On Wednesday 25th October we at Community & Voluntary Services Cheshire East will be holding our annual Funding & Governance Conference (FGC). The conference will be tailored for charities, non profits, community and faith groups of all sizes across Cheshire East and to those starting up in the near future.
The FGC will feature a diverse range of expert lead seminars and workshops on key topics in support of running and developing your organisation, and delivering services. The FGC also includes a 'Meet the Funder' event where representatives from funding bodies (both local and national) will be in attendance and available to meet with you one to one to answer your questions directly, helping you to find new funding sources and improve your bids potential for success.
CVS Cheshire East also provides a 'Funding Bid Read through Service' for our members, delivering expert support all year round (email advice@cvsce.org.uk for details).
The full programme of events and conference details will be confirmed over the coming weeks and will made available on this page. The FGC is free to attend but places are limited so be sure to book early to avoid disappointment.
CVS Cheshire East AGM
Seminars & Speakers
Meet the Funder
Booking Terms & Conditions
Location, Parking & Transport links
The conference will also host this years CVS Cheshire East AGM. During the AGM we will be reviewing the past 12 months and sharing our plans for the future. We are also really pleased to announce that we will be launching our logo and visual identity at the AGM.
If you are unable to attend our AGM you can ask a fellow member (or one of our Trustees) to act as your proxy and vote on your behalf. To do this you will need to complete this form and either return it to us or your proxy can provide it at the AGM.
At each AGM 1/3 of our Trustee Board must stand down.
At this AGM CVS Cheshire East Board of Trustees recommends that:
The following nominees are suitable for election for Trustee positions
· Geoff Etherington – Member Trustee
· Martyn Hulme – Co-opted Trustee
The following Trustees will be standing down at this AGM.
· Bill Gregory Member Trustee
· Fatima Perriman Member Trustee
With the resignations above there remains potential 5 vacant places on the Trustee Board 3 for Trustees representing the Membership and 2 Co-opted Trustees. To apply for one of these positions please visit here
For a full set of our accounts please click here
The Funding & Governance Conference will feature a diverse range of expert lead seminars and workshops, on key subjects in support of running and developing your organisation, and the delivery of services.
Seminars will include:
Evaluating Outcomes
By: Professor Pauline Ong, Keele University
In this seminar Pauline will discuss the importance of evaluating services so that benefits to clients' quality of life can be determined, and how evidence of the value of specific provisions can be collected. She will give real life examples, and provide pointers as to how to design evaluations that are practical and do-able with limited resources.
Pauline BN Ong is Emerita Professor of Health Services Research at Keele University. She has been a Non-executive Director and Chair at various NHS Trusts, a Trustee at Age UK Cheshire and Chair of the End of Life Partnership. She has carried out many evaluations of services in the public and third sector.
Managing volunteers in difficult situations
By: Alex Major, CVS Cheshire East
How do we managing difficult situation with volunteers? Discussions from real life case studies and what practical tips can we use to ensure a positive resolution for all involved. Followed by what is gained by having clear policies and procedures in place for support to reduce problems in the future.
Bio - Alex has worked in the voluntary sector for 23 years, 17 of which were at Age UK Cheshire managing many staff and volunteer teams and developing new and innovative services for communities across Cheshire and the North West.
Getting Your Voice Heard
By: Louise Daniels, JSNA Engagement, CVS Cheshire East
Your Voice’ session:
The session will also:
Bio - Louise Daniels is part of the ‘representation’ team at CVS Cheshire East, and has worked for the organisation in a wide variety of roles for more than 20 years. She helps to gather issues and concerns from VCFS organisations, and then to facilitate responses, answers, and solutions from decision-makers , the local authority and other statutory agencies.
Louise is currently the Community JSNA Coordinator, and works with VCFS organisations to research the health and wellbeing needs of local communities, and to provide commissioners with information and data to help them address needs and fill gaps in services.
Negotiating and Managing Effective Contracts
By: Mark Johnson, Elderflower Legal
In a tough funding environment marked by constant change and disruption, effective contracts can be the lifeblood of a charity or community enterprise. This session will explore the ingredients for a successful contract and how to manage change during its lifetime.
The session will cover:
Health & Safety Responsibilities in the Voluntary Sector
By: Jim Benson, McCormack Benson, Health and Safety Consultants
This seminar will cover:
Bio - Jim Benson is a director of MBHS Permanent member of the British Safety Council 25 years working in health & safety. Wide ranging experience including working with organisations in the charity sector MBHS (McCormack Benson Health and Safety). MBHS was formed in 2003. They offer health and safety consultancy, compliance & training services with nationwide coverage. Also supply a wide range of health and safety related surveying, certification and testing services at competitive prices under the MBHS Safety Plus banner.
Accounting and Reporting
Who reads it anyway? We consider how reporting to members and others could be improved.
By: Liz Hudson
All constituted organisations, regardless of their size, are required to report to their members and in some cases to others, such as regulators. But does what we prepare meet the requirements? And do our members and other readers understand it? We consider the elements of good practice in presenting accounts and reports, looking at examples from organisations of various sizes and types.
Bio - Liz Hudson ACA has worked in the public, private and voluntary sectors and has held many volunteer roles, including that of treasurer of a registered charity. As a former member of CVSCE's group development team she is very familiar with the challenges faced by committees and trustee boards, especially in financial matters. Liz also acts as independent examiner to a number of charities and voluntary organisations. She is a currently a trustee of two local charities.
