Develop achievements april to june 2014

0845 034 5250 Registered Charity No. 1096008 www.developecs.org.uk

Our Impact April – June 2014

A glance at the variety, value and volume of work our team is undertaking throughout Wiltshire’s communities

DEVELOP is a registered charity providing support to build a strong, diverse and vibrant voluntary and community sector

Clockwise from top left: North Wiltshire Information and Networking Event in May, Wiltshire Voluntary Sector Forum in

May, Equalities Training in May, and Home Start Kennet Volunteers in April. Registered Charity No. 1096008



Information and Networking, North

Group Support Newsletter Update from the Information and Networking Sessions, and Voluntary Sector Forum

Information and Networking Sessions

The first Information and Networking session of the

period covered the North of the County. It took

place at Kington Langley Village Hall on the 20th of

May, and was attended by 14 different groups.

There were presentations from Caroline Beale from

Wiltshire Children & Families Voluntary Sector

Forum, Amy Cahillane from SWAN Advocacy

Network and Graham Weller from Wiltshire Fire and

Rescue.

We had a great attendance from groups including:

Green Square, Malmesbury Felting Group, and

Wiltshire and Swindon Users’ Network.

The Information and Networking session for the East

of the County took place on the 26th of June at the

Nursteed Centre

Presentations included Mike Lennard from the

Wiltshire Exchange Scheme, Kirsty Haasjes from

The Community Foundation for Wiltshire &

Swindon, and Eamon McClelland from

Somerset Care.

The event was attended by 18 groups, including

Salisbury Lets (Local Exchange and Trading Scheme),

Devizes Partnership of Churches, KFR - Kennet

Furniture Refurbiz, and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.

Voluntary Sector Forum, Devizes

The Voluntary Sector Forum event covering the

South and East of the region was held in Devizes on

the 14th May 2014. The topic of the meeting was

Military Civilian Integration and the Area Board

priorities. 23 groups were represented at the forum,

with a total attendance of 26 people.

Some of the groups represented include: World

Wide Volunteering (WWV), Samaritans of Salisbury,

and the British Red Cross. We received great

feedback, most attendees highlighted that is was a

great opportunity for networking and being able to

bring their organisations and projects into a wider

network.

“A newcomer to fundraising in Wiltshire, it was a good start to networking and partnering and

working closely with Develop.”

Carl Taylor, Fairfield Farm College Information and Networking, North

“This has allowed me to introduce myself to

different organisations in the local area and for

me to promote our needs and requests for the

volunteers that I am hoping to recruit for our

centres and social enterprise project.”

Lorraine Flake, Shaw Trust

Voluntary Sector Forum


Group Support – Funding Advice and Training

Develop Enhancing Community Support offers funding advice, as well as wide variety

of training sessions for community and voluntary groups in Wiltshire .

Funding Advice

Funding is an essential part of any successful

voluntary and community project, and due to

the current cuts, fundraising has become a

pressing priority for many groups in Wiltshire.

Between April and June 2014, we have

supported 13 different groups regarding advice

on funding, and carried out 2 Funding Advice

Surgeries. We have supported groups via email,

telephone and in 1-to-1 sessions.

Some of the groups supported by this service

include: Specodi, Crofton Beam Engine, Maiden

Bradley Swimming Pool Project, and West

Wiltshire Multi Faith Forum.

Some of the topics covered by our Funding

Adviser while supporting the groups during this

period were: Information on sources of

Funding, Reviewing Funding Applications, and

Information on Fundraising Strategy

Development.

Training

Between April and June, Develop Enhancing

Community Support delivered 6 training

sessions, with total of 57 people attending.

Two of these sessions were tailored sessions for

groups. One of these sessions was a bespoke

training on Equalities for Healthwatch Wiltshire

volunteers, and the second bespoke training

was on Governance Role and Responsibilities of

Trustees for Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Art

(DOCA).

“One word: OUTSTANDING.

Although I was aware of funds available,

being able to get outside professional

feedback on a bid that had been

unsuccessful and look at ways to improve

and strengthen its structure and content was

a huge help, and made a big difference

when looking for future funding.”

