Campaign to end loneliness

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As part of the Campaign to End Loneliness, Cambridgeshire County Council are working together with partners to encourage communities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to host a Big Lunch https://www.edenprojectcommunities.com/stuff-to-do/organise-big-lunch  or a Great Get Together https://www.greatgettogether.org/ in June 2019.

This is part of their #50000reasons campaign that was launched over Christmas to encourage people to reach out to isolated people in their community who may be experiencing loneliness.

The Big Lunch will be taking place on 1-2 June and The Great Get Together will be taking place on 21-23 June. Both national events provide a great opportunity to bring your neighbours together, including those who might be more isolated, to share food, have fun and get to know each other better.

The County will be holding an information session for those who would like to find out more about hosting a Big Lunch or Great Get Together, with tips on ‘how to make it happen’ as well as examples of successful events. The event will be held at on 26th March 2019 from 11:00 to 13:00 at:

The Assembly Room

Huntingdon Town Hall

Market Hill

Huntingdon

PE29 3PJ

If you would like to attend this event, please email Alex Parr on alex.parr@cambridgeshire.gov.uk to confirm your attendance, as places will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis.

If you’re interested in hosting or supporting a community to host either a Big Lunch or Great Get Together or would like further information, please let Alex know, as they would really like to map all events that take place across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough in June to celebrate kindness, respect and all we have in common.

Talking of all things loneliness, why not book an advanced space on our Connecting Communities Conference for the 20th June 2019 in St Ives. This event will investigate how volunteering can help in the fight against loneliness. The keynote speaker is Kate Gordon from the UK Men’s Sheds Association, and 4 interactive workshop sessions have been planned.

Book an advanced space by contacting russell@hunstforum.org.uk.

 

Nellie the Tuk Tuk

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The Neighbourhood Cares Team in Soham are asking potential donors to support their #Nellie4Soham campaign.

Nellie is a Tuk Tuk who currently lives in Ely.  Neighbourhood Cares are working with community partners to run a Crowdfunding campaign to bring her to Soham – click here!

The idea is that Nellie will provide volunteer-fuelled Community Transport to help people get out and about in the town.

Neighbourhood Cares are leading the campaign, Viva will own and look after Nellie and Soham Men’s Shed will recruit and organise volunteer drivers to help people get out and about in Soham.

Theye need to raise £4000 in 30 days (14 Feb – 16 March).

To succeed they need your support to make the campaign fly.  Please could you help by:

  1. Donating: Encourage others to visit #Nellie4Soham Crowdpatch page
  2. Spreading the Word: Tell everyone you know about the campaign, especially anyone you know who has links to Soham: Like their Neighbourhood Cares Soham Facebook (@NCSoham) and follow them on Twitter @CaresSoham. Please share all of their posts and tweets!
  3. Helping to recruit Volunteers: Soham needs volunteer fuel. They have a Lend-a-Hand board next to their Nellie-o-meter in the local library with a range of opportunities. They will also use social media to feature these volunteering possibilities.

There is also a film pitch (our film pitch) which can be accessed via the link.

Have your say………………

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Do you work in Wisbech?

If so, what do you love about the town and what would you do to improve it?

Those are the questions being asked in a new I Heart Wisbech campaign to gather people’s views and use them to help develop future services and projects in the town.

The campaign has been launched by the I Heart Wisbech* team, which is made up of a number of local community organisations along with Cambridgeshire County Council, Fenland District Council and Wisbech Town Council.

There are 3 simple questions to complete which should only take 5 minutes of your time.

The survey is available at https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/JLTXO/ and is expected to run until 1st March 2019.

Russell Rolph of Support Cambridgeshire (who is managing the project on behalf of the I Heart Wisbech team) said:

Those who live, work and invest in an area are the best people to ask on what’s right about where they live, and what could be improved.

The feedback will be used to develop key themes in community development and to hopefully uncover the next generation of social action champions in the town. So if you have a great idea on how to improve Wisbech we would love to hear from you.

