On Thursday 9 July, between 4-7 pm at the Abbey Centre, a new Community Venture Fund will be launched.

Do you need business finance?
Have you been declined by the bank?
Are you a resident of SW1?

If your answer to all three questions is ‘yes’, help is at hand. The new Community Venture Fund provides finance to new and established businesses located in SW1 that have difficulty accessing it from traditional providers. The Community Venture Fund offers:

- Start up finance of up to £5,000
- Growth finance of up to £15,000
- Sharia compliant finance of up to £15,000

If you are commited and have a viable business idea, then a less than perfect credit history and a lack of security may not be a barrier to raising finance though this fund. Westminster City Council and A Moveable Feast have teamed up with GLE oneLondon – a community Development Finance Institution and one of the UK’s leading provider of non-bank finance - to create a new business finance fund.

Details of launch event:
4-7pm - Abbey Centre, 34 Great Smith St, SW1P 3BU

Please RSVP if possible to christopher.peacock@theabbeycentre.org.uk, or phone him on 0207 222 0303 to let him know if you're interested but cannot make it to the event.

We need your views about how you would like to be involved in our hospital.

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is the UK's first Academic Health Science Centre and the largest Trust in the country. The creation of the AHSC is a major advance for patient care, clinical teaching and scientific invention and innovation.

The Trust was formed on October 1 2007 and consists of Charing Cross, Hammersmith, Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea, St Mary's and Western Eye hospitals, in partnership with the faculty of medicine at Imperial College London.


The Trust is currently in the process of identifying ways to involve patients, carers, the public and voluntary organisations in how we can improve the services we provide. In addition, we are developing ways the community can give us their feedback on how well we provide our services and how we can improve the patient experience.

We would like your comments and feedback on the draft PPI Strategy for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

For a copy of the consultation document, please contact Karen Dobson, 020 8846 7597
karen.dobson@imperial.nhs.uk

The deadline for comments is 7th August 2009.

Thank you, in advance, for your time.

The new 2009 Summer edition of the Women's National Commission Newsletter is now available on the WNC website. Please click the link below in order to view it

http://www.thewnc.org.uk/publications/cat_view/65-newsletters.html?orderby=dmdate_published

The following summer activity at the Natural History Museum was announced which is open to all summer playschemes, supplementary schools, community organisations.

But on a first-come-first-served basis and very popular so it would be great if you could forward it to your group.

The NHM welcomes summer play groups to participate in our free summer activities which include:

Ø A pack of pre-visit activities (worksheet and quizzes)

Ø A museum visit filled with fun activities in the wildlife garden and science interactive centre

Ø A free visit to a tropical butterfly house with hundreds of beautiful live butterflies in a simulated jungle environment (this summer exhibition is usually charged at £5 per child, £8 per adult)

Ø A certificate recognizing the children’s participation and learning throughout the day

Ø A goody bag

To benefit from the scheme you need to have:

At least a minimum number of 15 children

Children aged between 7-12
A ratio minimum of 1 adult to 8 children
Time to participate in activities: anytime between 10am -4pm


To register your interest and for more information please contact:

Katie McGill (Monday-Wednesday only) k.mcgill@nhm.ac.uk 020 7942 6272



Please note that registration of interest does not guarantee a place onto the scheme, a member of stall will contact you to clarify terms & conditions before a place is offered.

The Beethoven Centre is offering two offices for rent, available for voluntary and community organisations delivering services for people in Queen’s Park. Apply by July 17 2009.

The Beethoven centre is a hub for the local community and delivers a variety of services to meet local needs, engaging 23,000 visitors per year. There are two offices available for rent:

Office 7
237 sq ft at £15 sq ft + service charge (£3,935.80 rent and service charge a year)

Office 10
1076 sq ft at £15 sq ft + service charge (£17,409.84 rent and service charge a year)

More information

For an application pack contact Debs Bourner on 020 8969 5881 or email debs.bourner@a2dominion.co.uk

The three month consultation period on the draft Westminster Carers Strategy is now open.

