Cheltenham VCA News

'Keep funding the VCS in Cheltenham’; Cheltenham VCS Forum message to Cheltenham Borough Council

‘Continued funding support for the VCS is vital’ was a key message sent to Cheltenham Borough Council as part of the draft budget consultation. Both VCS Representatives and the VCS Forum were keen to stress the additional funding and resources that the VCS brings into the town, including for work in disadvantaged communities. Letters have been sent to Cllr John Webster to ask the following of the council as they set their budget and a new corporate strategy:

that developing community assets to enable community organisations to generate their own wealth, deliver services and strengthen community engagement should remain a priority in order that a locally based culture of self reliance can thrive
that support to voluntary and community organisations through ‘property grants’ and ‘discretionary rate relief’ continue
that the total funding currently invested by CBC in the VCS continues
- a) at least at the current level and where opportunities exist this should be increased, and
- b) regardless of which voluntary and community organisations receive it
that there is continued investment in the disadvantaged communities within the town

Full council discusses the budget on Friday 12 February at 2.30pm in the council chambers.

The Forum feels that it would send a positive message about the voluntary and community sector if there was a good attendance in the public gallery on 12 February. All VCS are encouraged to attend.

Nominations are being sought for vacant VCS Reps positions

For further information about these roles please contact Angela Gilbert angelag@gavca.org.uk or call 01242 227737.

Nomination forms and roles and responsibilities can be downloaded below and need to be returned by 8th March 2010 to Cheltenham VCA, Community Resource Centre, 340 Lower High Street, Cheltenham, GL50 3JF or email cheltadmin@gavca.org.uk

Cheltenham VCA Survey – quality and range of services

Don’t forget to complete your Cheltenham VCA annual survey – due back 5th February! We want to hear your views.

If you are a member of GAVCA, download the Member survey form.
If you are not a member of GAVCA, download the Non-members survey form.

Please return to cheltadmin@gavca.org.uk, or by post.

Cheltenham Volunteer of the Year Awards – winners announced

Individuals who give up their time to help others have received the recognition they deserve at the annual Cheltenham Volunteer of the Year Awards ceremony on 21st October 2009.

The Alderman Charles Foster Memorial Awards took place at St Andrews Church in Montpellier. For the first time, the award also acknowledged a trustee and team of volunteers as well as the traditional volunteer of the year. Nominees included volunteers from all walks of life from Explorer Scouts to the advice workers at the town’s Citizens Advice Bureau.

The prestigious Volunteer of the Year Award went to Sue Simpson, District Commissioner for Arle District Girl Guiding, who impressed judges with her commitment to helping others, way over and above what her role dictates. Sue, who has over 30 years experience in Girl Guiding, was presented with a £250 cheque from Chelsea Building Society to spend within her organisation.

The award for the team of the year went to the eighty-strong voluntary team for Cruse Bereavement Care, who have counselled over 500 people, including children, young adults and the elderly in the last year.

Trustee of the year was presented to Robert Ward, in recognition of his commitment and hard work as Chairman and former Treasurer of Third Sector Services, the umbrella charity that manages community transport in Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Gloucester.

Congratulations to all the nominees on their achievement, and also to all those people who took the time to put volunteers forward for the awards. The voluntary sector is certainly thriving in Cheltenham.

New VCS Reps for Cheltenham VCS Forum

At the recent VCS Forums held on 11 June and 15 September the following were accepted as VCS representatives:

Partnership Body	VCS Representative
Cheltenham Community Safety Partnership (CCSP)	David Wallace
Cheltenham Children & Young People’s Partnership (CCYPP) – children	Cordell Ray
Cheltenham Children & Young People’s Partnership – youth (CCYPP)	Jerry Evans
Cheltenham Health & Wellbeing Partnership	Rob Charsley Malcolm Gardiner
Cheltenham Strategic Economic Partnership	Bernice Thomson
Cheltenham Stronger Communities Partnership	Andy Hayes
Gloucestershire VCS Assembly Board	Angela Gilbert
‘Round Table’ meeting with Cheltenham Borough Council officers and members	Andy Hayes Miranda Steele Bernice Thomson

VCS representative positions open for nominations:

Cheltenham Low Carbon Partnership
Cheltenham Borough Council Social & Community Overview & Scrutiny Committee

If any member of a VCS organisation is considering standing for the remaining positions as VCS Representative please contact Angela Gilbert at Cheltenham VCA for more information. It is hoped that the next VCS Forum on 3rd December 2009 will be able to fill the remaining positions.

Thanks were expressed to the outgoing VCS reps, all of whom had represented the Forum during the past 2 years. The support of their own organisations which had enabled them to carry out this role on behalf of the Forum was also recognised.

Cheltenham Business Pride (a Cheltenham Borough Council Initiative)

Cheltenham Business Pride is about all of us taking pride of our businesses and the town in which we live. The scheme will develop business initiatives and bring improvements in the appearance and cleanliness of the borough by improving the economic sustainability of the town and the businesses in it through building competitive local markets. It will also provide a route for businesses to be engaged with the work of Cheltenham Borough Council, and the borough’s economic activities. As a consequence, Cheltenham Business Pride has three objectives to achieve:

To listen and respond to local businesses’ needs
To provide grants for local business projects that benefit Cheltenham’s economy
To promote local businesses’ achievements in the local and national media

Register for business pride
By registering business pride will identify and promote you as a business who is proud of Cheltenham. Business pride will work with you to support your growth, helping you to overcome local issues and enabling you to apply for funding.

If you would like to become a member of Cheltenham Business Pride in order to be able to apply for grants and be notified of local business news and events, then you need to register. You can do this by visting the Cheltenham Business Pride website.

Training Bursary Available

Voluntary and Community Organisations in Cheltenham have an opportunity to apply for a bursary to attend GAVCA training courses. Cheltenham Stronger Communities Partnership has a small amount of funding available which it would like to use to help members of organisations working with communities in Cheltenham to access training courses provided by Gloucestershire Association for Voluntary and Community Action.

The bursaries will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and organisations can apply for up to £150 towards these costs. To apply for a bursary, please contact Cheltenham Voluntary and Community Association by telephone on 01242 227737 or by emailing , providing details of your organisation, contact details, the name of the member attending the training course and the course which they intend to book. Cheltenham VCA will then confirm the bursary and the applicant can then book their place on the course, stating that they have the bursary.

GAVCA
75-81 Eastgate Street
Gloucester GL1 1PN

01452 332424