Amy Cahillane, SWAN Advocacy

“Thought provoking, continual

progress and growth.”

Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Art

(DOCA) Member


Group Support Case Study – Friends of Colerne Church

Group Suppport with Friends of Colerne

Church on Funding

The Friends of Colerne are a charity that raises

money to help maintain the fabric of the church

and churchyard of St John the Baptist, Colerne, so

that they can be enjoyed by all who live in the

village or come to visit.

Parish churches get no financial support for

repairs from either the Church of England or the

Government. Money raised by the Friends helps

to sustain a building that generations of Colerne

people have created and cared for over more

than 800 years.

Some of the means the group has used to obtain

funds in the past have been regular donations and

memberships, as well as fund raising events

throughout the year, such as fairs and fireworks

display.

The group gain knowledge on new streams of

funding. Our Funding Adviser, Lisa Thornton,

provided the group with details of Trust Funds

previously unknown to the group that they could

apply to.

The group evaluated their own knowledge of

funding streams and funding opportunities as

“average” before the advice provided, following

the new input of information they re-evaluated

they own knowledge as “above average”. They

highly valued the guidance and advice they

received regarding their case for support.

“Develop is a very valuable resource to the community and we will share details about it to make sure more voluntary organisations know

about the intelligence and expertise they hold.”

Kate, Friends of Colerne Church.

“Lisa (Thornton) has been very efficient and professional and Develop has been a wonderful

resource to be able to access. Her suggestions have been incredibly helpful and

her advice has been on the button.”

Kate, Friends of Colerne Church


“It was nicely informal and relatively

free of jargon and acronyms”

Bespoke Equalities Training

Equalities - Focussing On Equalities

Tackling the issues around inequality involves starting a conversation with groups

around their needs. DEVELOP is committed to opening the door to organisations and

engaging them in discussion.

This quarter, we have further engaged in

supporting local groups by aiding them in

arranging events around equalities and

diversity.

During April DEVELOP supported Salisbury

Coalition Against Racism (SCAR) by helping

them to promote the One Race Different

Cultures “Unity, Unison and Harmony event”,

which saw 22 displays from multi-ethnic

groups living and working across the city.

DEVELOP ran two equalities training sessions

which were a bespoke training session for

Healthwatch Volunteers on 30th April and a

Develop your Skills in Equalities training

session on 13th May. This equalities training

provides groups with information on The

Equalities Act 2010 protected characteristics

and forms of discrimination.

Feedback from these training sessions

included “Acted as a reminder as well as an

update. It has reminded me that when I’m

working as a volunteer I am aware of the

differences between people and their

needs”. When attendees were asked what

impact this training will have on their

organisation responses included “Contribute

to writing/amending our equality policy and

help me in supporting both individuals and

groups”.

Three groups have been supported in

activities that will highlight the needs of

disadvantaged organisations and we have

advised two organisations on effective

engagement with disadvantaged groups and

individuals including Wiltshire Council.

DEVELOP is unique within Wiltshire in

allocating specific resources to equalities and

the nine protected characteristics. We aim to

be an effective point of contact for all

organisations and individuals with regards to

Equalities.


Case Study - Building Bridges: The Trowbridge Song Project

DEVELOP have supported The Trowbridge Song Project over the last two years and we

spoke to Candy Verney, Artistic Director. Candy came up with the idea two years ago

to apply for funding for a community project in Trowbridge called The Trowbridge Song

Project. One of the first people Candy contacted was Carl Davis at DEVELOP to ask for

statistics for ethnic groups in Trowbridge.

Candy felt DEVELOP were very helpful through email

and she received guidance on the best people to

contact. Candy also runs a choir called Sounding it

Out who were invited to a number of events where

they sang and networked, one of these events being

the Wiltshire Celebration of Diversity that was held

in Bridge House, Trowbridge. Candy has also

attended a couple of courses that were provided by

DEVELOP which allowed her to help them improve

their skills as a community group.

