News & Developments

Charities and social enterprises are playing a vital role up and down the country, meeting the needs of vulnerable people affected by the current crisis. At the same time many have been experiencing significant challenges as they have had to close shops and other revenue-generating services, and cancel fundraising activities. 

To ensure that our charities and social enterprises can continue to step up to respond to the crisis, and keep their doors open to those most in need, the government has made available an unprecedented package of support, including £750m targeted specifically at these sectors. 

The £200m Coronavirus Community Support Fund forms a central part of this package, and is being administered through the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF). Charities and Social Enterprises in England can submit applications through the NLCF website (www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk). 

The Fund has two key objectives:
1. To increase community support to vulnerable people affected by the Covid-19 crisis, through the work of civil society organisations.​
2. To reduce temporary closures of essential charities and social enterprises, ensuring services for vulnerable people impacted by Covid-19 have the financial resources to operate, and so reduce the burden on public services. 

Grants will allow organisations to meet service costs, where they are experiencing increased demand and/or short term income disruption. Grants will also allow organisations to refocus services to address more immediate beneficiary needs in light of Covid-19.

Other Funding

The following funds are also currently open for organisations to apply to:
● The £3.45m  Covid-19 Food Charity Grant Scheme to provide  immediate support to keep food charities and front-line food aid charities open and supporting the vulnerable, due to the economic impacts of Covid-19, with a continual supply of food otherwise not accessed through usual routes.
● A £10m  Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Fund  COVID-19  emergency support fund to support domestic abuse safe accommodation services who provide beds and offer the critical help victims and their children need.
● The £6m  Covid-19 Impact Programme  to ensure that people from Armed Forces communities can keep accessing important services, where resources for these services have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
● The £5m  Loneliness Covid-19 Grant Fund National organisations  working to tackle loneliness and build social connections are invited to apply for a share of £5 million of funding, which the government is investing to help them to continue and adapt their critical work.
● The £6m  Covid-19 Homelessness Response Fund to provide  emergency funding to homelessness charities directly affected by the Coronavirus. 

The Government also matched the £35m raised by the BBC’s Big Night In, with the first £20m of this match funding going to the National Emergency Trust, to distribute through local community foundations, and the remainder to support the work of Children in Need and Comic Relief.  Details on how it is being distributed and how to apply can be found on each organisation’s website:
● www.ukcommunityfoundations.org/our-network
● www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/grants/apply/
● www.comicrelief.com/the-big-night-in-how-you-are-helping

High Peak Borough Councillors Kath and Shannon-Kate Thomson for Whaley Bridge and Furness Vale have announced that they will be using their Initiative Fund to support the work of High Peak CVS and in turn help those groups in the local area during these difficult times. 

Councillor Kath Thomson said: 

"From listening to people in the village and hearing stories In the news about voluntary workers and food banks having to beg for donations and government funding, we asked ourselves what we could do to help the community via the voluntary sector. We approached High Peak CVS for advice on how the community voluntary sector could be helped best in our ward and, after talking to James we concluded that the money was best going to the CVS as they have a more in depth understanding of the best ways to use the funding to maximise the help given.”

Councillor Shannon-Kate Thomson added: 

"Setting up these organisations can be difficult at the best of times, but in a crisis like this we need to help the voluntary sector more than ever as we rely on volunteers to help the community get through challenging times. 

High Peak CVS are key in working and supporting various groups such as Food Banks and those dealing with Mental Health issues which we are incredibly passionate about. We are fully aware that many people are negatively affected financially due to COVID-19 and more people are looking to food banks to feed their families. In addition, mental health support groups that people can go to if they're struggling to cope - both those with existing mental health issues and  those who have had their mental health detrimentally impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. There is no doubt the current pandemic has caused a lot of anxiety and distress among both of the above groups of people and if they can get support then we'd love to help”. 

Both Councillors have allocated £250 each to the work of High Peak CVS, who are based in Whaley Bridge, and this will be used to engage and support local groups over the coming weeks and months.  

