12 August: Weekly Bulletin for the Voluntary and Community Sector in Milton Keynes

12 August 2019

Community and voluntary events in Central Beds, Bedfordshire, Luton & MK

The Counselling Foundation is holding Free Counselling Training Open Days in Bedford and Luton on Saturday 17 August. Booking essential. Click here.

The next Small Charities Forum, hosted by Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation, is on 19 September,10am-1.30pm, in Toddington, with the theme of Financial Management. Click here.

Think Autism: Bedford Borough Council, Central Bedfordshire Borough Council and Luton Borough Council are running a partnership engagement workshop to discuss the Bedfordshire Think Autism Partnership Board. They would like to invite carers, Autism organisations, complex needs groups and others who may be interested, to participate. The event is Friday 27 September, 10am-12pm at The Rufus Centre in Flitwick. RSVP required to commissioningsupport@luton.gov.uk by 13 September. Details here

19th September: TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST: TRUSTEE CONFERENCE

Looking at why transparency and trust are critical to a charity’s success, this half-day conference will give you expert input and practical ideas to strengthen your organisation.

You will learn how to boost trust levels through governance, board diversity and accountability, as well as participate in one of our expert-led interactive breakout sessions. If you are a trustee or committee member of a charity, voluntary or community group or a board member of a social enterprise, this conference will provide you with clear, take-away actions to apply to your organisation.
Find out more

We support communities and groups

Community Action: MK provides advice and support on setting up, managing and developing your charity, voluntary or community group in Milton Keynes. We can work with you on a 1:1 basis, or can get you linked in with local training and events. We give advice on getting fit for funding, forward planning and good governance.

Your first step should be to have a look at the information sheets we provide here.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for or think you might require more in depth support please email support@communityactionmk.org or call 01908 661623.

Milton Keynes Council Open Consultations

See all MK Council consultations

Have your say!
Draft Milton Keynes East Development Framework Supplementary Planning Document

Milton Keynes East (MKE) has been allocated for a residential-led strategic urban extension in Plan:MK. The allocation within Plan:MK is for around 5,000 homes and 105 hectares of employment land along with a range of social, transport and green infrastructure provision.

Milton Keynes Council is consulting on a Draft Milton Keynes East Development Framework Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). The consultation runs from 7 August 2019 closing on 16 October 2019 at 5pm.

The preferred method for submitting comments is via a Consultation Response Form which can be downloaded below or a hard copy is available in all public libraries within the Borough and at Civic. Please return your completed form to us via: development.plans@milton-keynes.gov.uk

MK Council Useful links and documents

Calendar of Forthcoming Meetings
Reporting Issues to the Council Contact List
MK Council Statement of Community Involvement

CNWL Community Health Strategy Q&A

Central and North West London (CNWL) launched their Community Health Services Strategy on Thursday 18 July 2019.

The strategy includes 14 key commitments which the Trust will continue to develop together with staff, patients, carers and partners over the next five years. You can find out more on their website and can attend their Q&A to share your views.

Goods for charities from In Kind Direct

In Kind Direct, a charity founded by HRH The Prince of Wales, is set up to provide UK charitable organisations with new usable consumer goods. Goods range from toiletries, clothes, toys, cleaning products and a range of other items that can be used to:

Give to people you support free of charge
Run your projects and activities
Clean and maintain your facilities

The charity takes donations of goods from companies such as Amazon, Procter & Gamble, Asda, Kimberly Clark (to name a few). Goods are all new and usable but donated for a variety of reasons including having small defects in the branding or packaging, over production or being end of line goods.

Registration is free. You pay a small charge for their service, which contributes towards the cost of running a warehouse, staff, packaging and includes delivery. If you have any questions, please contact the Charities Team on 0300 30 20 200 or info@inkinddirect.org

#BLMKfutureNHS

#BLMKfutureNHS is a ‘campaign to understand what is important to local people about the future of health and care services across Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK). The campaign will provide ‘BLMK residents with an opportunity to share their views at a series of events and via an online survey about existing services and what is important to them for the future’.
Find out more

Access City Award 2020 now open for applications!

Nominate your city for the 10th Access City Award 2020! On 29 November 2019, the European Commission will reward the 10th winners of the Access City Award (first, second and third place prizes and up to four special mentions). Once again, cities will be rewarded for their outstanding work in making their cities more accessible for persons with disabilities and elderly people. Applications must be made by completing and submitting the online application form by 11 September 2019

Apply for the Access City Award

Volunteering opportunity of the week: MK Gallery Assistant

Gallery Assistant Volunteers are a vital part of the team working to ensure the continuing success of MK Gallery, ensuring we deliver the best quality of visitor experience to all. Gallery Assistant Volunteers work pro-actively to ensure the safety and security of the art works at all times.

