Backed by a massive marketing campaign, Bath Life Awards has has sold out every year and offers local organisations the chance to receive well-deserved publicity and recognition. Businesses & Charities can nominate themselves in one or more of the 21 categories, for free – the winners are chosen by a panel of independent and impartial judges. Nominations close in just three weeks, on Tuesday 24th January! Charities and third sector organisations can nominate themselves in any category that relates to their work (e.g. Bath Rugby Foundation is a previous winner in the Health & Wellbeing category), but also specifically within the Charity and Civic categories; - The Charity category is open to all local independent registered charities; Nominate your organisation to showcase your cause and the great contribution it makes locally. - The Civic Award highlights the contribution of an organisation or company which has improved Bath this year. Some new initiative which makes our city better or commitment to helping develop others, or notable charitable work. Previous winners of these categories have included Mentoring Plus, Bath Mind, and We Hear You, 3SG, and Bath Foodbank. Remaining categories include: - Platinum Award - Arts & Creative - Bar - Business Services - Education - Event - Financial - Hair & Beauty - Health & Wellbeing - Homes & Interiors - Legal - Leisure & Tourism - New Business - People Services - Property - Restaurant - Retail - Sustainability - Technology There are just seven questions to complete and submit, and you could be in with a chance of winning at the prestigious ceremony on 23 March. Whether you're a first time entrant, previous winner, tiniest of new organisations, largest of corporates, advertiser in Bath Life or never advertised – absolutely anyone can win! Click here for more information.

Bath and North East Somerset Council has now launched the second round of the Ukraine Support Fund. This funding is open to charities, voluntary groups and community groups, to support the integration of Ukrainian refugees into local communities and support their wellbeing. The funding can be used to help with housing, organising community events or accessing translation services. BaNES Council is particularly keen to fund organisations that are offering support in the following ways: Assisting with ongoing housing needs Help in recruiting new landlords Help for getting guests tenancy ready Organisations can apply for up to £500 for a one-off event, or up to £2,000 to establish new services or extend an existing one. Applications are open now, and can be made at https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/apply-ukraine-support-fund until March 31st 2023. Please note, applications will close earlier if all funds have been allocated. All applications must: benefit a group of people, not an individual person. be a charity, voluntary or community organisation that operates for the benefit of the local community and is not for profit. have a constitution and valid bank account or a lead organisation, with a constitution and valid bank account. show at least one of the following ways it will support Ukrainian Refugees: Promote Health and Wellbeing Promote Independence Improve English Language Skills Assist with Employment Skills Help Integration into local communities Anyone needing help to apply online can contact Mark Hayward on 01225 396975 or email mark_hayward@bathnes.gov.uk For more information, please see the BaNES webpage here.

Sue Harriman, CEO of Solent NHS Trust, has been appointed as the Designate Chief Executive of the NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (ICB). ICBs will be established across England from 1 April 2022 as part of the Government’s new health and care reforms. They are the new statutory NHS organisation responsible for planning and delivering health and care services and will work collaboratively with partner organisations across the Integrated Care System (ICS). Sue Harriman has been Chief Executive of Solent NHS Community and Mental Health Trust in Hampshire since 2014 and in February this year completed a 6-month secondment as Chief Operating Officer for the National Covid Vaccination Programme. Sue worked as a nurse in the Royal Navy for 16 years before joining the NHS in 2002. In more recent years, she has held various executive roles within NHS, including as a Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professions, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director before becoming Chief Executive at Solent NHS Trust. Her appointment follows a robust recruitment and selection process that was overseen by NHS England and Improvement and involved many local stakeholders and partners. Sue Harriman will start her new role in February 2022 to oversee the creation of the new ICB and to support the transition of the functions of Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) into the new body. Tracey Cox, CEO of BSW CCG is thanked for her ongoing support in establishing the new ICS and the strong leadership she has provided. Her calm, supportive leadership of our health and care system during the recent national emergency caused by the Covid pandemic was vital in ensuring the best possible care for our patients and communities at this challenging time. The groundwork she and the BSW CCG team have started with the active support of colleagues across the system has put BSW in a strong position to establish the ICB from 1 April. If you have any questions regarding Sue’s appointment do not hesitate to get in touch with Stephanie Elsy, Chair Designate, BSW ICB via bswccg.engagement@nhs.net

