News & Developments

Emergencies Partnership also see the increasing demands made on the sector and are here as a safety net: 

✓ to boost and enhance support from national to VCS organisations, and to help raise the profile of grassroots organisations.
✓ to further strengthen coordination of national and local response efforts during emergencies.
✓ to provide a single access point between government and the voluntary and community sector. 

What does the Emergencies Partnership do? 

The Emergencies Partnership has four strands of work:

1. A national platform to gather intelligence on unmet need at national, regional and local levels 

2. A request for support service for when the demand for support outstrips the supply available to meet it 

3. Five regional multi-agency cells, with representatives from national and local voluntary organisations across England, to facilitate a more collaborative and coordinated response across the voluntary and community sector 

4. One national volunteering cell which has national overview and provides a single point of contact for requests for large-scale volunteer support 

The role of local infrastructure 

Each regional multi-agency cell is built on a network of ‘Liaison Leads’ drawn from local infrastructure. Your local infrastructure organisation can connect to the Liaison Leads, who can then draw on the Emergencies Partnership network and resources to support need in the local area. 

As leaders of local charities and infrastructure organisations, the understanding they have of local needs and capacity is a key factor in the Emergencies Partnership being able to operate effectively. 

Your local contact is: James Bromley - james@highpeakcvs.org.uk

You can also request support directly by visiting vcsep.org.uk/request-support

They are committed to working with the Emergencies Partnership to support the local VCS by: hearing where demand at a local level outstrips supply 

✓ Feeding this in as a request for support to the Partnership. 
✓ Keeping you updated with this request and the support. 
✓ Sharing insights on emerging needs in our area. 

VCS Emergencies Partnership

Information about the coronavirus restrictions in place across Derbyshire and how to check the local restrictions in your area.

For the latest news, guidance and support following the new coronavirus high alert level restrictions placed on your area, sign-up to receive Derbyshire County Council’s Glossopdale e-newsletter:

www.derbyshire.gov.uk/social-health/health-and-wellbeing/health-protection/disease-control/coronavirus/restrictions/coronavirus-restrictions-and-measures.aspx

Hello, I’m Dean Wallace, Director of Public Health for Derbyshire.

It’s my job to protect the health of Derbyshire people and a huge part of mine, and my team’s work, is to help prevent the spread of coronavirus in our communities.

Despite all of our best efforts in sticking to the rules and doing the right thing, confirmed cases continue to rise across the county as they are nationally.

Parts of the High Peak have now been placed on ‘high’ alert under the Government’s new three tier Covid system.

This means the following restrictions are now in place in Glossopdale:

• Different households or support bubbles should not mix indoors – at home, someone else’s home, pubs, restaurants, hotels or other hospitality venues, leisure centres or shops
• Outdoors people should stick to the Rule of Six, including children
• If going on holiday, this should only be with the people they live with or that are in their support bubble
• Family and friends can provide informal childcare as part of a childcare bubble. The bubble is limited to two households only so informal childcare is provided by the same carers each time
• Only visit care homes in exceptional circumstances
• All businesses, leisure facilities and other places that are allowed to open by law can remain open providing they meet Covid-19 secure guidance
• Pubs, bars and restaurants and other hospitality venues close at 10pm. Drive-through services, click and collect and delivery services can continue after 10pm
• You can take part in sport and physical activity outdoors but organised indoor exercise classes are only permitted if it’s possible to avoid mixing with people you don’t live with or share a support bubble with. There are exceptions for people with a disability.

You can read the full restrictions at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/restrictions

Test and Trace data should continue to be collected in venues including pubs, restaurants, cafes, hotels and hairdressers and also cinemas, theatres and concert halls.

Of course we should all continue to wash our hands, stay 2 metres apart where possible and wear a face covering, unless exempt to avoid contracting the virus and passing it on.

I’d like to ask you all to follow this guidance to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. For parents and carers it also means making sure teenagers and young people are following the rules as they can pass the virus on to elderly or vulnerable relatives.

We all have a duty to do everything we can to stop the spread. I’m really proud of the way our communities have supported each other through this epidemic but this isn’t over – we simply cannot afford to take our eye off the ball.

I understand that it is frustrating but it is more important than ever that we all stick to the rules.

You can find the latest information about cases in Derbyshire -
www.derbyshire.gov.uk/coronaviruscases

Information on how to stay safe - www.derbyshire.gov.uk/coronavirus

Due to the ongoing restrictions in place and ever changing circumstances we have made the decision for the safety of everyone to hold this meeting via Zoom Webinars.

