VCSE organisations have important insights and user experiences which could help to improve health and social care services for the communities they serve.
Research Ready Surrey is a partnership between Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Surrey Community Action and Surrey VCSE Alliance to begin building community connections in Health and Care Research.
Our aim is to work with VCSE organisations to learn from their research expertise, raise awareness about and improve diversity in research, and ensure fair recognition for VCSEs involved in health and care research.
You can help us achieve this by completing this short survey which will take 5-10 minutes to complete.
Respondents to this survey are eligible to apply for one of five £2000 project grants, through a straightforward application process.
The long term vision of the Research Ready Surrey programme is to make it easier for all people to benefit from taking part in health research. We will do this by linking community organisations to research opportunities, learning from organisations about what their communities want from research, and connecting research professionals across the sector to others with a shared interest in collaborating.
If you have any questions or require the survey in an alternative format, please contact Non Hill (Research Ready Surrey VCSE Coordinator at Surrey Community Action) at [email protected] or Lucy Dixon (Strategic Lead for Research) at [email protected].
“Mascot is so grateful for the Sparks Funding as it has enabled us to support our local community over the summer months with projects that are still ongoing. People are so appreciative for the support.”
Earlier this year, Surrey Community Action and Volunteer Woking’s Sparks Fund awarded grants to small charities in Canalside and Goldsworth Park wards in Woking. The grants aimed to support communities which have been impacted by Covid 19 and its wider impact on health and wellbeing, and also by the current cost-of-living crisis.
The fund supports small scale, community-led, initiatives that benefit the local community by increasing participation and engagement, and giving people a voice in how things are done on matters that impact them and where they live.
MASCOT (Maybury & Sheerwater Community Trust) received a grant from the Sparks Fund to run activities at Mascot, both at the hub and the community halls at St. Paul’s Church. Since receiving the funding in June 2023, over 100 people have attended their sessions and there has been an average of 250 visits a month to both sites. Each week MASCOT have delivered career support sessions, English tuition sessions and a conversational English class, a friendship cafe’, computer tuition sessions. MASCOT are also hosting an ongoing computer course, foodbank sessions, Citizens Advice sessions, interactive wellbeing sessions and hearing aid maintenance sessions.
One client said: “The computers have been invaluable as I don’t have a computer. Without question, the Mascot Hub has been so helpful to the community.”
Alice Sheppard recently joined us as our new Asylum Seeker Community Development Worker. Alice will be helping people seeking asylum and refugees to integrate into their local community by linking them with services and activities.
Alice is also here to network with other organisations to support asylum seekers. If you would like to connect with Alice to get involved with the project call 07874 857283 or email [email protected].
It’s that time of year again – nights are darker, the weather is colder, festive songs are starting to pop up on the radio, Christmas items are appearing on the shop shelves (although that started in September!), and I am preparing the CEO introduction for our 2022-2023 annual report to the Charity Commission. In the day-to-day grind, it is very easy to lose the bigger picture, and forget the big things you have achieved that didn’t seem so big while you were cracking on with them, so preparing the report allows me to take a fresh look at the recent past – if you know what I mean…
The 2022-2023 report highlights that we seem to have been in a permacrisis mode since about 2017, but despite that we’ve been able to do our part to ease the burden on others while successfully navigating our own challenges. Our support has included our “business-as-usual” rural housing enabling, advice and information for village halls and voluntary car schemes across the county, payroll and DBS checks, and all the other valuable services and community projects we offer. But in addition, 2022-2023 saw us venturing into some different avenues of work that allowed us to apply our expertise and skills in new areas, specifically the development of a new Asylum Seeker Community Development project in which we supported, and will continue to support, asylum seeking residents living in local hotels to link with other partners keen to offer help and support. Health and care work remains an integral part of what we do, especially the Surrey VCSE Alliance, improving relationships between sectors and ultimately facilitating better support to Surrey residents. And whilst it is unfortunate that it is needed, we were able to distribute thousands of pounds from the Household Support Fund to individuals in need, mainly those experiencing fuel poverty via our Warmth Matters project – a service that continues even now.
None of the above was meant to blow our own trumpet (I consider that a happy side-effect), but was to remind us all to stop every now and then, take a deep breath, look behind us and recognise the great distance we have travelled across some very choppy waters. The seas are unlikely to get calmer over the next year (or two, or three, or ten) but I know we will, collectively, endure for our beneficiaries. As always, I’m proud to be on that journey with you all, seasickness and all.
At the time of writing this, there are only 14 sleeps (as my kids would say before they got too old and cool for that kind of nonsense), until our 2023 conference, and it’s shaping up to be our most popular one yet, with tickets flying off the virtual shelf. We’ve managed to release a few more, so if you are quick, you might be able to snatch one up. As you have heard me say a thousand times before, the theme is the cost of living crisis, in particular how it affects charities and community groups like us.
For most of us, money is tight, so we are delighted to be launching the Assura Social Impact Grant, inviting eligible organisation to apply for up to £2k funding for wellbeing projects around the Guildford area. We’d love to hear your project ideas. Thanks go to Assura for putting this funding out there at a time when every penny counts.
Looking forward to seeing at least some of you in Woking on the 28th!
