For many years, we have been championing community-led housing. We are currently working in partnership with colleagues in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire to connect people interested in exploring options for community-led housing with experts that can help. The Collaborative Housing Hub, based in Oxfordshire and covering the Thames Valley, is available to support communities in Berkshire.
Many people across the Thames Valley do not have access to good quality, secure and affordable housing. While lots of housing development is underway, owning a new home will remain largely out of reach for many. This is particularly the case for younger people, single-person households and households earning an average income. Rental prices are also going up and up.
At Collaborative Housing we think communities themselves are best placed to identify their local housing needs. We want to encourage and support communities to find solutions to their housing needs themselves. From co-housing and community land trusts to co-operative and self-help housing, we support all kinds of community-led approaches.
The benefits are many, from genuinely affordable homes to more cohesive communities, improved well-being and tackling the climate emergency. Collaborative Housing provides hands-on advice, from exploring the possibilities through to the practicalities of funding, design and planning.
Thinking about a Housing Needs Survey?
By helping your community or community-led housing group understand the specific housing requirements of residents, an up-to-date Housing Needs Survey can help ensure that your new development best meets local needs. It can be the first step on a journey to new affordable homes.
Housing Needs Surveys are undertaken on behalf of Collaborative Housing by Community First Oxfordshire. CFO has undertaken numerous surveys and their in-house experts can simply and professionally take you through the process and manage the entire survey process. CFO’s rigorous approach and methodology will ensure your Housing Needs Survey can be used as robust evidence by a Local Authority when determining a planning application.
Our role as a community development charity is to support people who are interested in bringing about a better quality of life for their friends and neighbours. We help to build people’s skills and confidence, enabling them to play a bigger part in community life. If you are engaging with us, you’re likely to be one of these people.
We want to connect like-minded people who are interested in learning from each-other and willing to share their stories, in the hope that others may be inspired to take positive action themselves. Community Organisers Berkshire will become a source of inspiration and support for anyone interested in improving the social, economic and environmental conditions of the area they live in.
CCB is working in partnership with Community Organisers Ltd, a national charity which is the membership body and training organisation for community organising in England. Since 2018, CCB and Community Organisers Ltd have delivered training to 73 people in Berkshire, helping them to take action on causes that matter to them.
If you are interested in learning more about Community Organisers Berkshire, please contact Tim at tim.parry@ccberks.org.uk.
Berkshire Community Foundation is asking those receiving the Government ‘Winter Fuel Payment’, and anyone else who would like to give, to make a donation to the Surviving Winter Fund to help local vulnerable people living in fuel poverty. See https://www.berkshirecf.org/survivingwinter/ for more details.
CCB received some grant funding towards last year’s CCB Family Home Energy Education and Advice Project, which:
advised 248 families, of which 188 were vulnerable families in fuel poverty,
supported over 20 partner organisations with briefings or training on supporting their low-income and vulnerable families during the pandemic
set up a telephone advice service for low-income families to advise on cutting the cost of their bills, and dealing with debt
Families advised said:
“I was really worried about my bills – the advice has been a great help”
“Useful advice that I can put into practice easily”
“Helen made sure I understood how to deal with the issues, and speak to the energy companies”
Comment from a Family Support Worker in Slough – “This support and advice is excellent, your service is greatly needed for children and families in Slough.”
Households across Berkshire will soon be asked to take part in the nationwide survey of housing and the population. It has been carried out every decade since 1801, with the exception of 1941. Information from the census questionnaires, which you will all be asked to fill in, will help decide how services are planned and funded in your local area. This could mean things like doctors’ surgeries, housing or new bus routes. What to do Households will receive a letter with a unique access code in the post, allowing them to complete their questionnaire on-line, and giving information about where to get support if you need it. Paper questionnaires will be available on request. When should I fill in my census questionnaire? You can fill yours in as soon as you get your access code in the post. Your answers should be about the people who usually live in your household on Census Day – 21 March – even if you’re filling it in before then. If your household circumstances change on Census Day, you can let us know. What if I can’t fill in my census questionnaire online? We know there are some people who will find this challenging. That’s why we’re here to help with a wide range of support services. We will make it easy for you, whatever your needs. Services include: guidance and support in many languages and formats help over the phone, in a web chat or on social media a paper version of the questionnaire, if you prefer accessible census guidance, for example, in braille Do I have to take part? If you live in England and Wales, you must take part in the census. Census information helps inform how billions of pounds of public funding is spent. By taking around 10 minutes per person to fill in the census questionnaire, you will help make sure your community gets the services needed now and in the future.:
Grants are available for community-led partnerships in the UK to make changes in their community that they believe will have the biggest impact on climate change. This round focuses on supporting medium-scale to large-scale projects addressing waste and consumption. See https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/climate-action-fund-round-2. Deadline 8 April 2021 for the initial idea. If you get to the next stage, the rest of the application process may take 6+ months
Funding for the elderly to help wellbeing or reduce social isolation and/or loneliness
BringJoy offer small grants to groups whose members are aged 55+ or to projects benefiting people aged over 55. Priority will be given to applications that have a connection a local Home Instead office. Small grass roots organisation you can apply for funding up to £500 and charities can apply for £1500. See https://www.bringjoyfoundation.org/apply-for-a-grant/ for details and to apply.
