We are recruiting for an Honorary Treasurer to join our brilliant Board of Trustees.
This is an ideal role for anyone with a background in finance or indeed anyone with experience of being on a board in a Treasurer role.
Connecting Communities in Berkshire (CCB) is an independent charity with over 49 years experience in community development work, originally found in 1973 as a Rural Community Council.
Our vision is for all communities in Berkshire to be strong, resilient, sustainable, and able to take control of their own futures.
CCB’s purpose is to inspire action at a community level that improves people’s quality of life.
Help us to build the voice of rural communities in Berkshire!
Join us at an exciting time of growth.
Connecting Communities in Berkshire is moving into an exciting phase of development focusing on three strategic aims:
Improving rural health & wellbeing
Reducing rural poverty & disadvantage
Increasing rural digital inclusion & social connectedness.
To help drive our charity forward it is important that we have a group of dynamic and talented people on our board of Trustees and we currently have a vacancy for the role of Honorary Treasurer, this is an unremunerated position though travel expenses are claimable.
The role of Treasurer has specific responsibilities for financial affairs and ensuring that trustees understand the impact of financial decisions by the Board. A full list of duties can be found below. If you are interested please get in touch with us at admin@ccberks.org.uk
Ciizens Advice has recently published their Gaps in the Network report on the impact of rising numbers of outreaches and temporary closures on post office access.
The post office network continues to provide vital access to essential face-to-face services at a time when many other providers are deserting the high street and moving to online only.
Their latest research shows
Nearly 1 in 5 (18%) people visit a post office every week, while nearly half (45%) visit at least once a month
But across Britain almost 1,300 post offices are temporarily closed
1 in 3 rural post offices are now part-time outreach services, open for an average of only 5.5 hours a week
The report confirms that increasing temporary post office closures and part-time outreaches make it significantly harder for people and small businesses to access services.
When post offices close people are forced to take on the additional costs and inconvenience of travelling further – something that can be particularly challenging in rural areas and for those who face barriers to travelling long distances.
And although for some people outreaches may be better than nothing, many find the service inadequate. Provision is too infrequent, opening hours inconvenient, queues too long, and vital services missing.
Urgent action is needed to reverse this trend to ensure that the post office network really is convenient and easily accessible to everyone. Citizens Advice will continue to work with stakeholders to develop workable solutions and push for their implementation.
by Phillip Vincent, Action with Communities in Rural England
National charity, Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) says the government must fully consider how it’s plans for levelling up will address disadvantage faced by rural communities.
Today, the government announced cursory details of its centre-piece policy commitment to levelling-up. But ACRE says that far from instilling confidence, the white paper leaves more questions than it answers.
Jeremy Leggett, ACRE’s Policy Adviser said: “It is not clear whether the government’s 12 missions of levelling-up will counter the long-standing disadvantages faced by rural communities.
Whilst we await further details, we have questions about whether the policy proposals will be subject to a comprehensive rural proofing exercise and if additional resources and investment will be made available to non-metropolitan areas in the remaining term of this administration.
We are particularly concerned the government appears to have watered down its 2019 election commitment to achieve 100% coverage of high-quality broadband by 2025. This would represent a levelling-down, not levelling-up for rural communities”.
ACRE represents a network of 38 member organisations that work in support of rural communities in every county of England. Its members know full well that many people living in rural areas face multiple disadvantages, often obscured by a bucolic imagination of the countryside and official statistics on deprivation that do not account for geographically dispersed poverty. Rural communities suffer from poor infrastructure, limited access to services and affordability of housing compounded by a lack of job opportunities.
The rural charity will be providing further commentary on the government plans for levelling up once full details of the white paper are known. Along with rural proofing, it will be hoping there are genuine commitments to subsidiarity of decision making, community involvement, and a fair distribution of resources and investment to rural communities.
Today’s news (03/02/22) that “more than one in four UK households will be in fuel poverty once Ofgem’s latest energy price cap rise comes into effect”* will no doubt cause alarm to households across West Berkshire.
Local charity Connecting Communities in Berkshire (CCB) wants people to know that help is available. They have been running a project tackling fuel poverty for 10 years and can provide expertise in supporting low-income families that are struggling with their energy bills.
Helen Dean runs the Family Fuel & Water Poverty project in Berkshire and provides support and advice to low-income families to save money on their bills.
Helen says; “The increase in the price cap is devastating for families, particularly those on low incomes when they are already struggling to pay their bills. The worry this causes should not be underestimated, affecting families’ mental health, with some families having to choose between heating and eating.”
Helen works throughout Berkshire providing bespoke telephone advice, and attending targeted groups for young families. Through the project, she also provides training to practitioners who then cascade the information and advice to the vulnerable families they support.