I’m delighted at how quickly tickets for our annual conference have been snapped up (thank you!!!), but should we be concerned that so many of us remain worried by the ongoing cost of living crisis? It’s interesting how the media is reporting that inflation is down to however-many-percent, yet they often fail to mention that all this means is that costs are going up a little less quickly. In other words, the cost-of-living crisis isn’t going away any time soon. We hope (know!) that our conference is going to help attendees navigate the crisis, and it’s not too late for you to grab one of the last remaining tickets before they all go. If you do, I hope to see you there for an excellent event.
MECC – Making Every Contact Count.
MECC is an approach to behaviour change that uses everyday conversations between organisations and people, to help support them to make positive changes towards a healthy lifestyle. MECC conversations can be started in a wide range of settings by both public facing staff and by volunteers. MECC training ensures teams are equipped to have brief conversations with others about their health and wellbeing and are confident to signpost people to further advice and support.
Dianne Roberts at Surrey Community Actionis now a MECC trainer and can offer MECC level 1 training to organisations and groups who may be interested. The course can be offered on zoom or Face to Face and lasts three hours. MECC is not an add-on to what staff/ volunteers already do. Instead, it is a style or a way of approaching and structuring a conversation so that it is brief and effective.
MECC training benefits staff/volunteers by providing them with an opportunity for development, enabling them to feel valued and supported, improving their own awareness of health and wellbeing, and increasing their knowledge and motivation.
Service users gain personal and tailored support, show improved confidence, motivation and wellbeing, and reduced health inequalities, as a result of MECC conversations.
For further information or to book a training session contact: Dianne Roberts via email to [email protected] or call 07864 060205
We are pleased to share details of the projects awarded funding as part of the Woking Sparks Fund, within the Wards of Goldsworth Park and Canalside. Projects are getting underway and we look forward to sharing more updates soon.
The recipients are:
St Andrew’s Church- Supporting ‘Andy’s Community Café’ which welcomes in excess of 100 people per week, as well as the Community Cupboard, toddler groups and baby groups.
1st Goldsworth Park Scout Group- An overnight activity camp, supporting young people to learn life skills whilst having fun and making lifelong friendships.
Lakeview Community Action Group- continuing the delivery of the ‘Lift Up Together’ group providing mental health support and activities, providing a vital service for residents of Lakeview Estate.
Canalside Community Fridge- supporting volunteers’ costs and training, for the health and safety of service users.
MASCOT -Maybury & Sheerwater Community Trust – assisting with the costs associated with providing activity sessions to support client’s IT skills, employability, language skills, and emergency support.
Shifa Network- a 6-week programme of ‘Learn to Swim’ 2-hour sessions for ethnically diverse women from the local community, held at a local School.
St Michael’s Church Sheerwater- supporting the ‘Pop up Café’. An afterschool club for families, providing healthy snacks and refreshments with the chance to enjoy crafts, games, stories and sport activities. Activity Packs will also be provided for the summer holidays.
Home-Start Runnymede and Woking- Establishing ‘Baby Bubble’- a weekly group for up to 30 mums and babies to support parental experiences, provide information, advice and signposting to other services.
Woking Tigers- facilitating ‘Youth Night’ at the Sheerwater Youth Centre on Friday Nights.
Crystal’s Vardo performed to over 1,000 people, in Kingston, as part of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.
Kingston Council and Surrey Community Action organised four performances of Crystal’s Vardo, three in schools in Kingston and one at St Mary’s University (Twickenham) as part of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History month (GRTHM). GRTHM is held every year, for the whole of June, and is an opportunity to come together to celebrate the rich culture and heritage of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.
Crystal’s Vardo is a captivating and inspiring production in which a young girl named Crystal travels through time on an extraordinary journey through Romani history. Brimming with a wealth of colourful characters, humour, music and storytelling, Crystal’s Vardo brings to life the rich tapestry of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller history and culture. The aim of the play is to raise awareness of the persecution of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities through the centuries and to reflect on the ways this manifests as anti-Gypsyism today.
The performances were thoroughly enjoyed by all ages, Mrs Keogh Headteacher of Ellingham Primary School said ‘It was an incredibly moving and educational depiction of the Gypsy & Traveller history. The children were so engaged and we can’t thank the theatre group enough’. The Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Diane White, also joined us for one of the productions.
Watch the video here
Welcome to the latest edition of Surrey Community Action’s newsletter. In this issue, we are thrilled to share exciting news, updates, and invaluable resources to support your organisation’s growth and success. We are pleased to remind you of our upcoming event, the Charity Mash-Up. This must-attend occasion offers a unique opportunity for networking and collaboration within the sector. Join us to connect with like-minded individuals and discover workshops including the latest advancements in Efficient Communication for Charities, where we explore the remarkable potential of AI Language Tools. Don’t forget to secure your tickets for the Charity Mash-Up and guarantee your place at our engaging workshops. As always, our newsletter also provides updates on sector news, funding opportunities, and job listings. Thank you for being part of our community. We hope this newsletter enriches your work and encourages continued growth and success.
I didn’t write the introduction above. At our annual conference in September, one of the very useful and interesting sessions we have planned will be looking at how charities can use AI to communicate effectively. Just for fun, I asked an AI generator to write the introduction to this newsletter. It actually came out better than I expected, but I’m sure it would be better if I was more skilled in outlining my request. I’m not going to ask whether you prefer the AI stuff or my own words – my ego is too fragile!
Like it or not, AI is probably here to stay, so it is probably a good idea to think about how it can benefit Surrey’s charities and our beneficiaries, and our conference is a good place to start.
Enjoy the Summer Holidays!
