The organisers of the Bath Half Marathon announced today (27th April 2021) with regret that this year’s event has been postponed to 13th March 2022, due to the national COVID restrictions for large-scale events plus planned infrastructure projects on the highways network in the City this autumn. “With just over 4 months now before our event date we still do not have clarification from Government on key factors such as whether social distancing will be required, whether spectators will be permitted and whether participants will be required to provide certification of COVID status. These factors will fundamentally effect how we deliver our event, and without this clarification we do not feel we have sufficient time now to plan our arrangements, or to carry out proper consultations with the council and other stakeholders, or to tender and place the necessary contractors’ orders. We also feel that the restrictions that are likely to remain on large scale public events this year will change the community character of our event and prevent us from delivering the Bath Half Marathon in the way our runners expect. Furthermore, following consultation with B&NES Council, we have also been informed that access to the highways for the event will be compromised by a number of infrastructure projects planned this autumn, including the unavoidable repairs to Cleveland Bridge, which were postponed in 2020, and which is a key part of the diversion route around the city during the event road closures. We are particularly disappointed for the thousands of local runners who regularly take part in the Bath Half Marathon, and for the impact this postponement will have on our 80 local charity partners and local voluntary groups and well as our national charity partners who will lose out on critical fundraising at this challenging time. It’s heart-breaking to have to postpone our Bath Half Marathon for a second time and we know that many people will be disappointed by this decision. Sadly the combination of uncertainty surrounding continued COVID restrictions for large-scale events and planned infrastructure projects on the highways network in the City this autumn have left us with no choice. But with the support of our entrants, community and partners we’re determined to return in March 2022 with a celebration for our 40th anniversary. We will be contacting registered entrants today with details of their deferment and refund options. We will also notify our charity partners, commercial partners, contractors and volunteer groups about arrangements for the event on 13th March.” Andrew Taylor – Bath Half Marathon Race Director – Running High Events “Bath & North East Somerset Council recognises the significant role the Bath Half plays in the city’s calendar of events, inspiring fitness and wellbeing within the city, its importance to charities as the largest regional fundraising event, and the boost it gives to the local hospitality economy. We look forward to the return of the event in March 2022”. Councillor Richard Samuel, acting leader of Bath & North East Somerset The Bath Half Marathon is the largest sporting and community event in the city and the largest charity fundraising event in the South-West raising £30 million pounds for charity in the 20 years since Running High Events took over management of the event. Cancellation of this year’s Bath Half will have a substantial impact on the event’s 140 charity partners who stand to lose around £2.5 million pounds this year in fundraising, at a time when demand on the charity sector and the cost of service delivery have both significantly increased, due to the COVID pandemic. “The Bath Half Marathon is an incredibly important event for local charities, not only in terms of fundraising – around £1 million pounds is raised each year for local charities within Bath & North East Somerset (out of a total of £2.5 million pounds raised by the event) – but also in raising public awareness of our work. The funds raised for local charities through the Bath Half are critical to our services in our community, and now with the challenges presented by the COVID-19 outbreak these funds are even more essential to keep our vital services going” Joint statement from local charities : Bath RUH Forever Friends Appeal, Dorothy House Hospice Care and Jamie’s Farm Events like the Bath Half provide an invaluable role in promoting physical fitness and an active lifestyle, a key to the recovery from the COVID pandemic. The Bath Half provides an inspiration and gateway into the UK’s most popular sport, enjoyed by 7.5 million regular runners in England, including 25,000 regular runners in the Bath area. It also provides a focus and motivation for regular runners, and a pathway for elite competition. “Studies have consistently shown that outdoor activities such as running are very low risk in terms of COVID-19 transmission, and that organised outdoor running events including parkrun are extremely safe with the correct measures in place. The overwhelming benefits of exercise and physical fitness, in reducing the risk of serious outcome from COVID-19 and a range of non-communicable diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer and dementia, plus mental health benefits, are well known. You can view the original announcement on the Bath Half website here.

