Our News

Listed below are our latest news and information items. News items are frequently added, please check back for updates.

Funding & Organisational Toolkits

We have two toolkits which have been developed in conjunction with Fenland District Council.  These toolkits will be useful to Fenland groups to develop their organisations and help them to submit good quality funding applications.

If you would like a photocopy of the toolkits then please contact us, or alternatively, these are now available to download from either the resources page of this website or from Fenland District Council website www.fenland.gov.uk.

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Cambridgeshire COMPACT

A COMPACT for Cambridgeshire has recently been launched.  To download a copy of the COMPACT, please click here 

For further information about the Cambridgeshire Compact, click here.

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Funding
 

• Funding Alert Bulletin
  Providing member groups with the details of up to date funding opportunities.
  Subscribe today - click here
   

• Funding Insert
  In addition to the funding alert (above), to view our latest funding insert from our newsletter.  Click here.
   

• Jargon Buster
  A list of some of the more common terms used, and an attempt at the definitive explanation for them. Click here.
   

• Writing a Tender
  Get down to the task of dissecting exactly what’s involved in a tender process.  Click here.

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Implications for Charitable Companies of the Companies Act 2006

Our national umbrella body, NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action) has produced a briefing paper which recommends that all charitable companies review their Memorandum & Articles of Association in line with the following:

• Changes to AGMs

• Written Resolutions

• Proxy Voting

• Conflicts of Interest

• Directors’ Duties

• Paying Trustees

To download a copy, Click here.

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Grassroots Grants Programme in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Applications are being accepted for the 2009/2010 Grassroots Grants.  However demand has been such that there is already a backlog of applications for the 2009/2010 funding and although applications continue to be accepted, new application decisions will not be made until June - and any grants awarded will be paid in July.

The income threshold for the Grassroots Programme has recently been increased to £30,000 per annum (averaged over the last three years).  The Programme offers not-for-profit voluntary and community organisations in Cambridgeshire grants of between £250 and £5,000 for projects that address local needs.  Full details about the Grassroots Grants are available in the Grassroots Grants Guidelines, which can be downloaded from the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation web site at:

http://www.cambscf.org.uk/grant-guidelines.html

A new online application form is also now available at http://www.cambscf.org.uk/grant-applications.html

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NJC Pay Scales 2008/09

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Cambridgeshire Play Pathfinder - Funding Available for Play Spaces!

Cambridgeshire County Council is about to commence phase two of its Cambridgeshire Play Pathfinder Project. The Play Pathfinder, funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), has been set up to deliver new, creative and inspiring play spaces across the whole of Cambridgeshire.

The relevance and importance of play in all children and young people’s lives and development is widely acknowledged. It is believed that play contributes to children and young people’s physical, social, emotional, intellectual and creative development.

Having funded the development of 12 play spaces already, 16 further sites will benefit from grants of up to £50,000 to further enhance the provision of play opportunities across the county. It is hoped to encompass the design principles for a successful play space as outlined by the DCSF and Play England. By doing so further play opportunities will be provided within a new generation of play spaces for a new generation of children and young people.

Focus will be particularly given to natural, accessible play and the provision of risk and challenge. Local children and young people will be involved in the development and design processes of their innovative new play spaces. Both are important aspects of the Cambridgeshire Play Pathfinder.

District, city, town and parish councils, together with voluntary organisations, are all eligible to apply for funding to aid the development of play spaces in their area. Applications will be open from April until August 2009. Anyone interested in the Cambridgeshire Play Pathfinder should contact Ashley List, Telephone 01954 284204, or E-mail: ashley.list@cambridgeshire.gov.uk for further information.

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New Vetting & Barring Scheme

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 laid the foundation for a new Vetting and Barring Scheme which will be phased in from 12^th October 2009. This scheme aims to stop unsuitable people from working with children and/or vulnerable adults by improving screening procedures for potential employees or volunteers. 

The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) will be responsible for deciding who should be placed on barred lists and the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) will run the application process.  Many more organisations will be under a legal obligation to carry out checks on employees and volunteers.  No distinction is made between paid and unpaid work and all rules will apply to both volunteers and employees.  Organisations may need to update their Safeguarding Policy in view of these changes.  Click here for Children England's latest fact sheet, which includes information about new timescales for implementing the scheme.

For more detailed information, visit http://www.isa-gov.org.uk.  We will let you know as more information becomes available.

Contact Centre Now Live

The Vetting and Barring Scheme contact centre is now live. If you have any questions or queries about the Scheme please call the team on 0300 123 1111. Operators staffing this Lo-call service will be available to deal with your queries Monday to Friday between 8.00am and 5.30pm.

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Fenland CVS Library

The Fenland CVS Booklist is now available to view online.  For further information, Click Here.

To reserve, or renew, a book please call Anne on 01354 659772.

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Annual Survey of CVS Members

Our annual survey of members has now been completed and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who took part and provided us with valuable information.

The information which you provided about our services is very positive but also raises issues which we will try to address in the coming year.  One key area which you commented upon this year was about accessing our services, particularly for organisations not based in March. This is very important to us and if for any reason you are unable to access our services at our March office then please let us know and we can arrange an appointment for one of our Development Workers to come out to meet you.

Thank you once again to all those who took part in the survey this year, if you were not contacted on this occasion but would like to provide us with any feedback then please contact either Jean Gledhill or myself at the FCVS office.

Rodger Lymburn (Chief Officer)

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The Shuttle: Bringing Computers to Where You Are

The Advice for Life Shuttle is a self contained mobile ICT suite with a satellite link to the internet.   It offers people living in isolated communities access to computers, the internet, and ICT training, that they might not otherwise have.  For further information, along with a booking form, visit the iTrust website at http://tinyurl.com/d7txau.

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Jonathan Latchford, from the Heritage Lottery Fund, will be available (by appointment only) on Monday 13^th July 2009 at the Town Hall, March (FCVS Office) to offer funding information and advice on the whole range of funds administered by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)  Appointments will be on a first come, first served basis.  To book an appointment, please contact the Fenland CVS office on 01354 659772. 

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) is the UK’s leading funder of our diverse heritage, and funds the entire spread of heritage – including buildings, museums, natural heritage and the heritage of cultural traditions and language.

They help groups and organisations of all sizes with projects that help people to learn about their own and other people’s heritage.

Projects must also do one, or both of the following:

• Conserve the UK’s diverse heritage for present and future generations to experience and enjoy.

• Help more people, and a wider range of people, to take an active part in and make decisions about heritage 

Heritage includes many different things from the past that we value and want to pass on to future generations. Heritage projects might include: 

• people's memories and experiences

• histories of people, communities, places and events

• cultural traditions

• historic buildings and townscapes

• archaeological sites

• collections of items, archives or other materials

• natural and designed landscapes

• habitats and species

• sites and collections linked to our industrial, maritime and transport history.

Whether you have a specific project in mind, or are in the early stages of planning a project that may be of interest to the Heritage Lottery Fund, Jonathan would be more than happy to meet you to discuss your ideas.

If you would like to discuss your ideas with a member of Fenland CVS staff before arranging a meeting with Jonathan, please contact us on 01354 659772.

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