The campaign links to the ongoing Wisbech 2020 Vision and its work to tackle local issues and deliver future health, economy and infrastructure improvements.

 

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Phyllis – One woman’s story

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Phyllis tells the story of one woman and her family’s attempt to navigate the complex system of older people’s care.

Phyllis, 80, was managing at home with the help of her family. On one of her daily trips to the shops, she falls and ends up in hospital.

The play documents Phyllis’ decline and her family’s struggle to navigate health and social care systems. It was developed from research with patients, family members, health and social care professionals, the play highlights the challenges many face.

It was commissioned by Birmingham and Solihull Sustainability and Transformation Partnership to help them look at how they could create better care for older people.

Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are able to bring the production here with thanks to funding from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group.

The performance lasts approximately 50 minutes and is followed by a post-show discussion.

This may be of particular interest to people who make decisions about local health and care services, as well as members of the public to watch the performance and join the conversation.

here will be an opportunity for people to share their own experiences of older people’s services.

Tickets are free but only a limited number are available due to space at the Medway Centre (Huntingdon) and these must be booked in advance please.

 

Equality and Human Rights Toolkit.

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Find out how the new Equality and Human Rights Toolkit could help your group.

The Equality and Diversity Forum is heading to Cambridge to introduce its Equality and Human Rights Toolkit.

Do join them there..!!

This new resource aims to help organisations ( larger charities as well as smaller community groups)  to consider equality and diversity issues in all aspects of their work.

Date:               11 February and 4 March 2019.

Location:       Cambridge CVS, 16-18 Arbury Court, Cambridge CB4 2JQ

Cost:               Free with a £25 refundable deposit.

The Toolkit follows a step by step approach in looking at:

  • Providing services.
  • Working with volunteers.
  • Campaigning and advocacy.
  • Employing people.
  • Fundraising.

The workshops will help groups to understand the legislation underpinning equality and human rights issues as well as exploring the practical aspects of using the toolkit in everyday work.

There will also be opportunities to exchange experiences and network with other participants.

Read the case studies from some of the groups (large and small)  that have benefited from using this approach in developing their work.

Read more about the workshops and sign up here 

Nominate your Rural Volunteer Now

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Support Cambridgeshire Partner Hunts Forum is proud to announce the launch of the Rural Volunteer Award in honour of David Morgan MBE.

David served as a trustee of Hunts Forum for over 9 years, taking roles as both chair and treasurer. He was a much-valued member of the board but this is just a small part of the contribution he has made to community organisations across Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.

Since joining Beds and Cambs Rural Support Group in 2002, over 1,500 farming and rural families have received support to tackle issues such as ill-health, isolation, financial hardship, redundancy and homelessness. His patience and kindness to those in trouble is legendary.

He was awarded an MBE for services to vulnerable people in The Queen’s New Years Honours list 2019.

David’s exceptional contribution to rural communities has inspired Hunts Forum to create the Rural Volunteer Award. Hunts Forum invites community organisations, councils and individuals to nominate the people in their rural communities across Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire who go out of their way to improve the lives of others. It may be to overcome the specific challenges of rural life, such as transport or isolation, or an ability to bring rural communities together.

Please click here to download a nomination form. The closing date is 20 February 2019.

Please note that nominating organisations and nominees can operate in any part of the county, and do not have to be based in Huntingdonshire.

Nominations can be returned by email to sue@huntsforum.org.uk or printed and posted to Sue Prior, Hunts Forum, The Maple Centre, 6 Oak Drive, Huntingdon PE29 7HN. 

The inaugural Rural Volunteer Award winner will be announced at Hunts Forum’s Annual Conference, AGM and Awards event on 26 February 2019 at Wood Green Animal Shelter.

Please contact Sue at sue@huntsforum.org.uk or call 01480 420601 if you wish to book a space.

 

 

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