Invest in Bath is the business arm of Bath & North East Somerset Council and offers useful information on the local talent, business support and networks, as well as exciting new opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors. Here is an overview of their latest opportunities: The NEW Employment and Skills Pod The Employment and Skills Pod is a community service recently launched to deliver a range of employment information, resources and training programmes using a variety of digital and physical channels to encourage our community to seek and attain work. Bath and North East Somerset residents can ring 0300 247 0050 to reach the Employment and Skills pod Mondays and Wednesdays, for the opportunity to talk to an adviser to assess individual digital and job-seeking barriers. Creative Business & Freelancer Grants – Now Open (closes 7th May). This will give creative businesses the funds and guidance needed to review business plans and explore new opportunities in response to the challenges presented by Covid-19. The business grants fund creative projects that support recovery and resilience, employ freelance creatives, engage local communities and advance diversity and inclusion. Grants will range from £5,000 to £10,000. Creative Freelancer Grants This will give freelancers the funds and guidance needed to adapt business plans and explore new opportunities in response to the challenges presented by the pandemic. The grant fund will give creative freelancers the opportunity to become more resilient by delivering a project over a time period of up to 6 months that will develop their own creative product, practice or service, in response to the pandemic. Grants will range from £1,000 – £3,000. Click here to find out more. Cultural and Creative Business Support Programme The Cultural and Creative Business Support Programme is a sector specific business support programme designed to build resilience and support change in response to Covid-19. This programme will support individuals and management teams to reformulate and adapt operating and financial models and business plans in response to current challenges. Expressions of interest are welcome for the grant now. The programme will be open to all sub sectors of the creative industries in May 2021. To find out more and express your interest in the grants or business support programme, click here. Community Recovery Fund The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) is inviting applications from voluntary and community organisations to help it deliver support for residents through a new fund, as a key part of the region’s recovery plan. WECA’s £1.4m Community Recovery Fund will help the most disadvantaged in community, including those who have suffered disproportionately as a result of Covid-19. The new £1.4m programme will support residents, groups and communities (including people with disabilities, young people, lone parents, women and people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities) who face the greatest risks and detrimental social, health or economic impacts from the pandemic. Find out more here. UK Community Renewal Fund The £220 million UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF) has been introduced by the government as additional funding for 2021/22 to support people and communities most in need across the UK. It also intends to help the UK move smoothly away from the EU Structural Fund Programme and is a pilot programme to prepare for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The fund is seeking to support “innovative responses to local challenges and local needs across the UK, spanning urban, rural and coastal areas. UKCRF will test greater integration of types of interventions and greater flexibility between investment themes. This includes removing barriers that people face in accessing skills and labour market opportunities, building the evidence base for future interventions and exploring the viability of new ideas.” WECA as lead authority for the fund in the region is required to gather applications from Local Authorities, Universities, Colleges, Third Sector organisations and others. Bids cannot be submitted for projects that benefit a single entity (for example a single business) and applicants are encouraged to maximise impact and deliverability through larger projects (£500,000+) where this is possible. Eligible projects must fall within the priority themes of: Investment in Skills Investment in Local Business Investment in Community and Place Supporting people into employment If you have an idea or would like to discuss this fund please contact the Invest in Bath team. Email: info@investinbath.co.uk SME Brexit Support Fund Now open for applications for businesses new to importing and exporting, small businesses can also apply for grants of up to £2,000 to help them adapt to new customs and tax rules when trading with the EU. The £20 million SME Brexit Support Fund enables traders to access practical support, including training for new customs, rules of origin and VAT processes. Click here for more information including details of how to apply. The Restart Grant Scheme The Restart Grant scheme supports businesses in the non-essential retail, hospitality, leisure, personal care and accommodation sectors with a one-off grant, to help them reopen safely as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. Grants are available from 1st April 2021 until 20th June 2021. Through this scheme, eligible businesses in the non-essential retail sector may be entitled to a one-off cash grant of up to £6,000 from their local council. More information available here. Additional Restriction Grants are currently in the process of being finalised and Invest in Bath will reopen the window for this shortly alongside the other WECA authorities. Payments will be made to existing applicants and there is a process for new applicants who will have a short 2-week window to apply. Find out more here. If you have any networking events you would like one of the Invest in Bath team to attend, please do let them know or if there is anything you would like them to promote please send it to info@investinbath.gov.uk