Tim Parry, Chief Executive of CCB said; “With today’s announcement that energy bills will rise by almost £700 a year for a typical household we believe that more families in the region are likely to be pushed into fuel poverty so we are expecting to receive an increase in demand for this service. Our project can provide real support and results to families in need in the area”
Like Lisa, who saved £260 per year after receiving telephone advice from Helen. Lisa said “I thought I was ok sorting out my bills before but I was unaware of how much I could save by tweaking just a few simple things. The advice from Helen was brilliant and she made it easy to understand instead of just having lots of information thrown at you to work out. Having the advice eased my mind to know that I could be saving instead of worrying so much.”
In the past five months, Helen has supported 65 families through telephone advice, saving a total of £9,351.
Thank you to Berkshire’s wonderful CVS’s for the information contained in this article – Volunteer Centre West Berkshire, Slough CVS and Wokingham & Bracknell InVOLve.
Awards for All Jubilee Activities
Awards for All programme is now accepting applications that celebrate the Platinum Jubilee
The usual criteria apply (grants of £300 – £10,000), but they are keen to see projects that promote relationships across generations or develop the skills and experience of communities or encourage the care of/action in the natural world as part of the celebrations.
Sport EnglandQueen’s Platinum Jubilee Activity Fund
Grants of £300 – £10,000 can support projects that bring a community together and provide opportunities for people who may be less physically active. They will prioritise disadvantaged communities – there’s a postcode checker to see if you fit that.
Funds are available for project costs such as facility hire and coaching, as well as for small capital improvements. No deadline is given.
Vital for Berkshire Fund The Spring 2022 round of Vital for Berkshire funding is open to support charities and groups tackling vital needs in Berkshire such as support for young and vulnerable people, poverty and isolation, physical and mental health, and much more. Applications are invited from charities, community groups and projects that support vital needs in Berkshire, such as physical and mental health, supporting young and vulnerable people or groups, combating isolation, tackling poverty and disadvantage, and/or offering equal opportunities for all, and more. The grants up to a maximum of £5,000 will be considered, subject to funding availability. Next deadline is Thursday 10th February 2022. Click here to learn more.
Youth Investment Fund
Grants of £5,000 – £50,000 for small-scale capital projects which create or expand youth provision services in left-behind areas across England will open shortly, administered by Children in Need
Groups should be undertaking work with children and young people, where the majority are aged 11 to 19 years. Where young people have a special educational need, are leaving care, or are considered ‘at risk’ or vulnerable, funding may be granted up to the age of 25 years.
All items must be purchased and paid for by 31 March 2022.
Phase 1 will be open from 31 January 2022 until 25 February 2022, or when all funds are allocated. Read more
Arts Council England Grassroots Music Project Fund
Grants of £1,000 – £40,000 for up to three years are available to grassroots music venues and promoters in England to present live music programming, and for activities that put them in a better position to deliver their work in the long term.
The programme particularly seeks to support those venues and promoters who work in the grassroots part of the sector (ie those working with new, developing talent in small to mid-size venues).Deadline for applications is 1 March 2022 Read more
Alec Dickson Trust
The Trust is passionate about volunteering and about young people making a difference. Grants of up to £500 are available for projects in the applicant’s local area that involve local people and can demonstrate that through volunteering or community service they can enhance the lives of others, particularly those most marginalised by society.
Grants are available to community groups in the UK to a make playing football more accessible at the grassroots level, and in particular encourage girls and young people from lower socio-economic and under-represented groups, including culturally diverse communities, young people with disabilities, and young people from the LGBTQ+ community to take part. Further details can be found here: https://sported.org.uk/barclays-community-football-fund/
Community Housing Fund Revenue Programme 2021/22 Deadline: N/A Grants are available for community organisations to help cover the revenue costs of project-specific activities that will support the development of community led housing proposals across England (excluding London) up to March 2022.
Majonzi Fund Deadline: 28 February 2022 Grants are available to local not-for-profit groups for events and activities which commemorate those whose lives have been lost during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Funding is intended to provide bereavement and grief support to members of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community affected by loss due to COVID-19.
McCarthy Stone Foundation – Small Grants Programme Deadline: N/A Support available to charities for community projects that focus on the health and wellbeing of older people, intergenerational projects and regeneration of the local community.
National Heritage Memorial Fund Deadline: N/A Funding for charities, not-for-profit organisations and public bodies to help with the cost of acquiring historic land, buildings, works of fine and decorative art and other objects of interest which are important to national heritage.
Sport England – Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Activity Fund Deadline: N/A Grants are available to local not-for-profit groups across England in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee for projects which bring communities together and provide opportunities for people who may be less physically active.
Friends of the Elderly – Grants for Older People Deadline: N/A Friends of the Elderly – Grants for Older People Small grants are available to support older people living on low incomes in England and Wales with the costs of home essentials, unexpected large bills, living costs and getting connected online.
