We are sorry that you received two blank newsletters from us this week.

We have had a problem with our newsletter as it hadn’t been sending to the distribution list, although it gave the impression it had, according to Mailchimp.

Though our newsletter goes out via Mailchimp, it’s making that journey via a plugin on our website and unfortunately there was an error on our website which stopped the newsletter being sent to you all. Our web support solved the issue but in being ‘helpful’ then sent out two blank newsletters.

You will have missed four newsletters from Derbyshire Dales CVS, one in September, two in October and one in November. We are very sorry about this.

You can find all our previous editions by going to Previous Newsletters.

Last week we held our Annual General Meeting via Zoom combined with a Networking Event.

Thanks to those who joined us, we hope you found it useful and with any luck we will be back in one of the Derbyshire Dales’ welcoming community venues next year – with a tasty array of sandwiches and cakes!

As well as the formal business of accounts and nominating Trustees, our AGM is a chance to present our Annual Award in memory of our very first chairperson, Jim Heslop. This year the award went to Ossie’s Kitchen based at St Oswald’s Church Centre in Ashbourne.

Ossie’s Kitchen has been going for a relatively short time – it opened in June 2019 – and initially set up as a monthly gathering for food and friendship in the church hall. Like all churches and church halls it had to close to social gatherings from March but that didn’t stop the team from thinking about how to provide meals to the community during the coming months.

Ossie’s Kitchen has grown to offer a hot cooked meal, collection or delivery EVERY WEEK!

Last week they prepared 111 meals which on the one hand is a fantastic achievement – but on the other it is now clear that they are meeting the needs of people experiencing real financial difficulties. Rev’d Nigel Rode commented that about a third of their original cohort come for a hot take away meal, as many have said, it was not just the meal they came for, it was a chance to get out of the house and talk to others over a meal.

COVID 19 has certainly highlighted many issues in our communities and we really hope that our social prescribing project may be able to support some of those who used to attend the pre Covid Ossie’s Kitchen.

We would like to reiterate our congratulations to Ossie’s Kitchen for all their efforts and commitment this year. To find out more about them please visit their website. https://www.ashbournechurch.org.uk/get-i ...

You will find our Annual Review for 2019-2020 on our Publications page.

This week we have updated our list of grant-schemes and you can download the PDF here.

Also, we held a Zoom talk with Sue Heyes from the Severn Trent Community Fund which was really helpful, and Sue has shared slides and a PDF of the questions that the online application asks any applicant. If you are thinking of applying to the scheme and would like copies please email sarah@ddcvs.org.uk

We continue to work a mixture of remotely and in the office so the answerphone, post-box and email address are checked regularly. Please ring or email in advance if you need to arrange to come in to see us as the picture can change. Contact the team on 01629 812154 or email enquiries@ddcvs.org.uk

With the latest information, especially for the people of the Derbyshire Dales, our New Connections service invite you to ‘like’ their Facebook page. Featuring activities from around the area, the page aims to support you to a more meaningful, healthier and happier life. https://bit.ly/2TWDmLy

At our next online coffee morning there will be guest speakers from: –

• Matlock based Connection Space, about their latest community crafts project
• Ashbourne Sports and Community Partnership with an update on the progress of the work around the new Sports Pavilion
• Derbyshire County Council Public Health

There’s always the chance to tell us about your group too, and to ask for advice from the CVS team and other participants. All you need to do is to provide your own coffee!

Note for those without access to a pc/device – it is also possible to join the meeting via phone. See the link ‘Find your local number’ for details of the number to ring.

If you have any technological problems joining the meeting please phone our office landline on 01629 812154.

For the Zoom link please email jonathan@ddcvs.org.uk

As detailed in our bulletin of 23.10.20 there is a new small grants programme for Derbyshire from the Police and Crime Commissioner, whereby community groups can apply for funding if they are doing something that will help communities to develop practical solutions to the problems occurring in their areas. This might be anti-social behaviour or crime, or it might be support for a neighbourhood or community.

The Commissioner will prioritise schemes and ideas that make people less vulnerable to becoming a victim of crime.There are micro-grants (of between £50 and £1,000) administered by local Councils for Voluntary Services (CVS) organisations which can help, for example, to make homes more secure and ensure vulnerable people are given the help that they need.