Without the support from DEVELOP the group would

have had to reinvent the wheel and do a lot more research themselves, and it was good to know

there was a funded organisation in Wiltshire who could support them if they needed to improve

skills in certain areas or if they needed research or guidance.

Candy’s feelings are that it’s crucial that the group is supported as there are many people in the

community who are passionate about this project. Candy has personally put in a year and half of

unpaid work in order to get the funding for this post for another two years. She says it was a

tremendous up-hill struggle to undertake this valuable work, and really appreciates the support of

local people who have given the group advice, which in turn makes her feel supported.

Before The Trowbridge Song Project received funding, they were invited by DEVELOP to a

multicultural event. Candy has said the event was very enjoyable, it also meant that she could

network and was able to give a little presentation to the other attendees about the project. It

helped her spread the word about this exciting project and hopefully will increase participation.

DEVELOP would like to thank Candy Verney from The Trowbridge Song Project for her help in

producing this case study.


Volunteering in the Community

The charity sector could not exist without the contribution of volunteer s

Volunteers’ Week 1st - 7th June 2014

Volunteers' Week is the one campaign which unites small grass roots organisations to large national charities. Why? Because they couldn’t exist without volunteers. This year’s event marked 30 years since the launch of the campaign in 1984.

To mark this occasion and to contribute a much deserved thank you to our volunteers, Volunteer Centre Wiltshire (run by DEVELOP Enhancing Community Support) celebrated with several events including…

Drop in Sessions across Wiltshire offering advice for individuals looking to volunteer and find out what opportunities and organisations are available. We spoke directly to 25 potential volunteers during the drop ins themselves generating a further 73 individual enquiries and interviews over the Month of June.

A ‘Thank You’ Booklet to celebrate volunteering and highlight the invaluable work of Wiltshire’s volunteers. This celebration booklet focusses on saying thank you to the regular contributions volunteers make to our society.

Our Volunteer Lunch - Volunteer Centre Wiltshire have 18 volunteers who all do so much to support the organisation. One of our volunteers has been here 20 years! To say thank you to all of our volunteers, we held a 'Thank You'

lunch. This was a great opportunity for the volunteers to all get together and for us to show how much we appreciate them.

Volunteer Enquiries

During this quarter, Volunteer Centre Wiltshire interviewed 147 potential volunteers, processed 372 Do-it! Enquiries, and filled 82 volunteer vacancies.

Volunteer Events & Publicity

To complement the wealth of drop ins run this quarter as part of Volunteers’ Week, Develop have sought to attend external events necessary for maintaining a strong link with our volunteers. This included the running of a workshop with HFT, supporting people with learning difficulties, on the benefits of volunteering and the skills required.

Mentor Supported Volunteering

Volunteer Centre Wiltshire’s Mentoring Service matches volunteer mentors with people who have additional needs. This quarter our mentors attended a training course to help in signposting their mentees to organisations that may be of benefit to them ie. to receive support in benefit applications, debt management, etc. This training will allow them to better support their mentees, by referring to other appropriate organisations.


DEVELOP Volunteers Recognised by Chippenham Area Board Community Award

The Community Area Board Award Ceremony took place on Monday 30th of June 2014 at Kington Langley Village Hall.

The Community Awards recognise and celebrate the efforts and achievements of local volunteers. Develop Volunteers were presented with a Highly Commended Community Award for volunteering in the community.

Develop currently have 3 volunteers who come to the office on a weekly basis to support us with administrative and database tasks.

Once again we would like to thank and recognise our volunteers for the time they contribute and the great work they do

Database Volunteer - Bob Gaywood

Bob has been volunteering with Develop since 1993, for 20 years!! He credits volunteering for giving him structure to his week and keeping him active.

Admin Volunteer - Mike Tucker Mike helps with any mail-outs by labelling envelopes and putting documents inside ready for franking and other general office tasks. He enjoys coming into Develop as he feels the people here are like his extended family. He finds it a wonderful friendly atmosphere and has learnt a lot of new skills including how to use a computer.