KFC Foundation Community Grants Programme Deadline: N/A Grants are available to support grassroots organisations providing safe social spaces, mentoring, work, or social skills for young people aged 11 to 25 years old in the UK.
Morrisons Foundation Deadline: N/A Grants are available to registered charities for new projects which directly improve the lives of local people or communities, especially those that are vulnerable or disadvantaged, in England, Scotland or Wales.
England Woodland Creation Partnerships (WCP) Grants Deadline: N/A Grants, incentives and other support are available for woodland creation by farmers, landowners/managers and community groups, as part of the England Woodland Creation Partnerships.
True Colours Trust – UK Small Grants Deadline: N/A Small grants are available to UK registered charities and community interest companies that are working to make a difference to the lives of disabled children and their families in the UK.
Artemis Charitable Foundation Deadline: N/A Grants are available for UK-registered charities operating in the UK and internationally to support projects in the areas of health, poverty, education, and the environment.
Lush Charity Pot Deadline: N/A Grants are available to small grass-roots organisations working in environment, animal protection and human rights, with priority for less popular causes that aim to create long-term change and struggle to find funding.
Arts Council England – Let’s Create Jubilee Fund Deadline: N/A Grants are available to local not-for-profit groups in England delivering creative and cultural activities as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations in June 2022.
Mental Health Sustainability Programme Helplines Fund Deadline: N/A Grants are available for small grassroots mental health voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations across England that offer helpline services to support sustainability and the continued delivery of services in response to the pandemic.
Garfield Weston Foundation Deadline: N/A The Garfield Weston Foundation is one of the largest grant-making trusts in the UK. They provide grants to UK Registered Charities and Schools for Capital Costs, Revenue/Core Costs and Project Costs. Eligible organisations are invited to apply for projects in the following areas: Welfare, Youth, Community, Arts, Faith, Environment, Education, Health, Museums Heritage.
The BlueSpark Foundation Deadline: N/A Grants to schools, community groups, clubs, societies and not-for-project organisations which support the education and development of children and young people. The majority of grants awarded will be up to £2,000 but a handful of grants up to £5,000 may be considered.
Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) Deadline: N/A Public, private and third sector organisations in England can access capital funding to help new and existing heat networks move to low and zero carbon technologies, such as heat pumps, solar and geothermal energy.
Shanly Foundation COVID Deadline: N/A Registered charities, sports and social clubs and community organisations that help individuals and benefit the local community, including support for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, the homeless, those with mental health issues and people with physical disabilities, injury or life limiting illness in Bucks, Herts, Surrey and Berks.
Betsy Foundation Deadline: N/A Grants of up to £30,000 to UK registered charities, with income under £0.75m pa, that operate in London and the South-East, to help them overcome poverty, abuse and homelessness for the younger members of our society.
Community Housing Fund Revenue Programme 2021/22 Deadline: N/A Grants are available for community organisations to help cover the revenue costs of project-specific activities that will support the development of community led housing proposals across England (excluding London) up to March 2022.
RHS Flourish Fund Deadline: N/A Grants for voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations across the UK that are helping people acquire horticultural skills, with particular focus on promoting diversity and inclusion in horticulture.
Nationwide Building Society Mutual Respect Grant Fund Deadline: N/A Grants are available to grassroot football clubs in the UK whose activities have increased mutual respect on or off the pitch, to support costs including replacing equipment or completing repair work.
Football Foundation – Return to Disability Football Fund Deadline: N/A Grants are available to enable football clubs and organisations in England to restart or deliver new disability football activities following the period of COVID-19 restrictions.
McCarthy Stone Foundation – Small Grants Programme Deadline: N/A Support available to charities for community projects that focus on the health and wellbeing of older people, intergenerational projects and regeneration of the local community.
National Heritage Memorial Fund Deadline: N/A Funding for charities, not-for-profit organisations and public bodies to help with the cost of acquiring historic land, buildings, works of fine and decorative art and other objects of interest which are important to national heritage.
Visit Britain – Domestic Support Fund Deadline: N/A Grants are available for UK not-for-profit organisations, including associations and charities, to hold business events and to showcase that the UK has adapted to new ways of meeting in a COVID-19 secure environment.
Peter Harrison Foundation Deadline: N/A UK registered charities and CASCs running sports projects for people who are disabled or otherwise disadvantaged to fulfil their potential and develop personal and life skills. Opportunities through Sport, Special Needs and Care for Children and Young People and Opportunities through Education. Preference for SE England. Will fund capital projects.
Princess Royal Respite Fund for Carers Deadline: N/A Grants are available for unpaid carers for respite breaks and associated replacement care across the UK.
Let’s Get Active Fund Deadline: N/A A fund to improve access to physical activities in West Berkshire is now open to applications as part of the district’s recovery from COVID-19. West Berkshire Council have partnered with Greenham Trust to offer the Let’s Get Active Fund (LGAF). The £33,660.00 LGAF pot is available to community groups, organisations, social enterprises, charities, profit-with-purpose businesses and schools in West Berkshire.
