Launch of the Support Fenland report

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In January 2020, Lloyds Foundation Bank funding Support Cambridgeshire Partnership to develop and deliver a CVS support project for the VCSE organisations of Fenland.

At the time, and it is still the case, there was no official infrastructure support for Fenland groups, unlike other districts like Huntingdonshire, City or South Cambridgeshire. The Lloyds Bank Foundation grant aimed to showcase how this type of support can develop communities to grow from within and be a worthwhile financial decision by funders.

The project started with a range of conversations with existing groups, local people and other interested parties to find out what people would like to see the change in the way charities and communities are supported. This information and the experience both partners have in delivering work in the district developed a tailored offer for VCS in Fenland. It also has given both teams the time and ability to learn more about what Fenland groups need to thrive.

 

Mark Freeman, CEO at CCVS, stated ‘Support Fenland has allowed us to get some time to understand better and clarify what we already knew about the wonderful communities of Fenland. We hope that the Support Cambridgeshire partnership can continue to work within the district, and we will be able to find further funding to give the level of service Fenland groups deserve.’

 

Julie Farrow, CEO at Hunts Forum, said ‘ The Support Fenland project has been exciting. It has allowed both charities to develop links and partnerships, which we hope with further funding will allow us to deliver more in Fenland. The report, I feel, demonstrates this need very well and comes from the communities themselves.’

 

In March 2021, the project funding ended, but some work continues through the Cambridgeshire County Council, Support Cambridgeshire contract. Both Hunts Forum and CCVS are keen to fund further funding to allow the work that has been completed to be built on and developed further.

In the meantime, the team has written a report looking at what they discovered.

grey box with clcik here to read the support fenland report written in it

The National Lottery Community Fund Review

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Now is the time for a conversation about how The National Lottery Community Fund can best support UK communities to prosper and thrive going forward. As part of their ongoing commitment to putting communities first, The National Lottery Community Fund has launched their Strategic Renewal process to help shape how they invest in communities in the future – and they want you to get involved!

The National Lottery Communities Fund stated in their latest newsletter the reasons why they feel now is the right time for this review.

Thanks to National Lottery players and you, our grant holders, we have made a significant difference to communities, including through the pandemic. Now, as the UK emerges from the pandemic The National Lottery Community Fund has a critical role to play in supporting communities to unleash their energy and potential so they can get to where they want to be. Communities across the UK are facing fresh challenges and opportunities and have new hopes and aspirations. This is an exciting and inspiring time, and we want to hear from you to help us understand how we continue to effectively support communities across the UK.

 

To read more about the review check out their website : https://www.puttingcommunitiesfirst.org.uk/?dm_i=5P0C,I2SL,1TXR81,27S6W,1

Cost of postage has increased

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From 4 April: New postage rates

If you still use postage stamps, you have a couple of days to save money by buying generic 1st and 2nd class stamps (without a money value on them) before next Monday at a post office or any other place that sells stamps, or online at https://shop.royalmail.com/postage-and-packaging (but there is a delivery charge on orders less than £50). You can buy these generic stamps at the current rate and continue to use them even after the rates go up. This is legal.

From Monday 4 April, here are the standard prices for the most common sizes:

 

  • Standard letters up to & including 100g: 1st class up a swingeing 10p from 85p to 95p; 2nd class up 2p from 66p to 68p.
  • Large letters up to & including 100g: 1st class up an even more swingeing 16p from £1.29 to £1.45; 2nd class up 9p from 96p to £1.05.
  • Small parcels up to & including 2 kg: 1st class £4.45 (previously £3.85 for up to 1kg, and £5.57 for between 1 & 2kg). 2nd class up from £3.20 to £3.35.
  • Medium parcels up to & including 2kg: 1st class £6.95 (previously £6 for up to 1kg, and £5.30 for between 1 & 2kg).
    • 2nd class up from £5.30 to £5.35.
    • Huge price drops for medium-size parcels up to 10kg and 20kg.
  • International letters or postcards to Europe, up to & including 100g, go up 7p from £1.70 to £1.85.
  • To World zones 1/2/3, letters and postcards up to & including 20g also go up from £1.70 to £1.85, and up to 100g remains £2.55.
  • For large letters, the rates for all sizes and all parts of the world remain the same as at present.

 

The price guide from 4 April is currently at https://www.royalmail.com/prices2022, and from 4 April will be at https://www.royalmail.com/current-postage-prices. Some rates are lower for postage paid online through Click & Drop. Rates are also different for franking machines and for Royal Mail business accounts and services.

 

Barcoded stamps

Barcoded stamps are already being introduced and will be added to all definitive stamps (those with only the Queen’s profile) and Christmas stamps. Barcodes will not be added to one-off special issue stamps – also referred to as commemoratives or collectables – such as the current “Heroes of the Covid pandemic” series and the forthcoming Migratory birds (7 April), Unsung heroes: women of World War II (5 May), and Cats (9 June).

 

Current non-barcoded definitive stamps can continue to be used until 31 January 2023, but after that a surcharge will be made if they are used.

New Christmas stamps will be barcorded, but non-barcoded Christmas stamps can continue to be used even after 31 January 2023.

Special issue stamps will not be barcoded, and can continue to be used.

 

The barcode is an integral part of the stamp, and must not be separated from it. The Royal Mail says the unique barcodes will “facilitate operational effectiveness, enable the introduction of added security features and pave the way for innovative services for our customers” (like already being able to use the Royal Mail app to scan the barcode and see a Shaun the Sheep video…). Each barcode can be used only once – so if you have ever soaked or peeled off a stamp that wasn’t postmarked and reused it, you won’t be able to do this with a barcoded stamp. The Royal Mail has reassured customers no personal data will be held in the barcode.

Starting now (31 March 2022) non-barcoded definitive stamps can be exchanged for new barcoded stamps through the Royal Mail’s “swap out” scheme. There is no need to do this until it gets closer to next January, especially if you are likely to use all your stock before then. But if you’re not going to use them all, put in your diary for next autumn to be sure to swap them.

Unfortunately the non-barcoded stamps will not simply be able to be exchanged at a post office. To swap them you will have to either print out a form from the Royal Mail website, get one from your local delivery office’s customer service point, or contact “Customer experience” to have a form sent. (This is probably what used to be known as customer service, 0345 774 0740, but may be a new and exciting experience.) The form and stamps will need to be posted to a freepost address. Details of the scheme will presumably be on the Royal Mail website within the next day or two. The swap out scheme will end on 31 March 2023.

 

The above information was captured from Sandy Adirondack updates. Sandy Adirondack: Management training and consultancy (sandy-a.co.uk)

Vision for Volunteering launches soon

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Kathryn Shepherdson header

Over the past year, a number of national body partners have been pulling together England’s first Volunteering Strategy – Vision for Volunteering. This is going to be launched at the Birmingham Volunteer Expo in May , but don’t worry Support Cambridgeshire have secured some exciting news around this which we will be realising in the coming weeks, so watch this space.

 

 

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