HEADLINES

Can we save you money on your village hall or local council insurance?

We offer low-cost, flexible insurance for village halls, community buildings, local councils and playing fields. The scheme is underwritten by Zurich, a leading provider of insurance:

communityinsurance@communityfirst.org.uk or call 01380 732 809

Link Schemes Audit 2022

Community First offers advice, guidance and support to 42 Link Schemes locally. Here in Wiltshire, we are proud that the service offered by Link Schemes and Community Minibus Groups represents one of the most successful community transport schemes in the country. Link Schemes are volunteer-led organisations that offer door-to-door transport and Good Neighbour services to older or vulnerable people, including those who cannot access public or private transport e.g. a car.

Each year, Community First gathers data from Link Schemes to prepare the annual Link Scheme Audit which is shared with commissioners, representatives from the local authority and other stakeholders. The Link Scheme Audit is important because it demonstrates how vital local transport groups are to the health and wellbeing of Wiltshire residents, particularly those who live in rural areas. As well as collecting information about the number of miles travelled, tasks undertaken and volunteer hours given, each Link Scheme also collects data on the type of journeys carried out on behalf of clients e.g. trips to local doctors surgeries, community hospitals and dentists. This helps us build up a picture of the important role Link Schemes play in helping people to access healthcare and other services that help them live fulfilling and independent lives, reduce isolation, manage health conditions and keep active.

There are 1,620 volunteers involved in supporting local Link Schemes in Wiltshire, with an average of 38 volunteers per Link Scheme. The number of Link volunteers has increased by 3% since 2021, which is an encouraging sign that volunteer numbers are stabilising following a reduction in volunteer capacity during Covid-19. Whilst the overall number of volunteers has increased slightly, the number of journeys, miles, tasks and hours undertaken by Link volunteers in 2022 has far exceeded the recorded increase in volunteer capacity. In 2022 Link volunteers worked harder than ever to deliver a significant increase in support and services compared with 2021 audit figures.

In 2022 Link volunteers travelled 689,661 miles to keep communities connected to local services. This is a 39% increase in miles travelled from the previous year and represents an average of 16,430 per Link Scheme and 425 miles per volunteer. Our audit also shows a 38% increase in everyday tasks completed by Link volunteers, including prescription collection, grocery shopping, befriending and small tasks in the home or garden. In total Link volunteers gave over 100,000 hours of their time in support of their local community in 2022. This is a 22% increase from the previous audit.

In line with an increase in mileage, tasks carried out and hours volunteered, there was also a significant increase in health-related journeys in 2022. Link volunteers carried out 26,249 journeys to hospitals, dentists and doctors surgeries in 2022, this was a 27% increase from 2021 audit figures. In total, there were 9,636 visits to district hospitals, 7,194 trips to doctors surgeries, 5,045 trips to other health providers (including dentists), 2,426 visits to other hospitals and 1,948 trips to community hospitals. The increase in health-related journeys could (in part) be explained by fewer trips to Covid-19 vaccination centres when compared to 2021 audit figures. This, coupled with the return of face-to-face medical appointments, led to an increase in demand for transport to health-related appointments.

As well as offering a valuable service for people and communities in Wiltshire, the service offered by Link Schemes provides a good return on investment for funders. In 2022, activity carried out by Wiltshire Link Schemes had an economic value of £1,262,102, based on ONS South West average hourly pay of £12.48 per hour. This is an average of £779.02 per Link volunteer. Overall, the economic value of Wiltshire Link Schemes increased by 22% compared with 2021 audit figures.

We hope you will join us in congratulating Link Schemes and volunteers for their extraordinary achievements in 2022. We are very proud of the resilience they have shown in the face of recent challenges and the vital service they offer to local communities.

If you are interested in supporting your local Link Scheme as a volunteer, please get in touch with us via: linkproject@communityfirst.org.uk.

MiDAS – Minibus Driver Awareness Training

MiDAS is taking new bookings for Spring/Summer 2023 and early booking is recommended to secure a training place. Please contact mcarter@communityfirst.org.uk for more information about MiDAS and how to book your training.

Wiltshire Association of Local Councils (WALC)

Wiltshire Association of Local Councils offers advice, guidance and support to member Councils. WALC receives an average of 100 emails and 65 phone calls from members each week on matters relating to employment, finance, legislation, code of conduct, Standing Orders and managing resident expectations. Over the last 12 months open sessions have been arranged through Zoom giving clerks and councillors an opportunity to ‘drop-in’ and discuss items of concern or network with colleagues and the Local Council Advisor.

