Join volunteer groups, local councillors and residents to see how you can help before enjoying a lunch in the Dome Restaurant.  Some places on this FREE event are still available, so book now - Thursday 8 October 2015 10am-2pm at University Of Derby, Buxton Campus.

• 10.00 for a 10.30  Introduction
• 10.45  High Peak Access – setting the scene
• 11.30  The University’s approach to accessibility
• 12.00  Introducing a web-based approach to guiding events organisers through current accessibility legislation
• 12.45  lunch

For more details and to register, contact Dave Bennett at davembennett@live.co.uk or visit the website highpeakaccess.org.uk

Supported by The Bingham Trust

Drop in 2-4pm first Tuesday of the month at The Education Centre, Royal Hospital, Calow.  A chance to talk informally and to share with others who have been through this loss.

The group is run by The Compasionate Friends.  For more information contact Jan 07986 595315, info@tcf.org.uk

www.tcf.org.uk

Please apply in writing giving details of your project together with supporting financial information and recent accounts.  Closing date is 30 Sep 2015.

Details at www.whaleybridge.com/2015/09/grants-to-local-organisations/

Local firms can apply individually or as a group to connect bigger or more complicated premises such as an office block. If their application is successful, businesses would need to pay for the line rental and VAT.

The broadband Connection Vouchers scheme will be administered locally on behalf of central Government by Derby City Council.  To check whether your business is eligible or for more information visit  the Connection Vouchers website and enter the postcode of your business or go to Superconnected Derby, tel: 01332 742 540 or email: shane.chaddha@derby.gov.uk. Please note that currently (as of 3rd September 2015) the Superconnected Derby website states that this is available within Derby City.  However, it is available across all of Derbyshire, until March 2016.

See www.theheritagealliance.org.uk/gth/?page_id=201

The event is free to enter and the winning team will receive a £10,000 bursary from Sport England. Each team, with the help of mentors, will create their app with the last hour of the Hackathon seeing them present their concept to a judging panel. Three finalists will be selected with the winning team announced at the Sports Technology Awards in April 2016.

Anyone based in the UK over the age of 18 can create a team and enter but each team must include at least one woman. Applications to participate close at 5pm on 7 September 2015, with successful teams having their place on the Hackathon confirmed on 11 September 2015.

Find out more about the event at www.sportengland.org/media-centre/news/2015/july/31/hackathon-call-for-entries/ 

Full information at www.thepowertochange.org.uk/programmes/funding/

The contents of the report won’t be surprising – it highlights the sheer scale and number of challenges that small and medium sized charities are facing as well as identifying help that could support them in these tough times. Throughout the report the charities’ own compelling words are used to paint the picture of what they’re going through. They tell of the increases and growing complexity of demand, the difficulty of attracting funds and the disadvantages they face when it comes to commissioning. They also describe how they are rising to these challenges, often with little support and even fewer resources.

Some highlights include:

• 81% of small and medium sized charities (income £25,000 - £1M) are struggling to raise the funds they need to survive and 63% are seriously worried about their ongoing funding over the next two years.
• Many do not have the capacity or capability to be able to add other income streams and some are simply not viable, such as charging vulnerable clients for services, or social investment. 63% of charities therefore predict that their ability to secure funding will get harder over the next two years.
• The funding problem is exacerbated the changing needs of the people charities help. 88% reported a changed in the requirements of those they serve, and 72% of these stated that needs are increasing and becoming more complex, often as a result of other services closing, increased poverty and welfare reform.
• Where money is available for charities, the commissioning processes of central and local government are deepening the challenges faced by small and medium-sized charities because they favour larger and often commercial providers. 61% of those surveyed have bid for contracts yet half (49%) said that they found the process difficult or impossible. Among the obstacles they experienced were: commissioning processes incentivising competition, not collaboration; complex, secretive and burdensome processes; being undercut by larger organisations or used as ‘bid candy’ by them as they plunder the smaller charities’ local knowledge but exclude them when actually rolling out services.

See the report at www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk/publications/stakeholder-report

Monday 21 Sept 2-7pm at Blythe House Hospice

www.derbyshiresport.co.uk/derbyshirecyclingplan

The consultation period closes on 30 September 2015.