James Bromley, CEO at High Peak CVS said: 

"The current COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges to the people, groups and organisations across the High Peak and the last few weeks have shown how the community has come together to support those that need it the most. High Peak CVS is established to support these groups but we face the same financial challenges and donations like this make a huge difference to enable us to continue supporting the groups that so many people rely on. On behalf of High Peak CVS I’d like to say a huge thank you to Councillors Shannon-Kate and Kath Thomson for this contribution and we will work hard to continue supporting groups in Whaley Bridge, Furness Vale and beyond”. 

The two local Councillors concluded by saying: 

"We feel helping these voluntary groups is a no brainer - especially during the COVID-19 crisis. We would like to thank all the voluntary sector and its staff. They have worked hard to aid our community in spite of funding cuts. Without voluntary workers, we'd struggle to run a lot of services that some families so desperately need”.

If you are part of a local group within Whaley Bridge or Furness Vale and you would like to talk to High Peak CVS about the work we do and how we can support you please do get in touch.

Councillor Kath Thomson and Councillor Shannon-Kate Thomson

Some individuals have been helping elderly, sick or vulnerable people, by doing errands.  Many have contributed, sewn and provided aprons and fabric facemasks. 40 of these have been donated to the local Scrum Hub charity, who will distribute them to local carers who need them desperately.

Joint President Sue and her husband have been growing and selling vegetable plants to local people in Tideswell.  So far they have donated £90 to Tideswell First Responders, £30 to Chesterfield Hospital (Calow), £60 to Tideswell Surgery and have £70 to donate to Sheffield's Royal Hallamshire Hospital shortly.

In all these efforts the Soroptimists have abided by the distancing guidelines, but still been able to help others.

Offering 5 different non-PPE products. Items are made of 100% recycled material - mostly cotton, with some elastic. You can reuse all products by washing at home at 60 degrees at the end of a shift and they’re ready to go again. 

All products are donated to you free of charge with free delivery of the items either via a team of drivers, or by bicycle.

• Laundry  bags– these are really convenient and have proved really popular, allowing for easy separation of work clothes from your clean ones at the end of a shift and clothes can freely tumble inside. 
• Face masks – comfortable, breathable cotton for sessional use.
• Scrub hats – cool cotton for comfort and style.
• Mask extenders and headbands – help take the pressure of elasticated masks off the ears. 
• Aprons – useful for care home residents to enable them to carry on participating in their activities, as well as kitchen staff to maintain hygiene.

The group are keen to reach as many in our community as possible so would love you to get in touch if  you think their items could be of any benefit to you.  This project is time-limited and as there is limited stock they can't necessarily respond to all requests. Therefore please get in touch as soon as possible. 

Just email us on: highpeakscrubhub@gmail.com 

To make a donation www.gofundme.com/f/high-peak-scrub-hub

As we cannot get together to run a funding workshop in person just yet, Sue Heyes, fund officer for the Severn Trent Community Fund, is offering a virtual workshop which will take you through the Community Fund, what it will support and how to apply.

The workshop will be from 10am on Wednesday 17 June and you will need a laptop or tablet and access to WiFi. To book a place and receive the details of how to log into the session please email Sue at sue.heyes@severntrent.co.uk or phone 07814803337.

Each session will be limited to 25 people so depending on demand Sue may need to add another date.  Once you have booked your place you will be sent all the details you need to access the session.

First check that you are within the Severn Trent area by using the postcode checker on their website  www.stwater.co.uk

A leaflet filled with advice and guidance about palliative and end of life care is being distributed across the High Peak and Derbyshire Dales to support primary care staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Janet Dunphy, from Blythe House Hospicecare in Chapel-en-le-Frith, has drafted the document to offer advice and support to local colleagues, who may be experiencing more conversations about death and dying due to the current situation. 

Janet, who has over 35 years of experience as an end of life care specialist, said: 'Originally I devised the leaflet with care home staff in mind, but having written it, I hope it will be beneficial to colleagues across the healthcare sector during the current times. 