In addition to support for member Councils, WALC has also delivered or facilitated a variety of training events for members. This included two Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) courses and two Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) Playground Inspection courses. A Wiltshire clerks training day (arranged in conjunction with SLCC) allowed a number of round table discussion and information sharing opportunities, each facilitated by experienced clerks. Additional finance training sessions were also offered through the Parkinson Partnership. We are currently in the process of updating the training calendar on the WALC website to offer more training sessions in the coming months.

Alongside day-to-day duties supporting member Councils, WALC is regularly in attendance at meetings with other County Association Officers in relation to local and national changes. This offers Wiltshire an opportunity to be at the forefront of these changes and support member Councils to respond to them locally.

For more information about Wiltshire Association of Local Councils and benefits for members, visit: www.wiltshire-alc.org.uk or email: office@wiltshire-alc.org.uk

Village Halls Week 2023

Village Halls Week is an annual campaign led by Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE). This year, Village Halls Week took place between 23rd-29th January 2023 and aimed to highlight how village halls and community buildings in England offer a warm, welcoming and inclusive space for people to come together.

As the ACRE network member for Wiltshire and Swindon, Community First took the lead in promoting and championing halls and buildings locally. We shared photos of activities and events, information about halls and buildings and how village halls and community buildings offer a venue for inclusive physical exercise through the Get Out Get Active (GOGA) programme in Wiltshire.

The #VillageHallsWeek campaign was well received and our content reached over 6,000 people across social media, email and our website. We were delighted to see positive engagement from halls, buildings and partner organisations including Wiltshire Council, Entrust, Age UK Wiltshire and Wiltshire and Swindon Sport (WASP). Thanks to BBC Radio Wiltshire who hosted a series of live and recorded interviews with village halls and community buildings. Links to the interviews can be found below:

• Steeple Ashton Village Hall
• Bishops Cannings Village Hall
• Wilton Community Centre
• Ellendune Community Centre
• Winterbourne Glebe Hall (from 1:39:24)

Thanks also to the volunteers, trustees and committee members of the halls who agreed to be interviewed for BBC Radio Wiltshire.

Our local village halls week campaign was sponsored by Community Insurance which offers specialist insurance for village halls and community buildings. Our policies, underwritten by trusted provider Zurich Municipal, offer comprehensive insurance for village halls locally and nationally. All profits generated from the service are reinvested back into local communities, through the charitable aims of Community First.

For more information and a free no obligation quote email: communityinsurance@communityfirst.org.uk

Village Halls and Community Buildings

In late February, Village Halls Adviser Helen Akiyama attended the official opening of a new annexe at Sherston Village Hall. The annexe, which was partly funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, features catering and new toilet facilities (including a disabled toilet). The new facilities were opened by Cllr Martin Smith and National Lottery representative Judy Bullis.

Sherston Village Hall representative Nic also had this to say about the advice and support offered through our Wiltshire Village Halls Association (WVHA) service:

“Many thanks for coming to support us at our Grand Opening…You’ve been a great support during the whole process with your advice and encouragement.” 

We were also pleased to hear that the new Berryfield Village Hall near Melksham officially opened to the public in February 2023. This is a long-awaited refurbishment project which will provide a valuable space for the local community. Members of the hall committee, residents and MP Michelle Donelan were in attendance for the opening of the hall. Look at these amazing before and after photos!

It is fantastic to see funding and investment going to local halls and buildings in Wiltshire. Helen is currently working with a number of halls who have applied for grant funding through the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Fund which is administrated by ACRE. We look forward to hearing about the next stage of the application process for qualifying halls.

Get Out Get Active – New Spring Activities

Get Out Get Active (GOGA) project delivery continues into Spring 2023 with the launch of new activities and opportunities for people to get together and be more active.

Community First is a delivery partner for the GOGA project locally, along with Age UK Wiltshire, Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living (CIL). The project is led by Wiltshire and Swindon Sport (WASP). Our Community Development team has been working with partners and organisations to offer the following new activities:

Multi-Sport and Fun Activities (Calne)

A free, weekly session each Monday (11am-12.15pm) at Calne Community Campus. People of all ages and abilities are welcome to join in with a variety of inclusive physical activities which will improve physical health, energy levels and mood.