Residents across Bath and North East Somerset are being urged to take part in this year’s City Nature Challenge by recording all the nature and wildlife they can find over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend. The annual global event, which takes place in 400 cities, is a chance for people to contribute to a worldwide study of trees, plants and wildlife to help shape conservation efforts and support scientific research and land management. This year’s challenge takes place between Friday 30 April and Monday 3 May. Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services said: “Accurate information of what wildlife is on the increase and what is in decline is an important tool in helping to tackle the ecological emergency. Records for Bath and North East Somerset suggest some worrying trends with the numbers of some species falling sharply over the last twenty years. Other species though, like the Marsh Fritillary butterfly, have recently been rediscovered so this type of citizen science research is an effective way for people to have a big impact on scientific knowledge. “Anyone can get involved and you don’t need to be a wildlife expert; you can search your garden, street, local park, school grounds or carry out your observations as you stroll along footpaths in our wonderful countryside. When you look, I’m sure you’ll be amazed at what you find in your local area.” Last year, during the first lockdown, more than 8,500 observations were made across the region and this year it’s hoped residents will submit even more. As well as contributing to scientific research those taking part can also reap personal benefits. Becky Reynolds, Director of Public Health for Bath and North East Somerset, said: “Being outdoors and recording wildlife helps you be active, learn something, take notice, connect with others and give – the five ways to wellbeing.” You can join in the City Nature Challenge by downloading the iNaturalist app, taking a photo and recording what you see. The app will help you identify a species, so you don’t have to be an expert to take part. See it, snap it, share it – it’s that simple. Matt Postles, Deputy Chief Executive of The Natural History Consortium, which is organising the event in Bristol and Bath said: “The brilliant thing about the City Nature Challenge is that you can take part anywhere, whether it’s your local park, favourite green space, in your garden or on your balcony. “And it’s something that everyone can get involved in – you don’t have to be an expert, just be out and about over the four days of the Challenge sharing what you see. It’s an opportunity to contribute to a really important global study, as well as helping to support work taking place locally. The more we know the more we can to do support the natural world and make sure it thrives and survives alongside urban development. “Although there is an element of competition in the Challenge, with each city keen to win the accolade of recording the most observations, it’s also about collaboration, with everyone working together for a common aim – to map as much of the natural world as possible. We’re hoping to have a record number of people take part this year – sharing all they have learned about their local areas over the past year.” You can find out more about how to take part at: www.citynaturechallenge.org.uk The Natural History Consortium and Bathscape, the National Lottery Heritage Fund supported project aimed at reconnecting people with the natural landscape surrounding Bath, will be providing activities and self-guided resources to help residents during the challenge. To find out more follow them on social media. There is a free information / training session about City Nature Challenge on Friday 23 April, 3-4pm . To register visit : https://www.bnhc.org.uk/festival-of-nature-type/city-nature-challenge/

Residents and visitors to Bath are being advised by Bath & North East Somerset Council of a diversion on the Bristol to Bath towpath beginning on April 27 to allow major gas works at Bath Western Riverside. A 150m stretch of the towpath between Windsor Bridge and the Destructor Bridge will be closed until mid-December 2021. The works to reroute gas mains under Windsor Bridge and the towpath will be carried out by Wales & West Utilities to enable the progress of the city’s regeneration project. A purpose-built pedestrian and cycle route including a dedicated temporary cycle ramp will be installed to minimise disruption to towpath users. Signage will initially divert pedestrians and cyclists along Midland Rd to re-join the public highway at the Windsor Bridge/Upper Bristol Road crossing, ahead of the path and ramp being built which will allow users to re-join the highway at the same crossing. Following planning consent being granted, the WW2 memorial plaque on Windsor Bridge has been removed and placed in safe storage. It will be reinstated on the external facing of the newly constructed gas governor compound at the southern end of Windsor Bridge Rd upon completion of the works.