The BSW Integrated Care Board is looking to recruit a number of Non Executive Directors to help them on their journey to become a thriving integrated care system. They are looking to recruit five Non Executive Directors to work with in areas including finance, audit, community and public engagement, quality and renumeration and people. Details of the positions and a recruitment pack can be found here: https://ics-ned-recruitment.com/job/bath-and-north-east-somerset-swindon-and-wiltshire-designate-independent-non-executive-member-of-the-proposed-nhs-integrated-care-board.14267 They are looking to recruit diverse, inclusive and compassionate leaders who not only reflect the community they serve and the staff they employ, but have the leadership style and breadth of perspective to make good collective decisions.

You may remember that we have previously shared (view article here) news that the BSW ICS intended to recruit a Board Member on the BSW Integrated Care Board (ICB) with a Voluntary Sector perspective. Following multiple nominations, a selection panel met last Thursday 30th June, and the BSW ICS are pleased to confirm that Pam Webb, CEO of Voluntary Action Swindon and a member of the BSW VCSE Alliance, has been appointed. Pam has spent nearly 30 years working with the sector, initially in a funding capacity and latterly running VAS and has a range of previous Board experience. If there are any ideas or challenges you wish to be championed on your behalf please send them through.

The move to radically change the health system structures, led by NHS England, is continuing to develop at a pace. You may have seen that the dissolving of Clinical Commissioning Groups as a legal entity into the Integrated Care Systems as a new legal entity, has been delayed from the original April deadline to an anticipated date of 1 July, however, many of the new structures are now operating in shadow form. This new way of working will bring together all of the elements of health care in the widest sense, to operate in a more joined up and integrated way. This is leading to both changes at the BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) system level as well as significantly at place. In BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire, respectively, new place based new Integrated Care Alliance (ICA) Joint Committees are being formed supported by other committees. These new committees are bringing together representatives from the Hospital Trusts; the Local Authority; the Integrated Care System; Primary Care Networks; Healthwatch; Social Care, Mental Health and importantly the Voluntary and Community Sector. Nationally and locally the 200 or so CVS’s or Infrastructure organisations as we are sometimes referred to, are playing a key role in developing ICS structures as the voice for the Voluntary Sector. Across BSW there are over 2,800 separate charities of all shapes and sizes and the majority do not cross the borders within BSW. All of the Integrated Care Systems developing across England (42 in total) are different in geography, make up and shape and so there is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach to VCSE representation. For BSW the three CVS’s: 3SG in BaNES, Voluntary Action Swindon and Wessex Community Action for Wiltshire, together with the Rural Community Council for Wiltshire and Swindon, Community First, have come together to form a BSW VCSE Leadership Alliance at system level. The Healthwatch services will also join as both VCSE organisations and the important public/patient voice they represent. At place level, each CVS is coordinating a VCSE Leadership Alliance – in BaNES and Swindon this pre-existed, in Wiltshire it is developing. It is through this structure of place- based alliances feeding into a system level alliance that the voice of the Voluntary Sector will be represented at all levels across the new Integrated Care System. We will continue to develop the representation across the system as we go forward and the various work strands develop. Please see diagram below and link to BSW website here Our localities - BSW Partnership At system As well a BSW VCSE Leadership Alliance, The BSW Integrated Care System is committed to appointing a director onto the main Integrated Care Board with a background in the sector – it’s important to note that this will not be a representative role. The BSW VCSE Leadership Alliance will assist the ICS with this appointment process. It is also anticipated that there will be broader VCSE representation on the Integrated Care Partnership (yet to be developed). At place There is various VCSE representation as well as the local Healthwatch services. In BaNES the VCSE re presentation at place is: Joint Committee – Kate Morton, Chair 3SG , Wayne De Leeuw, Dorothy House Hospice and representation from HCRG In Swindon the VCSE representation at place is: Joint Committee – Pam Webb – Voluntary Action Swindon as the voice for the sector generally Development Executive – Voluntary Action Swindon as the voice for the sector generally , Susanna Jones, CEO Swindon Carers Centre and Hazel Howe, CEO Swindon and Gloucestershire Mind In Wiltshire the VCSE representation at place is: Joint Committee - Lynn Gibson, Chief Executive of Community First and Amber Skyring, Chief Executive of Wessex Community Action as the voice for the sector generally Wiltshire Programme Board – Judy Walker , Carers Support Wiltshire & Mary Reed Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living We look forward to working with you all to ensure that the Voluntary Sector across BSW is a valued and suitably resourced partner within the new Integrated Care System and is able to work collaboratively to respond to health priorities and their wider determinants as the focus shifts more towards keeping people well and preventative services.

