Signpost July 2008

From Norfolk RCC

Contents 1 NRCC News 2 AGM 3 Virtual Holidays 4 Grassroots Grants £1.9 million injection for Norfolk Community Groups 5 Computer suite to hire at NRCC offices 6 Carshare Norfolk 7 Building Opportunities Conference 8 Cut Your Carbon - Win funding for your community 9 Engaging the local community 10 Fens LeAP LEADER+

NRCC News

We would like to welcome two new members of staff to the RCC, Lucinda Leonard and Henry. We wish them both well in their new roles.

AGM

The AGM was held on Wednesday 16 July at Mileham Village Hall and the evening was well attended. The formal business included appointing three trustees, together with a new Vice President, Mrs Pat Holtom and a new Honorary Treasurer, Mr Paul Batchelor. The outgoing Treasurer Mr Tony Yates was thanked for all his support over the last seven years. Retirees Mrs Joan Jenkins, Vice President and Mr Abraham Eshetu, Trustee’s were also thanked for their service to the NRCC. Mr John Yates was the guest speaker and he gave an interesting insight into his work as chair of the board of the East of England Rural Forum including the role of RCC's in supporting his work. Thanks also must go to Mileham WI who provided the excellent catering.

Virtual Holidays

Are you bed or house bound? Would you like to go away on holiday; but can't because of illness or disability? If so, you could be enjoying a virtual holiday to Australia or New York from the comfort of your own home, absolutely free!

A virtual holiday is a specially written guide which takes you through the holiday as if you are really there, describing everything from you getting onto the plane, to looking round the country and exploring all its sights. A virtual holiday brings the culture and country into your everyday life.

The holidays are available in a book or on audio CD. They are very easy to use, and require no computers. They can be taken individually in your own home or as part of a group, for example in a care home, day centre or as part of a group workshop.

If you would like to take a virtual holiday or to find out more details contact us on 07982 463583, contact@holidaysfromhome.co.uk Or visit http://www.holidaysfromhome.co.uk

Grassroots Grants £1.9 million injection for Norfolk Community Groups

Small community groups and projects in Norfolk are to benefit from a £1.9 million cash injection, after Norfolk Community Foundation won a government initiative to distribute funding to grassroots projects in Norfolk. The money is part of a £130 million nationwide drive by the Government to support thousands of groups and projects across the country, working to improve their local communities. Norfolk Community Foundation will distribute £1.1 million over the next three years, using our expertise and knowledge of the local area to identify those small local charitable organisations, best able to use the money to make a real difference. There's more! If local philanthropists and businesses come forward to put up cash to match some of the government's funds announced today local community groups could benefit from a further £2.4 million. Under the scheme, local donors have the opportunity to more than double the value of their charitable donations if they do their giving through a long term fund to be set up with Norfolk Community Foundation. The return from this fund will then be used to ensure that further grants are available particularly once the current round of funding runs out in March 2011. For more information, including details of how to apply, please visit http:// www.norfolkfoundation.com or call 01603 623958.

Computer suite to hire at NRCC offices

We also have a small first floor meeting room and large ground floor meeting room available to hire.

The Computer Suite We have a ground floor suite of 9 computers all running on Windows XP, with internet connection and printing facilities. The Batty Shaw Room The ground floor ‘Batty Shaw’ room will seat up to 60 people theatre style and up to 25 people boardroom style. This room is fitted with a hearing loop The Wheeler Room Our first floor ‘Wheeler’ room is fully accessible by lift and will seat up to 14 people boardroom style.

Hire Charges Batty Shaw Room / Computer Suite Hire Charges Wheeler Room Voluntary Sector Business Sector Voluntary Sector Business Sector £12 per hour £43 half day £75 full day £15 per hour £7.50 per hour £10 per hour

Further details including refreshment and equipment charges can be found on our website www.norfolkrcc.org.uk or ring 01362 698216 and speak to one of the admin team.

Carshare Norfolk

Car sharing is when two or more people share a car and travel together. It is a simple way to cut the costs of fuel and parking, cut congestion and pollution, and reduce the stress of driving. Carshare Norfolk has been set up to provide a free matching service for all those who live, work and travel in and around Norfolk. This site matches you up with potential partners. Once matched, you can choose to share as little or as often as you like, with whoever you like! Visit their website for further details http://www.carsharenorfolk.com

Building Opportunities Conference

Friday 26th September 2008, a one day conference focusing on the promotion, management and sustainable development of Norfolk’s historic church buildings will take place at St Andrews and Blackfriars Halls, Norwich.