Click the link below to register your place and further details will then be sent directly to you. If you have any questions regarding this, have trouble accessing this webinar or will need assistance during the webinar contact donna@highpeakcvs.org.uk and we will do our best to assist you.

Guest Speaker - We are delighted to be joined by Caitlin Bisknell from Buxton Street by Street who will talking to us about the incredible work of volunteers and mutual aid groups throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Crompton & Woodcock Award - The decision has been made to postpone the awards this year due the current restrictions. At High Peak CVS we have witnessed first-hand the amazing community spirit that has been shown over the recent months and we will be looking at celebrating these efforts at a later date so please do watch this space.

Board of Directors - There are  vacancies on the Board of Directors; if you are interested in representing members on the Board, contact James Bromley, High Peak CVS Chief Executive Officer via email at: james@highpeakcvs.org.uk.

The Annual Report will be available at our AGM and afterwards on our website, the audited accounts will be available on our website from 22 October or on request. 

If you have any organisational or financial questions, submit them by 29 October using the contact form.

Link to register: 

AGM 2020 Agenda

AGM 2020 Members Letter

AGM 2019 Minutes

Trustee Nomination Form

Annual Accounts 2020

HPCVS Annual Report 2020 - Empowering Our Community

Her Majesty’s representative in Derbyshire, the Lord Lieutenant, Elizabeth Fothergill CBE DL, visited High Peak charity, The Zink Project on Friday 9 October to present The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.  

The Zink Project started as High Peak Foodbank but quickly expanded to support families in crisis to resolve issues that caused them to need a foodbank through Advice @Zink. To prevent families falling into poverty-related crises, Employability @Zink was introduced and has supported nearly 400 High Peak people into work.

During the pandemic, Zink has been more active, distributing four times as many emergency food parcels as usual with the help of Chapel-en-le-Frith Covid-19 Mutual Aid and Buxton Street by Street. Zink’s Covid-19 employability service supported people back to work and distributed refurbished laptops so participants could look for work or do online training at home thanks to the generosity of the local community and IT Solutions in Buxton.  

At a ceremony limited to six attendants due to Covid 19 restrictions, The Lord Lieutenant explained how The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award a charity can receive. She said it ‘recognises outstanding work done in communities’ and is the equivalent of an MBE'. 

To find out more about Zink: www.highpeakfoodbank.co.uk

How has the pandemic affected your life?

The coronavirus pandemic is still affecting many aspects of our lives here in Derbyshire.  Along with other public sector partners, DCC want to find out what the pandemic has meant for you and your community.

Public sector partners across Derbyshire and Derby are running a consultation to find out how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the lives of residents. The information gained will help partners to understand more about what can be done to support residents over the coming months.

The survey is on the county council’s website and closes on 6 November. It takes around 10 to 15 minutes to fill in.

>> SURVEY

This questionnaire may also be available in other formats by emailing haveyoursay@derbyshire.gov.uk

Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading dementia research charity, dedicated to causes, diagnosis, prevention, treatment and cure. Today, there are no dementia survivors, but research can change this and our mission is to bring about the first life-changing dementia treatment by 2025. ARUK fund research across the UK, and have funded over £3m of research here in the East Midlands. 

Here in Derbyshire, ARUK are looking for local volunteers who can support the work of Alzheimer’s Research UK. The volunteering roles include:

Community Speaker – pro-active individuals who are ready to connect with community groups and organisations in their local areas to help spread awareness of the charity and breakdown stigmas surrounding dementia - www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/how-you-can-help/volunteering/community-speakers/

Collection Tins Coordinator – volunteers who help raise vital funds by placing and maintaining collection tins in local shops and businesses - www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/how-you-can-help/volunteering/collection-tin-coordinator/

To find out more about the charity or any of our volunteering roles, contact Naomi Walters, Regional Fundraising Officer for the East Midlands, on 07469 852 501 or naomi.walters@alzheimersresearchuk.org

In just a few weeks, you will get to grips with your finances so you can budget, save and prevent debt.

Whether you feel pretty organised or whether it's like a lucky dip every time you try to withdraw cash from your account, the CAP Money Course will help you take complete control of your finances. 

Building a balanced budget is vital in taking control of your money. It will help you see exactly what you are spending, how you could save money and prioritise your spending to include the things you really need or want to do.