'I just wanted to share some useful phrases that I have learnt over the years of working with dying people and their families. The leaflet has advice on having difficult conversations and answering tricky questions on subjects including what to expect when someone is dying, as well as medication and treatment issues. There is also some mental health and well-being guidance, which could not be more important now. I sincerely hope local healthcare professionals have and will find the leaflet helpful.'

blythehousehospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Thinking-of-you-booklet-for-care-homes.pub_.pdf

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Relate Derby (www.relatederby.org.uk) are delivering all counselling services remotely via webcam and telephone.   Contact them on 01332 349177 or 07741193484  email info@relatederby.org.uk

Support for children and young people’s (age 5-18) emotional health and wellbeing.

If you know a child or young person who is experiencing depression, low mood, stress, panic or anxiety, or need wider emotional support due to the impact of the Covid -19 pandemic then please refer them to Relate Derby. Specially qualified counsellors are ready to assist. This is a free service, currently with no waiting list, so people can get access to a qualified counsellor straight away.

Counselling for people affected by Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC)

Relate Derby has a special project called ‘Living Well with Autism’ (LWA) which supports people with ASC who are wanting to explore their own relationships and people who have a family member with ASC. This service  is free to people who are living in Derbyshire. For more information  please  visit  the dedicated website  www.livingwellwithautism.org.uk

Free Telephone Helpline (0808 178 9363)

This has been extended and is now running on Monday, Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am -1pm.  Thanks to Foundation Derbyshire for their financial support. The helpline gives people the opportunity to speak directly to an experienced Relate trained counsellor without having to make an appointment.  Calls are free from landlines and most mobiles. If you are not sure whether or not you will be charged, check with your mobile provider to confirm that 0808 calls are free before calling.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about many changes in the way we live and the pressure we are under – isolation, job risk, financial strain and bereavement are amongst just a few issues that people are dealing with on a daily basis.

Mental Health Awareness Week is an opportunity to not only raise awareness of the risks associated with mental health problems but to also celebrate the incredible work that is going on across the district in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in Derbyshire. High Peak CVS work daily with amazing volunteers and organisations that work tirelessly to help their local community and we want to take this opportunity to say thank you to every single one of you. Between Monday 18 May and Sunday 24 May 2020 we would like to hear from you about the work you and/or your organisation are doing to support the Mental Health and Wellbeing of our community.

The theme this year is around Kindness and we know there is plenty of this going around the streets and community of High Peak  

If you are on Facebook or Twitter please share with us your story and service that we can celebrate by using the hashtag #HighPeakKindness and tagging in High Peak CVS so we can share this with the world!  If you are not on social media please do send us your stories to hello@highpeakcvs.org.uk

If you or someone you know is struggling at the moment please do have a look at our database which has a number of local services available that can help and are ready to hear from you – highpeakcvs.org.uk/directory.asp

Mind – the Mental Health Charity also offers some fantastic sources of information, guidance and support and can be accessed here: www.mind.org.uk

Finally, on behalf of everyone at High Peak CVS, thank you again for all your hard work and dedication in an incredibly difficult time.

Level 2 – Certificate in Counselling

This course is designed for those who want to learn counselling skills to help and support others in a voluntary or employed capacity, providing skills for a variety of roles. This course will be a useful progression route for those interested in furthering their study or widening their role. To ensure that learners get the most from the course and can achieve the qualification, there is an induction. 

Level 3 - Diploma in Counselling

This course is designed for those seeking to enhance their functional role through counselling skills. Learners will gain an understanding of a range of skills and examine schools of thought/theoretical models. This course is a useful progression route to Level 4 counselling, and for those interested in furthering their study or work role. In order to enrol on this course, you will need to hold a GCSE or equivalent in English.  To ensure you get the most from this course and can achieve the qualification, there will be an induction.

To book your place on the information session email: 
glossop.ace@derbyshire.gov.uk 
or telephone Glossop centre on 01629 535895 and leave a message. 

Applications to the Hardship Fund will be by referral and individuals will need to meet the criteria  to qualify. 

The fund will provide regular food parcels and assistance with some critical household expenses. People will also be able to access information on other support available to them relative to their specific needs.

www.ruralactionderbyshire.org.uk/rural-hardship-fund