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Where do we go from here?

Where do we go from here visual (1500 x 1200 px) (1920 x 800 px)

 

A call for reflections across Lincolnshire’s health, wellbeing and voluntary community. 


Across Lincolnshire we know that so much is changing.

For those working in health, wellbeing, social care and the in voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations, the pace of change can feel significant. Systems are shifting, roles are evolving, funding is tightening, all while expectations continue to grow. For many individuals and organisations, this brings a sense of uncertainty and at times, pressure.

But within that uncertainty, there is also something quieter and something that can be often overlooked. A moment to pause, reflect and imagine what comes next.

We’re inviting your voice, thoughts and vision.

At LVET, we are bringing together a new publication and we need to know what you have to say:

Where do we go from here? 

This will be a thoughtfully curated collection of:

– Essays
– Creative writing
– Reflections
– Poems

All capturing the real experiences, emotions, challenges and hopes of people working across Lincolnshire’s health, wellbeing and social care landscape.

We’d love for this to be an opportunity to document a moment in time through the experiences of those living and working within it.

Why does this matter?

In a time of ongoing transformation across health and social care in Lincolnshire, it is easy to focus only on strategy, delivery and outcomes. But behind every service, every organisation and every system change, there are people each with their own perspective, insight and lived experience.

This publication is not about polished reports, formal responses or having the right answers, it is Instead about honest reflections on what this moment feels like. Offering a diverse perspective from across this community as well as providing ideas and insights that may inspire new ways of thinking.

We hope that by creating a space to share openly, we can strengthen collaboration across organisations, encourage innovation within communities and build a more connected and resilient future for Lincolnshire.

How to contribute:

We are keen to hear from a wide range of voices across Lincolnshire, including:

– Voluntary and community organisations
– Health and social care professionals
– Community leaders and grassroots groups
– Council officers and elected members
– Local businesses and partners
– Individuals with lived experience or a story to tell

You are welcome to submit:

– A reflective piece
– An essay or opinion
– A poem or creative response
– Or any form of written or visual contribution that feels authentic to you

Submission guidelines:

– Up to 1500 words
– Any tone or format
– Personal, professional or creative

Please send your contribution to: hello@lvet.org
Subject line: Where do we go from here?

A final thought

You do not need to have all the answers and you do not need to write perfectly. What matters is your perspective, your experience and most importantly your voice. Because the future of health, wellbeing and community support in Lincolnshire will be shaped not just by systems and strategies, but by the people within them. And this is your opportunity to be part of that conversation.

Christmas Day Lunches and Provision over the Christmas Period 2025 with logo

Christmas Provision 2025

Christmas Day Lunches and Provision over the Christmas Period 2025 with logo

 

This year, as in previous years, we are collecting and collating information on organisations and places that are offering support, warm spaces, safe spaces or meals, over the Christmas period. This year, we are working with Shine Lincolnshire and the NHS to ensure that this information is shared as widely as possible, so that no one has to be isolated or alone. Below, we have included the dated boards with providers listed. If possible, we will include contact details as well as any other useful information. New providers will be added as they come in, so keep checking back to see if provision in your area has been updated.

Christmas Provision 2025

Tommy Whitelaw

Tommy on Tour

Tommy Whitelaw’s Tour of Lincolnshire.

The Personalisation Team are pleased to announce that Tommy Whitelaw will be touring Lincolnshire for three days in November.

About Tommy Whitelaw

Tommy is the Person-Centred Voices National Lead for Scotland’s Health and Social Care Alliance and promotes person-centred approaches and ‘Intelligent Kindness’ across all areas of care and support.

For five years Tommy was a full-time carer for his late mother, Joan, who had Vascular Dementia. His work is driven by that experience and led by the values and principles of the ‘What matters to you’ and ‘Intelligent Kindness’ movements. These identify active listening, kindness and person-centredness as a key to providing inclusive support and care to all individuals, as well as creating healthy working environments.

The impact of Tommy’s work with organisations across the UK is well-evidenced. Those who have worked with him have reported the benefits of embedding person-centred approaches in their organisational structures, processes, and service delivery, seeing improved outcomes both for staff and the people they support.

Tommy is travelling across the county over three days and will do several 1 hour sessions to staff and volunteers across the system.  Please note that the venue does not dictate who can attend, just because we are using Lincoln hospital for example, doesn’t mean only ULHT staff can attend.  All sessions are open to all.   

‘You make a difference’ workshops for team leaders and managers – 4th November at the Showroom Lincoln. Sign up here.

Tommy’s Talk Tour – 4th November at Lincoln County Hospital; 5th November at Horncastle, Skegness and Boston; 6th November at Spalding and Grantham.

Please note that ALL of the sessions are FREE TO ATTEND and open to EVERYONE, but only register for the one location that is most convenient to you.

To register to attend one of these sessions, click on the link below. 