Find out more: https://app.betterimpact.com/PublicOrganization/b881f42d-18f2-4e68-ad68-4a5f6f064659/1

Volunteers wanted for Intu Green Gym

Part-time Digital Skills Officer (Citizens Advice)

Citizens Advice is looking for someone for their new role as a Digital Skills Officer, helping those that need it to access a variety of online services both locally and nationally.

A background in advice giving is desirable but not essential. Full training will be provided. ‘Job share’ arrangements may be considered. Find out more

People’s Postcode Trust

The Peoples Postcode Trust is the grant-giving independent charitable trust of Peoples Postcode Lottery. They distribute funds to small organisations, community groups and registered charities.
Deadline: 14 August
Find out more

Sharing and Celebrating Patient and Public Involvement in Healthcare

NHS England and NHS Improvement have launched the ‘Sharing and Celebrating Patient and Public Involvement in Healthcare’ community grants scheme. Grants of up to £2,500 are available to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations ‘that showcase good practice around patient and citizen involvement in healthcare.’
Deadline: 23 September
Find out more

GSK IMPACT Awards

The GSK IMPACT Awards provide core funding, training and national recognition for charities doing excellent work to improve people’s health and wellbeing. Up to 20 awards will be made ranging from £3,000 to £40,000. To be eligible organisations must be at least three years old, a registered charity, working in a health-related field in the UK, with income between £80,000 and £2.5 million. Winning organisations will have a film made, receive support with press and publicity and be given a set of promotional materials. They will also be offered free training and development valued at a further £9,500.
Deadline: 23 September
Find out more

Comic Relief Launches £1.2m Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Fund

Women’s organisations providing frontline services in the UK that meet the needs of women and girls facing multiple disadvantage can apply now for grants of up to £250,000 out of this £1.2 million fund.

Comic Relief continues their partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the UK’s devolved administrations to support organisations across the UK tackling violence against women and girls. The fund has been made available through a grant from the Tampon Tax Fund.
Find out more

Empowering young people to improve communities

Applications for grants of up to £35,000 are open until 12pm (noon) on Friday 20 September. Co-op Foundation expect to make about eight grants in total and funding comes from a new £3 million extension to Co-Op’s #iwill Fund. You can find out if your organisation is eligible by checking out their funding page,

Mid Shires Orchard Group – Afternoon at the Orchard

Saturday 17 August 2019
2.00pm to 6.00pm
Venue: Woughton Orchards, off Newport Road, Woughton on the Green, Milton Keynes, MK6 3BD

Activities: This month, our focus will be on the Plum Hedge and its lovely Merryweather Damson trees. We’ll be removing brambles and weeds from around the trees, doing summer pruning and perhaps even harvesting some fruit. Bring work gloves and tools such as loppers, scythes, pruning saws and shears.
Price: FREE! Donations welcomed towards refreshments
Contact: Claire at MSOGChairman@yahoo.com to find out more and confirm attendance

Emily’s Star Dinosaur Hunt

Saturday 17 August 2019
10:30 – 14:30

Our roarsome dinosaur hunt is back!! Book your tickets now to join in the adventure! Search the secret garden for the hidden dinosaur letters, play games to earn clues & watch out for Pete the dino roaming around! Tickets are priced at £5 per child plus booking fee, adults are FREE!

Planting Up permablitz

Saturday 24 August 2019

Join Planting Up in the garden for their next permablitz at Westbury Arts Centre on Saturday 24 August from 10.30am. They’ll be working up an appetite for their “bring & share” lunch from 1 – 2pm. Summer garden care is mostly about leisurely watering, trimming and weeding but they’ll also be seeing what they can pick and eat from the garden too! 🙂

Upcoming Workshops @ Westbury Arts Centre

Service Six Family Fun Day

Saturday 31^stAugust 2019
12:00-16:00
Chapter House, Coffee Hall

On Saturday 31^st August Service Six will be holding a family fun day at our base Chapter House, Coffee Hall. The event is 12-4, we will have a bouncy castle, low cost bbq, tomobola, raffle, games, a number of Harley Davidsons, Police Car and a range of stalls. If you would like to have a promotional stall or even if you just want to come and lend a hand we would be grateful of the support.
Contact Katie Marsh for more info: katie.marsh@servicesix.co.uk

MK Hospital 40th birthday celebration event

7 September 2019

Weaving Trust event on environmental issues

14th September 2019

Join MK Green Alliance members for lots of natters about Milton Keynes and environmental issues. The following link explains the origin and usual format of a weaving trust event.
http://www.citizensmk.org.uk/campaigns/former-campaigns/weaving-trust/
Find out more here.
Sign up today. We’d love to meet you.
Click here to register on eventbrite