Bright Start Children’s Centre Services, in partnership with Family Action, Fareshare and Radstock Town Council, run weekly Food On Our Doorstep (FOOD) Clubs across Bath and North East Somerset. The 3 clubs provide local families, with children under 11yrs, a range of affordable food every week. They receive weekly produce from Fareshare who redistribute food from manufactures to people who need it the most. MEMBERSHIP SPACES ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR ALL 3 CLUBS; - Keynsham Children Centre - Weekly Thursday afternoon, 2pm-4pm 65 West View Rd, Keynsham, Bristol, BS31 2UE Tel:01225 395400 - Mulberry Park, Combe Down - Weekly Friday morning, 10-12pm Mulberry Park, Mulberry Way, Combe Down, Bath BA2 5BU - Radstock Children Centre and Library - Weekly Friday afternoon, 1.30pm-3.30pm Church Street, Radstock, BA3 3QG Tel: 01225 396660 To join the food club (please see registration form here) Families must meet criteria A and either B, C, D, E or F A: I/we live or work within 15 minutes of the club and have a child under 11yrs. [They need PHOTO ID (eg Passport, Driving Licence) and proof of residency (e.g. Phone or Utility Bill) or headed paper from employer or Copy of payslip or Photo ID (Proof of work)] B: We receive free school meals or access Early Years 2 year funding C: I/we have recently been made unemployed or have loss of income D: I/we have been referred to the scheme by a Family Support Worker or another agency. E: I/we have: claimed asylum in the UK and awaiting decision, or been refused asylum, or leave to remain with ‘no recourse to public funds’ on family or private life grounds or the right to live in the UK as the main carer of a British citizen (‘Zambrano Carer’) F: Exceptional circumstances – please detail: There is a £1 annual membership and for only £3.50 the families will receive £15 worth of shopping and there will be a range of different foods on offer. If you are working with families who may be interested, please complete and return the registration form here and they will make contact to explain more.

As part of their 5 Million Futures programme, Deloitte is looking to apply the skills they use every day with their clients to help charities build back from the impact of the pandemic. In the form of up to two hours of free coaching support for charities, SMEs or social enterprises who have been hardest hit by the pandemic. Please note, the deadline for this opportunity is this Friday 23rd April. Specifically, this is an opportunity for a charity or social enterprise to have up to two hours free coaching with Deloitte staff on: - Problem-solving through collaborative brainstorming: where you will be assigned a team of volunteers with a range of skills and experiences to tackle some of your business challenges (a one-off, 2-hour session); or - Financial planning session: where you will be teamed up with a Deloitte employee who will share their expertise to help improve your organisation's financial planning (2 x 40-minute sessions); or - Leading through COVID: the opportunity for a CEO or Senior Leader in a one-to-one coaching session with a Deloitte Partner or Director on the challenges of leading through COVID-19 (a one-off 2-hour session) How to take part? There are a limited number of opportunities, offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so please do share with your members to sign up promptly now. Step one - Play the video attached to find out more about this exciting virtual coaching opportunity. Step two - Click on this link to register for the virtual coaching sessions, selecting which topics you would like to work through with the Deloitte volunteers, and fill in when you are available in May. - Please remember to keep a hold in your diary for these slots and notify us if your availability changes. - Once we have received all your details we will be able to match you with a volunteer. Please allow for at least one week for this matching process. Step three - You will get an email confirming your session and time, followed by a reminder a week before you are due to meet with your very own Deloitte volunteer(s). You will also be sent a discussion guide a week in advance of the booking, showing how the sessions will be structured and how to get the best out of them.

