Latest News

Sport Birmingham, Tackling Inequalities Funding provides inclusive dance opportunities for over 300 disabled children & adults in Birmingham.   Over 300 disabled children and adults in Birmingham were able to reap the amazing benefits of inclusive dance between …

Written by one of our volunteers: The COVID-19 outbreak has caused undeniable sadness and hardship for many, but amidst the pain you may have heard tales of kindness and selflessness that have lifted your spirits. The Compassionate Community Connector programme (run by Communities 1st)  relies…

Firstly, I’d like to wish you all a very happy new year. Last year was difficult for all of us. We faced challenges that most of us had never imagined. 2021 will continue to ask a lot of us, but the beginning of the vaccination rollout means we can start to hope for the return of some normality.…

Happy holidays and warm wishes from the whole team at Communities 1st!  Thank you to all our incredible volunteers, who have given so much of their time this year to help us get through this crisis. Amazingly, local people continue to rally together, allowing us to deepen and extend that…

Hertfordshire to Move into Tier 2 The government have announced that Hertfordshire will move into Tier 2: High Alert, in the Government's new system of Covid-19 Alert Levels. Communities 1st, in conjunction with Communities Help Hertfordshire partners, will continue to provide essential services to…

As we’re approaching December and more talk about potential vaccines against Covid-19 it’s natural that we all start to think of this period as one of a new chapter. More than ever, with the backdrop of Covid, there’s a real air of ‘next phase’ in our tentative steps forward the festive holidays.…

Having now completed the second week of lockdown 2.0, and as we approach the Winter months, it's more important than ever to look after yourselves, and your staff and volunteers. If there’s anything we can do to support your organisation, please let us know and we will do our best to help! Over…

Voluntary and community groups in St Albans District are encouraged to apply to a grants fund aimed at helping the most vulnerable people. St Albans City and District Council is distributing up to £18,700 in this year’s second round of awards from its Community Grants Fund. One priority is to fund…

We know you are probably fed-up of the phrase ‘Hope this email finds you well.’ Expressing exactly what we mean and our feeling at the minute is hard, as coronavirus continues to affect our lives, our loved ones, and our livelihoods. Online spaces can be deeply impersonal space and emails doubly so…

The second round of Community Grants Fund 2020-21 will open next week on Tuesday 10th November and will close on Monday 11th January 2021.   We understand that due to changes to government guidance regarding Covid-19 and the lockdown starting on Thursday 4th November, there may be an impact on…

Footballer Marcus Rashford speaks for many when he says: “I have no interest in party politics. Letting millions of children in the UK go hungry at night is only an issue of humanity. We need to do better.” One of the main lessons from the pandemic is the importance of planning for…

Last month, the report, Levelling Up Our Communities: Proposals for a New Social Covenant, was published by Danny Kruger, a Conservative MP and former “civil society tsar”.  The report was commissioned in June by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, with the aim of examining how the country could…

Covid-19 has caused pain and loss for all of us directly and indirectly. The response in communities is the adrenaline which kicks in and strengthens our ability to cope. We may not look back fondly on 2020 but there is a lot we can learn from it. Over the last few months, our voluntary, community…

Disability Awareness Day (DAD) is recognised as the largest annual event of its kind in the world. Due to COVID-19, the 29th event will be held virtually online via www.dadvirtual.org.uk it is totally free, and goes live at 10am on Sunday 25th October. A week of free,…

Safely coming out of lockdown The coronavirus pandemic, has meant that the majority of activities and services delivered by local voluntary sector members have either been suspended or dramatically altered.  As the government is beginning to inform us how they are removing the strictest…

Take time to look after yourself and each other As a sector we have been working harder than ever before to continue to provide support to those most in need.  For volunteers and volunteer leaders alike, it has been a very busy time, adapting to new circumstances and working with others to…

Take time to look after yourself and each other As a sector we have been working harder than ever before to continue to provide support to those most in need.  For volunteers and volunteer leaders alike, it has been a very busy time, adapting to new circumstances and working with others to…

Save the date for Communities 1st Voluntary Sector Conference and AGM We will be hosting three 2-hour zoom meetings over three days in early September for this year’s Voluntary Sector Conference and our AGM.  The theme for the conference this year is Sustainability and we have an exciting line…

Sharing the human spirit through friendship Our world faces many challenges, crises and forces of division - to confront those crises and challenges, their root causes must be addressed by promoting and defending a shared spirit of human solidarity that takes many forms - the simplest of which is…

Almost a quarter of charity organisers believe that without additional support, their organisation would not last until this time next year.   Charities across the districts of St Albans, Hertsmere and Welwyn/Hatfield were invited to take part in the ‘Voluntary & Community Sector (VCS)…