Identifying and Managing Organisational Risk
By: Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie - Cheshire without Abuse
This workshop will cover the basics of organisational risk management, from identifying and responding to risk to understanding your responsibilities for risk management in the voluntary, community and faith sector (VCFS). Participants will consider the risks for their own organisation or project using a risk management template and will be introduced to the CWA Risk Management Framework as an example of how to safely manage and prepare for risk.
Cheshire Without Abuse: As a local domestic abuse charity, Cheshire Without Abuse (CWA) operates in a high risk field and has a strong track record of managing client risk. Over the past three years CWA has applied this expertise to the management of organisation risk, working with Lloyds Bank to develop a Risk Management Framework that can be applied to any size of organisation or group.
Bio - Saskia is the Chief Executive of CWA with over twenty years’ experience of working in infrastructure with small local VCFS organisations and almost twenty five years specialising in domestic abuse.
Brexit and its impact on the VCSE Sector
Andy Churchill, Network for Europe
This seminar will cover:
• FUNDING - Impact on current programme and what might replace ESF/ERDF
• SOCIAL IMPACT - What issues are being generated that VCSE might need to respond to?
• REGULATORY CHANGE - What changes might Brexit make to the regulatory framework that currently exists, e.g. procurement, environmental legislation
• WHAT MIGHT BREXIT MEAN FOR YOUR ORGANISATION? What do VCSE organisations need to start thinking about and planning for?
Network For Europe Network for Europe has been operating since 1986, and exists to support the Third Sector with the European Programmes, in particular the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Regional Development Fund. It does this through Information, Representation and Strategy. It is working in partnership with CVS CE on a project to involve the Sector in ESF funding in Cheshire and Warrington.
Bio - Andy Churchill has been involved in European Funding for several decades and welcomes the £3bn for England in the current ESF programme, part of which is to be used to support inclusion at a local level. He is involved at local, national and European level, including some participation in discussions around a potential new fund for when the current ESF is spent, and supporting the European developments which will make the funds very much simpler to operate
Funding: More Than Grants – Considering the Income Spectrum
Heidi Bibby, Development Officer, CVS Cheshire East
As grants become more difficult to find, organisations need to look at other simple ways to find funding for their services. We will be considering the ‘Income Spectrum’ on this whistle stop tour of alternative funding streams for the voluntary sector. This is ideal for any organisation which would like to develop alternative funding options.
Bio - Heidi has worked in the VCS since 2001 and at CVS Cheshire East for the last 6 years. Heidi is a Development Officer whose specialism is developing the training programme at CVS Cheshire East. She has worked with a number of groups on successful grant and funding bids including larger funders such as Reaching Communities. She has a BA (Hons) Open in Creative Writing, Children’s Literature & Childhood. She enjoys working to help organisations develop and grow their projects and loves seeing the results of their hard work.
Data Protection – Everything You Need to Know.. But Were Afraid to Ask
By: Mark Johnson, Elderflower Legal
Recent high profile scandals and fines have thrown the spotlight on the misuse of donors’ and service users’ personal data. In May 2018, the new General Data Protection Regulation will introduce even stricter controls and penalties for noncompliance.
This practical session will explore: -
Bio - Mark is a dual-qualified solicitor and chartered company secretary with over 23 years’ experience of advising charities, social enterprises and SMEs on corporate structures, contracts and partnerships in the fields of health and social care, education, offender rehabilitation, environment and energy, sports and culture. He helps clients comply with regulations and red tape, manage risk, secure funding and navigate public tenders. Mark provides Boards with peace of mind through an outsourced company secretarial service. He sits on the Board of several local not for profits and holds the IoD Diploma in company direction. Find out more at elderflowerlegal.co.uk. Tel: 01625 260577
Full outlines of the seminar's below and bios of each the speakers to follow in the near future:
Here is your chance to explore new funding avenues and improve your orgainisation's funding bids chances of success by having your questions answered directly by representitives from these local and national funding bodies:
Places are free but limited to 2 per organisation. You will, however, be charged an administration fee if you do not attend the event or cancel your booking after 5 p.m on Friday 20th October 2017. Your organisation will be invoiced £20 per person.
This years conference is kindly being hosted by South Cheshire College. (Dane Bank Avenue, Crewe CW2 8AB)
On site parking is free, with plenty of spaces as the conference is being held during half term.
By Bus
The closest bus stop to South Cheshire College is the 'Somerville Street' stop on Nantwich Road (CW2 6PF) serviced by the number 84 Bus followed by a 5min walk into campus via Dane Bank Ave or Sommerville Street.
The 84 bus runs: Crewe - Willaston - Nantwich - Tarporley - Chester.
Traveling from Macclesfield, Congleton and Sandbach.
Take the 38 bus into Crewe and alight at the 'Brunswick' stop on Nantwich Road (CW2 6AL) followed by a 15min walk along Nantwich Road turning right onto Somerville Street.
Traveling from Winsford, Middlewich and Sandbach.
Take the 37 bus into Crewe and alight at the 'Brunswick' stop on Nantwich Road (CW2 6AL) followed by a 15min walk along Nantwich Road turning right onto Somerville Street.