Fantastic Friday Update

This week we are welcoming November, a month that brings with it important health related campaigns and awareness events that can affect our community.

Every November, Lung Cancer Awareness Month aims to raise awareness about common symptoms of lung cancer. Encouraging people to recognise these symptoms and see their doctor sooner could save lives. Find out more about signs and symptoms, and where you can find information and support here. 

Communities 1st's Core20Plus project organises events open to the public to bring further awareness to many of these important topics. You can find more information about this here. On the 13th November, Communities 1st are coordinating the Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Health Event at Aberford Community Centre in Borehamwood. See more information in the flyer below. 
 

Talk Money Week (6th-10th November) offers the opportunity for everyone to get involved with events and activities across the UK aiming to help people have more open conversations about their money – from pocket money to pensions – and continue these conversations year-round. Communities 1st often organises training such as Money management session helping people dealing with this topic. 

Trustees’ Week (6th-10th November) is a time to come together to celebrate the diversity of leadership that can help make a charity stronger and the role of trustees in keeping organisations sustainable, now and for the future. This year's theme is "Many voices. Working together. With purpose."

Take care in this wet weather!  Have a lovely weekend! 

Nicola Oneill

Wellbeing Services Manager

If you or someone you know is in at-risk group or is isolated, and needs help or support with shopping, prescription collection, pet sitting, urgent supplies or tech support, you can contact us.

Email: help@communities1st.org.uk.
Phone: 01727 649930.

Alternatively, if you would like to volunteer yourself to support this service, please contact us or visit our website for further information.

Introduction to Air Frying

Have an Air fryer or considering buying one? Looking to cook cheaper and healthier? Come along to our cooking with an Air Fryer 3 hour session. Learn to cook with one, add new recipes and learn about the cost savings. Cooking tips will be provided on this free course along with a chance to taste food cooked in the air fryer.

Any Hertfordshire resident aged 19 and over is welcome to attend this course. Participants are eligible for the draw to win an air fryer if they have obtained a D grade or below in their Maths GCSE (or equivalent), or are in receipt of any benefits.

- IN PERSON COURSE - Radlett

13th November 2023, 12.30pm -3.30pm
Phillimore Community Centre, Radlett, WD7 8NN

More Information 

Herts libraries slipper swap 2023

We all get less steady on our feet as we get older, and it's easy to take steps to prevent a slip or a trip.
Hertfordshire County Council has some great advice and helpful services, including a slipper swap to make sure we all keep a good grip on our floors at home. Bin your old slippers and come along to one of our events to pick up a new non-slip pair.

Slipper Swaps 2023 will be held at the following libraries:

• Hatfield Library - Wednesday 15 November
• Hoddesdon Library - Wednesday 29 November
• Hemel Hempstead Library - Thursday 7 December

All events run 10am – 1pm

More information

Bonfire Night
Bonfire Night (Saturday 24th) is traditionally celebrated with bonfires and fireworks. Beside the organised bonfire events each year a lot of people organise their own ones. And that’s where the increased risk comes from. 
On the Hertfordshire Constabulary's website you can find information on how to stay safe on Bonfire Night.

More information 

Math Anxiety Day falls on 10th of November and on this topic Communities 1st has created a project called Multiply that offers help and support to adults in improving their numeracy skills.

How has the rising cost of living affected your access to food?

We are inviting one adult from every household in Hertfordshire to complete a 15-minute anonymous survey to help us understand how your access to food is being affected by the rising cost of living (for financial or other reasons).

The results will help us understand how we can best support residents.

Please do take the time to complete the survey and share this newsletter with your friends and family so that everyone has the chance to have their say.

More information

Trustees Week

This Trustees Week, join us for a discussion on the challenges and opportunities around sourcing and recruiting new Trustees.
For organisations: Join the discussion to gain insight into how to successfully source and recruit new Trustees. Share your own experiences and learn from other organisations about strategies to source new Trustees.

For individuals: If you are considering volunteering as a Trustee and would like to find out what a Trustee role involves, come along to the discussion and hear from local community groups that are actively seeking to recruit new Trustees.

More information

Cost of Living Webinar

Hertfordshire County Council has organised a webinar on supporting Hertfordshire residents with the cost of living.

Whether you interact with the public in your day job or as a volunteer, we understand how important it is that you can direct residents to trusted sources of help and advice in Hertfordshire when needed. 

- Supporting with the Cost of Living event

  Tuesday 7th November, 2pm - 3pm. (A British Sign

  language interpreter will be present at this event).

This webinar will help you identify when a resident may need support, be able to signpost them to a trusted source of advice, and know when and how to refer someone who may need more in-depth support from one of our specialist services in the County. 

Register for the St Albans Business Summit

Local businesses and other organisations can register for the Free annual St Albans Business Summit. 
This is a fantastic networking opportunity as well as a chance to hear about major topics such as local economic data and sustainability. 
There will be a number of presentations as well as break-out sessions on issues such as recruiting and retaining top talent. 
Everyone with an interest in local business is welcome to register for the event.

Wednesday 15th November, 5.30pm - 7.30pm

Oaklands College, St Albans Campus. 

To register

Social Media Kindness Day (9th November 2023) is an annual event dedicated to promoting empathy and kindness in the digital world because everyone hold the power to make a difference in the lives of others, both in a positive or negative way.

Crisis Centre Coordinator

• Hours: 22.5 (Part time) We may consider a full time position
• Salary: £23,970 – £25,550 per annum
• Location: Crisis Centre – Hemel Hempstead

More information

Peer Support Worker

• Hours: 37.5 per week and will consider Full/Part time
• Salary: £21,500 – £22,500 Pro rata based on FTE
• Location: To work within East, North and West Hertfordshire, depending on client need and waiting lists

More information

Deputy Finance Manager

• Hours: 22.5 to 30 hours (3 to 4 days) per week to be agreed 
  Salary: £33,000 to £35,000 (depending on experience), pro-rated to agreed hours
  Location: Letchworth (SG6 1HB), though will be required to travel to and work from other sites on an occasional basis.

More information

Children's Information and Advice Officer

• Hours: 37 hours per week
• Salary:: £23,620 with the opportunity to progress to £26,845
• Location: Stevenage 

More information

Marketing and Communications Assistant

• Hours: Full time (working 37 hours per week)
• Salary: UH5 £27,181 pa with potential to progress to £30,487.00 pa by annual increments on
  achieving designated skills and experience.
  Annual Leave: 25 days (pro rata) plus stand
• Location: : De Havilland Campus, Hatfield

More information