Archive for category: News

Staff at a Northampton based charity will experience a brighter future thanks to an energy efficient office lighting upgrade supported by a grant from Northampton Town Council.

Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire, who operate from headquarters on St Giles’ Street, were recently awarded £5,000 from the council’s Climate Change Grant Scheme.

The offices are now fitted with new, high output LED halo panel lights, which are expected to save the organisation almost £1,600 a year in running costs and use 72% less energy than the original light fittings – equivalent to an annual CO² saving of 2.18 tonnes.

The lighting upgrade also includes motion sensors in lesser used areas of the building, to switch on lights on only when they are needed.

Councillor Andrew Stevens, Chair of Northampton Town Council’s Environmental Services Committee and Climate Change Forum, said: “We are delighted to support Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire through our Climate Change Grant Scheme, as this new lighting will reduce the organisation’s carbon emissions and operating costs, helping them to continue their support of voluntary organisations within the county.

“The grant scheme is part of the council’s commitment to reducing emissions in Northampton, while raising awareness of the challenges posed by climate change, and we encourage community groups, charities and schools to apply if they have an idea that could have a positive environmental impact.

“Small changes can make a big difference and we hope that this example will inspire others to consider what they could do to help tackle climate change and also save money on their energy bills.”

Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire is the local infrastructure organisation for Northampton, providing information, advice, training and support to other voluntary sector organisations, acting as the strategic link between the sector and statutory organisations such as health and local authorities, and delivering direct services such as community transport and befriending.

Becky Thornton, Development Manager at Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire, said: “We are grateful to the Town Council for providing this funding, as our old lighting was costly to run and emitted poor light levels.

“Each fitting had a maximum lifespan of 15,000 and the spent fluorescent tubes were difficult to recycle, possibly ending up in landfill.

“As well as the electricity savings, these lights have a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours, hugely reducing maintenance costs, and LED panels are much brighter, creating a more pleasant environment for our staff and visitors.”

To find out more about the Climate Change Grants scheme and the Town Councils other grants, please visit: https://www.northamptontowncouncil.gov.uk/grants

Hello everyone, I wanted to take an opportunity to reflect on the inspiring year that we’ve had on the Connect Northamptonshire Project (funded by the Lottery’s Health Equality Grant – HEG) as we embed the amazing work of our Northamptonshire VCSE sector into the developing Integrated Care System.  Some of the main highlights for me have been :

• A successful and well received Emerging Leadership Programme to increase the Capacity and Capabilities of our Sector- Our Ambassadors of Change underwent a five session network and training Programme to understand the representative roles our Leaders undertake in both the Place Delivery Model and Health Collaboratives, and how Partnerships and Collaborations are a key element both within our Sector and the Wider ICS Structures.  Feedback from the Ambassadors has highlighted that the individual and team Strengths Based Approach to their existing Leadership Skills helped to form a cohesive team of twelve passionate and enthusiastic Change Makers in our Sector.  Planning is now in place for Cohort 2 to be recruited early in the New Year for this Programme.

• Connect Northamptonshire has been working with System partners to commence a Pilot Project to Test and Learn how Community Based Early Interventions,  can improve the Health Outcomes of Women in our county in areas where the highest Inequalities exist.  Our learnings from the work of the King’s Fund on this topic have been fundamental in co-designing a pilot project that will target communities in Northampton Central Local Area Partnership in the first instance What women want: addressing women’s health inequalities | The King’s Fund (kingsfund.org.uk)

• The Connect Northamptonshire project will be supporting West Northamptonshire’s Public Health Team and wider system partners to apply for “WHO Ageing Better Community” UK Network of Age-friendly Communities | Centre for Ageing Better (ageing-better.org.uk)status in early 2024, following an interactive workshop in Rural South Northamptonshire to look at Community Led interventions to reduce Health Inequalities experienced by the Elderly Rural Population in the area.   A Connect Northamptonshire Pilot Project will be looking at activities and intervention for this Local Area of Rural Older People, and an Urban area of Northampton, to increase Health Outcomes for these groups.

• An early Connect Northamptonshire conversation with the VCSE Thematic Partnership for Children and Young People identified the opportunity for a county wide VCSE CYP Collaboration to be established to support of CYP organisations to work closer together and provide a joined up approach to the needs of our Children and Young People in the county.  The host organisation has now received the seed funding from West Northants Council to set up this independent body for the county – Young Northants.

• Connect Northamtponshire continues to support the VCSE Infrastructure Partners in North Northamptonshire to engage with wider VCSE sector organisation, and our “experts by experience” in communities, through the Support North Northamtponshire Pilot Project.  The Pilot Project is designed to embed the VCSE Governance into the ICS to provide a delivery model for early intervention and prevention actvities in our Communities for those Adults at risk of the highest Health Inequalities due to their Wider Determinants of Health.

