Welcome to the Barnet Together (24 February 2022) newsletter.

You may have seen the announcement we made on Monday 14 February about the Barnet Together Partnership Alliance, and the benefits that this will bring the Barnet's VCFSE. Read more here.  

There's plenty of news this week on funding and training for Barnet-based organisations, and another opportunity to join the Barnet Together team. Read on...  

Ellen Cheshire, Voluntary and Community Sector Support Lead ellen@inclusionbarnet.org.uk 

Does your organisation need additional funding? 

Inclusion Barnet as part of Barnet Together has partnered with online fundraising platform easyfundraising to help you claim free funding through online shopping because with easyfundraising, when anyone associated with your organisation shops with over 6,000 leading retailers, including Amazon, John Lewis, Argos, Aldi, Boots, Just Eat, B&Q, and 1000s more, your organisation receives a free donation from the retailer.

It's free to register, and easy to use.

Find out how to get your organisation involved.

Are you seeking funding to support an event or activity you are planning for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee?

A range of options are available. Read this blog on the funding from the National Lottery, Arts Council and Sports England.

The deadline for the Arts Council funding is 28 February 2022, the others are accepting applications until the funding pot is empty. So apply now!

If you are planning any events in Barnet and need guidance on road closures etc, or would like to be included in Barnet Council's round-up of events do email strategy@barnet.gov.uk.

Apply Now for Ward Funding

Barnet's three Area Committees have £400,000 each per year to fund community requests. The funding can cover a wide range of infrastructure projects for communities. Recent examples include: restoration of community centres and park pavilions, new play equipment in parks and schools and the creation of tree trails and parks projects.

If you have an idea, you should initially raise this with your ward councillor who can then propose it for funding through the appropriate Area Committee. Note: Each councillor can only take one request per each meeting.

The dates for the next three Area Committees are: 

• Chipping Barnet: 9^th March
• Hendon: 22^nd March
• Finchley & Golders Green: 31^st March

Do have a look at the previous applications to the committees and which ones were approved.  

For more information contact Graeme Clayton, Community Infrastructure Coordinator.

Flexible and Micro Volunteering
Tuesday 1 March, 13:30 - 16:30

People enjoy Volunteering and helping their communities, but as their lives become busy again as activities restart following Covid-19, some are looking to more flexible and convenient option.  Micro volunteering is one option to accommodate this, taking the concept to its extreme offering some great opportunities, often by utilising technology for volunteers give  their time  for a few hours to a cause.

Flexible volunteering allows for more freedom with tasks and opportunities. That can change depending on availability, skills and circumstances; flexible volunteering moves away from fixed roles and time commitments. It helps to make volunteering more accessible for people to drop into and fit around their existing commitments

In this training session we will look at how organisations can build more flexibility into their role offering, and engage with volunteers who might be put off by a more structured approach to volunteering.

Sign up now!

Webinars for frontline workers: How to help residents struggling with their energy bills

In the UK, 1 in 7 household are living in fuel poverty, unable to afford to effectively heat their homes. A situation made worse by high energy prices, dwindling household incomes and low standards of domestic energy efficiency including poor quality housing stock.

Green Doctors are running webinars for frontline workers to help you recognise the signs of fuel poverty.

These sessions will also teach you about how the Green Doctor service can help your clients at this difficult time.

Next session: Thursday 10 March, 9.30 - other dates available.

Find out more and to book

SAFE Webinar Programme 

A series of nine free one-hour security webinars delivered by CST, who share their security knowledge with groups outside the Jewish community that are vulnerable to violent extremism or hate crime.

Coming soon...

Tuesday 1 March, Online security:  How to protect yourself and your community from online threats.

Tuesday 8 March, 7pm, Hate crime and your community: How to deal with racial and religious hatred – especially in the digital age

Full programme of webinars running in March, April and May

FREE Fundraising Training for Barnet voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector

Each session is independent of the others, but by attending as may has you can you will gain skills and insights into raising money through trusts and foundations, how to diversify your income and make better connections with funders and supporters.

Session 4, on Wednesday 9 March, of our current 8 part online training course on Fundraising will be on 'How you Can Find New Ways to Raise Funds'. 

For more information and to book

Healthwatch Barnet - Winter Wellness Campaign

Healthwatch Barnet wants to meet local residents to talk about care services across the borough.

The campaign will highlight the best ways to access to services to stay safe, well and prevent illness through pop-up and drop-in events at local venues.

Melvin Lyons is looking to connect with voluntary, community and faith organisations in Barnet to set up information sessions with your services users. For more information contact:  melvin@inclusionbarnet.org.uk  

Join the Barnet Together Team - Barnet Food Hub Project Manager

Groundwork London are seeking a new Food Hub Project Manager to oversee and coordinate the day to day operations of the hub and lead the future development of the service. Responsibilities include site management, food sourcing and procurement from both the surplus / waste food chain and wider suppliers, stock and warehouse management, supply and demand forecasting and food collection / delivery planning and logistic. Each day is fast paced at the Hub, with emerging and changing priorities.  

Full-time: £28,000 - £31,000

Deadline: Monday 28 February, 9am

More details and to apply

Barnet Food Hub coordinates the distribution of food to Foodbanks and community groups across the borough. Set up in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this essential service ensures Barnet based foodbanks have the ability to provide sufficient, safe and nutritious food to all those who use their services, whilst also diverting food away from the waste cycle. 

Sign up to Barnet’s voluntary sector Manifesto

Barnet Together is calling for community, voluntary, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) groups as well as statutory organisations and businesses operating in the borough of Barnet, to sign up to the Barnet Voluntary Sector Manifesto.

The aim of the Manifesto is to create better understanding and deeper cross-sector collaboration between organisations working within Barnet. By signing up to the Manifesto, groups and service providers agree to adhere to the values within the document. 

If you are a representative of a group, service provider or business based in or serving Barnet, then you can sign up to the Barnet Voluntary Manifesto.

#WorkingTogether
#StrongerTogether
#BarnetTogether

Communities Together Network 

For more information about local events, national campaigns and updates from Barnet Council, drop Danusia an email and ask to be added to the Communities Together Network bulletin.
Danusia.Brzezicka@Barnet.gov.uk