Updated news from the FVAF office

 

• At the FVAF AGM all current trustees were re-elected and everybody in the local Voluntary and Community sector thank them for offering to help us provide services across the District

 

• FVAF annual subscription for 2010 remains at £10 for which members can get many benefits such as cheaper photocopying, subsidised training and the equipment hire service.

 

• FVAF now has some equipment to enable groups to use Skype for communicating with distant others. We also will be purchasing some additional support for the hearing impaired and possibly a portable PA system – more details to follow

 

• Discussions are ongoing in regards to the support the Forest of Dean District Council may be able to provide to local groups for 2010 and beyond. Whilst we all recognise the financial constraints under which the authority is under it is vital that full recognition of the role the VCs can fulfil, in terms of making the Dean a better place to live and work, is both made and supported 

 

• The Local Action Group is open to invitations for Expressions of Interest for funding for projects that fully subscribe to the objectives of the local Rural Development Programme – contact FVAF for more information

 

• FVAF continues to be able to offer CIEH Level 2 Food Safety (catering) at the affordable price of £30 per attendee for local Voluntary and Community groups. This includes training and assessment and we always use local community venues. Contact  the office for more information

 

• FVAF hopes to appoint a young person to help with the Volunteer Centre work some time in 2010. This is part of the Future Jobs fund and enables FVAF to help somebody with vital work experience and training as well as helping groups get some additional service from the Centre 

 

• FVAF has organised a Forum meeting for January 28^th to look at how groups might think differently about how they raise and manage their funds and generally become more ‘enterprising’ Invitations will be posted in the New Year but all are welcome