March 2025

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Voluntary Sector Network Update

‘Together for healthier communities’

ICS Strategic Commissioning Plan 2025-28

A presentation on this plan headlined our February meeting. Nicola Ward, Director of Strategy and Development at the ICB, came along to explain how the plan has been developed and how it aligns to national and local priorities and guidance. Nicola highlighted how the New Models of Care approach features throughout the plan, together with the shift to community. The group asked many questions about how the VCSE can be key partners in delivery and made excellent points about inequalities. A briefing has been circulated to VSN members. If you would like to receive this and the accompanying slides, please contact Debbie.

There will be further engagement around this plan, please do keep a look out for more opportunities. And if you have ideas and suggestions Nicola would like to hear from you. See the briefing for how to contact her.

The impact of the National Insurance increase

The planned increase in NI contributions is going to hit the voluntary sector hard. We have been hearing from our members about how this extra expense will impact your budgeting for 2025/26. In some instances services and project will have to cease. Together with the CVSs we have been compiling case studies and presented these to the Aligning Support Group. This group of statutory funders heard our examples with concern. We will continue to make funders aware of the potential impact and put forward ideas to help mitigate the worst outcomes.

Mini showcases this month

During March we are offering two mini showcase events. The first, on Tuesday 11th March from 11.30am to 1pm, will focus on mental health and feature Waythrough, Lifecraft and People and Animals. Please join us for one or all of the sessions. Book your place here.

Then later in the month the topic is Community Support. This is on Thursday 20th March from 11am to 1pm and will feature the Bobby Scheme, Age Uk, Alzheimer’s Society and Care Network. Book a place on one or more of the sessions here.

Investing in Community Health Fund: Transforming lives through VCSE partnerships

This grant programme, hosted by Cambridgeshire Community Foundation on behalf of North Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Care Partnership and North West Anglia Foundation Trust, is now open to registered non-profit organisations across Fenland, Peterborough and Huntingdonshire. Information including application guidance, FAQs and the online application form can be found here. The deadline for applications is 1st May 2025.

Projects should build capacity in the local area, strengthening current services and provisions, and the priorities for the funding are:

· Improving healthy lifestyles.

· Reducing frailty and social isolation.

· Reducing obesity and educating communities about healthy eating.

Workforce Collaborative

There are a number of ICB initiatives around workforce. Many of these are open to the VCSE sector and we hope you feel you are being kept informed. Depending on the type of roles you employ in your organisation you may be interested in this newsletter about collaborative innovation. You’ll see that it includes the volunteer research that Andrea is leading on. Look out for more information on this in coming months. Collaborative Innovation Programme Newsletter

Sharon Allen is the VSN rep on the People Board, and together with Fiona Adley, our new second rep on that Board, will be keeping us updated as this programme progresses.

Voluntary Sector Meetings