GOGA Nature Led Walks by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust (Salisbury)

A free, weekly nature-led walk each Wednesday (11am-12pm) until 29th March. The group meets outside Arundells on Cathedral Close in Salisbury. The activity is suitable for all ages and abilities and the walks are wheelchair friendly.

Arundells Community Garden Project (Salisbury)

From 29th March, Arundells will be hosting a weekly community gardening session between 11am-3pm. The session will involve working in the historic community garden at Arundells.

Individuals and families will be able to come along any time and stay for as long as they wish. Activities will include planting, building flower beds, support in building a shelter and general gardening duties. There will be raised flower beds for those with mobility issues, potting and planting at accessible tables and people can do as much or as little as they wish. Tea, coffee, and cake will be available for all. All equipment will be provided.

For more information about the activities or to find out more about GOGA, please contact Helen Akiyama: hakiyama@communityfirst.org.uk

Community Organising

The Friary Youth Engagement Project

The youth outreach and engagement project at The Friary in Salisbury has now concluded, with a final project report produced for Salisbury City Council. Our Community Organising team delivered an 18-month engagement project which aimed to develop positive relationships and understand the needs and ambitions of young people who live on the estate. As part of the project we delivered a skills-based training programme, co-produced a youth action plan and supported the provision of new youth activity.

Young people took part in a six-week engagement project with fun games and group activities designed to understand how youth activity could be delivered locally.

Rural Youth Project

The team has continued to deliver the rural youth project with door-knocking and engagement activity. Four pop-up events have been held so far in 2023, with 56 young people taking part in positive activities. As part of the project, our Community Development team has also supported the creation of a new youth club. This included governance advice and support for the newly formed youth club committee. Three potential Young Leaders and three adult volunteers took part in First Aid training and will continue to receive support from YAW clubs (see Youth Action Wiltshire section below for training photos). Thank you to everyone who has been involved in supporting the project so far.

Community Transport Association Project

Outreach and engagement activity has continued across eight key areas in Wiltshire as part of a project funded by the Community Transport Association (CTA). The project aims to recruit new volunteers for Link Schemes and reduce loneliness and isolation. Through direct outreach, the team has recruited 46 potential new volunteers for Link Schemes. It was great to be joined by several volunteers from local Link Schemes who took part in door-knocking activity with us. The team also delivered Community Organising and volunteer training, with 10 participants and fantastic feedback from trainees:

Do you need help with community engagement in 2023?

Community First works with local councils, groups, charities and organisations to deliver community engagement projects which offer actionable insights and solutions to issues which are important for residents and communities across the county. One of the ways we do this is through door-knocking.

Door-knocking is a proactive form of community engagement which aims to reach into the heart of a community or place and speak to people face to face. Door-knocking is an extremely effective way to engage with harder to reach people and has a proven track-record for reducing isolation, bringing people together and making communities stronger and more resilient. Trained Community Organisers visit individual houses, knock on every door and speak to local people about services, projects, initiatives, ideas, opportunities or events which can help to improve their lives and tackle issues which are important to them.

In addition to listening activity through door-knocking, our team delivers bespoke training, engagement programmes and specialised outreach, including with harder-to-reach groups.

Digital Consultation

We design and launch online surveys on a variety of different subjects including neighbourhood planning, feedback on proposed new development and community feedback on local facilities and how they can be improved as part of a needs analysis. A premium survey tool is used, which allows for exceptional flexibility with an unlimited number of questions, question types and responses.

This service takes the hassle out of survey design by creating a bespoke survey branded with your logo and colour scheme. Surveys are user friendly, mobile optimised and easy to complete, with a full password protected data export at the close of the survey date.

Technical support and a weekly update on the number of respondents can also be provided, as well as advice on how to promote your survey to maximise responses.

Our team is experienced in qualitative/quantitative analysis and thematic analysis. We can produce a variety of different reports with analysis of both open and closed question types, key findings and recommendations.

For more information about how we can help you reach out and connect with local communities through door-knocking, community engagement initiatives or digital surveys in 2023, please see our information leaflet or contact Harry Tipple: htipple@communityfirst.org.uk

Landfill Communities Fund

Community First manages and administrates the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) in Wiltshire and Swindon. The LCF offers capital funding for local community, heritage and environmental projects in specific areas where local landfill operators sites or depots are located. The Hills Group Ltd and Crapper & Sons Ltd project awards have been very generous this year.