Download the draft Westminster Carers Strategy

The formal three month consultation period for Westminster’s Carers Strategy is now open, after the launch of the draft strategy during Carers Week by Councillor Argar (Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care).

Carers Network Westminster will be working with carers and drawing up a formal response to the draft strategy.

Want to help explore what the strategy might mean for you or your service users? Or interested in hearing more about the strategy from the perspective of carers? Contact Reneé Harrison at Carers Network Westminster on 020 8960 3033 or email reneeh@carers-network.co.uk

Forum for carers

Carers Network Westminster are organising a number of events to contribute to the consultation, including a forum for all carers on 12 August, 11am – 2pm at the Beethoven Centre, Third Avenue, London W10 4JL.

More information

Carers Network is happy to arrange to talk to groups of staff, service users or carers. For information on the strategy contact Katie Wright at NHS Westminster on 020 7150 8193 or email katie.wright@westminster-pct.nhs.uk

What is a carer?

A carer is someone who provides help and support to a partner, child, relative or friend who could not manage without this help. The support that carers provide is unpaid. The Carers Strategy will look at carers needs across the whole range of services from leisure, employment and housing to health and social care.

Refer community members to a new training programme for unemployed Westminster residents, and you may be eligible to claim a free place on an accredited First Aid at work course.

City of Westminster College is running a new training programme to help get unemployed Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea residents back into work. The programme is called Personal Best.

Can you help to promote the Personal Best programme to the communities your organisation works with?

If you can help spread the word, the City of Westminster College will say thanks by offering your organisation’s trustees or staff:

• A free place on an accredited one-day First Aid at Work course for every three people who start the Personal Best programme as a result of your organisation telling them about the course

• A free place on a three-day First Aid in the Work Place course for every ten people who start and complete the Personal Best programme, as a result of your organisation telling them about the course.

To be eligible to take part in the Personal Best programme, people need to be aged 16 -65, Residents in Westminster or Kensington & Chelsea, currently unemployed, not in education or training and eligible to work in the UK.

For more information about the Personal Best programme, or how your organisation can help to spread the word, contact Kate Farrar on 020 7258 2782 (mobile: 07920 723503) or email kate.farrar@cwc.ac.uk

This offer is subject to conditions and availability.

Kalayaan is recruiting for a full time Community Advocate (maternity cover)
£27,105 a year, plus 5% pension

Kalayaan is a registered charity that provides advice, advocacy and support services in the UK for migrant domestic workers. Kalayaan is recruiting for a Community Advocate to:

• Provide advice on immigration and employment issues
• Support accessing mainstream services and English classes
• Campaign for migrant domestic workers' rights

How to apply

For full details, and to download an application pack, please go to www.kalayaan.org.uk

Deadline for applications: 5pm on Tuesday 28 July 2009

A free briefing for voluntary organisations on how to create and manage flexible jobs. Central London, 23 July 2009.

These days, flexible working is on the agenda, especially as more and more organisations offer part-time roles as a means of getting through the recession. The voluntary sector is especially good at accommodating flexible employees but how can you ensure that your organisation really gets what it needs?

Central London CVS and flexible working experts Women Like Us (an award-winning social enterprise) to offer a morning briefing on creating and managing flexible jobs.

About the briefing

• Learn how to make the most of the flexible roles you can offer with advice and guidance from Women Like Us
• Get a tool-kit to help you put flexible working into practice
• Network with other organisations

Date and venue

Thursday 23 July 2009, 9.30-11am

Women Like Us, Europoint Centre, 5-11 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ

How to book

Download a booking form. Or contact Naomi Hollis on 020 7354 6375 or email naomih@ivac.org.uk.

A Charity Commission guide to surviving the recession, for voluntary and community organisations of any size

The Charity Commission has created a practical checklist to help voluntary organisations to survive the recession. Designed for trustees to use, the checklist asks 15 questions to help get organisations thinking about their performance and overall strategy.