Poundland Foundation Deadline: N/A Grants are available for local charities and organisations across the UK working to make a difference in their communities.
Moto in the Community Trust Deadline: N/A Grants are available for community organisations and schools operating within a 15-mile radius of a Moto site for projects and activities that deliver benefits to local communities.
Pets at Home Foundation – Pets Through People Grants Deadline: N/A Grants are available for charities who provide temporary or ongoing assistance to ensure pets can remain with their owners, and/or change the lives of adults and children through the provision of animal-based activities.
Victoria Wood Foundation Deadline: N/A Grants are available for arts projects and initiatives in the UK.
Ashley Family Foundation Deadline: N/A Grants are available for projects in England and Wales that fit with the Foundation’s ethos of protecting rural communities and encouraging participation in the arts.
Family Action – Welfare Grants Programme Deadline: N/A Grants to support families and individuals for essential personal and household needs to assist families and individuals with low incomes, particularly those living on benefits.
Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales – Grants Programme Deadline: N/A Unrestricted grants to support small and medium-sized local charities, with a proven track record of helping people in England and Wales with complex social issues, to recover and renew beyond the COVID-19 crisis
Grocers’ Charity – Memorial Grants Deadline: N/A One-off grants are available to small UK registered charities for work in the specific areas of: relief of youth poverty, the disabled, the elderly, health, military, and the arts and heritage.
The Prospectory – Idea Fund Deadline: N/A Grants are available to individuals or small groups or organisations based in the United Kingdom who have a novel technical idea which they want to try out.
National Lottery Community Fund – Bringing People Together Deadline: N/A Large grants are available to voluntary and community organisations in the United Kingdom for projects that will build stronger connections across communities, and improve the infrastructure and conditions that are needed to strengthen these connections.
National Lottery Community Fund UK Portfolio Growing Great Ideas Programme Deadline: N/A Funding for not-for-profit organisations working together to test new ideas, new approaches that experiment with how to do things differently with a focus on supporting transformational and longer-term change.
Bromley Trust Deadline: N/A Grants are available for UK registered charities that are working in the areas of human rights and prison reform at a national or regional level within the UK.
Matthew Good Foundation – Grants for Good Fund Deadline: N/A Grants are available for local community groups, charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises in the UK for projects that have a positive impact on communities, people, or the environment.
National Lottery Awards for All – England Deadline: N/A Grants are available for charities, voluntary groups, schools and local authorities in England to carry out projects that will improve their local community
National Lottery Community Fund – Partnerships Deadline: N/A Grants are available to voluntary and community organisations in England which work together with a shared set of goals and values to help their community thrive.
National Lottery Grants for Heritage Deadline: N/A Grants for organisations working with heritage to adapt and respond to the changing environment they are now operating in due to the coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis.
NESTA Cultural Impact Development Fund Deadline: N/A Loan and grant finance package for arts and culture organisations in England working with the people and communities in greatest need.
Trusthouse Charitable Foundation Deadline: N/A Grants are available to smaller charitable and not-for-profit organisations in the UK to fund community and family support projects in areas of extreme urban deprivation or deprived rural areas.
Tudor Trust Deadline: N/A Grants are available to smaller community-led groups that support people at the margins of society in the UK, encouraging independence, inclusion and integration.
Reading Community Energy Society Community Grants
The Reading Community Energy Society (RCES) Community Grants Fund is open for applications
Reading Community Energy Society comprises members from the local community, Reading Council and Energy 4 All, all of whom are passionate about increasing the amount of renewable energy in Reading. An important strand of their work is their Community Grants Programme. As a Community Benefit Society, they are committed to supporting sustainability locally, and offer grant funding between £100 and £5,000 to organisations to support a wide range of initiatives that deliver this aim.
Reading Community Energy Society made a number of grants last year through its Community Grants Fund, including to True Foods Coop in Emmer Green. Click here for the full article on the RCES website.
The RCES Community Grants Fund is open for applications and the next deadline is on Tuesday 1 March 2022
Grant funding applications are invited for schemes which meet the following criteria:
It will improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions or support sustainability in the local community.
It is based within or near to the Greater Reading area – within an approximate 15 mile radius of Reading Town Hall.
Your organisation is not-for-profit, a charity, or an SME (Small or Medium Sized Enterprise).
The grant is between £100 – £5,000, although the majority of grants made will be up to £1,000.
For more information about the grants programme, the application form and guidance notes – plus examples of previously funded projects, click here to access the RCES website.
RCES works with RVA to deliver its grants programme and any organisation wanting support with its application or with queries about the grants programme should email RVA at grants@rva.org.uk.
Connecting Communities in Berkshire 