The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) have put together a hub of resources to support charities in the delivery of their services during the cost of living crisis. CAF understand that our communities require the continued support of local charities, now more than ever, and have gathered a wide range of experts to provide a helping hand. From governance and planning, to attracting new funding, CAF's Charity Resource Hub is there to help you navigate the crisis and plan for uncertainty. Tools, guidance and inspiration from CAF's Charity Resource Hub includes financial planning advice, tips to cut IT software costs, cyber security support, and advice for staff support and retainment. You can also browse support and advice via topic area, such as charity loans, funding, governance and fundraising. CAF have conducted research into the current pressures faced by charities and are using this research to inform their work, including engagements with Government on public policy, and offers of support to non-profit organisations. They have also opened a new £3m fund offering unrestricted grants to small charities to cover core costs, strengthen capacity, and build resilience. The Keystone Fund is focused on charities with an income under £1 million working to improve social equity in their communities. To access the Resource Hub and obtain the support you need, click here - https://www.cafonline.org/charities/resource-hub You can also sign up to their newsletter to receive email updates with latest news, funding and financing resources. Other Third Sector Cost of Living Support Cranfield Trust 'On Call' - Probono support offered via specialist telephone advice. Bring any cost of living concerns your charity may have, to Cranfield's experts. They will help troubleshoot and provide answers to pressing management questions. With 'On Call', you needn't feel isolated; if you need to speak to someone in confidence about any struggles your organisation may be facing, or that may be concerning you specifically, Cranfield Trust can help. Some examples of the types of questions 'On Call' may take are: Financial forecasting: I don’t know exactly how long we’ve got in terms of our reserves. What can I do to get on top of our finances and work out what to do next? Cost cutting: I need to cut costs but don’t know what to do for the best. Signposting: I need to find specialise support and direction on a particular issue Governance: my trustees are postponing meetings and are not making backup plans for staff illness, funding and other problems during COVID-19. What can I do as a staff member to get them to be more engaged? A sounding board for Chief Executives and managers: What should I be saying to my team right now? How can I keep up morale? On Call is available to any charity with a primary purpose of addressing human welfare issues Find out more here.

Since 2001, Charity Digital have saved charities £200 million on software costs. Their current offering of up to 15 free Meta Portal devices for nonprofits is yet another fantastic opportunity not to be missed. Meta Portal devices can help third sector organisations in a variety of different ways. For example, they can help hybrid or remote workers to improve their connection and collaboration with colleagues, and to attend meetings with partners, donors, or volunteers using a dedicated video calling device, freeing up their computer for other tasks. Community centres and field locations can use Meta Portal devices to connect directly with volunteers or beneficiaries and build community, taking advantage of the HD camera which. automatically pans and zooms as you move and adjusts to your lighting. For a limited time only, eligible organisations can receive up to 15 MetaPortal devices at no cost. You must submit your request by December 23rd - it only takes 2 minutes! There are 4 different types of MetaPortal devices, offering something for everyone. To give you a quick idea, the Plus device is large enough and could double as a desktop screen, whilst the Go and "10 share similar sizes and features to Apple iPads. You can compare the specifications of the 4 different devices, which support platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Whatsapp, whilst also boasting built-in Alexa functionality, by clicking here. We encourage all 3SG members and local third sector groups who need a hand funding and sourcing efficient digital hardware, to check out this brilliant offer from Charity Digital. You will need to register for a Charity Digital account if you don't have one already - you can sign up easily here for free. All Charity Digital validated U.K. based charities are eligible for this offer, with the exception of the following: Not eligible: Organizations that provide or originate health insurance or group health plans Schools, universities, and other academic institutions, including school districts and athletic associations, and educational services organizations Governmental entities, agencies, or organizations Legislative and political activity organizations (including advocacy) Churches and other religious organizations Professional athletic leagues Credit unions and other mutual organisations Submitting a request is quick and easy. To find out more, and apply for up to 15 free devices before December 23rd, click here

Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Swindon and Wiltshire Together is an Integrated Care system that brings NHS organisations together with local authorities, third-sector organisations and other partners across BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire. Watch their helpful new explainer video below on how it works and find out more about the work they do on their website. The BSW Together Academy has also informed us of apprenticeship webinars that are free and available to VCSE organisations involved in Adult Social Care - view upcoming webinars here.