Surviving the recession: download the Charity Commission checklist

What’s included in the checklist?

The checklist asks voluntary organisations to think about :

• Strategy – opportunities and risks
• Financial health
• Governance
• Making best use of resources

More information

Visit the Charity Commission website

A one day event for older people and older people's organisations: ways to influence local authorities, PCTs and Local Area Agreements.

Monday 13 July 2009
10am-3pm
Friends House
173-177 Euston Road
London, NW1 2BJ

Please join Age Concern London for a half day discussion on Local Area Agreements, where older people can have input, and be updated on the Comprehensive Area Assessment, and how the Audit Commission is viewing your Local Authority’s performance.

Speakers will include:
Lisa Greensill from the Government Office for London, and Stephen Forbes from Forbes-Hewett Limited.

Lunch will be provided.

To book

Please contact Melissa Raudnask on 0207 091 2591 or email mraudnask@aclondon.org.uk

Accessible transport event: information for Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea residents. 06 August 2009. Free.

Transport for All and Westway Community Transport are holding a free information event on accessible transport for residents of Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea.

06 August, 12.30-4.30pm
Lunch included

There will be talks on:

• Community transport: what is available and how can people access these services?
• Accessible transport news: from Dial-a-Ride to the tube, updates that affect you
• The DDA and transport: what are your legal rights?
• London Buses: an update from Head Office

There will be time for questions and answers after each speaker. Get your views heard by the right people!

Bookings

You MUST register for this event to attend. To book your place, contact Transport for All before 31 July 2009 on 020 7737 2339.

Full details about the venue and how to get there will be sent in the post when you register.

These training events are designed for a mixed audience of voluntary and public sector delegates and led by legal and procurement experts. They will provide you with:
a clear and comprehensive overview of what to cover in and what to expect from funding agreements and

practical insights about how commissioners and providers can approach tendering processes to buy and bid to deliver better services.

The two events are 'Navigating Funding Agreements' (24 September 2009 10:00 -16.00) and 'Tendering for Better Services' (22 October 09 10:00 - 16.00)

What you will get out of the days:
Practical information on legal and procurement issues key to service delivery
Direct access to experts – find answers to your specific questions
The Opportunity to discuss and share experiences across sectors
Free publications and resources to take away and share

To find out more and book for one or both training days visit www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/PSDNtrainingsuite or call Jerrold on 0207 530 3162.

The streets of Westminster will come alive with the sounds of Chopin – or possibly Chopsticks – this month as six pianos are delivered to the city for people to use and enjoy.

Making unlikely objects of street furniture, and causing many double-takes the six instruments will be available for impromptu performances and a programme of free Round-the-Piano singalong events in public squares, local markets, parks and shopping malls.

The project is run by Sing London. To find out the locations of the pianos from June 23 to July 14 visit http://www.streetpianos.co.uk or call 020 7641 2498.

After the event, the pianos will be donated to residents or Westminster-based charities. Email arts@westminster.gov.uk if you can give a piano a good home.

Church Street Market piano: come and play!

Marked “Play me, I’m Yours”, the Church Street Market piano will be here for all to play and enjoy from 23 June through to the 14 July. A songbook is provided by Sing London and Church Street Neighbourhood Management are also organising a series of events and activities to make full use of our street piano and encourage people of all ages to get involved!

Download a leaflet about the Church Street piano

Funding Central is a free website for the voluntary and community sector, providing access to thousands of funding and finance opportunities.

Visit Funding Central: http://www.fundingcentral.org.uk

Hosted by NCVO, Funding Central offers information on over 4,000 sources of funding for voluntary and community organisations. It’s easy to use too – enter some basic information about your organisations, and gind the funder that’s right for you.

The Race Equality Scheme 2009-12 says what Westminster City Council will do to ensure that all residents have the same opportunities and access to services, regardless of their race or ethnic background.

The Council has written a draft document, and wants to know what voluntary sector organisations think of their plans.

