Taken by: Sharon Bolus: Group Development Officer, Bolton CVS
Attendees:
Cllr Linda Thomas – Bolton MBC
Jenny Thomson – Bolton GP Federation
Michael Smith – Bolton GP Federation
Sharon Bolus – Bolton CVS
Yashika Chawla – Bolton CVS Volunteer
Alison Dalton – Building Bridges/Bolton Interfaith Council/Bolton Christian Cohesion
Sue Desai MBE – Asian Elders with BMWG
Alison Colley – Westhoughton Community Hub
Daniel Simpson – Westhoughton Community Hub
Martin Gill –Host UK
Keith Harris – Bolton FM
Andrew Dickson – Bolton FM
Barry Glasspell – Bolton Council
Gaynor Ratcliffe – Westhoughton Community Vision
Stefanie Withington – Westhoughton Community Hub
RuxmaniPatel – Krishna Temple
Joanne Gavin – Bolton Lads and Girls Club
Sarah Randall – BLGC
Patricia Holme – BRASS
Becca Muir – Octagon
Tony Foster – Citizens ADVISE Bolton
Phil Mason – Bolton Wanderers Community Trust
Rita Liddell – BAND
Mary Cole – Kearsley Mount Cottage Friends
Cecilia Eccleston – Kearsley Mount Cottage Friends
Nick Russell – Halliwell Organic Growers
Karen Wood – Gardening on your Doorstep
Richard Wood – Gardening on your Doorstep
Faith Biddle – Starts with you (MCTV18 Volunteer Coordinator)
Stuart Cameron –University of Bolton
Leanne Labrow – Fortalice
Kath Baron – Bolton Mutual Aid Centre
Shahla Holgeth - Bolton Mutual Aid Centre
Shashikant merchant– Shree CharotarPatidarSamaj Bolton UK
Caroline Wyke – Bolton Together
John Taylor –Multi Mobility Research Group (Manchester University)
Darren Knight – Bolton CVS
Helen Tomlinson – Bolton CVS
Louise McDade – Bolton CVS
Apologies:
Dave Bagley – Urban Outreach
Welcome and Introduction by Phil Mason, Chair of theForum.
Phil Mason welcomed and introduced himself. PM reminded people to fill in demographic / feedback forms before leaving the meeting. PM explained that we are about trying out different venues and times for the forums and that we were pleased to be holding the event tonight at the Octagon.PM talked about the State of the Sector survey and encouraged people to take away the 10 key facts about the Greater Manchester Voluntary, Community andSocial Enterprise(VCSE)Sector.
PM talked about the Health and Well Being forums, ETAG meetings, Volunteers Co-ordinators’ forums. If your organisation is interested in attending please check our website or sign up to our weekly eshot to get our latest news.
Cllr Linda Thomas, Chair of Health and Wellbeing Board: Celebrating the Voluntary and Community Sector in Bolton
Cllr Linda Thomas talked about the Health and Wellbeing Board and how important volunteers are. She wanted to say thank you to all volunteers, thanked Darren Knight for the work has done since he started in October 2016. She stressed that if you need help and want to speak with your local Councillors then please get in touch and they will be more than happy to try and help.
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Helen Tomlinson, Development and Communities Manager, BoltonCVS:Launch of Bolton Volunteer Charter
Helen explained that the Volunteer Charter are a set of principles designed to help organisations demonstrate their commitment to volunteers. The charter has been developed with volunteer-involving organisations and volunteers in Bolton and aims to encourage everyone to agree to the same pledge of commitment in promoting, encouraging and recognising volunteering across Bolton.
The charter will be ready soon. Forum attendees were encouraged to sign up. / Actions:
Yashika Chawla, Volunteer: “my experience of volunteering”
Yashika talked about her 5 years living in England to study Masters in Business Administration. When they moved to Bolton Yashikaand her family didn’t know anyone. Her volunteer journey started when she visited the Ucan Centre in Bolton who were extremely helpful. She started volunteering with Bolton at Home and at the Bolton Hub were she has and is learning new things which has helped her with her CV. Yashika is also a volunteer with HomestartBoltonHer closing statement was: “I love to help people around me who are in need and it is a beautiful feeling to know that you are making a different” / Actions:
Michael Smith, CEO Bolton GP Federation: Social Prescribing – what this means for Bolton
Social prescribing is defined as “a means of enabling primary care services to refer patients with social, emotional or practical needs to a range of local, non-clinical services, often provided by the voluntary and community sector.
Primary care is central to the health and wellbeing of patients and their carer’s and the wider community. We already see in this current climate and times and its importance will grow as more people with complex health needs receive care in the community.
Bolton GPs want to offer a greater range of services and continuity of care. As funding is cut this means the delivery will look different. They will engage more with the community to get the information out there and work with GP surgeries, hospitals to find out what are the major issues in each area. They will then plot out Bolton’s commitment for the next 2-3 years. They aim to get the NHS to recognise what the Voluntary and Community do and take on a joined up approach.
To speak with Bolton GP Federation, please don’t be shy!
Based at The Bolton Hub. / Actions:
Darren Knight, Chief Officer, Bolton CVS: New grants and community investment programmes for Bolton
Darren spoke regarding the state of the sector survey and talked about all the magical work the voluntary and community sector does.
Funding opportunities:
Bolton at Home – Grants available for up to £500. Next deadline is in July 2017. For guidance on who can apply and the application form:
Big Local–For information:
Small Grants Programme – Deadline will be early September:
Ambition for Ageing – Work within 3 wards in Bolton. Crompton, Halliwell and Tonge with the Haulgh. For investments and contact details:
Thrive partnership - Partners agreed by panel of NHS Bolton CCG, Bolton CVS and Youth Council representative. The funding has been received from Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group from the Children and Young People Mental Health Transformation Funding. Look out for further information in the coming months about these services and details of the small grants pot for innovative ideasshould be live in October.
Healthwatch and Bolton CVS– Up to £1000. It will involve 9 neighbourhoods
Community investments for locality plan - £425,000 for the next 2 years / Actions:
Phil Mason: Closing Remarks
PM talked about Vision 2030, start well, live well, age well. Building stronger community connections and stronger community cohesion. He reminded people to sign up for the Bolton Volunteer Charter.
He thanked everyone for attending and offered attendees to carry on networking and to enjoy the food and drinks provided. / Actions: