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 staffing and resources available to charities and community groups.

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.”

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 “sustain the community spirit we saw during lockdown”.

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.

Disability Awareness Day (DAD) is recognised as the largest annual event of its kind in the world. Due to COVID-19, the 29^th event will be held virtually online via www.dadvirtual.org.uk it is totally free, and goes live at 10am on Sunday 25^th October. A week of free, complimentary workshops will also be available the following week between Monday 26^th till Friday 30^th. The website will remain available online for the year ahead.

Safely coming out of lockdown

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 support local people and communities.

While the priority has rightly been to help those most at need, how much time have you given to your own health and wellbeing?

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 support local people and communities.

While the priority has rightly been to help those most at need, how much time have you given to your own health and wellbeing?

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 up planned.

The three two-hour Zoom sessions which will take place on

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 friendship.