New Funding Source Open for Groups in Merthyr Tydfil

Money raised from the Health Lottery is available to groups in South Wales, including Merthyr Tydfil.  For more information click here

Relaunch of Merthyr Tydfil Borough Credit Union Payroll Deduction Scheme

Merthyr Tydfil Borough Credit Union would like to invite businesses & organisations to the ‘Re-launch of MTBCU’s Payroll Deduction Scheme & Business Networking Morning’.

The morning will be a chance for businesses and organisations to learn about the fantastic free Payroll Deduction Scheme that MTBCU runs in the local Borough to benefit employees in the workplace. You’ll also learn about the important work the Credit Union does for the community. It will additionally be an opportunity for businesses to network with one another.

The event will take place in The Orbit Centre, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 1DL, on Thursday 29th March, 9:00am-10:30am.

Breakfast & Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP to lewis@mtbcu.org.uk & inform us of any dietary requirements. We look forward to welcoming everyone to the event.

Employee Volunteers from EE looking for an opportunity next week

EE has 9 people looking to undertake some voluntary work next Monday 26 February.  They are willing to give 10 hours to take the opportunity to give something back to the community and are open to any suggestions.

If you can help, please contact lee.hartshorn    07495623260

Job Vacancy - Drink Wise Age Well

Further information is available here

The PCC Victims Fund has been launched for a third year and is now open for applications

The fund awards grants ranging from £5000 to £30000 to third sector organisations who deliver services and support to victims of crime in South Wales.

Officers and staff are encouraged to share this information with any relevant charities or community groups they might be involved with, through work or in a personal capacity. Also please consider sharing on social media the links and posts from the PCC, SWP and/or Community Foundation in Wales.

To access the application form and guidance documents for the 2018 Victims Fund, visit the Community Foundation in Wales website

Closing date for applications is the 6th April.

If anyone would like any further information please get in touch.

Wendy Evans

Arweinydd Prosiect ar gyfer Gwasanaethau Dioddefwyr/Project Lead for Victim Services

Comisiynydd yr Heddlu a Throseddu De Cymru / Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales

E-bost / E-mail: wendy.evans@south-wales.pnn.police.uk

Ffôn/ Phone: 01656 869366  Est/Int 70342 Mob: 07811166851

Postcode Community Trust Launches First Round of Community Grants Programme for 2018

http://www.postcodecommunitytrust.org.uk/applying-for-a-grant

The People’s Postcode Community Trust was established in 2014 to support marginalised groups in obtaining the skills and resources to effect change in their own communities. The Trust operates its own society lottery and receives all of its funding from players of People's Postcode Lottery.
The Trust provides short-term, designated funding for new projects, or significant expansions of existing projects, in Great Britain.
This year, the Trust will consider projects which improve health and wellbeing through:

• Grassroots sports, arts and recreation projects that improve health and wellbeing.
• Projects that improve the health of communities, through, for example, first aid courses, befriending, counselling or reducing isolation.

The projects can be up to 12 months in length.
Grants range from £500 to £20,000. Only registered charities can apply for grants of up to £20,000. The maximum grant for groups that are not formally registered as a charity is £2,000.
There is a two-stage application process.

The deadline for expressions of interest is 28 February 2018.

GDPR (Data Protection changes) Awareness Session 14 March

You may be aware that the way organisations gather and store information on individuals is changing from 25 May 2018. The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) expands the rights of individuals to control how their personal information is collected and processed, and places a range of new obligations on organisations to be more accountable for data protection.

Do you know how this change will affect your organisation?

VAMT is holding a short awareness raising session for voluntary groups to raise awareness of how the changes will affect us all.

It takes place at the Voluntary Action Centre on 14 March between 3:00pm and 4:30pm.

Email training@vamt.net to book a place

PCC Victims Fund open for applications

The PCC Victims Fund has been launched for a third year and is now open for applications.

The fund awards grants ranging from £5000 to £30000 to third sector organisations who deliver services and support to victims of crime in South Wales.

To access the application form and guidance documents for the 2018 Victims Fund, visit the Community Foundation in Wales website 

Closing date for applications is the 6th April.

New Offer from Local Giving

 Localgiving has a new offer for charitable groups in Wales. We have been offering 250 groups a free year of help with online fundraising and £200 Wales match funding, as well as national match funding campaigns throughout the year. All of these 250 free spaces were used up by the end of November, but we had a number of groups still showing interest or who were close to completing registration. 