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Hootsuite - a platform that enables you to schedule and plan your social media activity - has announced it is reducing its free plan. This means that if you want to keep using Hootsuite but don’t want to sign up to a paid plan, you can now only connect two social media accounts (previously five) and schedule five posts (previously 30). Many small charities rely on Hootsuite’s free plan to manage their social media activity and this reduction will have a big impact on how they use social media. If you are one of those charities and are wondering where to go next, our national partner NAVCA have pulled together various alternative options below which you might want to look at. No recommendations – just facts. Agorapulse Free plan? Yes and paid plans Number of free scheduled posts: 40 per month Platforms covered: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest Buffer Free plan? Yes, and paid plans Number of free scheduled posts: 10 Platforms covered: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest Canva – content planner Free plan? No – the Canva free plan does not include the content planner Number of free scheduled posts: None Platforms covered: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Slack and Tumblr Content Cal Free plan? Yes and they offer a charity discount Number of free scheduled posts: 50 Platforms covered: Tons – depends on package Facebook Creator Studio Free plan? Yes, all free Number of free scheduled posts: unlimited Platforms covered: Facebook Later Free plan? Yes and paid plans Number of free scheduled posts: 30 per profile Platforms covered: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest Lightful Free plan? Yes and paid plans Number of free scheduled posts: unlimited but for two social accounts Platforms covered: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Loomly Free plan? No but they offer a 50% charity discount Number of free scheduled posts: None Platforms covered: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn Publer Free plan? Yes, and paid plans Number of free scheduled posts: 10 per social media account and 5 social media accounts Platforms covered: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest Smarterqueue Free plan? No but a 50% charity discount and a free trial Number of free scheduled posts: None Platforms covered: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest Tweetdeck Free plan? Yes, all free Number of free scheduled posts: unlimited Platforms covered: Twitter (it’s owned by Twitter) Twitter – desktop version Free plan? Yes, all free Number of free scheduled posts: unlimited Platforms covered: Twitter Also, Hootsuite do offer a 50% discount for charities (having hiked their prices up last year). So, if you did want to stay or go with them this could be an option for you. This blog was written by Lucy Straker, Policy and Communications Manager at NAVCA. Thanks to everyone who contributed. You can chat with her on Twitter - @Lucy_NAVCA.

As part of their 5 Million Futures programme, Deloitte is looking to apply the skills they use every day with their clients to help charities build back from the impact of the pandemic. In the form of up to two hours of free coaching support for charities, SMEs or social enterprises who have been hardest hit by the pandemic. Please note, the deadline for this opportunity is this Friday 23rd April. Specifically, this is an opportunity for a charity or social enterprise to have up to two hours free coaching with Deloitte staff on: - Problem-solving through collaborative brainstorming: where you will be assigned a team of volunteers with a range of skills and experiences to tackle some of your business challenges (a one-off, 2-hour session); or - Financial planning session: where you will be teamed up with a Deloitte employee who will share their expertise to help improve your organisation's financial planning (2 x 40-minute sessions); or - Leading through COVID: the opportunity for a CEO or Senior Leader in a one-to-one coaching session with a Deloitte Partner or Director on the challenges of leading through COVID-19 (a one-off 2-hour session) How to take part? There are a limited number of opportunities, offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so please do share with your members to sign up promptly now. Step one - Play the video attached to find out more about this exciting virtual coaching opportunity. Step two - Click on this link to register for the virtual coaching sessions, selecting which topics you would like to work through with the Deloitte volunteers, and fill in when you are available in May. - Please remember to keep a hold in your diary for these slots and notify us if your availability changes. - Once we have received all your details we will be able to match you with a volunteer. Please allow for at least one week for this matching process. Step three - You will get an email confirming your session and time, followed by a reminder a week before you are due to meet with your very own Deloitte volunteer(s). You will also be sent a discussion guide a week in advance of the booking, showing how the sessions will be structured and how to get the best out of them.

IT’S what every four-year-old wants for their birthday – a brand new shiny bicycle. Bath charity Share and Repair will launch their new cargo bike on Thursday 22 April, the fourth anniversary of the project, and take it for a festive circuit of the city complete with a birthday banner, party hats and a giant bow. The bike will allow the charity to reach more people in all parts of Bath with their repair and lending services. It was paid for by local supporters with match funding from Bath and North East Somerset Council and the LocalGiving platform. Founder and organiser, Lorna Montgomery, said: “We tried out using a borrowed cargo bike during lockdown and had a fantastic response from the public. It proved to be a lifeline for those who were shielding, because we could collect, fix and return a much-needed kitchen item like a broken kettle. Or drop off and pick up a projector for a lockdown movie night, a sewing machine to keep busy or a power tool for essential DIY. “Having the bike will reduce car journeys into the city and the struggle to find parking. We hope it will make borrowing and fixing just as easy as ordering something new from a big website, but with much less impact on the planet. “We are so grateful to everyone who responded to our appeal last autumn, and to BANES Council and LocalGiving for matching the donations made. It is the best birthday present for our young and energetic charity - we know it will make a big difference to our work and those we work with. “We’ve been trialling the new bike over the past few weeks, and it always turns heads. That’s before it had the big birthday banner, bow and party hats, so we are really looking forward to taking it out today around the city to celebrate our anniversary! I’m sure it will raise a few smiles wherever we go!” Share and Repair have invited the public to join in the birthday fun by spotting the bike around town and share a picture on social media with the hashtag #ShareBike for the chance to win a free loan from their party and event selection. Share and Repair is a volunteer-led registered charity. Further information is available at: www.shareandrepair.org.uk On Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ShareRepairBath