Download the draft Race Equality Scheme

What issues does the draft Race Equality Scheme cover?

The Race Equality Scheme says what the Council’s priorities. These include:

• Developing the new Westminster Equalities Partnership
• Making sure that consultation is effective and inclusive
• Embedding equality and diversity in the new structure of Westminster City Council
• Strengthening the Council’s Equality Impact Assessment process
• Training staff in equality and diversity

The Race Equality Scheme also says how the Council will meet its legal responsibilities to:

• identify and assess the impact of policies on particular ethnic or racial communities;
• monitor policies for a negative impact on particular ethnic or racial communities;
• publish assessment, consultation and monitoring reports; and
• make sure the public has access to information and public services.

How to comment on the draft Race Equality Scheme

Please send comments by 03 September.

Email equalities@westminster.gov.uk

Post: Policy Manager Equalities, 64 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QP

Phone: 0207 641 3247 (minicom/textphone: 020 7641 3372)

Or for more information, visit the website www2.westminster.gov.uk/services/socialissues/equalities

Discrimination law. A free seminar for voluntary and community organisations. Friday 10 July, 10am-12pm.

What does the law say about discrimination? How does discrimination law affect recruitment, management of staff and volunteers, and terminating employment?

This two-hour seminar, provided by LawWorks is a simple introduction for voluntary and community organisations. It’s free to attend – but places are limited and you need to book in advance.

Refreshments included.

Bookings
To book, call Rozana on 020 7723 1216 or email training@vawcvs.org

Grants of up to £5,000 for churches and faith-based groups to get involved in community action. No deadline – and a response within one month.

The Church Urban Fund is seeking applications from churches and faith-based groups under its Mustard Seed Fund.

The fund makes grants to churches and faith-based organisations to engage in social action – by supporting them to start new community projects, or develop existing ones.

The idea is that a small amount of funding can help groups to prepare to take on larger pieces of work, or improve their existing service.

What kind of thing can be funded?

Initiating new work:
• Community audits/consultations
• Needs assessments
• Pilot projects
• Start-up equipment
• Making premises fit for new purpose

Improving existing projects:
• Training for trustees, staff or volunteers
• Quality assurance (PQASSO, Investing in Volunteers)

More information and application details

Download information and application notes

The relaunched Comic programme offers funding for a wide range of activities – from mental health to sports projects. Grants are usually for £25,000 - £40,000.

All voluntary and community organisations can apply, although very small organisations are unlikely to be awarded large grants.

How much can you apply for?

Most grants are for between £25,000 and £40,000 a year, although you can apply for amounts outside this range. Some schemes have specific limits on the amount available – check the below links for details.

Grants are awarded through the following schemes:

• Mental Health (http://www.comicrelief.com/apply_for_a_grant/uk/mental_health)

• Domestic and Sexual Abuse (http://www.comicrelief.com/apply_for_a_grant/uk/abuse)

• Refugee and Asylum Seeking Women (http://www.comicrelief.com/apply_for_a_grant/uk/asylum_seeking_women)

• Sport for Change (http://www.comicrelief.com/apply_for_a_grant/uk/sport)

• Sexually Exploited and Trafficked Young People (http://www.comicrelief.com/apply_for_a_grant/uk/sexually_exploited)

• Young People and Alcohol (http://www.comicrelief.com/apply_for_a_grant/uk/alcohol)

• Young People with Mental Health Problems (http://www.comicrelief.com/apply_for_a_grant/uk/young_mental_health)

• Local Communities (http://www.comicrelief.com/apply_for_a_grant/uk/local_communities)


How to apply

Visit www.comicrelief.com/apply_for_a_grant/uk for details of how to apply.

British Sign Language (BSL) Level One course. Begins 07 September 2009.

Training for Life are offering a 24-week BSL Level One course, beginning on 07 September 2009.

