwell – Online Wellbeing Support

Adults in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough can now sign up to Qwell – a free online support and wellbeing community which is provided by CPSL Mind as part of its Good Life Service.
Qwell provides access to
  • Chat based counselling.
  • Online peer support
  • Self-help resources
  • Online magazine 
Find out more about these options and how to access them on the CPSL website  
 

The Prince’s Trust is looking for digital partners

The Prince’s Trust is looking for partners that have the ability / digital capacity to run sessions to young people online.
At this stage we are hoping to run a series of weekly sessions to help keep young people motivated, connected and engaged during this difficult time for them. We know many of you are doing / thinking the same, so rather than re-inventing the wheel (so to speak), we would like to support each other together where possible.
 
We are reaching out and asking if anyone within our local network has talents or skills they would feel comfortable sharing online with our Prince’s Trust Young people. We are also interested in hearing from partners who feel they are able to run a digital version of their usual face-to-face offer.
 
We would like to offer to be fun, interactive and have a focus on wellbeing too, so here are a few examples of what we are looking for:
 
•           Yoga
•           Meditation
•           Crafts – drawing, sewing, painting
•           Singing
•           Confidence
•           Being inspirational
•           Positive mental health
•           Digital skills (Games / App design)
•           ALL THEMES / IDEAS CONSIDERED!
 
If you would like to work in partnership with The Prince’s Trust to develop our digital offer to young people, please contact Lizzie Neale: Lizzie.neale@princes-trust.org.uk
 

Working with young people

The Youthwork Support website is full of information and resources for young people, youth workers and for organisations
For young people there are links to a huge range of educational, leisure and other resources including support for mental health.
For organisations and youth workers there are tools for working with young people online as well as guidance on safeguarding and other issues.
The site is also collecting stories from youth workers and from young people of their experiences during this pandemic.
 

Advocacy and the rights of individuals

VoiceAbility provides free and independent advocacy and user involvement services. During the coronavirus crisis the organisation is making its internal guidance about advocacy available on its website.
‘We hope this will help health and social care professionals, other advocacy organisations and ultimately all those who rely on advocacy support.’
You can find the information here
 

Check out the Coronavirus page on the CCVS website

We are updating this regularly with news and information for charities and community groups.

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