Free digital devices and data for people with learning disabilities
Digital Lifeline funding is an emergency fund from the government open to those who support people with learning disabilities and want to distribute digital devices to their community.
As well as the devices and data, delivery partners will get a grant of £100 for every person they support; the minimum is 10 people + a grant of £1,000. More than 10 devices/£1,000 may be available to a single delivery partner, depending on demand.
Schools, colleges and community groups can apply for funding for projects which will helpteam working skills and future employability of children and young people. BlueSpark values academic, vocational, artistic and sporting endeavour but only provides funding for relatively small-scale projects which might not happen at all or would only happen on a lesser scale without the support of BlueSpark. See http://bluesparkfoundation.org.uk/ . Applications reviewed every 8 weeks.
The Gerald Palmer Eling Trust
Charities with activities in West Berkshire or neighbouring counties can apply for project grants (no amount specified) to support: • Community or Education facilities and provision of support; or • Social and Welfare support and therapy • Medical research and • The advancement of the Christian religion especial Greek or Russian Orthodox Apply in writing. For details see https://www.elingestate.co.uk/charitable-works
Ocado Foundation for Good The programme will support ‘the many rather than the few’ by providing grants up to £1,000 to charities, community organisations, community interest companies, academic institutions, and local authorities for community projects which focus their efforts on three core areas: • skills for the future, • natural resources • responsible sourcing. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, for volunteering, only applications for digital volunteering will be accepted. Applications can be made at any time until the 31st December 2021. Click here for more details.
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) outreach programme
The RSC is making grants of up to £25,000 available to support the design and implementation of chemistry outreach programmes for school students. This grant scheme is open to all organisations that provide outreach activities to secondary school-aged children. This includes, but is not limited to, universities, not-for-profit organisations and charities. Organisations must provide an in-kind contribution or match funding. The deadline for applications is 12pm on the 28th June 2021 see https://www.rsc.org/prizes-funding/funding/chemistry-for-all-outreach-grants/
Reading Lions Club – Lion’s Den community grants scheme Lions Club of Reading Reading Lions Club is once again reaching out to small local community groups and small local charities to offer financial support. Many local community groups do not have access to grant funding or the resources to invest in significant fundraising and yet they continue to provide a valued service to our community even during these challenging times.
Through our own fundraising events and with support from the ‘Round up for Reading’ campaign, we have set aside £10,000 to give away in small community grants, each of up to £750 to support local community projects. We are inviting local groups to submit a grant application for their local project. Entry opens on 19 February 2021. For further details please click here.
National Lottery Grants for Heritage – focusing on inclusion – rolling deadline The National Lottery Heritage Fund is accepting applications for grants from £3,000 to £10,000 and £10,000 to £100,000 for projects that are focused on inclusion, led by and/or engaging diverse groups typically under-represented in heritage (for example, young people, minority ethnic and LGBT+ communities, disabled people and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds). This work could include:
exploring different generations, communities and their history
The Woodroffe Benton Foundation Grants of £500 – £2,500 for charities or education institutions to support:
relief of hardship
care for the elderly
education & youth development
environment & conservation
human physical well-being
Deadline for applications is31 March 2021 Read more
ESFA Community Training Grants The ESFA and ESF are co-financing Community Training Grants to offer skills, training and employment opportunities for individuals who are unemployed or out of education. This grant is intended for projects which help to support individuals who are either unemployed, out of education, or economically inactive. The aim is to benefit those who are furthest away from the labour market, and start participants’ progress back to employment. In addition to formal skills training this can also be activities which have softer benefits, such as work readiness, confidence or anger management. Read more
Grants for Conserving Stained Glass
Our grants are available to ecclesiastic and other public buildings exclusively for the conservation of historic and/or artistically significant stained and architectural glass. The Grants are made by The Glaziers Trust, part of the Company’s charitable foundation, which has two principal objectives:
The conservation of historic and/or artistically significant stained and architectural glass.
Promoting the craft by supporting the education and training of craftsmen and women in the fields of stained and painted glass, and by fostering public information and awareness. For further details please click here.
Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund (NEIRF) Deadline: 26 March 2021 Grants are available to non-profit environmental groups, local authorities and businesses to stimulate private investment and mechanisms that improve and safeguard England’s domestic natural environment.
Greenham Trust – Community Grants Deadline: 26 March 2021 Grants are available for charities and not-for-profit organisations undertaking charitable activities that benefit communities in West Berkshire and North Hampshire.
Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund Deadline: 31 March 2021 Emergency loans are available to support UK-based social enterprises and charities that are experiencing disruption to their normal business model as a result of coronavirus/COVID-19.
Music for All – Community Project Funding Deadline: 1 July 2021 Grants are available to UK-based community groups that aim to bring musical projects to their local communities.
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
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.
Thanks goes to Berkshire’s brilliant CVS’s for the content in this news item, namely Wokingham & Bracknell InVOLve, Reading Voluntary Action, Volunteer Centre West Berkshire and Slough CVS
Connecting Communities in Berkshire 