Time: weekly, from 6pm to 8.30pm

Venue: Westminster CIL

Cost: £350 plus £50 for exams

Bookings

Places are limited. Call 020 7243 9720 to book or email russell@trainingforlife.org

www.trainingforlife-westminster.org

Discover the world of disability art
Inspirations:
Esther Appleyard
2pm, 26th June - WCIL

- A series of talks by established professional disabled artists
- Artists will talk about their path as an artist and present their work

Where?
The Café, Westminster Centre for Independent Living, 42 Westbourne Park Road, London W2 5PH

Time and date: 2 – 3.30pm, 26th June

Tickets: £5 (£3 concessions). BSL Interpreter

For more details: Call: 020 7243 9720 or
email: russell@trainingforlife.org

Open Age is running a free lunch club funded by the Council’s Ward Budgets Programme.

Open to people aged over 70 and living in the Lancaster Gate ward.
The club is held on the first and third Mondays of each month at Pickering Hall, on the Hallfield Estate, and on the second Monday of the month at the Lancaster Hall Hotel in Craven Terrace, W2.

There are a range of speakers and activities (like money advice, singing, and reminiscence sessions) followed by a good quality two course lunch.

For more information contact Open Age on 020 8964 1900

Grants of £10,000 - £100,000 to increase home security and reduce burglary rates. Open to voluntary organisations. Apply by 31 July 2009.

The Home Office have launched a new fund to increase home security and reduce burglary rates.

There are a few priority activities that the Home Office want to encourage:

Handy person schemes: funds for community organisations to start up a handy-person scheme, perhaps as a social enterprise it runs itself or supports others to run. The idea is that they would fit window locks and other home security measures.

Community programmes: starting up groups which wholly or partly focus on community safety or home security; cohesion activities, bringing communities together through arts, sports, festivals or other initiatives; and other community development activity.

Peer to peer: this might be befriending projects, mentoring projects, activities to increase local people’s confidence.

Application form and guidance

Download full guidance and an application form

Support with your application

For further information and support with your application, please contact Sarah Bishton at Community Matters on 0207 837 7883 or email sarah.bishton@communitymatters.org.uk

Westminster City Council is offering local voluntary organisations the chance to apply for free computer equipment and software through the Community Computers scheme.

Westminster City Council will donate at least 250 computers every year to charities across the city.

The computers come from the Council’s offices. Most will be three or four years old – too old to run Council systems, but still suitable for use by voluntary organisations. The computers will be security checked and cleaned of data before being loaded with software and offered for reuse to eligible voluntary organisations.

Visit the Westminster City Council website for more information on the Community Computers scheme

Who is eligible?

To be eligible, your organisation needs to meet eligibility criteria. You must be classed as a charity or a not-for-profit-organisation and be able to show how your activities meets the needs of people living, working or studying in Westminster.

How to apply

If you would like to apply, please fill in the online application form.
Community Computers application form

Applicants who meet the essential criteria will be placed on a waiting list and as soon as computers are available they will be issued.

Join 1,000 visitors in two packed days of learning and networking at Charityfair 2009 on Wednesday 24 & Thursday 25 June, Central Hall Westminster.

With nearly 100 sessions covering every angle of charity learning, you’ll struggle to cram it all in.

Come and gain new skills, update your sector knowledge, make valuable contacts and check out the latest products and services.

Advance bookings for Charityfair 2009 are now closed, however you can book your sessions on the day and/or attend the free resource area. Simply book your sessions at the registration desk on arrival - choose from 100 sessions covering every angle of charity learning.

Join up to a thousand of your charity sector peers at Central Hall Westminster on 24 & 25 June.

Visit the Charityfair website

Half-day seminar on sources of funding for women’s organisations working in London. Hosted by the Women's Resource Centre.

06 July 2009, 1.45 – 5.30pm
The Resource Centre, 356 Holloway Road, London, N7 6PA
FREE and open to all women’s organisations in London.

Visit the Women's Resource Centre website

This is a funding seminar for women’s organisations centring on the income generation opportunities presented by winning public service contracts and setting up social enterprise, along with information on finding funding from individual donors.

