Let’s Talk! Putting Communities First. Now is the time for a conversation about how The National Lottery Community Fund can best support UK communities to prosper and thrive going forward. As part of our ongoing commitment to putting communities first, today we launch our Strategic Renewal process to help shape how we invest in communities in the future – and we want you to get involved!
Why now? Thanks to National Lottery players and our grant holders, we have made a significant difference to communities, including through the pandemic.
Now, as the UK emerges from the pandemic The National Lottery Community Fund has a critical role to play in supporting communities to unleash their energy and potential so they can get to where they want to be.
Communities across the UK are facing fresh challenges and opportunities and have new hopes and aspirations. This is an exciting and inspiring time, and we want to hear from you to help us understand how we continue to effectively support communities across the UK.
As a result of the conflict in Ukraine, increasing numbers of the population are leaving the country for safety reasons and seeking sanctuary in UK and other European Countries.
The UK Government has set up immigration arrangements which include:
Ukraine Family Scheme – if refugees came to the UK to join the household of a family member, it is important to note that this was done by mutual agreement and personal arrangement. The expectation is that refugees will continue to reside with their family for as long as they need that safe place to stay, or if they are able to source their own accommodation. Whilst the local authorities are not involved in that arrangement refugees may find some of the welcome information useful during their stay here.
Homes for Ukraine Scheme – those who offer a home to people fleeing Ukraine, are called a “sponsor”. They have registered their interest in being a sponsor with the UK Government. The sponsor’s offer of room(s) or a property is for a minimum of 6 months, but ideally for as long as “guests” need a safe place to stay. Guests will be able to live and work in the UK for up to 3 years and access benefits, healthcare, employment, and other support, some of which will be provided through the Voluntary & Community Sector and Faith Groups in the County.
People from Ukraine have now started to arrive in Lincolnshire and are being accommodated in one of these two schemes which are now operating in the UK.
To support the resettlement of refugees in Lincolnshire, the County Council has set up a multi-agency Countywide Ukraine Coordination Group to plan resettlement support arrangements working with Sponsors, Refugees, Refugee Groups, other Statutory Agencies, Community and Faith Groups.
The Ukraine Coordination Group has commissioned Lincolnshire Voluntary Engagement Team [LVET] to formalise an approach which has a focus on developing communications, ensuring suitability and security of groups offering support, providing available & accessible countywide information & advice services, with requests for donations of financial support rather than goods, providing space for refugees to settle here and maximising their strengths and abilities. A Delivery Plan to support this approach is currently being developed to co-ordinate the work that Sponsors, Community and Faith groups are doing to support refugees to ensure there is a coherent and cohesive approach which avoids duplication.
The purpose of this communication is to:
Provide an update on the work that LVET has been asked to do working in partnership with Sponsors, Community and Faith Groups and statutory agencies in Lincolnshire involved in the resettlement of refugees in the County.
To obtain a comprehensive picture of what is happening in the County with Community and Faith Groups supporting refugees.
Ask Voluntary and Community Sector and Faith organisations to provide us with information about what they are doing/proposing to do to provide support to refugees by completing the pro-forma below and returning it to the LVET email address.
For further information please contact Emily Ward, Project Development Manager on/phone [07888 330294] and email [emily.ward@lvet.org] and if you know of any other Voluntary and Community Groups or Family Sponsors that might benefit from this communication can you please pass this onto them and provide us with details in the pro-forma below – many thanks.
Integrated Health and Care – How well do Health and Care Services work together?
Healthwatch Lincolnshire is working closely with the Care Quality Commission (CQC)* to learn more about how Health and Care Services are working together to best support our residents.
To support Healthwatch in this work, it is important you tell them what your experience is like of how Health and Social Care Services work together, services such as GP practice, Hospital, Community Health or Social Care.
Healthwatch are specifically looking for people who have experience of using multiple services across health and social care.
For example, you may have been referred by your GP practice to the hospital and as a result, require the need for home care support. Your responses to the questions will help shape future inspections and regulations of these services.
If you require any support to complete this survey or require it in another format, please contact info@healthwatchlincolnshire.co.uk or call 01205 820 892
You can help make Health and Care Services better by sharing your experiences and ideas.
Our Funding Ready Workshops are back for 2022 both virtually and in person.
These workshops, created and delivered by Voluntary Centre Services and Lincolnshire Community & Voluntary Service and supported by Lincolnshire County Council are designed to help voluntary sector groups and charities improve their bid writing skills and information sources to increase the number of successful funding applications.