From April 2022 to date, Hills approved 21 projects and awarded £180,703. In the same period Crapper & Sons approved 13 projects and awarded £193,746. This represents a total of £374,449 of funding to support local community projects for this financial year. A further round of funding for Hills will begin on 29th March 2023, which will be counted in the financial year 2022/23. Examples of projects which have been approved for funding can be found below.

For more information about the Landfill Communities Fund, including eligibility and how to submit an expression of interest, please visit our website.

Patio, Landscaping and Improved Accessibility for RWBSA

Royal Wootton Bassett Sports Association (RWBSA) received £24,175.75 from the Landfill Communities Fund towards the cost of landscaping at the rear of the clubhouse. The aim of the project was to provide an attractive area for external hospitality and for spectating of cricket matches, which in turn would help to generate additional income. The grant from Crapper & Sons Ltd enabled RWBSA to carry out landscaping, install a new patio area and provide ramp access, making the clubhouse more accessible for people with disabilities and those with reduced mobility.

Fully Accessible ‘Queen Elizabeth II Walkway’ for Cricklade

Cricklade Development Foundation received £10,000 from The Hills Group Ltd and £25,000 from Crapper & Sons Ltd through the Landfill Communities Fund. The grant will support the delivery of a new, fully accessible pedestrian walkway providing access from the front and rear of the Old Police Station.

The pedestrian link, which will be called the Queen Elizabeth II Walkway, will enable access to toilet facilities and a proposed new community garden. The project is also supported by an additional grant of £10,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund. Work on the new walkway and toilet has begun and we look forward to seeing how the project progresses in 2023.

For more information about the project, please see the blog post on the Cricklade Development Foundation website.

Learning, Review and Reflection Event

The Building Bridges programme Lead Team and programme partners (including Key Workers) attended a Learning, Review and Reflection Event at Market Lavington Village Hall on Wednesday 1st March 2023. The event aimed to highlight the achievements of the Building Bridges Programme and those who took part.

Programme Update and Impact Report

We are currently in the process of preparing a project impact report with highlights from the programme including outcomes, case studies and quotes from participants. This will be shared with joint funders The National Lottery Community Fund and The European Social Fund, as well as through the Building Bridges website.

Ingredients for Success

Feedback from Participants

“Building Bridges gave me the confidence and motivation to try harder.”

 

“It has 100% changed my life – I recommend it to anyone. It has boosted my self-confidence more than I thought possible.”

Thank you to everyone who has been involved in delivering and supporting this fantastic programme in Swindon and Wiltshire. We look forward to sharing the impact report in our Summer newsletter and finding out what happens next for the Building Bridges programme. Watch this space!

Young Leaders and Volunteers Attend First Aid Training Day

Young Leaders and adult volunteers from six Youth Action Wiltshire affiliated youth clubs attended a First Aid Training Day on Saturday 4th March. A total of 12 training attendees learned life-saving skills during the training session, which was held at our office in Devizes.

Well done to everyone who took part in the training day and learned new skills!

Youth Action Wiltshire Minibus Appeal

A very big thank you to all of the individual supporters, businesses and organisations who have generously donated to our Destination Adventure Minibus Appeal. To date we have raised £3,086, with an additional £1,500 in pledged donations. Thanks in particular to The Hills Group Ltd and our Hopton Park neighbours Cross Manufacturing who each donated £500 towards the appeal.

Our minibus is vitally important for the delivery of activities for young carers and young people facing challenges in their lives. Many of the young people we support through Youth Action Wiltshire would not be able to take part in our activities without free transport in our minibus. We are aiming to raise £30,000 towards the cost of a replacement minibus in 2023. We do have a little way to go, so if you are able to make a donation to the appeal we would be very grateful for your support.

For more information visit: www.justgiving.com/campaign/yaw-minibus or contact fundraising@youthactionwiltshire.org

Chippenham Lions – Auction of Promises

The Chippenham Lions Club Auction of Promises will take place on Saturday 15th April 2023 (7.30pm) at Sutton Benger Village Hall.

Event attendees can bid for a range of fantastic items which can be found in the online catalogue on the Chippenham Lions website (see link below) from 13th March. This includes carriage driving, a gypsy caravan experience, golf and much more. Money raised through the event will support Wiltshire Young Carers Service, Julia’s House Children’s Hospice and other Lions charities.

For more information visit Chippenham Lions website