News & Developments

Derbyshire County Council are seeking to make cuts of  £157 million by 2018. This means they will look at what funding they provide local bus and community transport services.

But before developing full proposals for these services they want people to tell them about the buses they use, the type of journeys made and how they would be affected if services were withdrawn.

The questionnaire is online at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/supportedbuses or pick up a copy at your local library. 

Please send your completed questionnaires by Sunday 14 Dec 2014.  A detailed consultation will begin in early 2015 before any final decisions are made.

Further information on DCC website

It isn't about becoming a befriender or giving long term support - others will do that. It’s about encouraging and supporting people to get the help they need.

Places are available on a free initial training day running on 7th November, 9.30am – 4.00pm at New Mills Volunteer Centre.

The course will give you 

• The opportunity to meet other people in a similar role

• An information pack about local groups and services

• Regular updates and further training opportunities from the Derbyshire Trusted Befriending Network

For more information or to book, contact Rebecca Hyde at Glossop & District Volunteer Centre Tel: 01457 865722 or Email: rebecca@vcglossop.org.uk

Research by the Community Development Foundation shows the vital contribution these groups are making to society and how funders can best support them. 'Tailor Made: How community groups improve people’s lives' finds that without small amounts of funding, much of this activity would never get off the ground and the value of the services these groups provide, the volunteers they attract and their impact on communities would be lost.

For example, a study by the London School of Economics found that a typical befriending service would cost about £80 per person and produce £300 worth of value per person per year when taking into account the reduced need for treatment and improved quality of life as a result of better mental health.

An article in the Guardian says "these groups need advice, support and, most importantly, small amounts of funding to get going. It is a folly to think that communities will not need some small grant funding to get them started. Every type of new community finance model starts with a small investment".

The session will cover 

• Turning on a tablet
• Accessing wi-fi
• Getting on the internet
• Finding a website
• Setting up your email
• Using social media
• Shopping on line

The workshops cost £20 and will be held at the Argos store in Buxton, Derby, Ilkeston and Chesterfield between October and December 2014. 

To book a place call 0345 6004408

To learn more call Sylvia Green at Rural Action Derbyshire on 01629 592971 or see www.ukonlinecentres.com/running-your-centre/other-sites-and-tools/argos-tablet-offer-faq

Available for Social Enterprises, Not for Profit and Voluntary Sector organisations with less than 250 staff looking to manage, sustain and grow their organisations through accredited training.

Derbyshire Learning & Development Consortium (DLDC), Community Action Derby, Nottingham CVS, Enable and Ingeus are working together in partnership with the Local Enterprise Partnership D2N2 and the Skills Funding Agency to improve voluntary sector skills and support organisational growth.

DLDC and Community Action will be delivering a series of workshops across Derby City and Derbyshire from November 2014 – January 2015 to enable interested organisations to gain further information and to sign up for accredited training. 

Workshop topics include:

• Creative Ways to Grow & Thrive
• Strategic Business Planning 
• Up-skilling your workforce 
• Achieving Stronger Board Support 

For further information and dates, please contact info@consortium.org.uk or 01332 265960 

The Nottingham-based Chamber member is offering to make-over a space or garden area, at any children or young people's charity in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire or Leicestershire for Children in Need.

Office Manager Lucy Milner, who will coordinate the charitable activities for Paragon, said: "We are looking for four or five projects to undertake in the week of Children in Need culminating on Friday 14 November.

"We'll go to any children or young people's charity in any of the three counties and look to make a difference to their environment and facilities."

All the projects will be undertaken in the week leading up to the BBC's Children in Need appeal. Paragon will take before and after pictures and issue press releases about the projects.

"We will cover travel, manpower and materials" Lucy added, "The charities will not be expected to contribute anything to the projects.”

"The idea is that we would use our expertise to give back to the local community. Each would have one day throughout the week, of our team’s time, to go to each of the four or five children’s charities and do something for each of them," she said.

Charities wanting to take advantage of Paragon's offer should email Lucy on; lucy.milner@paragonplc.com email icon, putting CHARITY in the subject line, along with a description and photographs of how Challenge Paragon can help and transform. A deadline of 5pm on Friday 24 October has been set for applications.

Margaret will be zipping across the longest zip line in Europe and the fastest in the world, at Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda, North Wales. Weather permitting this will take place  on Thursday 23 October in aid of Deaf and Hearing Support.

To sponsor Margaret you can either give a donation phone 01246 555934 or go on line to the Just Giving website.

Thank you for your support info@deafandhearingsupport.co.uk 

Groups can submit requests for grants up to £500 (in exceptional cases grants to a maximum of £1,000 will be considered)

Who can apply? - Voluntary and Community groups and volunteers who come together to support the health and wellbeing of their local community. This includes luncheon clubs, social groups, self-help groups etc. providing help and support within the Chesterfield Borough Council and North East Derbyshire District Council localities.

The grant is intended to be for activities or projects that support health and wellbeing and not for running costs.

For more information see www.ndva.org.uk/whats-happening/news

We always like to keep our prices as low as possible and it is over 4 years since we have increased our photocopying prices but due to the current economic climate and rising costs we have decided with regret to increase the black and white photocopying costs as shown below with effect from October 2014.

                        Members rate      Associate / statutory sector
A4 single sided             5p                           7p
A4 double sided           7p                           9p
A3 single sided             9p                         11p
A3 double sided          14p                         17p

We have kept our colour copying costs the same and feel that our prices are still very competitive, details below:

                        Members rate      Associate / statutory sector
A4 single sided             20p                        30p
A4 double sided           30p                        40p
A3 single sided             35p                        50p
A3 double sided            60p                        70p

Further information about the Printing Service is on our website and the Printing, Equipment and Room Hire leaflet has current charges for all our practical services..

If you require any printing please contact Jackie on 01663 736436 or e mail jackie@highpeakcvs.org.uk

Derbyshire Climate Change Charter