The CAP Money system will give you a practical way of sticking to your budget. The system uses three accounts, so you can make sure your money is going towards the things you planned for in your budget.

Using cash for your everyday living expenses is counter-cultural, but has many advantages. It’s a powerful tool to enable you to stick to your weekly budget for food and living costs. After all, when it’s gone, it’s gone! Cash enables you to see exactly where you are with your money at all times and adds more value to what you buy.

CAP Money Plus - If you find that you can’t afford your essential living costs or meet your contractual repayments on your debts, then CAP Money Plus is for you. CAP Money Plus will negotiate with your secondary creditors (things like bank loans, credit cards or store cards) and give advice about any priority debts (mortgage, rent, council tax, etc.) to help you achieve a debt free future. 

The local CAP Money Course is run in partnership with Christian Revival Church, High Street, New Mills. 
CAP Money Coach: Mark Wilbourne
Email: markwilbourne@capuk.org
Call: 07401 947609

capuk.org/i-want-help/courses/cap-money-course/introduction

It's a relaxed environment with the chance to meet other jobseekers, get support and gain the tools you need to find work.

Being unemployed can be hard to deal with on your own, but being part of one of the 156 CAP Job Clubs means you face the challenge with other people in similar situations. 

Your local CAP Job Club meets weekly. You’ll follow an eight week course that will give you all the tools you need to find work, from writing a CV that employers won’t be able to resist, to brushing up on those all important interview skills.  Job Clubs are completely free.

The local CAP Job Club is run in partnership with Christian Revival Church, High Street, New Mills. 
CAP Job Club Coach: Mark Wilbourne
Email: markwilbourne@capuk.org
Call free: 0800 328 0006

capuk.org/i-want-help/our-services/cap-job-clubs/introduction

Committee member Mary Craner recalls;

"We had a wonderful open afternoon in brilliant sunshine, and more than 50 local residents attended. Tina, our town’s most generous baker, baked a delicious selection of cakes for people to enjoy and we spent the afternoon telling people about our plans, which were approved of very enthusiastically by most. On the day we had ten volunteers keen to get involved.”

Planning for the garden commenced in January 2019, with approval from Chapel Methodist Church who own the field. As the field is part of the church conservation area, there were a few initial difficulties getting planning permission, but that was granted in July and the project has gone from strength to strength since then. Mary continued;

"The church started our funds off with a generous £5,000, which enabled us to build the raised beds and begin saving for the bigger projects. Local fundraising events such as two meals cooked by Tina, held in the church, a raffle by Chapel Haberdashery and Waitrose token scheme brought in more. Grants by the Freemasons, the Parish Council, Methodist Insurance, All Churches Trust and latterly a large Derbyshire Action Grant have given us enough to build a low wall around the communal area and lay safe paths to enable full access for wheelchair users and other people with limited mobility. The wall is already built, the paths should be in before the end of October. We had started filling raised beds and planting in the autumn and spring but everything stopped as we went into lockdown. Once we were able to reduce restrictions, we set to work to get some vegetables in and prepare areas for wild flowers.”

The garden boasts an enthusiastic group of volunteers, ranging from just 2 to 84 years old! Everyone helps to care for the garden and enjoys the social aspect of the project. Being an outdoor resource has made it invaluable to residents and volunteers while Covid restrictions have been in place and the group have received lots of positive feedback;

"It’s brought a fantastic feeling of community pride in what we have achieved” 

"I am so happy my children have been part of it” 

If you would like to get involved with the project there are lots of ways you can help, or simply come and enjoy meeting other local people in a safe, tranquil outdoor space. A grant from a local Councillor has enabled the group to buy adapted tools for people with disabilities, so if you love gardening but find it difficult to use conventional tools come and try them out.

The group are aware that Covid-19 has meant they have not been able to do as much as they had hoped, in particular working with other local groups such as the schools, youth groups and Alderbrook centre, who had been enthusiastic about getting involved but are positive that while this work has been delayed the enthusiasm for it is still there. Mary said;

"Recently we have had invaluable support and guidance from our local infrastructure charity, High Peak CVS, in particular advice about making our provision more inclusive and accessible, liaising with social prescribers to identify local people who may benefit from our project and other voluntary groups we can work with. We look forward, hopefully in the spring if not before, to working with the schools, girls and boys brigades and local support groups for people with particular needs, as well as more individuals from the local community, to make the garden a wonderful long-term resource for the benefit of all in Chapel and the surrounding area.”