Admin Volunteer - Catherine Beale Catherine helps Develop with tasks like keeping the office supplies replenished, getting mail-outs ready and general office help. “I enjoy volunteering as it enables me to get out and meet people and makes me feel useful. I also like to help people and don’t like to be idle. If I didn’t volunteer I would miss the company and being a member of society”.

Bob Mike Catherine


Volunteer Case Study - Sian Cooper

Sian had recently completed an Open University degree in Psychology and was looking for

something new to do with her spare time. She had been aware of Doorway through publicity in the

local newspaper and thought it would be beneficial and worthwhile to support their work. As

Doorway work with some of the more vulnerable members of our community Sian thought it would

be a good opportunity for her to gain experience and build confidence and knowledge of working in

this sector.

When Sian started volunteering she was very keen to support all

areas within the drop-in session so she did whatever was

necessary to support guests such as loading the washing

machines, cleaning the shower and chatting with guests over a

cup of tea. She increasingly found herself in the kitchen washing

up, making toast, frying eggs or serving breakfasts and found that

keeping busy suited her very well. Sian still enjoyed being able to

engage with guests over the serving hatch or during breaks.

Before volunteering at Doorway Sian had been a school governor

(another voluntary role) and this had improved her confidence as

she had to speak in front of parents and teachers and chair meetings. Volunteering and working at

Doorway has enabled her to speak with confidence to all members of society. Doorway also provide

extensive training to staff and volunteers and although Sian is no longer at the drop-in sessions,

training in drug and alcohol awareness, domestic abuse, housing and benefits has not only

increased her skills but also enables her to deal with queries from members of the public and

guests at the office. Knowledge of volunteering within the drop-in session is also invaluable to her

current work and enables her to work effectively to support colleagues, volunteers and guests.

Personally, the main benefit of volunteering for Sian was that she gained employment after 17

years of being out of the workplace environment. The multi-tasking skills, using her initiative,

prioritising and flexibility that was required to fulfil Sian’s various voluntary commitments over the

years, stood her in good stead for being able to provide administrative support to Doorway.

Sian knows that volunteering has definitely improved her

employment chances as it is so much easier to get a job if you

are able to demonstrate skills and experience.

Sian says that “without a doubt volunteering, whether at

Doorway, as a school governor or on a committee, enabled me

to develop the skills and experience to return to the workplace

confidently. I cannot recommend it highly enough”.


Volunteers - Working with Community Groups

Helping build networks with groups, organisations and volunteers within Wiltshire .

New Organisations

This quarter we have registered 11 new organisations within local community groups across Wiltshire including:

Wiltshire Victoria County History Trust

Wiltshire Addiction Support Project

Girlguiding Wiltshire North County

Alzheimer's Society Our development workers strive to reach out and develop links, providing advice to new or existing organisations that may need volunteers to help them function effectively. This quarter we developed a volunteering opportunity with Crofton Beam Engines.

Crofton Beam Engines were built 200 years ago to supply water to the highest point of the Kennet & Avon Canal, where it runs through Savernake Forest. Still in working condition, they represent an installation which has major, international significance for industrial Archaeology. They illustrate directly the development of motive power and canal transport, both important elements of the industrial revolution which laid the foundation stone of the developed world we know today.

A team of dedicated volunteers looks after the

whole site. They do that to preserve this amazing

landmark from the past in order that you, and

future generations, can see how our great,

pioneering engineers tackled early developments

in motive power and pumping technology.

New Opportunities

This quarter we have registered 544 opportunities so we are sure there is something for everyone. Interesting new opportunities include:

Jamie’s Farm- Festival Volunteer

Army Welfare Service- Drift Car Mechanic Volunteer Youth Worker

Marlborough & District NCT- Cheeky Monkey Tea Party Helper

Building Bridges: The Trowbridge Song Project- Audio/ Video editor for web content

Carer Support Wiltshire (CSW)- Counsellor We happily maintain a database of a wide range of roles which allows us to match opportunities to the needs and interests of the volunteer.


Develop Staff in action!

DEVELOP Staff volunteer! Installing Mural at Biss Meadows Country Park, Trowbridge

Develop Staff were enlisted in support of a recent initiative to counter anti -social

behaviour in local nature park Biss Meadows.