Along with other charities and organisations in the Civil Society Group, the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA) have urgently appealed for the government to ensure voluntary and community sector groups get continued support from the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, outlining the risks for communities if the current support package stops. It's vital that third sector organisations also tell MPs that they need more support. We need to express the critical situation facing communities up and down the country, and outline to MPs what will happen if charities facing exponentially rising energy costs aren’t supported. You can use this template letter to send to your MP. Please edit it as appropriate to share your experiences, and share with your members and networks.

Covid and its impact on people in Bath & North East Somerset has been brought to life in a series of personal memories from nine people set out in the annual B&NES Director of Public Health report. Published today the report entitled Extraordinary Times, Extraordinary People – a Time Like No Other, amplifies the voices of local people and organisations who responded to the pandemic. The experiences of a GP, nurse, health care worker, headteacher and charity workers among others are shared in the annual report, which also focuses on the vaccination and Covid testing roll out in Bath and North East Somerset, as well as essential support provided by the Community Wellbeing Hub. Becky Reynolds, Director of Public Health, said: “The last few years have been like no others. The COVID-19 pandemic took so much from so many; loved ones lost, school days halted, lives forever altered. Yet amongst this, across Bath and North East Somerset we have seen communities rise to the challenges we have faced, with services and individuals coming together to support each other and the most vulnerable in our communities. ”The first chapter of my report outlines the actions we as a council took to provide testing, vaccination and wellbeing support. The second chapter of the report focuses on children, young people and families. As we move towards living safely and fairly with COVID-19 still circulating, we want to highlight the investment we are putting into supporting children and families. Finally, we look at the investments we are making in making our local places more healthy spaces to thrive and live long and healthy lives.” The report acknowledges that generally, the majority of children and young people in Bath and North East Somerset are healthy and enjoy opportunities to keep well and do well in education. However, it says that during the past two years children and young people have lost out on vital education and social activity, and, due to their age, have spent a larger proportion of their lives living with the constraints and stresses that the pandemic has brought. And it focuses on the importance of our local places in order to provide the right building blocks such as streets that are easy to walk and cycle along, clean air, parks and green spaces, good jobs, warm housing, supportive communities, good food and other opportunities. Directors of Public Health have a statutory requirement to write an independent annual report on the health of their population to raise awareness and understanding of local health issues, highlight areas of specific concern and make recommendations for change. Six recommendations have been set out for Bath & North East Somerset. These are: 1. Implement the B&NES Living Safely and Fairly with COVID-19 Plan that sets out a framework for how individuals, employers, and institutions can support our ongoing collective efforts to prevent, protect, and respond to COVID-19 in the coming years. 2. Further strengthen the targeted action to support children, young people and families outlined in the Children and Young People’s Plan: • Tackling poverty (including food, digital and socioeconomic) • Improving children and young people’s emotional and mental health • Narrowing the gap (reducing inequalities) 3. Ensure that the new B&NES Local Plan and the B&NES Economic Strategy that are being developed, both maximise their potential to reduce inequalities and make it easier for people to live healthy lives. 4. Update and implement the B&NES Health and Wellbeing Strategy, ensuring it has a strong focus on addressing inequalities. 5. The NHS to increasingly embed prevention and inequalities action into its priorities, and be helped to increasingly support social and economic development in B&NES. 6. All partners of the Health and Wellbeing Board, the Integrated Care Alliance, and the Future Ambitions Board, commit to and deliver on action to improve health and reduce the inequalities that previously existed and have been highlighted as a result of the pandemic. Councillor Dine Romero, cabinet member for Children, Young People and Communities, said: “I’d like to thank our Director of Public Health Becky Reynolds for her report. The pandemic was an extraordinary time for each and every one of us and it is important that the stories of local people, who were at forefront of the response, are heard. The report also demonstrates new ways of working together to improve health and reduce the inequalities and I welcome the recommendations that have been set out.” Media release shared by Bath & North East Somerset Council Read more here - https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/public-health/director-public-health-report