The speakers will share pearls of wisdom about how you could make your organisation more financially stable by engaging with these alternative funding options.

There will also be an opportunity to network with other women's organisations at the event.

Topics

• Developing income from individual donors
• Social enterprise: how to make it work for the women’s sector
• Delivering public services (to be confirmed)

To book your place

Email samantha@wrc.org.uk for a booking form.

A one day training event on the needs, rights and entitlements of disabled refugees and asylum seekers

17 July 2009, 10am – 3.30pm
Cost: £5 (lunch included)
Kingston Hospital, Kingston Upon Thames, KT2 7QB

This training event will look at:

• Key issues affecting disabled refugees and asylum seekers
• The disability rights of refugees and asylum seekers
• Gaps in support, information and knowledge about disabled refugees and asylum seekers

Speakers and workshop leaders include:

Dr Charlotte Keeble (Metropolitan Support Trust)
Douglas Joy (Disability Law Service)
Claire Glasman (WinVisible)
Ruth Appleton (Santé Refugee Mental Health Access Project)
Andrew Little (London CIC of Deaf and Disability Organisations)
Poornima Karunacadacharan (Refugees in Effective & Active Partnership)
Rebecca Mear (Refugee Action Kingston)
Barbara Morton (Kingston Interpreting Service)

Bookings

To book your place, contact Veronica Attah at Kingston Centre for Independent Living on 020 8481 1442 or email veronica.attah@kcil.org.uk
Please book by 30 June 2009.

How can the Council support your organisation with IT and computers? A half day workshop, 01 July 2009.

IT and the voluntary sector workshop
Wednesday 01 July 2009, 10am – 12.45pm (plus networking lunch)
Westminster City Hall

What is the workshop about?

Westminster City Council has plans to help local voluntary organisations to develop their skills in IT and computing.

Attend this half-day workshop to find out more about :

• How the Council can help voluntary sector staff with IT
• Community computers
• ICT support
• Networks

Learn what support the Council can offer, and share your ideas on how this can be used by the voluntary sector.

Book a place

If you would like to attend the workshop, please book your place by emailing imcwilliams@westminster.gov.uk

Grants of £25,000 - £50,000 to give Londoners the chance to gain new skills in performance, art, music, films and fashion. Complete a pre-qualification check by 03 July 2009.

The 2012 London Cultural Skills fund is aimed particularly at small organisations and community groups, who want to contribute to the range of cultural activities taking place during the Cultural Olympiad.

The Fund will award grants of between £25,000 and £50,000 for projects across London which aim to increase give local communities the chance to develop new skills in the arts.

The Fund is run by Arts Council England


What can be funded?

The 2012 London Cultural Skills Fund aims to fund:

• Projects which provide training to meet skills shortages in the creative and cultural industries

• Projects that support people who have recently begun working in the creative industries, by providing opportunities to showcase or exhibit new work

• Activities that encourage people to take part in arts and cultural events taking place in the run up to the Olympic Games

• Projects that increase the reach of services either geographically or in order to improve access in the target groups.

• Projects that involve local people in their design and implementation.


How to apply

There is a two stage initial application process:

1. A pre-qualification check to make sure your organisation is eligible to apply. You need to do this check by 03 July 2009.

2. Organisations that pass the pre-qualification check will get an application form to fill in. Completed applications will then be assessed by a panel.

Download more information about applying for the 2012 Cultural Skills Fund


More information

Read more about the 2012 Cultural Skills Fund

Download more information about applying for the 2012 Cultural Skills Fund

BBC Children in Need has opened a new summer grants round for organisations working with disadvantaged children and young people. Charities have until 15 July to apply for grants of up to £10,000.

This is the first time Children in Need has had a summer application deadline.

"Experience tells us that grants for very modest amounts are a vital resource," said Sheila Jane Malley, director of grants and policy at Children in Need.

For more information about applying, call 020 8008 3174 or visit the Children in Need website