News from CVA Blyth Valley – 09/04/10

Contents

CVA Blyth Valley Funding Fayre - hurry if you have not already booked your place

CVA Blyth Valley - training opportunities

Blyth Citizens Advice Bureau – various info

Northumberland Primary Infrastructure Organisations

Policy and Representation Partnership

Seaton Valley Events

Northumbria Youth

Training programme in Disability, Equality and the Law (DEAL)

Funding Information

The Big Lottery Fund - People’s Millions

Lankelly Chase Foundation Children’s Summer Play schemes

The Hilden Charitable Fund

Lloyds TSB Foundation

Northumbrian Water Fund (North East)

O2 “Think Big” Community Fund

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CVA Blyth Valley - Funding Fayre

Our next Funding Fayre (and largest …… so far) will be held at:

Beaconhill Community Centre, Langdale Drive, Cramlington, NE23 8EH

Thursday 15 April 2010

10:00 am—3:00 pm (with free buffet lunch 12—1 pm)

Registration and coffee from 9:45 am

CVA Blyth Valley Funding Fayre provides a unique opportunity for local groups to meet

directly with funders to discuss their projects. There are also a series of workshops planned throughout the day with presentations from funders promoting their current funding priorities and plenty of tips to increase your chances of success

Our Funding Fayre is completely FREE to local voluntary and community groups, at a fully accessible venue and we also include a buffet lunch and refreshments!

So if you have a good project that you are currently developing and would welcome the

opportunity of discussing this with local funders then make sure you come along.

We have a record-breaking 16 funders attending providing one to one surgeries with a selection of these giving presentations on their latest criteria.

Banks Community Fund (no appointments, networking only)

Big Lottery / Awards for All

BBC Children in Need

Community Foundation

CVABV Capacity Building Team

Greggs Trust (afternoon only)

Hadrian Trust (no appointments, networking only)

Homes for Northumberland

Hospital of God at Greatham (til 2:00 pm)

Joicey Trust

Lloyds TSB Foundation

Northern Rock Foundation (morning only)

Northumberland County Council

Northumbria Police Authority

Rothley Trust

Sir James Knott Trust

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The booking form can be obtained from our website at www.cvabv.org.uk clicking onto ‘Events’, scroll down and click onto booking form. Further information about the funders attending can also be found on our website under ‘communication’ and clicking onto Spring 2010 newsletter.

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CVA Blyth Valley - Training

We are able to offer FREE training to community and voluntary groups in Blyth, Cramlington and Seaton Valley. For groups outside this area and statutory organisations the price is £30 per person. Places are limited to 3 places per group / organisation, although additional places may become available.

If anyone is interested in attending any of the following courses please contact us on:

01670 353623 or email .

An introduction to monitoring and evaluation

This one day course is aimed at organisations with little or no previous experience of using monitoring outputs and outcomes effectively as a performance improvement tool. By the end of the day, participants will have increased understanding of: the key terminology; the difference between outputs & outcomes; how to identify indicators as a guide to evaluation; how to develop monitoring frameworks; simple methods for collecting information on outputs & outcomes; monitoring for performance improvement.

Venue: Isabella Community Centre, Ogle Drive, Blyth

Day / Time: Thursday 22 April 2010, 10:00 am—3:00 pm (arrive 9:45 am)

Facilitator: Angie Martin, The Learning Team

Cost: Free, although if not cancelled within 14 days of course, non attendees will

incur a £15 admin charge

The Importance of Play (full day course)

This course aims to support those working or volunteering with children and young people to develop their understanding and practice with regard to play and play environments. By the end of the session, participants will have explored and identified: the meaning of play; values and assumptions about play and playwork; how to balance risk and challenge in children’s play; how adults can support children’s play; and how to plan a high quality, child centred play environment.

Venue: Seaton Delaval Community Centre, (half hall)

Day / Time: Friday 23 April 2010, 10:00 am—3:00 pm (arrive 9:45 am)

Facilitator: Barbara Morris—Childcare & Training

Cost: Free, although if not cancelled within 14 days of course, non attendees will

incur a £15 admin charge

Working with Volunteers (full day course)

Volunteers can bring many skills to an organisation to help it achieve its purpose.

Volunteers have often been described as ‘The back bone of society’.

