Voluntary Action North Somerset

The Big Lottery Fund is delivering myplace on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). This is not Lottery funding.

myplace aims to deliver world class youth facilities driven by the active participation of young people and their view and needs. Grants of between £1 million and £5 million are available. £160m will be available in 2008 of which up to £50 million is available through the Fastrack route. The deadline for fast track applications is 29 July 2008 and the deadline for the standard route is 30 September 2008.

For more information visit the BIG website or call the BIG advice line Tel: 0845 4 10 20 30.

Grants of £3,000+ for groups tackling racism, women’s issues, the environment, child protection, education, training, the disabled, human rights, energy, transport and more can be obtained from the European Union. This year’s European Union Grants Directory details of over 400 grants available from the European Commission and is available on CD-Rom, or by Internet download at
www.europeangrants.com/directory.html.

The CD-Rom version costs £49.99 and the Internet Download £35.99.

Social investment business Big Issue Invest, part of The Big Issue group of companies, has announced that it is to team up with the Community Transport Association (CTA) to offer financial support and advice to its member organisations.

This will assist community transport organisations in their bid to scale-up their operations, become more sustainable and play a greater role in community regeneration and inclusion.

If your community transport organisation would like to purchase new vehicles, Big Issue Invest would love to hear from you.

For more information contact Ian Curd at Big Issue Invest Tel: 020 7173 6020 Email:ian@biginvest.co.uk . Alternatively you can find out more at www.biginvest.co.uk .

Adobe now offers registered charities discounts of up to 65% on its software in line with those offered to schools and colleges. Adobe products include Dreamweaver, Illustrator, Acrobat Pro, In-Design and more - full list at specialist supplier Pugh Computers.

Charitable organisations elgible for the discounts are those whose aims include any of: Relief of poverty; Advancement of education; Advancement of social and community welfare;  Advancement of culture; Advancement of the natural environment. For more see the Charity Times website .

SITA Trust is a major funder of projects within the Landfill Communities Fund. SITA Trust Funding is available in North Somerset for community environmental projects within ten miles of any active landfill site.

Enriching Nature Programme: Supports wildlife projects within ten miles of landfill sites. Not for profit organisations, charities, and Local Authorities can apply.

Small Fund: Up to £25,000 for wildlife projects ideally meeting national and regional priorities for species and habitats, but local priorities will also be considered.

GreenPrints Programme: An England-wide volunteering programme offering funding and practical support for greenspace improvement projects carried out by young people aged 16-25.

For further information contact SITA Trust, The Barn, Brinkmarsh Lane, Falfield, South Gloucestershire
GL12 8PT or visit www.sitatrust.org.uk .

The Churngold fund supports projects which protect the environment by providing, maintaining or improving public spaces or buildings for the general public’s benefit for leisure or recreation. Grants area available where projects benefit people who are disadvantaged or isolated. People may be isolated due to poverty, disability, age, location or culture.

The next closing date is 13th June 2008

Visit the QFC website for advice on applying for grants, or contact Alice Meason at Quartet Community Foundation on 0117 989 7700 for more information.

The Sport Relief Fund, managed by Quartet Community Foundation, is offering cash boosts of up to £10,000 to local projects which increase access to sport and exercise for people who face social exclusion and isolation, or which use sport to help people who are experiencing difficulties in their lives to regain their confidence and self-esteem.

The closing date for this round of funding is 2 June 2008.
Groups can apply online at www.quartetcf.org.uk/apply 
or phone Alice Meason at Quartet Community Foundation on
0117 989 7700 for more information.

We are taking part in the Foneaid Mobile Phone Recycling Campaign.

Do you have any unwanted phones? Doesn’t matter if they work or not, If you have let us know and we will come and collect them, doesn’t matter if it’s one or ten. Please contact Amanda on 01934 41090.

We are celebrating Volunteers Week this year with a Volunteers Recruitment Fair, here at the Badger Centre on 4th June between 10am and 4pm, where you can come along and meet some local voluntary organisations to find out what volunteering opportunities they have. A chance to find out the answers to any questions you have about volunteering and also find out what volunteering can do for you.

On the 6th June we are holding a Beach Clean meeting at the entrance to be beach behind the old hospital, meeting at 11am, please bring sturdy footware, protective gloves and lunch for a picnic on the beach afterwards.

For more on these events please contact Amanda Deere on 01934 410190