The first report from Third Sector Trends 2022 has now been published, following many months of comprehensive and in-depth research conducted across England and Wales, by Durham University and the Community Foundation. The findings have been broken down regionally, with an average of 600 responses per region ( 785 responses in the South West). The survey - which has been running since 2008 - represents the largest of its kind to focus on the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in England and Wales. Here is a summary of a few key findings nationally, and from the South West region specifically: There are about 4.3 million regular volunteers working for VCSE organisations who deliver 312 million hours of work annually. If this work had to be paid for, it would equal £2.9bn (if valued at the level of the national living wage) or £4.9bn if valued at 80 per cent of average wages). In the South West, there are 4.2 third sector organisations per 1000 population (23,683 third sector organisations in total). This is higher than all other regions, excluding London. 43 per cent of employers across England and Wales are currently struggling to recruit new staff. Results from the South West specifically show alignment with national trends, at 41.5 per cent of third sector employers. Furthermore, across the whole survey, a fifth of employing organisations say that they are finding it harder to hold on to their existing staff. Volunteers in the South West outnumber all regions bar London and the South East, with 487,000 regular volunteers in the region contributing over 35 million hours of work. Community Interest Companies (CICs) are more prevalent in more urbanised regions of North East England, North West England, the West Midlands and London. But there is also a concentration of CICs in South West England. The South West ranks third in England for the highest proportion of micro-small third sector organisations; 68.2% of registered third sector organisations in the South West have an annual income of under £50,000. 65,000 third sector organisations (33% of the whole sector) concentrate their activity solely within the local neighbourhood or community - 56,000 of which are micro or small organisations. About 125,000 third sector organisations (63% of the whole sector) work within the boundaries of a single local authority area, of which 94,831 are micro or small organisations. Across the whole of England and Wales, it may be surprising that nearly half of the sector does not try to tackle ‘the consequences of poverty’, ‘increasing access to basic services’ or ‘improving the local environment.’ Around 40 per cent of organisations are employers – though many have just one or a few part-time staff. That constitutes around 3 per cent of national employment in most English regions and Wales. While competition over resources exists, the evidence shows that there is a great deal of informal ‘neighbourly’ cooperation, semi-formal ‘complementary working’ in the Third Sector. It is estimated that about 55%-75% of sector expenditure will be retained and recirculated in the area "The Third Sector Trends study is primarily concerned with the contribution of the Third Sector to social, economic and environmental wellbeing of localities. Consequently, the study excludes analysis of major charitable organisations with income above £25million." It is expected that four more Third Sector Trends reports will be published in in due course, to explore the data in more depth. One report will look at the change in the composition of the Third Sector’s employee and volunteer workforce over the last few years. Another will look at how Third Sector organisations sustain financial viability by drawing on a wide range of income sources including grants, contracts, gifts subscriptions, self-generated trading and in-kind support. We can also expect to see a report that looks at the extent of and limits to informal and formal collaboration within the Third Sector and with the public and private sector. To view the report in full, click here. Alternatively, the official press release and further key findings can be viewed here.

Is your charitable organisation or community group running a Warm Space in BaNES, or in the process of registering as a Warm Space? Help is now at hand to support you and your service, as applications are now open for the council’s Community Contribution Fund. This fund offers £250 grants to support the costs involved in offering a Warm Space, such as energy costs, Wi-Fi, food and drinks, or activities that are taking place in the space. This fund exists thanks to the generosity of residents since it was established in 2021, offering residents the opportunity to directly support local groups tackling inequality in the area. This grant will help organisations to deliver the services desperately needed by those at the sharp end of the cost-of-living crisis. Councillor Richard Samuel, deputy leader and cabinet member for Resources, thanks all those residents who have donated to the fund. To be eligible for funding, organisations must have registered their Warm Space on the council’s directory and agreed to the Warm Spaces Charter. Applications will be considered until March 2023 - with an average response time of 2 weeks - or until all the funds have been distributed. Residents wishing to donate to the Community Contribution Fund can do so on the council website. A list of all the Warm Spaces in B&NES can be found on the website.

The Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES) annual Third Sector Survey 2022/23 has been released, and third sector* organisations that work or are based in BaNES are invited to complete it here. The survey is conducted by 3SG, an independent charity with three employees and a membership network of over 200 charities, social enterprises and community groups in the area. Every local third sector organisation is encouraged to respond to the short survey, even if they are not a 3SG member. Organisations will receive a gift voucher** of a 1x 3SG job advert (paid vacancy or trustee position) worth up to £60 for completing the survey. The BaNES Third Sector Survey was first carried out by 3SG in 2020 with 72 organisations responding, and the following year a total of 97 organisations responded (full press release here). The survey findings are of significant importance to the local sector for the year ahead and help to inform 3SG’s priorities in supporting the local Third Sector . This research will also be used to advocate for the sector by demonstrating to decision-makers and funders the challenges the sector is currently facing, and the support needed to continue this vital work. The data from the survey will be analysed by 3SG in partnership with Statisticians for Society, and the findings will be shared in January 2023. To be notified of the findings, please subscribe here to the 3SG weekly newsletter. Please complete the short survey here and encourage other organisations you work with to complete it also. DEADLINE EXTENDED to midnight on Wednesday, 7th December 2022 to complete the survey. *The 3rd sector includes registered charities, associations, cooperatives, self-help groups, churches, community groups and social enterprises. **Full gift voucher details can be found on the survey landing page

3SG are delighted to be supporting the delivery of the #ChristmasCompassion card project for the third year in a row, in partnership with Connect Bath (formerly Bath Open Christmas). More than 30 schools across BaNES supported the #ChristmasCompassion Christmas Card project over the last two years, creating some 4,000 individual cards which were sent to care homes, hospitals, individuals and charities such as Julian House and Women's Refuge, in order to bring some festive cheer to those in need. Originally created to help tackle loneliness during the ‘Covid Christmas’, the project is continuing to send smiles to the faces of those who may find the Christmas period particularly challenging. Receiving a thoughtful, hand-designed card from a local school child is a small gesture of kindness, compassion and inclusion, which can really make a difference to those who may otherwise feel forgotten or isolated at Christmas. Connect Bath and 3SG are eternally grateful for the school children's participation, and last year, 8 wonderful cards of theirs were chosen to be printed and sold at St Michaels Without Church, to raise funds for Connect Bath. These are still available to buy until mid-December 2022! This year, each of the winning designers will also receive an artistic goody bag, kindly donated by the Art Cohort. This years' blank cards are already with many local schools, who are busy working their magic on them ahead of collections on Thursday 8th December. We will then be delivering the cards on the week commencing Monday 12th December, with the invaluable help of Care Home Volunteers, to all those who have requested them in BaNES. To get involved - whether by requesting cards for your organisation, or for an individual, friend or neighbour - please click here to fill out the relevant form. Alternatively, if you'd be keen to help deliver the cards to their recipients, we'd appreciate your support any time that suits you between Monday 12th and Friday 16th December. Please let us know by emailing contact@3sg.org.uk. Together, we can help spread some Christmas magic and channel the spirit of the festive season - giving!

Bath Mind have some spaces available in their Wellbeing Magazine and invite local partners to submit resources which support the wellbeing of people in BaNES. Circulation is planned to be 5,000 copies as we go into 2023, and all those with content in the magazine will receive copies to distribute themselves. There is no charge for this. You can view a copy of an earlier edition here: Bath-Mind-Wellbeing-2-21.pdf (bathmind.org.uk) Currently it includes resources such as those available on Bath Mind’s website Resources – Bath Mind The magazine has been running for nearly a year now and is of particular importance to those who may not have access to online services and resources, for whatever reason. Resources will need to: Provide information to support the wellbeing of people living in BaNES – this may be for a specific need, or overall wellbeing support. Be clear and easy to read Ideally content will be ‘evergreen’ Free of charge events can be promoted, providing they form only part of the page, with information/support resources making up at least 75% of the page. We would particularly welcome non-English language content and resources which support minorities across the community of BaNES. You may of course include your branding, contact information etc. Please note that we are unable to accommodate fundraising references or activities. Content will need to be supplied print-ready, to the following specification: Print quality PDF in CMYK colours (resolution should ideally be at 300dpi). Size A5 portrait (210x148.5mm) with 3mm bleed all around (please select ‘show all printers marks’ when making PDF) Deadline for inclusion in December edition is Monday 21st November 2022. Inclusion in this next issue will be dependent upon uptake. Please send content to: christineswift@bathmind.org.uk *Printed copies of the magazine will be available for organisations to distribute – please contact the above if you would like copies to distribute.