Volunteers need to be properly organised if their energy is to put to best use. This

one day workshop explores a framework for working with volunteers including: What

motivates volunteers; How and where to recruit volunteers; Interviewing volunteers;

Volunteer role descriptions; Volunteer Policies; Induction & Support &

Supervision arrangements.

Venue: Seaton Sluice Community Centre, Seaton Sluice

Day / Time: Thursday 29 April 2010, 10:00 am—3:00 pm (arrive 9:45 am)

Facilitator: Lynn Howard - Consultancy and Training Services

Cost: Free, although if not cancelled within 14 days of course, non attendees will

incur a £15 admin charge

Introduction to Vetting & Barring (half day course)

The new Vetting and Barring Scheme strives to prevent unsuitable people from working or

volunteering with children or vulnerable adults. The scheme will fundamentally reform

current safeguarding practices but employers retain their responsibilities for ensuring

safe recruitment and employment practices. This half day course will help you to: develop a better understanding of the vetting and barring scheme; develop an understanding of the role of the Independent Safeguarding Authority; improve your understanding about the implications for your organisation.

Venue: Seghill Community Centre, Main Road, Seghill

Day / Time: Wednesday 5 May 2010, 9:30 am—12:30 pm (arrive 9:15 am)

Facilitator: Robin Fry - Trainer from VODA

Cost: Free, although if not cancelled within 14 days of course, non attendees will

incur a £15 admin charge

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Blyth Citizens Advice Bureau

Fixed line telephones: mis-selling and switching

From 18 March, new rules to protect consumers from the mis-selling of fixed-line telephones when switching from one provider to another come into effect. The new rules:

· prohibit the giving of false and/or misleading information and the use of intimidating behaviour

· give the right to cancel without charge during the ten-day switchover period

· require that consumers are given key information before and after they enter into a contract to switch

expressly prohibit the practice of 'slamming' (the unauthorised switching of providers

Suspension of Tier 4 student applications from some countries

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has announced that, from 1 February, it is not accepting any new applications under the Tier 4 student route of the points-based system from the following visa application centres:

· North India - New Delhi, Jalandhar and Chandigarh

· Bangladesh - Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong

· Nepal - Kathmandu

Further information is available from the UKBA website at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Tax: problems with incorrect codes

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) recently made a statement on its website acknowledging that there are problems with certain tax codings already issued for the 2010/2011 tax year starting on 6 April.

There is a chance that there is something wrong if someone receives a 2010/11 notice of coding which:-

· refers to a job or pension that finished before 6 April 2009

· is one of two or more referring to the same job (there is duplication)

· shows code ‘D0’ when their total income from employment and pensions is less than the higher rate limit of £43,875

· looks quite different from 2009/10 coding notices they received – for example if they have received a code beginning with the letter ‘K’ for the first time.

People who are concerned about their tax code and think it is wrong, particularly if it falls into one of these three categories, can check it using the guidance included with the Coding Notice and on the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk.

Otherwise, clients should contact HMRC on 0845 3000 627 to ensure they have the right tax code applied in time for the start of the new tax year on 6 April 2010.

The following issues for the tax codes of people receiving pensions have also been identified:

· some codes do not include the state pension, or show an incorrect amount of state pension, even though this has been correctly included in the past

· where Married Couple’s Allowance is due, it has not been included in spite of it being correctly coded in previous years (an error because the new system has not picked up the date of birth for both partners)

· personal allowances have been incorrect or omitted altogether (probably because the allowances have been given against jobs or pensions that have ceased).

Blyth CAB, Eric Tolhurst Centre, 3-13 Quay Road

Blyth, NE24 2AS, Tel 01670 367779

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Northumberland Primary Infrastructure Organisations

As well as keeping all our members / readers up-to-date with events happening in Blyth, Cramlington and Seaton Valley, members can also link onto news produced by Community Action Northumberland and Wansbeck CVS.

To view Community Action Northumberland’s Spring News 2010 click here.

News to follow from Wansbeck CVS.

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Policy and Representation Partnership

The aim of the partnership is to increase the Third Sector’s contribution to policy development in the North East. As part of the partnership a policy forum is being developed.

The first forum was held on 21 January 2010 and the focus was ‘How to Shape Public Policy’. Using the information gathered at that event another forum is being organised to be held on 22 April 2010, 9.30am – 12.30pm at Lindisfarne Centre, St Aidan’s College, Durham.

Please click here for further information and here for a booking form.