We are expecting these sessions to fill up quickly and some have very limited capacity, so it is essential that you register early.   

To find out more, visit the It’s All About People website here!

Winter Pressures & Warm Spaces image logos

2024/25 Winter Pressures & Warm Spaces VCFSE Opportunities – Expression of Interest for Short Term Funding

Lincolnshire Mental Health, Dementia, Learning Disabilities and Autism Alliance

Adult and Older Adult Mental Health Community Transformation Programme

NHS health and care system partners in Lincolnshire have allocated funds to work in partnership with voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector organisations.

They would like to hear from you if you are a VCFSE sector organisation that would like to bid for funding to support us in delivering the following ambitions this winter 2024/25 in Lincolnshire: supporting adults who may have a mental health or social care need to self-care or access alternatives when they do not require a GP appointment, A&E, emergency ambulance services or other physical health urgent care services:

  • Support adults with their mental health needs, including carers, through additional support to help them with their needs, especially if this means we can reduce the demands on our local NHS mental health services.
  • Additional interventions to those already provided by Wellbeing Hub, Night Light Cafes and Community Connectors within their Integrated Place Based Team (IPBT) localities due to increased demands, or specific needs over the winter period. (You can find out more about IPBT’s here https://www.lpft.nhs.uk/our-services/adults/integrated-place-based-team-ipbt)

If you think your organisation may be able to help people in your community over the winter months (Nov 2024 – end March 2025).

They need to hear from you!

Please complete the below application form for funding grants, which are available in two categories:

  1. Option 1 – Funding proposals up to £10,000 for winter pressures projects from VCFSE Organisations in Lincolnshire
  2. Option 2 – Funding proposals up to £10,000 for warm spaces per IPBT area from organisations within the VCFSE who currently host a commissioned Community Connector / Wellbeing Hub.

You can access the application form for Expression of Interest here.

If you need support to complete this application, please contact members of the Lincolnshire mental health team who will be pleased to assist you in your application:

Deadline for applications: 4h October 2024

A Q&A session is planned on the following date to give interested VCFSE sector organisations an opportunity to ask questions about the funding available and the bidding process.

Tuesday 10th September 2024 at 12:30 Link to the event is here: Click here to join the meeting

Anti-racist image

Anti-racist Lincolnshire Voluntary Sector

We have worked with partners across the voluntary, community and faith sector to write an anti-racist statement, and an invitation to work together, in response to the protests across the UK.

The voluntary sector in Lincoln and Lincolnshire have been sadden by the events unfolding around the UK since the 29 July 2024 which has left streets damaged and neighbourhoods carrying the heavy weight of anxiety and fear. As a sector, Lincolnshire’s voluntary organisations and partners, will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our communities to celebrate and cherish diversity and friendship. We are encouraged to see thousands of people across the country showing that our society rejects xenophobia, racism, and Islamophobia and that through these grey clouds of darkness there have been rays of inspiring positivity. Stories of calm, community spirit, and gratitude. Stories of care, clean ups and cookery. Stories of solidarity, unity and social justice. We understand that feelings and emotions will not disappear upon the end of demonstrations and there is work to do to rebuild trust and learn from these events, and many others that have led us to this place. We will commit time and resources, over the next few years, to hold space for learning and unlearning, for reflection and for recognition on our role, individually and professionally, to explore the tensions and challenges facing communities to be antiracist. Not just ‘not racist’. We invite community partners and those with influence locally to come forward to join us on this journey to rid our society of racism and hatred. To grow connection not conflict.

Join us, email: hello@localmotion.org.uk

Statement and invitation on behalf of: Sue Fortune, Chair of Involving Lincs, Paul Gutherson, Managing Director at Lincolnshire Voluntary Engagement Team (LVET) and Ben Rollett, Chair of Voluntary Community Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) Alliance in partnership with LocalMotion Lincoln.

Podcast image IAAP

15 minutes of fame…(or thereabouts!)

It’s All About People podcasts are conversations with some of Lincolnshire’s champions of personalised care and person-centred ways of working – and you could be one of them!

Listen to recent episodes here or via your usual podcast app, or ask your smart speaker to “play the It’s All About People podcast”.

If your organisation or project can show how it meets one or more of the principles below and would like to be involved in a podcast, please contact us: hello@lvet.org or message via social media.

  • We are prepared to do things differently, are open to change and learn by doing
  • We understand what matters to our people, are non-judgmental and ‘make no decisions about you without you’.
  • We work together for the wellbeing of everyone – we involve the people we support and their families, and we look after our staff and volunteers.
  • We have conversations with and not about people, we actively listen, offer information and choices, and are open and honest.
  • We make the most of what we have available – we recognise strengths and opportunities, and actively enable people, their families and communities to mutually support health and wellbeing.
LCF Logo

Household Support available in South and East Lincolnshire

The Household Support Fund provides food assistance for those facing financial difficulties in Boston, East Lindsey or South Holland.