 

We are currently doing an offer of 20 places for Wales groups, which gives them 25% off the membership cost and still the £200 of Wales match funding. Here is some more detail about this offer:

•  £200 of match funding, to double the first £200 of donations made to the group via Localgiving
• 25% off a 12 month Localgiving membership (pay just £72 instead of £96)
• Automated Gift Aid for all groups, whether registered charities or not (an extra 25% on top of donations)
• Free friendly support from trained fundraisers
• Automatic inclusion in national match funding campaigns to boost fundraising

 This offer is limited and will end when all 20 places have been claimed - there are still 17 places left at the moment.

 

To take advantage of the offer, groups simply need to enter the promotional code WALES72 in the payment section when they register here: join.localgiving.org

 

If you require any further information contact Lauren Swain, Wales Development Manager  lauren@localgiving.org

Inform March Edition

The closing date for the March edition of Inform, VAMT's hard copy magazine, is 23 February 2018.  If you've anything you'd like to share with the rest of the third sector in Merthyr Tydfil, we'll be more than happy to include it.

We've still got the Focus On . . .slot available, so if you'd like to share information about your organisation and what you do, let us know.  Articles of about 300 words together with JPEG logos and high resolution photos should be sent to  Hilary.Edwards 

We look forward to hearing from you.

GDPR (Data Protection) Changes - Are you a member of VAMT?

Due to forthcoming changes in Data Protection legislation, VAMT will no longer be able to keep information on voluntary organisations who are not members.  If you still want to receive information from us, please check on the link to find out if you're a member or not. 

A membership form is available in English or Welsh     Please return completed forms to Laura.Johnson

NEW - FREE Training from VAMT and Interlink

As part of it's LEADER funded Digital Support Project within the 9 rural wards in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf (Vaynor, Cyfarthfa, Plymouth, Merthyr Vale, Treharris, Bedlinog, Maerdy, Ynysybwl and Rhigos), VAMT and Interlink are able to offer a free package of training: Peer Mentoring, Adults at Risk and Writing Better Bids.

The first "package" will be delivered during March - for further information click here

Cynllun Grant Canmlwyddiant y Bleidlais i Fenywod – ‘Dathlu Menywod yng Nghymru’ / Women’s Suffrage Centenary Grant Scheme - ‘Celebrating Women in Wales’

Cynllun Grant Canmlwyddiant y Bleidlais i Fenywod – ‘Dathlu Menywod yng Nghymru’

O dan Gynllun Grant Canmlwyddiant y Bleidlais i Fenywod, byddwn yn darparu grantiau o rhwng £500 a £20,000 i sefydliadau trydydd sector, sefydliadau cymunedol a grwpiau cymunedol, ar gyfer prosiectau a/neu ddigwyddiadau a fydd yn nodi’r canmlwyddiant.

Am fanylion am y cynllun grant, ewch i: http://gov.wales/topics/people-and-communities/equality-diversity/centenary-grant-scheme/?skip=1&lang=cy

Women’s Suffrage Centenary Grant Scheme - ‘Celebrating Women in Wales’

Under the Women’s Suffrage Centenary Grant Scheme, we will provide grants of between £500 and £20,000 to third sector organisations, community organisations and community groups, for projects and/or events which will mark the 100th anniversary.

For details about the grant scheme, please visit: http://gov.wales/topics/people-and-communities/equality-diversity/centenary-grant-scheme/?lang=en

Congratulations to Llwynog Bychain Beddllwynog

Llwynog Bychain Beddllwynog were recently successful in their application for funding to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.  For more information click here

Gwnewch wahanlaeth / Make a difference

DEWIS Centre for Independent Living have an open day on:

Wednesday 28th February

11 am to 3pm

They have a range of opportunities available, such as Personal Assistants.

Why not go along and see for yourself?

Recruitment Open Day at DEWIS Centre for Independent Living

Have you ever fancied a career as a personal assistant?

Why not go along to the DEWIS Centre for Independent Living Open Day on 28th February and find out more?

Health, Social Care and Wellbeing forum

Just a reminder that the next Health, Social Care & Wellbeing Forum is being held at VAMT offices on Wednesday 7th February, starting at 10 am.

We look forward to seeing you there!