In the Derbyshire Dales area, the smaller grants can be applied for, via Derbyshire Dales CVS between 14 October and 1st February 2021. Please note the change in closing date from our previous e-news.

For more information visit the PCC’s website by following this link: www.derbyshire-pcc.gov.uk/VF

We currently have vacancies on our Board of Trustees, and would be glad to hear you from if you are interested in taking one of these roles. You don’t necessarily need any particular qualifications or experience to be a trustee, but some knowledge of managing organisations, or knowledge of the voluntary sector and the communities of Derbyshire Dales might be useful.

We would welcome applications from all sections of the community, and would particularly like to hear from people involved in the local voluntary sector; people with some knowledge of information technology; and from younger people over 18 years of age.

If you are interested, please contact Neil Moulden on neil@ddcvs.org.uk or call 01629 810901 for more information.

A useful set of links and information from Joanne Peck – Project Co-ordinator for Feeding Derbyshire and Financial Inclusion at Rural Action Derbyshire.

Anyone struggling to pay fuel bills – for information and support on the following issues go to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau webpages

• A problem with your fuel bill
• Struggling to pay your fuel bill
• How to switch energy providers
• Problems with your supply
• Problems with your meter (including pre-payment meters)

The following organisations and projects also provide information and support:

Derbyshire County Council – Keep Warm in Winter
Warmer Derby & Derbyshire
Citizen’s Advice Derbyshire Branches
Rural Action Derbyshire
Derbyshire Community Hub
The Money Advice Service
Turn2Us
StepChange

Derbyshire County Council has also produced the Healthy, Warm and Well Booklet for the general public. If you would like any hard copies of the booklet, please email ASCH.CommunityResponseUnit@derbyshire.gov.uk with your request.

Also, the Citizen’s Advice Bureau offers training sessions for frontline workers to increase awareness of issues surrounding the provision and cost of energy – meaning that your staff and volunteers can provide a more holistic service to customers and clients

For more information please contact Ian.mckinley@ddcab.org.uk  or telephone 07562 687876

If so, Connex Community Support can help you to identify and apply for volunteering opportunities, whether this is with us as a Telephone Befriender or Volunteer Driver or with other charities, community groups, non-profit or public service organisations. The service is free to members of the public. You may incur some expenses when you start volunteering, such as travel. Many organisations will be able to help with these costs, but not all, so if this is important for you, it is worth asking before you commit your time.

By volunteering you can:
• meet new people, make new friends
• develop your skills and CV
• change the lives of people in your community
• improve your confidence
• gain a sense of self achievement

Do I need any experience or qualifications?
This will depend on what you wish to volunteer to do. However, we can usually help to find a suitable volunteering role for most people, whether they have experience or specific skills or not, and regardless of age, gender or ability.

How do I apply?
Contact our Volunteer Coordinators at the Buxton or Ashbourne offices by email – see the contact details below. They will arrange to talk you to discuss local volunteering opportunities. They will help you consider what you want to gain from your volunteering experience and help you match your interests, skills and development needs to an opportunity that will help you achieve your personal goals.

If you are a community group, a non-profit organisation, a public sector body or charity looking for a volunteer – you can register with Connex for free. Connex will advertise your volunteering opportunity on the website, at the offices and through a network of contacts. Additionally, if you need support and advice on volunteer recruitment Connex would be happy to talk to you.
Contact Gaynor Atkins via the Ashbourne office, email: gaynor@connex.org.uk

A short virtual session with DDCVS staff who will go through the guidelines to the small grant scheme administered by DDCVS, as well as talking through the application form, step by step.

Join us on Zoom – please contact Sarah Paisley at DDCVS to book you place. Email sarah@ddcvs.org.uk

National leader in social impact practice, Social Value UK, with the support of local partner Kai-zen Change for Good Community Interest Company, is running a series of short, resourceful workshops to support Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector groups (VCSE) across the East Midlands to improve their impact practice.

You will benefit from the technical expertise of leading social value practitioners and as a result will have access to all of the tools, knowledge and skills needed to ensure that your impact practice is top notch! This will help you to write stronger funding bids, it will support your marketing and it will support your business planning.

Working practices and impact culture (10.00 – 11.30 20th Jan 21)