The local charity 'Wesport' have provided some useful resources and are keen to hear from organisations wanting to embed a more active lifestyle into the workplace. With Covid restrictions starting to relax and many companies thinking about returning to the office or considering hybrid options, now is the time to really support the wellbeing of all staff and instil healthy workplace habits. Those who are active, have a lower risk of depression, anxiety and stress and physical activity helps to reduce symptoms and manage existing conditions Physical Activity in the workplace programmes have been shown to reduce absence by 20% The Return on Investment for Physical Activity in the workplace programmes is a £34 return for every £1 invested. Workplace morale, teamwork and concentration are improved by physical activity and sport. Sport England have recently launched an Active Employee Toolkit to help embed activity into the workplace and the Workplace Movement Platform gives you a clear framework and provides support and resources. Lisa from Wesport would be happy to arrange a quick 15 min chat to hear about your organisations wider approach to staff wellbeing and see if there is anything they can help with. You can email her at: Lisa.Wood@wesport.org.uk One way in which they could support is by running workplace wellbeing training sessions or helping you set up an organisational physical activity and mental health action plan, through their Sport England endorsed platform.

As Covid rules ease, you might be thinking about how to bring your community together again safely. That’s why the Co-perate team have put together a range of how to guides that can help. They’re full of tips and ideas to grow your community group or activity. Created in partnership with people who organise activities in communities. Read their latest guide: How to create a gardening group covers how to set up your group, find a space and keep growing. Their other guides cover how to: fund your activity promote your activity find volunteers plan your activity find a venue

We Care Home Improvements are delighted to announce the appointment of Rick Sturge as Chair. He takes over from Dr Robin Means who steps down after 5 years to focus on his role as Chair of Care & Repair England. Rick is a Chartered Accountant who has spent 35 years working in senior executive roles with a number of leading professional services firms. as well as having experience in all senior operational roles, he is also a business transformation specialist having advised and worked with businesses, in all sectors, and Governments across the world. He decided to take partial retirement three years ago to be able to undertake some private business consulting work, interesting project work and community / charity support work in the west of England region. In addition to his current role as Chief Financial Officer Grafton LSR Ltd (Bloodhound Land Speed Record Project) he has several voluntary positions and is currently a Member of West of England Civil Authority Recovery Taskforce, Chairman of Business in the Community for the Southwest region, a Member of Board of Governors for South Gloucestershire & Stroud College, a member of the advisory board for the Bristol Business School, and a visiting Professor at the University of West of England. In joining WECHI, Rick brings with him a strong network across the world of business, the education sector, the public sector and the third sector and wants to do as much as he can to harness help and support to charities and community-based groups in the southwest region. Rick said: "My motivation these days is to ensure we mobilise the collective strength of all parts of society as a powerful collective force in driving regional vibrancy. Business, Government, education and the third sector working in collaborative harmony is vital if we are to make society a better and fairer place. The pandemic has ignited a fresh sense of individual and corporate social consciousness and a key focus area moving forward needs to be to ensure we can better support and properly look after older members of society. This is why I am so impressed by the work organisations like WECHI undertake and I am delighted and proud to be taking over from Robin as Chair and looking forward to becoming more actively involved with the organisation." Kevin Snowball CEO said: "We are delighted that Rick has joined We Care Home Improvements as Chair and are looking forward to working with him to develop new collaborative relationships and to promote the vital work that WECHI does to enable older and disabled people to live independently in their own homes for as long as they choose."

