Free Event - Cat Care

FREE event on 5th October. Pets are so important to many people in both improving wellbeing and also reducing isolation.

• Info about £5 neutering & microchipping
• FREE cat care and neutering advice
• FREE cat carrier loans for neutering appointments
• FREE transport for neutering appointments

See Poster

New Community Coordinator for Merthyr Tydfil

VAMT is pleased to welcome Claire Williams to the role of Community Coordinator for Merthyr Tydfil.

Claire joins the established team of 5 Community Coordinators across Cwm Taf, who provide information, advice and support to help people connect with community groups, services and activities in the local area, to improve their health, wellbeing and independence.

To find out more, or to make a referral contact Claire on 07580 866547 or email claire.williams@vamt.net.

Aviva Community Fund open to applications

Community groups have been invited to apply for grants of up to £25,000 for projects focused on health and wellbeing, financial literacy skills or the environment.
Groups can apply for grants of £1,000, £5,000, £10,000 or £25,000 from a total funding pot of £2m put forward by the insurance company Aviva through its Aviva Community Fund, which is open for applications.

To be eligible, the groups must be non-profit, UK-based and have existed for more than six months. The projects must also be UK-based.

Groups applying for the £1,000 grants must have annual incomes of less than £100,000; those applying for the larger grants must have annual incomes of less than £1m.

This year, for the first time, Aviva is partnering with Crowdfunder UK to allow groups to raise money as part of the application process.  Applicants can ask people to vote for them to receive a grant. This year, as well as seeking votes, they will also be able to raise money for the project from the public, inviting them to donate.

Aviva has set up a Facebook community group to allow applicants to chat about their experiences and share tips and advice.
More information about the fund can be found on the Aviva website.
Applications close on 9 October.

Digital Skills Grants totalling £100,000 made available.

 Funding is available to charities and other organisations to help improve the digital skills of unemployed people and improve their employment prospects.   

It will be made up of five grants of £20,000 each.

The deadline for applications is 1 October.

Clarion Futures are managing the funding - further information is available by contacting them here: http://www.clarionhg.com/charitable-foundation/clarion-futures-communities/

Inspiring Digital Activities - Mental Health

Digital Communities Wales are running an Inspiring Digital Activities course focused around Mental Health.   The course will run from 10-2 16^th October.

Further details and to book on please see the link below

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/inspiring-digital-activities-mental-health-focus-merthyr-tickets-49940369991

Global Village Seeking New Trustees

For further information please click here

Co-op Foundation - Webinar tomorrow from WCVA

Aim To give community organisations an insight into the Co-op Foundation and decide if the fund is right for them and how to make a successful application  Content In this webinar Ella Smyth from the Co-op Foundation, will offer advice and information about the Community Spaces fund. Through this fund, organisations that own or manage a community space (e.g. a community centre, a community park, garden, woodland etc.) can apply for interest-free loans of up to £50,000 alongside some grant funding. Please do ensure you have read the guidelines before attending to ensure you are eligible to apply before you sign up for the webinar. The webinar represents a great opportunity to gain valuable insight into the Co-op Foundation and the Loans for Communities scheme.  Learning outcomes By the end of the webinar participants will: Have an improved understanding of the Co-op Foundation Be better equipped to make a successful application Who this course is for This session is for community organisations who are interested in knowing more about Co-op Foundation’s work and specifically the Community Spaces programme. Find out more and book a space

Healthy and Active Fund Roadshow - 2 October Merthyr Tydfil

Healthy and Active Fund Roadshows

Welsh Government, Sport Wales and Public Health Wales have come together to deliver the Healthy and Active Fund (HAF) which aims to improve mental and physical health by enabling the adoption of healthy and active lifestyles across Wales.

Phase 1 of the HAF will provide £5million of financial support, over a period of 3 years (April 2019 – March 2022), to projects that strengthen and develop community assets.
Priority will be given to projects that actively promote the reduction of inequality in outcomes for one or more of the following groups:

• Children and young people
• People with a disability or long term illness
• People who are economically inactive or who live in areas of deprivation
• Older people and those around the age of retirement from work

Statutory and non-statutory bodies, as well as organisations that have the structure and capacity to deliver the objectives of the HAF are encouraged to apply. Successful applicants will need to demonstrate value for money, along with a clear business case for the continuation of the project beyond initial funding. Clear evidence of partnership working and engagement with the local community in the development of proposals will also be required.

Details of how the HAF will operate, criteria and objectives as well as what we expect to see in applications, will be shared at a series of roadshows across Wales. Details of roadshow locations and how to register can be found at:
Merthyr Tydfil:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sioe-deithiol-y-gronfa-iach-ac-egniol-healthy-and-active-fund-roadshow-registration-49886416615?aff=affiliate1

Please feel free to share details of the fund and accompanying roadshows via any appropriate contacts and should you have any queries please feel free to contact HealthyandActiveFund@gov.wales

Tenovus Cancer Care - Volunteers Needed 25th/26th September

On  25^th and 26^th September, Tenovus Cancer Care have been invited to promote our Big Birthday Raffle and sell raffle tickets at Tesco in Merthyr And we’re looking for help over the two days to sell raffle tickets and raise vital funds to support the work we do.

We’re looking for people to give any time between 10am and 4pm, however little or long you can spare. Even an hour could be a huge help!

If you’d like to volunteer simply call us on 029 2076 8850 or email volunteer@tenovuscancercare.org.uk . We look forward to hearing from you!

Quiz Night - Fundraiser for the Merthyr Tydfil Community Trust

A “Quiz Night” will be held on Thursday 25th October at 7pm at the West End Bowls Club, The Walk, Merthyr Tydfil.

It is being organised by VAMT to raise funds for the Merthyr Tydfil Community Trust which is a charity that supports local voluntary and community groups. It makes small grants to small groups that make a big difference to them. 

Please support us by coming along and entering a team. To register email Carol Hindley or phone her on 01685 353900.