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This time last month we were preparing for our Annual Conference and AGM, this proved to be a very successful event. There was a compelling thought provoking keynote address from Emma-Jame Hampsheir, National Youth Participation Lead for St Johns Ambulance on engaging young…

With summer well underway, we encourage everyone to make the most of the good weather while taking care. Let's also send our best wishes to the incredible athletes representing Great Britain at the Paris Olympics.    The past week marked the beginning of our new exciting…

August has arrived and although we hope that warmer and sunnier spells will continue a bit longer, please remember to stay cool and hydrated this summer. This month, you'll find members of the Training team running some FREE "Creative Fun with Numbers" sessions for children and…

We hope that you are enjoying the lovely summer weather we have been experiencing over the last few weeks. We would like to remind you to make sure you are keeping cool and hydrated. This year Hertsmere Borough council is celebrating its 50th Anniversary and to celebrate this…

We are on the verge of August, hoping to enjoy again some sunny and warm days.  August is National Road Victim Month. Visit the website if you want to find out more about this campaign, or need support after losing someone in a car accident.  August is also…

Last week we held our annual AGM and conference. It was great to hear from so many organisations and volunteers about their experience of volunteering over the last year. We hope that everyone who attended took away as much as we did! If you were not able to join us this year, you…

It has been a week since our annual conference and it’s a bit calmer in the Communities 1st office after a busy few weeks preparing for the day! Thank you to everyone who attended. There was a real buzz about the church which I’m sure you will agree was quite spectacular. I hope you found the…

We are excited to announce that, following a thorough and rigorous process,  we have achieved the Local Infrastructure Quality Accreditation (LIQA) demonstrating the high quality of the services and support we offer, and the impact in supporting local charity and community groups.  By…

The end of July is approaching alongside interesting events. "International Self-Care Day" is a worldwide event observed on the 24 July each year, promoting the need to practise self-care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This day marks the final day of the international self-care…

We would like to start by saying Thank You to everyone that was able to attend our Annual Conference for the VCSFE sector on Tuesday. We hope that you enjoyed attending the different workshops and engaged in helpful and important conversations. We hope to see you all again next year…

July is dedicated to major campaigns and it shines a spotlight on Sarcoma, through the Sarcoma awareness month. Its campaign "Raising Awareness to Create Survivors" is designed to raise awareness. The Samaritans campaign "Talk To Us" is an annual Awareness event aimed at…

We are looking forward to our Annual Conference for local charities and community groups which will take place from 9.30am to 2pm at St Peter’s Church, St Peters Street, St Albans, Herts AL1 3HG. It promises to be an inspiring day, with opportunities to network with colleagues,…

There is a great deal of misunderstanding, myth, and stigma around dementia. Dementia can strike anyone! Our Dementia Friends session is suitable for anyone who would like to improve their knowledge and understanding of dementia and dispel some of the myths surrounding it. This…

Hopefully, the nice weather ahead of us will decide to linger a little bit longer thus offering the perfect background for going outside, enjoying the nice weather, keeping healthy and ready to start dancing again.  In this newsletter there are some updates about our classes…

This week we wanted to take the opportunity to introduce you to Samita, our new Transport Facilitator. Samita has joined the Inclusive Service's team and will be a first point of contact for any volunteer drivers taking part in our community car scheme or projects delivered through…

Welcome to Volunteering Vision, our new Volunteer Centre newsletter.   If you have some extra spare time this summer, please let us know and we’ll find meaningful ways for you to spend it. Our team are here to help you offer your skills to positively contribute to our…

Ahead of the general election on Thursday, I am pleased to share with you a collection of policy statements developed in partnership with our local charity partners. These statements, covering eight important areas, reflect the real experiences and expertise of those working within our…

Communities 1st Annual Conference and AGM Sector Supporting an Inclusive and Sustainable Future I am delighted to invite you to attend Communities 1st‘s annual conference for the local Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector,…

With the Communities 1st Annual Conference for the VCSFE sector just around the corner, we wanted to remind you that there is still time to register and come along.  The conference is taking place on Tuesday 16 July and we would love to see you there! The event promises to be a…

At Communities 1st, we are always seeking to improve the way that we communicate with you and ensure that you receive news from us that is interesting and relevant to you. Therefore, we will be making some changes to the newsletters we create for member organisations. Very soon,…