Following an announcement by the government, from April 2021, the value of the Healthy Start food vouchers will increase from £3.10 to £4.25. When will beneficiaries start to receive the £4.25 vouchers? From April 2021, beneficiaries will receive their increased value vouchers. Will beneficiaries still get two vouchers for children aged under one? Yes, the number of vouchers received per child or pregnancy has not changed. Pregnant women receive one voucher each week (£4.25) Babies under one year old get two vouchers each week (£8.50 in total) Children aged from one to four years get one voucher a week (£4.25). Are there any changes in the food that can be purchased? No. However, as of 1 October 2020, tinned fruit and vegetables and fresh, dried or tinned pulses that are free from added fat, salt, sugar or flavourings were added to the eligible items able to be purchased with the Healthy Start vouchers. Will beneficiaries still get a vitamins voucher? Yes, the way vitamins are claimed has not changed. What will happen when beneficiaries move onto a payment card? Will they get £4.25 on the card? Those who move over to a payment card will also receive the increased amount of £4.25. The increased payments to cards will start at the same time as the paper vouchers are distributed. If beneficiaries are taking part in the Healthy Start beta and have a payment card, will they also receive £4.25? Yes, they will also receive the increased amount of £4.25. The increased payments will start at the same time as the paper vouchers are distributed. Can beneficiaries use the older £3.10 and new £4.25 vouchers at the same time? Yes, if their £3.10 voucher(s) is still valid they can use both together. Promotional materials If you wish to promote the NHS Healthy Start voucher value increase, you can download materials here. If you have any queries regarding any of the promotional materials please contact nhsbsa.healthystartdigital@nhs.net Paper copies of the application form can be ordered online so these can be handed out to families.

A group is being formed in Bath with the intention of setting up a Climate Emergency Centre in the City Centre. This is based on a national model which uses a specific type of short-term lease and funding mechanism to establish a centre in an empty property. This can then be used for a wide range of activities and projects aimed at supporting people to develop resilience and share green ideas and resources. Their first step is to get together with a small number of interested and enthusiastic people for an initial meeting to gauge interest, share the model and discuss the principles and an outline vision. They intend to hold the first meeting at the beginning of May on Zoom. The provisional date for this is Weds 5th May at 6pm. If any organisation or individual is interested in being part of the initiating group to see if they can make this model work in Bath and would like to find out more, then please email them at: bathcec@gmail.com The group is also hosting a gazebo once a month in Kingsmead Square to help promote green ideas and interact with the public. The last one was on Saturday 24th April 2021 (10am – 3pm). Any groups or individuals wishing to take part or explore the above ideas will be most welcome to come along to these events.

A brand new fund has been made available for thousands of grassroots clubs and organisations that use sport for social good! The fund is providing over £4million worth of funding and is being offered by Made by Sport and supported by Cash4Clubs, Funding will be made available for eligible grassroots sports clubs and organisations through the local Community Foundations. In order to be eligible, clubs must provide clear evidence of how they use sport to help young people develop life skills, employment opportunities, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour or tackle mental health issues. To get involved with the #ClubsInCrisis Fund, follow the three steps outlined on their website here. You can also watch the video below to find out more about the Clubs In Crisis Fund.