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Seaton Valley Events

Seghill Community Centre

Tea-Dance – Monday 19 April, 1:00 – 3:30pm, £2 a head. Light hearted atmosphere of good music to dance to, sit and chat to people while having a cup of tea or coffee. At half time while tea is served there is the chance to Have a quick game of Bingo. We are not the Oxford Tea Rooms but Seggies Best

Gala Queen Disco - Saturday 8 May, 3:00 – 5:00pm costs 50p per person. Disco and fun time for all – at this event there will be crowning of the Seghill Gala Queen and her attendants. Any boy or girl who lives in the village and is aged between 5 -10 years of age may enter the attendants group. Any young lady who would like to enter for the Gala Queen live in the village and be between the ages of 11 – 14 years. For further details on how to enter or general enquiry please contact Elsie Harvey on 0191 2373168.

A Second Pink Ladies Pamper Night - Wednesday 12 May, 7:00pm. Only £8 per person for two treatments!
Seghill Community Centre are proud to host a Ladies night of indulgence - slap on the face masks, paint the nails, relax with warm stones, or ease those tired muscles with an invigorating massage. There are many other fun activities and refreshments available.


To book a place contact Gladys Meredith 0191 2374684 or Elsie Harvey

0191 2373168

Summer Craft and Gift Fayre - Saturday 22 May, 10:00 am -1:00pm

Discover a wonderful selection of crafts and gifts. The Seghill Summer Crafts and Gift Fayre has a vibrant, friendly atmosphere which creates a pleasurable shopping experience and, with a whole host of entertainment for the family, we aim to provide a great day fayre selling handmade goods, home baked cakes, jewellery ,’smellies’ and many many more crafted gifts, after which you can rest your legs while having a nice cuppa - Doors open at 10 am for buyers, and 9am for sellers. Cost £5 a table.
50 pence entrance fee. For further details contact Gladys Meredith 0191 2374684.

For children who live in seghill the tickets for the gala will be handed out at the fayre.
For ticket details contact: Elsie Harvey 0191 2373168

Seghill Institute Gala - Saturday 5 June 1:00pm

This year the theme is SPORT. Anyone wishing to take party in the walking parade the start time with the band and the Gala Queen is 1:00pm

Seghill World Cup Masters - Saturday 17 July 2010, 10.30am - 2.30pm
A 3-way football tournament between former players who have represented at one time, Seghill Comrades Welfare, Seghill Social Club and/or Seghill Blake Arms.

There is an entrance fee for each player / manager £5 to play: No pay-no play.

Ideal for ex- players who no longer play competitive Sunday morning football. The event is to raise as much money as possible for Seghill Institute / TREATS committees. The Rugby Club and the Scouts are all taking an active role as well as the Community Centre itself. There will be other family fun activities on the day. For more information regarding fees, names etc please contact Grant Phillips from Seghill Comrades Welfare on 0191 237 3505. All players / managers will be given first refusal of Disco tickets.

The Disco will be at Seghill Social Club on 17 July, which will include a buffet. Tickets are priced at £2.50

For details on this and the Gala in general please contact Elsie Harvey 0191 2373168

New Hartley Community Centre

New Hartley Summer Fayre Saturday 26 June 2010, 1:00 – 4:00 pm – further details to follow.

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Northumbria Youth

· Do You Work With Children or Young People?

· Are you a Volunteer, paid member of staff or a Management Committee

Member of a voluntary group working with Children or Young people aged 9 – 19 years?

If the answer to any of the above questions is yes then this accredited training

Is for you!

Induction: Thursday 10th June 2010 1 – 3 pm

The Safer Care Accredited training course is a series of inter-related workshops, developed by Northumbria Youth and accredited through the Open College Network (OCN). The LSC, through Learning North East has provided funding for a limited number of subsidised places (subject to certain criteria). Participants will gain the underpinning knowledge required to enable them to deliver services to children and young people safely and leave with a tool-kit that will support their group to create policies and procedures which will relate to their needs and requirements. Participants can also gain accreditation at level 2 through the OCN.

For further information and a booking form click here.

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Nationally Accredited Essential Training Programme in Disability,

Equality and the Law (DEAL)

“So ... You Know A Little About Equality, But You’re Not Sure How it

Applies To You?” Here’s How! ...

Introducing A Two Day Nationally Accredited Workshop On: