West Norfolk Voluntary and Community Action

Deaf Awareness Festival Wednesday 7th May 2008
To be held at The Forum, Norwich, from 10 am until 4 pm.
Come along and see…….
Information stands ● Equipment Information ● Services available for adults and children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing ●The Norfolk Deaf Association’s Listen Here! Minibus ●Face Painting ● Story Telling ● Competitions ● BSL Taster ● Deaf children’s Presentations

ISA Announcement of go-live date and fee level
The Home Office announced that from 12 October 2009 individuals will need to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) if they are to work or volunteer with children and/or vulnerable adults in a regulated activity. The cost for an individual to apply to register with the ISA will be a one-off, lifetime fee of £64.00. You will be able to check an individual’s ISA-registration status online or as part of an Enhanced CRB check. The Criminal Records Bureau welcomes the launch of the new ISA service as it will enhance the current level of protection afforded by CRB checks. The ISA will remove the most dangerous people from the children and vulnerable adults’ workforce and the CRB will continue to provide you with the person’s criminal record and other relevant information through the CRB check. The CRB will provide you with a one-stop-shop for access to both of these checks. When used together, a CRB and ISA check will provide you with the most comprehensive vetting and checking service on offer in the world today. For the latest information coming out from the ISA and its new service please visit the ISA’s website www.isa-gov.org where you can register to receive regular updates.

Norfolk Jobcentre Mail Opening Unit addresses
The Department for Work and Pensions has been implementing a modernisation and efficiency programme to improve the services delivered by the Department and its Agencies, including Jobcentre Plus. As part of this review a number of changes will be introduced. Whilst the majority of the changes will remain unseen by customers, a few will not; including changes to the way in which incoming mail will be handled. The new arrangement will involve all incoming mail being opened and sorted by Royal Mail in secure areas within a network of Mail Opening Units across the country. Royal Mail will extract mail and send it to the Mail Opening Unit, where it will be opened and sorted before delivery, diverting any mail that is addressed to the Jobcentre Plus office to the appropriate Mail Opening Unit. Norfolk Jobcentre Mail Opening Unit addresses are as follows:
Great Yarmouth Jobcentre, Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR99 1AL.
King’s Lynn Jobcentre, Papyrus Road, Peterborough, PE99 1AF.
Norwich Jobcentre, Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR99 1AW.

Latest Gift Aid news from the Inland Revenue
Charities would have been facing a drop in Gift Aid income due to the reduction in income tax from April 2008. However in his budget speech on March 12th the Chancellor announced a transitional rate of relief of 22% for Gift Aid claims over the next three years to cushion the effect of the drop in income tax rates. The new transitional relief means that Gift Aid will continue to be worth 28p in the pound for the next 3 years.

Walking for Health and Fit Together Spring Programme
Would you like to boost your energy levels, improve your health and meet new people? Lloydspharmacy and Active Norfolk have developed the ‘Fit Together’ programme, to put people in contact with physical activities and sporting opportunities across Norfolk. As part of the programme, braches of Lloydspharmacy are offering customers the opportunity to get involved in Fit Together programmes such as walking, cycling, aquafit and dancing as part of existing health and lifestyle advice. For more information and to find an activity near you, please ask in your local Lloydspharmacy Store, visit www.activenorfolk.org/fittogether or alternatively call one of our area contacts:
North Norfolk – Melanie Brown tel. 01263 516029
Breckland & Brandon – Kirsty Webber-Walton: tel. 01362 656894
Central Norfolk – Carrie Kerry: tel. 01603 423377
King’s Lynn – Dominic Spurrier: tel. 01553 778673
To find a Lloydspharmacy near you call 0800 389 2578 or visit www.lloydspharmacy.com

Do you involve volunteers in the running of your organisation?
If you are a voluntary or community organisation and would like some support in creating new volunteer opportunities for young people aged 16-25 then the vinspired project is here to help. Also as part of the Vinspired, there is funding available for young people to set up their own projects: please see vinspired.com for more details on the v cashpoint funding. If you already involve young volunteers or would like to discuss involving a more diverse range of volunteers then get in touch - it would be great to hear from you. Lucinda is working from the WNVCA base in King’s Lynn between Monday-Wednesdays and can be contacted through WNVCA, tel: 01553 760 568, email lucinda.leonard@nvs.org.uk or by mobile phone 07500 240 365 for further information.

Opportunities for Improving your productivity through technology
NCVO and Microsoft

are hosting an interactive conference combining case studies, workshops and keynote speakers to explore the potential of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) for small and medium sized charities. Understanding that complexity, resources and finances can hold technology development back, Microsoft and NCVO aim to introduce you to ways of accessing the latest technology through the help of a special donations scheme, enabling your organisation to achieve more. The conference will include case studies from charitable organisations that demonstrate how they are already reaping the benefits from using the latest technology. The event will close with an informative session on ICT funding and how you can access technology donations through Microsoft

. This full day event is free of charge to all charity employees on a first come first served basis. Online registration will be open from 23^rd April 2008 at http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032376570&Culture=en-GB

Child Issues CPD Seminar: 3 - 5 pm Thursday 15^th May 2008
Accredited by the Law Society & Bar Council for 2 hours CPD it will be held at the Kent Room, Assembly House, Norwich. The Speakers are Katharine Bundell, East Anglian Chambers on “The Recalcitrant Contact Parent: What More Can We Do? And Wendy Bainham, Norfolk Family Mediation Service on “It’s Good to Talk: Improving Parental Communication”. Handouts will be provided plus tea and coffee. Places for the CPD seminar are at a cost of £50 + VAT per person (£58.75). To book or for more information please contact email admin@norfolkmediation.co.uk or Tel. 01603 620588

Public Benefit Guidance
New public benefit requirements are an important issue for all existing and potential charities. WNVCA’s Development Officer, Ian Francis, has provided an explanation of Public Benefit Guidance and how to find more information on the WNVCA’s website. You can find the article at www.westnorfolkvca.org/development.htm. If you don’t have access to the internet, not to worry, we will be printing the article in full in next month’s newsletter.

Little Known Campaigns:- Be Nice to Nettles Week 14 – 25 May 2008 Highlighting that the stinging nettle plays a very important role for both rural and urban wildlife supporting over 40 species of insect including some of our most colourful butterflies.