Lincolnshire Community Foundation is offering funding to households facing financial hardship in South & East Lincolnshire (Boston, East Lindsey or South Holland). Eligible residents can apply for up to £300 in supermarket vouchers, which can be used to purchase food, school uniforms, cleaning products, and other essential items.

Priority will be given to those experiencing a new or temporary crisis or those who have recently transitioned to Universal Credit from paid employment.

For more information and to access application forms, please visit www.lincolnshirecf.co.uk.

If you need assistance, please contact the Household Support Fund team at 01529 305825 or email hsf@lincolnshirecf.co.uk.

LCF Logo

RE LAUNCHED Household Support Fund for those residing in West Lindsey

The Household Support Fund provides food assistance for those facing financial difficulties in West Lindsey  

Lincolnshire Community Foundation is offering funding to households facing financial hardship in West Lindsey. Eligible residents can apply for up to £300 in supermarket vouchers, which can be used to purchase food, school uniforms, cleaning products, and other essential items.   Priority will be given to those experiencing a new or temporary crisis or those who have recently transitioned to Universal Credit from paid employment. For more information and to access application forms, please visit www.lincolnshirecf.co.uk.   If you need assistance, please contact the Household Support Fund team at 01529 305825 or email hsf@lincolnshirecf.co.uk.  

Our shared agreement

Health and care leaders sign up to Our Shared Agreement

The Better Lives Lincolnshire Leadership Team have announced their adoption of Our Shared Agreement as a way of evolving the relationship between people and the healthcare system.  Our Shared Agreement has been co-produced with people who have lived experience of using health and social care services, and sets out five key ‘foundations’ of a relationship that is rooted in partnership and person-centred care. It will be officially launched at the It’s All About People Conference on 3rd July.

The Better Lives Lincolnshire Leadership Team brings together senior leaders from NHS Trusts, local authority and voluntary and community sector partners with a focus on building a more integrated health and care system. 

The full news item about the launch of Our Shared Agreement is available here: Leaders sign-up to Our Shared Agreement :: Lincolnshire STP (itsallaboutpeople.info)

More information about Our Shared Agreement is available here: Our Shared Agreement :: Lincolnshire STP (itsallaboutpeople.info)

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Launch of Lincs-Links

On the 10th of May 2024 the exciting launch of Lincs-Links CIO took place. This new charity focuses on personal centred access to local support and care.  Over 60 people attended the launch with representatives from across the county, as well as local people and organisations.

Over the last 18 months the Lincs-Links team, have spoken to many local people about the services and organisations that exist in the area. Almost without exception everyone agrees that Mablethorpe, Trusthorpe and Sutton on Sea have an amazing community spirit with some exceptional community resources and local groups.

Lincs-Links has been created to enable people to access these amazing community resources, especially where they focus on improving the health and well-being of local people.

The Lincs-Links service has been designed to be as accessible as possible, this includes not only our website with a comprehensive local directory, but also a dedicated phone line, text service, email address and, in the future, hard copies of information.

The Lincs-Links directory and website resources will be monitored and updated regularly. We will have other organisations listed who operate across the county or even nationally, but we are primarily focused on local services and organisations.

Where we identify gaps in local services or support, we will work with partners and local groups to commission initiatives to fill those gaps. 

So, what makes us different?

Our most important assets are local people. Our team of dedicated connectors and volunteer supporters will help people to access local community groups and services.

Supporters may simply offer one of our cards to someone looking for help and suggest that they ring us. Other supporters may want to offer more, undertaking a short training session to give them the knowledge and understanding to explain the service and navigate the directory.

Lead supporters will be DBS checked and play a more active role in client support. For example going with them to groups, supporting with phone calls or just building the individuals confidence to access Lincs-Links and local services.

We have no arbitrary top-down targets, and we aren’t driven by outcomes designed by funders. Our sole purpose and key measure of success is to help as many people as possible access the support they need and consequently help to improve their lives.

The team are ready to go, and will be out promoting the charity and the service. We hope to see you around!

If you would like to get in touch with Talia, our Chief Community Caring Officer, please do so by Telephone 01507 665365  Mobile 07494741462   Email talia@lincs-links.co.uk.

Talia Goodall, at Lincs-Links says: People helping people is what is important. Mablethorpe, Sutton-on-sea and Trusthorpe deserve it!

Notes to editors –

Lincs-Links works with people in the community to help them to find the resources that will help them to lead better lives. We recognise that taking control is a powerful and positive step forward and our aim is to provide support to enable people to find exactly what they are looking for.

People can start by looking at the Lincs-Links directory, giving us a call or sending us an email. Alternatively they might like the help of one of our Local Connectors or Supporters to assist them in their search, especially if they are struggling to know where to start. Because of our knowledge and contacts within the local voluntary and public sector we hope we will be able to help.

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