BSW Together is the integrated care system (ICS) made up of NHS, local authority and Voluntary and community organisations working together. Collectively, taking responsibility to improve the health and wellbeing of local people, tackle inequalities and achieve better outcomes and access for everyone in our area. As we enter Winter, BSW Together are aiming to support local communities with their health and wellbeing and will be developing a series of communications toolkits to support this. BSW Together are hoping that local organisations will help share the key messages in order to reach more people with information and advice that is vital to help them take care of themselves this winter and support our local health and care services. The communication toolkits will be made available on a regular basis on the BSW Together website (http://bit.ly/3X6h0X2) and will cover a range of topics from self care, to vaccination as well as advice on how to access local health and care services. Please check the page on a regular basis or sign-up for updates by emailing the Communications Team at bswicb.communications@nhs.net. BSW would also welcome your ideas and comments on how they can better share this information with your communities, so please do get in touch. You can also find a great video explaining more about the ICS and what it really is. The recorded webinar focused on the development of integrated care strategies, explaining what they are, how they relate with other system strategies, and what best practice looks like. View it here.

The National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR) has recently launched a funding opportunity in the West of England. This funding is open to community organisations that aim to increase access to research within their communities. The NIHR funding offered via the Clinical Research Network West of England totals £10,000 - to be spent on projects delivered between January and March 2023. The NIHR Clinical Research Network is acutely aware that health and care research is not as inclusive and accessible as it should be. They would like to invite community organisations in the West of England to propose ideas for projects that aim to increase access to research within their communities. They are keen for projects to be led by the community and to be designed in a way that works for them. They are open to the ideas of communities and are very flexible in how people choose to approach the project. NIHR hope to work with several different community organisations and share the funding to try a number of approaches. Projects could include helping local communities find out more about what health and care research is, how it can benefit them, how they can take part in research and get more involved in other research opportunities that are taking place locally. This could take the form of hosting awareness events, workshops, or focus groups in the community. If you have an idea for a relevant project, or fancy an informal chat about the funding options, NIHR encourage you to email Holly Ayres by Friday 25th November. Contact details and more information - including potential project ideas and inspiration - can be found by clicking here. More about the NIHR... The NIHR works in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government and the public to fund, enable and deliver world-leading health and social care research. Funded by the Department of Health and Social care, the NIHR invests more than a billion pounds a year in research. Click here for more information on NIHR Community Engagement Project.

