www.everybodys-talking.org/ecohomes/events

Torrs Hydro (New Mills) - a community-owned hydro-electric plant. Clean, green energy is generated by river water flowing through our reverse Archimedes screw "Archie” and sold to the local Co-op supermarket. The project is owned by 230 shareholders.

Bamford Quaker Community (Hope Valley) -  a housing co-operative which is home to 10 residents and also has space for around 15 guests. Eco renovations include internal solid wall insulation to solid stone walls, a replacement boiler and radiators and a composting toilet.

Thornhill EcoHouse (Hope Valley) - total rebuild on foundations of a 1930’s asbestos clad, timber frame bungalow, using recycled and local timber, Warmcell insulation, recycled slates and a south facing conservatory. Passive Solar design means the house is heated using solar hot water and just one woodstove. It has solar photovoltaic panels for electricity.

Social Media Surgery Dates for your Diary

Tue 19 May  5.30 to 7.30pm 

Tue 16 June  5.30 to 7.30pm

Tue 21 July  5.30 to 7.30pm

All at High Peak CVS, 105 Buxton Road, Whaley Bridge.

Come and find out how to use free internet sites and tools to publicise your group or organisation and stay in touch with members and supporters. Get help from knowledgeable volunteers on how to set up and run blogs, and use video, photos, and social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other free web tools to get your messages out.

Book your place online at www.socialmediasurgery.com/surgeries/highpeak

For further information about the Social Media Surgeries contact Claire or Esther at High Peak CVS (claire@highpeakcvs.org.uk / esther@highpeakcvs.org.uk )

Charities registered with the Charity Commission or HMRC can apply for grants of £500-£20,000; other community groups for £500-£2,000.  The programme will open on 1 July and the deadline for applications is 31 July.

For further details, guidance notes and an outline of the questions the application will comprise, see www.postcodecommunitytrust.org.uk

This is open Monday-Friday, 9am-12pm via 0300 066 9197. A call-back service has been introduced, should you be unable to get through. This service runs Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. 

Note that the Charity Commission helpline can’t help you complete a form – but High Peak CVS may be able to!

MCU have developed a convenient and easy way for company employees to save money into a Credit Union by deductions made directly from their salary or wage, called Payroll plus.

If you are interested in talking about Payroll Plus MCU would be happy to visit your offices or convenient location to let you have more information.

Please contact the Manchester Credit Union on 0161 231 5222 and ask for Christine Moore.  Alternatively, you can email on info@manchestercreditunion.co.uk

In the first instance, you may want to find out more on the website www.manchestercreditunion.co.uk

Openness and honesty are two of the founding principles of best practice in fundraising; the Institute of Fundraising's Code of Fundraising Practice.

Alistair McLean, Chief Executive of the FRSB, says:

"Being open with supporters is critical for building public trust. Even the most well-known charity brands and campaigns can be undermined if there is not complete clarity about who will benefit from any funds raised." 

Charities are advised to make sure that any fundraising communications always clearly state which organisations benefit from any fundraising and that campaign messaging will not mislead the public.

To ensure your fundraising campaigns meet UK standards, take a look at the code - www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/guidance/code-of-fundraising-practice

There's a wide range of events going on so check out the website and follow @SCWeek2015 to see how you can get involved.

Set in and around Glossopdale, the ‘The Return’ is a psychological thriller. It follows a film crew who come to Glossop to make a documentary. On their arrival they discover that there is something strange about this sleepy little town... Are there ghosts? Parallel dimensions? Or is it all a hoax?

The film’s psychological angle draws you in, whilst building the suspense, and feeding you information to keep your mind racing and questioning what is going on.

Watch ‘The Return’ for free via www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dCrJB_Vn8M 

www.facebook.com/lifeyouchoose

Solid wall insulation, solar panels, draught proofing, wind turbines and even a toilet which composts waste, instead of flushing it, will all be on display. If you’ve ever wondered how well these things work in real homes (or if the loo smells or not!) and if they’re worth installing, come and have an honest chat with householders about what it’s like to live in their home and their experiences (both good and bad) of installing these measures. Visitors in previous years have left inspired to change their own homes.

Rising energy bills are affecting everyone and there’s a pressing environmental need to reduce our energy use and get energy from renewable sources. This event is an opportunity to see real solutions in real homes, done on a range of budgets, and talk to the people who live there. Last year, more than 300 people visited a home in. Why not come and get inspired this year?

www.everybodys-talking.org/ecohomes 

Community Groups and charities are invited to apply for grants that help improve employment opportunities and address health inequalities.

Grants of up to £2,500 are available through the Equity Foundation’s main grant programme and £5,000 is available through the John Southworth fund for a project that helps young people to gain skills or experience that helps them to get in to work or self-employment. 

Groups can find out if they are eligible to apply by visiting the Equity Foundation website www.equityfoundation.co.uk