London Marathon organisers and the family of the late Captain Sir Tom Moore have launched a major fundraising challenge event to mark what would have been his 101st birthday. They are inviting people to take part in The Captain Tom 100 by coming up with challenges based on the number 100 to raise money for the Captain Tom Foundation or a charity of their choice over the early May bank holiday weekend from 30 April to 3 May. The challenge was announced a year to the day after Second World War veteran Captain Tom Moore began his own challenge to raise money for NHS Charities Together by walking 100 laps of his garden before he turned 100. His efforts caught the public and media attention and raised £38.9m including Gift Aid. In a statement, London Marathon organisers said participants in The Captain Tom 100 were encouraged to take part however they wanted, “whether it’s walking 100 steps or running 100 metres, scoring 100 goals, baking 100 cakes, climbing 100 stairs, hopping 100 laps of the garden or park, building 100 sandcastles, writing a 100-word poem, telling 100 people ‘tomorrow will be a good day’, flipping 100 pancakes – anything at all, inside or outside (but in line with current government social distancing guidelines)". Participants will be invited to share their challenge on social media using #CaptainTom100. Hannah Ingram-Moore, Moore’s daughter, said: “We are so grateful for the incredible support we have received since my father started his record-breaking fundraising walk and that his message of hope was shared with the world. “Captain Tom was very proud to be able to leave behind the growing legacy of his Foundation and the Captain Tom 100 feels like the perfect way to celebrate the hope and joy we know he inspired in so many. “He would have loved the idea that everyone could get involved and that together we would ensure that ‘tomorrow will be a good day’. We look forward to celebrating with you and seeing how you do the Captain Tom 100 – your way.” The event echoes the 2.6 Challenge, which London Marathon organisers ran last year on the weekend when the marathon was due to take place before it was postponed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, where participants were invited to undertake a fundraising activity based around the numbers 2.6 or 26. That event raised £11m for 4,000 charities and broke the record as the largest collective fundraising effort to date. More information can be found here. This news article was taken from Third Sector & written by Rebecca Cooney.

As a trustee, your charity relies on your leadership to help it fulfil its purpose and its legal responsibilities. But could there be better ways of doing things? In these challenging and uncertain times, charities need to feel confident they’re getting things right. That’s why the Charity Commission has launched a set of simple, 5-minute guides, designed to help trustees provide the best possible oversight to their charity. These guides cover five key aspects of charity management. Brushing up on your knowledge of these areas is a simple, practical way to ensure the time you devote to your charity is well spent. They explain the basics of: • financial oversight • achieving your charity’s purposes • good decision making • addressing conflicts of interest • what to file with the Commission and the support available Whether you’re a new trustee or more experienced, the 5-minute guides are designed to help you with the questions and problems you may face. You’ll find them at gov.uk/charitytrusteeguides

Backed by a massive marketing campaign, Bath Life Awards has has sold out every year. Businesses & Charities can nominate themselves in one or more of the 22 categories – the winners are chosen by a panel of independent and impartial judges. The Awards are organised by MediaClash, publishers of Bath Life, Bristol Life and magazines for Cardiff and Exeter. Nominations: The deadline is Thursday 13 May. Please don’t leave it until the last minute. Full details here. Once completed please submit via the website or you can send your nomination form and supporting material directly to Liam. There are just seven questions to complete and submit, and you could be in with a chance of winning at the uberglam ceremony on 9 September. Whether you're a first time entrant, previous winner, tiniest of new companies, largest of corporates, advertiser in Bath Life or never advertised – absolutely anyone can win! Finalists: The Finalists will be unveiled on the Grand Reveal Day of 19 May – keep an eye on email, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, our website and of course in Bath Life itself.

Discover life in Bath but not as you know it. Listen, watch and read stories from citizens of Bath. Gain a unique insight into how the pandemic, racism and the climate & ecological crisis are shaping life in Bath. Together, let’s dream of a city that is not just beautiful, but also kinder, more inclusive, and exists in balance with nature. Inspired by the protest stories heard on the streets of Bath, Dream Space convened over one hundred Bath citizens to listen and share stories of the three defining issues of our time: The Covid-19 pandemic – the climate & ecological crisis – racism. More than fifty stories were shared, expressed through poetry, song, spoken word and free form-reflections. Our exhibition brings them to you through a series of short films, podcast episodes and stories gallery. EXPLORE THE EXHIBITION NOW Watch the short film series below: Living in a climate & ecological emergency The third film in the Dream Space short film series - featuring some of the fascinating and inspiring stories shared at our Climate gathering in November 2020, and revealing what it's like to live in a climate & ecological emergency, and what a greener future could look like here in Bath. Don’t bring this to our city’ - Experiences of racism in Bath Edited by Dan Martin, and featuring some of the powerful and inspiring stories shared with Dream Space, this short film explores experiences of racism in Bath, and how we can create a more inclusive city. Community is Immunity The first in the Dream Space short film series, revealing how the pandemic is shaping lives in Bath, and how this great pause gives us the opportunity to create a brighter future for the city and its people. Edited by Dan Martin.