The charity organisation ‘Friends of

Biss Meadows’ secured a grant from

the Police Commissioners Fund earlier

this year to undertake the removal of

some areas of graffiti. Clarendon

Academy A- level art students provided

a series of murals that have been

installed on the walls of the underpass.

Members of Develop Enhancing

Community Support volunteered their

time to aid in the painting of large

areas of the underside of Broadcloth

Lane East Bridge which has suffered

from a recurrent graffiti problem.

Several volunteers set to work with

paint rollers and buckets of paint,

quickly erasing signs of graffiti and removing some dried river mud washed up by flooding. This

allowed ‘Friends of Biss Meadows’ to install the murals painted by the students on large plywood

panels.

The work was completed under the watchful eye of committee member Alan Cooper who said of

the volunteer assistance ‘(volunteers) undertook the task with energy and enthusiasm, their efforts

meant the Friends were able to erect a huge mural in 2 days and ready in time for the Trowbridge

in Bloom and South West in Bloom judging’. Volunteer Melissa Craven said ‘we had a really

excellent time; members of the public walking through looked really interested’.

The installation of 14 boards, measuring 8 feet by 4 feet, is now complete. These will be officially

unveiled when the term starts in September, in a ceremony with the Police Commissioner.


Community Engagement Case Study - Wiltshire Scrapstore & CPW

The Wiltshire Scrapstore and Resource Centre is a thriving, highly successful children's

and community charity. Their main aim is to prom ote learning through creativity by

making various low cost resources available to the community.

DEVELOP’s Corporate Community Engagement initiative, connected a local business, CPW, with Wiltshire Scrapstore which enabled their staff to donate four hours to the local charity. Wiltshire Scrapstore thought that involving business was a brilliant idea. “It’s great that business can leave their normal place of work and come into the community and really help to support a charity, especially a charity like Wiltshire Scrapstore that supports many groups of people within the community. Corporate Community Engagement is a great benefit to both parties involved.” Wiltshire Scrapstore also have a stock pile of pre prepared activity packs that they sell at low cost and this contributes to a third of their annual income. This activity is essential but can be time consuming as each individual item in the pack needs to be cut, sorted and prepared. Part of the work Wiltshire Scrapstore do is to provide Playpods to local schools. The Scrapstore PlayPod is a holistic process that works with the entire school community to change both the human and physical play environment, transforming play at lunchtimes. CPW’s few hours of support to Wiltshire Scrapstore had a huge impact on the group. All of the pre prepared packs that went straight into the shop to sell have already sold and have therefore contributed to the income of the Scrapstore. CPW helped with the preparation of the Playpods which allowed the team to then start to distribute them to the schools. This would have taken the Scrapstore team even longer to do which may have resulted in volunteers being pulled away from other areas to ensure they were completed on time. CPW’s volunteers participated in both activities and had a great afternoon. Becky Ives from CPW told us “We had a great afternoon at the Scrapstore! We spent several hours cutting out card shapes using the die cutters and assisted with the Playpods by cutting some pipe into useable sized pieces. We are now working with our factory to organise for some donations of scrap materials to be sent to the Scrapstore.” Glynis Gosgrave, Director of Wiltshire Scrapstore, feels the benefit they have received from DEVELOP is invaluable. “Develop provide the ‘building of the bridges’ and the links between groups and interested volunteers. Develop are approachable, provide very good information on good practice and we are able to signpost to other local groups who may be interested in our work through their network and information sessions. We would certainly consider CCE projects in the future. Additional support in the Scrapstore is essential to continue the work that we do in the local communities.”


Contact Us

Tel: 0845 034 5250

Website: www.developecs.org.uk

Email: [email protected]

Textphone: 0845 034 2113

Facebook: www.facebook.com/developecs

Twitter: www.twitter.com/developecs

This information can be made available in alternative formats, please contact us.

DEVELOP Enhancing Community Support, 3-4 New Road, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 1EJ

Documents

Develop achievements april to june 2014