The job market continues to be driven by candidates, and charities are still having to work hard to secure quality staff. With this in mind, it's worth routinely reviewing your recruitment practices and ideas, including compensation packages and person specifications, to ensure you're doing everything you can to attract the right talent. Earlier in the year, we shared a brand new resource with you from Charity Job. With the cost of living crisis spiralling, it's even more important to benchmark your salary offerings against market averages, to ensure your vacancies are competitive enough. Charity Job's useful Salary Checker tool can help you do this. The Salary Checker tool allows you to search for specific job titles, and find average salary offerings from jobs advertised over the last 12 months. It will provide an exact figure as well as an average salary range, from lowest to highest. You can also view examples of these job adverts, to see what else is being offered in compensation packages by other charities. You can even filter by organisation size, making the results more relevant for your organisation. To use this tool, you'll need a Charity Job account (it's free) and then follow this link: https://www.charityjob.co.uk/recruitertool/salarychecker If you're struggling to fill a role, but you've no wiggle room on salary, consider re-evaluating the job description, or expanding your candidate pool. The pandemic has spurred many to rethink their careers and pursue more meaningful work, and the transferable skills of workers from outside the sector may be the breath of fresh air your organisation needs. You can find out more about identifying new potential outside of the sector here. An analysis of your charity's skills gaps and needs can also be beneficial for finetuning job adverts, identifying untapped talent within your organisation, and improving overall efficiency. This could be a very insightful activity to perform before finalising any job adverts. Check out Charity Job's handy guide for conducting a skills gap analysis here. If you're interested in understanding the current state of the charity jobs market in more detail, Charity Job has just released its comprehensive 2022 report on the State of Charity Recruitment. The report can be downloaded and reviewed in full here. For a snapshot overview of the report, we've summarised a few of the findings below... - The report finds that, after an initial plummet in job vacancies in the sector as the COVID-19 pandemic hit and a subsequent rise in the number of applications per job opening, the sector may now be in a candidate shortage. - The number of jobs in the sector now exceeds pre-pandemic levels, which is consistent with the whole economy. However, unlike some other sectors, the charity sector does not seem to be facing drastic staff shortages, and is in a fairly positive position; the number of applications per job is only slightly lower than pre-pandemic levels. - In terms of salaries, some charitable causes continue to have the highest average salaries, including International Development, Charity Suppliers, Education charities, and Arts and Cultural causes. Average salaries in the highest paying causes dropped from 2020 to 2021, whilst average salaries in the lowest paying causes - Crime, Mental Health, and Disability - rose. - Proportions of vacancies offering contract work, part time, or permanent, remain fairly consistent with pre-pandemic levels, and show no signs of a consistent change in the way the sector works. - However, Charity Job finds a misalignment with the number of part-time vacancies advertised, and the high number of candidates signed up for part-time job alerts, suggesting that charities ought to consider offering more flexibility in their job adverts, such as part time hours and job shares. - In terms of roles, Fundraisers remain the most popular vacancy to appear on the site, with demand for Administrators also rising in 2021. There has also been a gradual increase in the number of management and senior management vacancies advertised, which could reflect a change of heart from those in leadership positions wanting to move on after a particularly tough period. - Unsurprisingly, remote jobs and vacancies advertising "home-based" flexible working have jumped from below 5% pre-pandemic, to over 15% in 2021. - The number of volunteer positions advertised has slowly recovered during 2021, likely thanks to high numbers of volunteering positions in Social Welfare as a result of the pandemic. - Surprisingly, tech jobs have remained consistent despite developments in this area and growth of digital use in response to the pandemic. For more advice and tips on recruiting for your charity, and the current job market trends, check out the Charity Job website, or download their free Recruitment Guide for Charities here.

With the cost of living skyrocketing, charities and social enterprises are faced with a double burden of balancing increased demand for their services, with the rising cost of simply keeping their organisations afloat, and delivering those much needed services. Alas, there is help at hand in the form of grants and loans specifically designed to respond to the spiralling costs faced by charitable organisations. Big Issue Invest is offering loans of up to £150,000 for charities and social enterprises across England, to help them afford energy bills and maintain their operations. The loans can be used to fund the installation of renewable energy equipment, more efficient lights, heat pumps and insulation, as well as replacing old boilers or single-glazed windows which are less cost-effective and undermine energy-saving measures. Danyal Sattar, CEO of Big Issue Invest, said “With higher energy costs, money spent on energy saving and renewables can pay itself back quickly.” To be accepted for a loan, charities and social enterprises will need to demonstrate an energy saving plan and the means to repay the loan in time. You can find out more here. Alternatively, Asda Foundation have recently launched a cost of living grant, to support the running costs of charitable community groups until February 2023. Grants of £500 to £2000 are being offered to alleviate the burden of increased rental costs, increased food costs and electricity /utility bills. Eligible groups must be nonprofit, and have a presence in, and benefit to, the local community. Each Asda store has a Community Champion who acts as a port-of-call for local community groups in need of funding and assistance, and will support, submit and manage grant applications. For BaNES-based groups, this would be either Asda Longwell Green, Asda Trowbridge, Asda Bristol Whitchurch, Asda Frome, or Asda Melksham. Community Champions at Asda stores can also help with requests for Emergency Funding, which can be offered on a personal level in the event of, for example, a house fire or community wide flood. Full guidance on the Asda Foundation Cost of Living grant can be found here, including eligibility criteria, information on how to apply and what to expect, as well as example applications. Application window is open until February 2023, but may close earlier if the budget cap is reached. You can find out more about other Asda Foundation grants here. If your organisation is supporting those in the community most affected by the cost of living crisis, you can also make the most of Aviva's match-funding, previously covered on our news page here.