• Developing a Learning Network with the other thirteen HEG Grantees throughout the county – we meet regularly to share knowledge and experience of our Projects facilitated by the wonderful Innovation Unit (Partners of the National Lottery Community Fund)

• …and finally a personal highlight for me was the invitation to Westminster Abbey to represent the Northamptonshire VCSE on the 75^th Birthday of the NHS 

I want to take this opportunity too to thank you all for your continued support of our developing partnership project, its been wonderful to work with so many enthusiastic and motivated teams in the county – I’m looking forward to 2024, and the prospect of new partnerships with NHFT as we work to “Together Against Racism” and the evaluation opportunities with the University of Northampton’s Social Impact and Innovation Team.  

I hope you, your families and friends all have a wonderful Christmas break, and a happy and healthy New Year

Claire Neilson, Alliances Manager

Stopping the Start consultation

It’s Trustee Week which is a national celebration of the work Trustees do in Charities.

To kick off the week here is a few thoughts from one of VIN’s latest Trustees, Nic Jackson.

Nic says:

In 2023 I’d been out of a corporate environment for a couple of years. I really missed being part of a team and working with others towards a common goal. I was introduced to the idea of becoming a Trustee for a charity to bridge that gap. When I attended the first Board meeting as a visitor, everyone’s passion for the cause was clear. It was really inspiring to see and hear the difference the organisation was having and going forward it has been great to be a part of the Strategic vision and in moving VIN forward. I wondered what I’d have to bring with no sector experience, but my questions seemed to add value, and it’s been interesting to start to learn about VIN and their objectives. There is so much experience in the ‘room’, I feel I add another perspective.

I was asked about my aspirations: For me it’s about learning more about VIN and the sector and understanding the value I can add in supporting the organisation. A natural aspiration for me is around the team at VIN and in the future I’d love to continue supporting them in their development. Helping VIN to continue to support organisations and individuals, and seeing the impact they are having as an organisation is important to me.

Trustee volunteers play an important in role in governing and shaping our local organisations. If you want to profile one of your own Trustees then contact russell.rolph@voluntaryimpact.org.uk with a paragraph or 2 of text and a photograph if possible.

Over 45 smaller voluntary sector organisations across West Northamptonshire came together at the first Roundtable on the Power of Small, held at St Crispin’s Community Centre on the 19^{th of} October 2023. You can view the charter here.

The Power of Small was delivered in partnership between Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire and Community Spaces Northampton, with support from both Daventry Volunteers and South Northants Volunteer Bureau, making this a truly cross cutting sector event.

Many thanks to our guest speakers (Rachel Bott of the Dodderidge Centre and Rachel Mallows MBE) and to all those organisations that attended, listened, and took part.

What is the Power of Small?

It’s a known fact that 94% of the Voluntary and Community Sector across West Northamptonshire (some 1600 groups or organisations) are classed as small or even micro. By default, only 6% are seen as moderately large or large, yet it is this 6% which exerts most influence and finds itself at the right negotiating table. Infrastructure is about levelling the playing field for the sector so important and crucial grass roots organisations can support their communities, co-produce services and apply for funding. We all know that if these small organisations did not exist or supply their services our communities would suffer. So, in this sense Small is Powerful but it is lacking a voice and influence. The Power of Small is therefore a new movement for smaller or micro-organisations: A place to network, learn, work in partnership and influence Commissioners and Policy Makers. Make no mistake, without smaller organisations our Voluntary Sector would crumble, and crucial services would be lost.

How can Infrastructure Organisations help?

The three Infrastructure Organisations (Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire, South Northants Volunteer Bureau, and Daventry Volunteers) are targeting small or micro-organisations in an attempt to help them most.

The first Roundtable looked at the challenges and opportunities facing small and micro – organisations, and what training and mentoring they need most to play an active role at the negotiating table. The notes from these breakout sessions can be viewed here 

The Presentation from Rachel Bott can be viewed here

The Presentation from Rachel Mallows can be viewed here 

This evidence will be used in discussions with West Northamptonshire Council in deciding what should be included in a truly collegiate West Northamptonshire Infrastructure Bid in 2024/2025.

What does your organisation need to do?

If you want to join the Micro Voices movement for West Northamptonshire then contact the following people.

Contact Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire at russell.rolph@voluntaryimpact.org.uk if your organisation works or invests in Northampton.

Contact Daventry Volunteers at carella@daventryvolunteers.org.uk if your organisation works or invests in Daventry.

Contact South Northants Volunteer Bureau at helen.barrett@snvb.org.uk if your organisation works or invests in Towcester or Brackley.

When you join (which costs nothing) you can use the Micro Voices Logo by emailing sophie.negus@voluntaryimpact.org.uk

Encourage other smaller or micro-organisations to contact Russell, Carella or Helen. We will be forming a collective charter with your name and organisation – In this way you can truly feel part of a wider movement of support and advocacy.

Attend the training that’s offered – its based upon the needs and aspirations of smaller organisations.

Use this release on your website and social media to affirm your organisation as part of the movement – it can be viewed here

Watch out for updates on the Power of Small in Voluntary Impacts Friday Bulletin, or newsletters sent by Daventry Volunteers and South Northants Volunteer Bureau. Contact Russell, Carella or Helen (depending on what are you work in) if you wish to join our mailing lists.

And above all stay connected – it’s important. From humble beginnings, we can grow Micro Voices into a wider movement and programme for West Northamptonshire.