The online workshops take place over 5 morning sessions whilst in person sessions take place over 2.5 days.
The dates are as follows:
Workshop 1: Getting Your Organisation Ready for Grant Funding / Knowing Your Beneficiaries
Online via Zoom: Wed. 27th April 2022 at 9.30am – 12.30pm
In Person @ Lincolnshire Action Trust, 37-39 Newland St, Lincoln, LN1 1YA : Wed. 8th June 2022 at 9.30am – 12.30pm
Workshop 2: Evidencing Need and Identifying Funding Sources
Online: Wed 4th and Wed 11th May at 9.45am – 12.30pm
In Person @ Lincolnshire Action Trust, 37-39 Newland St, Lincoln, LN1 1YA : Wed. 22nd June 2022 at 9.30am – 4pm
Workshop 3: Proving Outcomes and Writing a Successful Bid
Online: Wed. 18th May & Wed. 25th May 2022 at 9.45am – 12.30pm
In Person @ Lincolnshire Action Trust, 37-39 Newland St, Lincoln, LN1 1YA: Wed. 29th June at 9.30am – 4pm
Register below so you don’t miss out on a place because space is limited. We hope you’re able to join us!
Are you an NHS worker who is also an unpaid carer? Then please join this Teams meeting to share your experience and help shape the support for Lincolnshire NHS staff.
Roads, transport and highways affect us all. Take part in our county views survey to tell us how you use our roads and your priorities on this important topic.
The county views citizens’ panel gives the people of Greater Lincolnshire a voice and connects them with their local authorities. Join the panel to:
tell us about what matters to you
show us where we can improve
help us deliver better services
Our panel is growing and expanding in new directions. We need this large panel of people from all ages and backgrounds to reflect the people and views of Greater Lincolnshire. The more of you that take part the stronger your voice becomes.
The next round of applications for funding of the Grange Wind Farm Community Fund is NOW OPEN until 01/06/22!!
Examples of fundable projects include diversionary and educational activities for young people, workshops, intergenerational projects, support for meeting places (community centres, village halls, playing fields), energy efficiency schemes such as ground source energy schemes, rain harvesting, including top up grants. Projects for older people may include help to tackle isolation, loneliness and dementia, volunteer costs, sitter and companionship. Grants of up to £5,000 are available to volunteer led not for profit community groups. Initially, the Trust will award grants to projects that benefit local people living within a five mile radius of wind farm site. Grant size: up to £5,000 Location: Within a ten mile radius of Grange Wind Farm between Sutton Bridge and Tydd St Mary, South Holland. Deadline: 1st January and the 1st June 2022
To download an application form and to review the guidelines for the fund please visit
Defibrillator Grants for Sports Clubs – Active Lincolnshire
Recent tragic Cardiac Arrest events involving professional sports persons shows that it can happen to absolutely anyone at anytime, anywhere. The chances of survival increases from 7% to 70% if a Defibrillator is used within the first 3-5 minutes London Hearts have launched an initiative to assist sports clubs across the UK in obtaining this life-saving equipment, and are offering £300 grants towards the costs of a Defibrillator.
As part of person-centred care, care closer to home, prevention and inclusion, we have been commissioned by the CCG for the ICS to support one of its digital partners, Helicon Health, with some early discovery-phase work.
They are looking towards a possible future that involves patients with a range of specified conditions (does not include Dementia but does include mental health, adult frailty and long-term conditions, multiple conditions, CVD and heart failure, stroke prevention, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinsons)
We would like to hear from patients and their family carers about some basic things at this early stage. What we want to begin to understand is:
How familiar people are with ‘smart’ technology, – mainly here we are talking about diagnostic things similar to ‘Fitbit’ watches, phone apps, patches or similar ‘wearable’ devices.
The diagnostic tools would help people monitor their own conditions and could be linked to their GP or Health Specialist. Might this be useful for people?
What do people feel are the opportunities and challenges with this, the pro’s and con’s for them?
To what extent would people be prepared to use such a device – if so, why; if not, why not?
With the new Integrated Care System due to be rolled out in April, Lincolnshire’s ‘Better Lives Lincolnshire’ have released their first newsletter, introducing the ‘developments, updates and examples of joint working arrangements’, which are ‘bringing together organisations across Health, Social Care and the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector’.
Please click on the link to read the newsletter in full.