No county in Britain is richer in its historic churches than Norfolk. These nationally important buildings are predominantly managed and conserved by dedicated groups of volunteers, many of whom would like to see them used for a wider range of community activities. This conference gives delegates an opportunity to:

• look at the ways that historic church buildings can be better equipped to serve the needs of the local communities; • discover how community initiatives involving church buildings can be progressed and funded; • gain new insights into how visitors can learn about the rich cultural heritage associated with church buildings.

For further details visit http://www.norwich.anglican.org or telephone Ralph Barnett on 01603 882344

Cut Your Carbon - Win funding for your community

Do you have a fantastic idea of how you can reduce your community’s carbon footprint – but need financial support to make it a reality? If so, the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) challenges you to come forward and take part in an innovative competition to win a share of £2.5 million of public funding.

The £500,000 first round of the competition closed in June attracting 24 entries across the region requesting just over £2 million in funding. EEDA brought together a range of specialists in the field of carbon reduction, including the School of Environmental Studies, University of East Anglia and Renewables East, to decide which of the original 24 entrants should make the shortlist. Two schemes in Norfolk, Reepham Green Group and the Holt Partnership were successful in gaining funding for their projects.

Support is available from Norfolk Rural Community Council for communities interested in cutting their carbon and from EEDA through the Cut your Carbon website. For more information on Cut your Carbon visit the website http://www.cutyourcarbon.org.uk or call your Community Support Officer at Norfolk Rural community Council on 01362 698216, or email janice@norfolkrcc.org.uk

Engaging the local community

Why not offer one of Norfolk Adult Education’s free short courses in your village or local community centre, available to anyone over 16 years!

Learners are offered a nationally recognised qualification at Level 1 or Level 2 in English or maths. Norfolk Adult Education work with small groups where individuals can work at their own level and own pace. These courses and qualifications are offered free of charge and a really good way to have fun, build confidence and at the same time learn something new. Courses include: • Computers for Writing - for complete beginners • Supporting your child with homework • Working with Children - explore the different routes available • Return to Study • English skills - improve your spelling, grammar and punctuation • Maths skills - basic maths, metric measure, percentages, ratios, dimensions, • Drive Ahead – preparation for the Driving Theory Test

Courses can be set up anywhere in Norfolk at a convenient time day or evening. If you are interested in offering any of the above courses in your village or local community centre or would like more information please call: Margaret Matthews 01603 306558 or email margaret.matthews@norfolk.gov.uk

Fens LeAP LEADER+

In September 2004 Vicki Howling joined Norfolk Rural Community Council as the Building Success: Developing Networks Project Officer for the Fens LeAP LEADER+ area. The overall aim of the Building Success: Developing Networks project was to promote, boost and record the efforts, lessons and opportunities of rural development through the LEADER+ programme in the Fens. As it draws to a close Vicki looks back over the life of the project and recalls some of the highlights.
“When looking back over my time with LEADER+ I think one of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects has been organising events to showcase the diverse range of projects the programme has supported. Around 55 people attended the first event held at March Town Hall. There they heard how LEADER+ helped improve quality of life in the Fens by: helping older people to access benefits they are entitled to through the Fenland Form Filling Project, by helping young people into work and education on mopeds loaned by the KickStart Project, by giving the over 55’s the incentive to find out more about ICT & local heritage through Community Heritage Stores, and much more.

To make the Fens LeAP LEADER+ Programme more accessible to grass roots community groups operating in the area FastTrack, a delegated grant scheme, was launched; lack of applications in the early days of the scheme showed there was a clear necessity for marketing the fund to these smaller hard to reach groups; therefore, in order to stimulate applications, my first few months in post were spent driving around the Fens with display boards and leaflets in tow, spreading the word about LEADER+. The applications began to roll in and the success of FastTrack led to the launch of a second scheme, Community LEADER. I am proud to report that, thanks to the support they received through the Building Success Project, 27 groups received grants totaling £68,662.36

LEADER+ can also be the stepping stone to bigger things. For example, when Walpole Highway Village Hall Committee applied to Community LEADER for funding to soundproof their new IT Suite, they knew that they also needed to find around £40k to carry out structural repairs to their hall; understandably they felt they had a huge mountain to climb. However successfully applying to LEADER+ was the confidence boost they needed and gave them the courage to apply for further funding. I am happy to report that they have received grants from WREN & the Borough Council of Kings Lynn & West Norfolk and work on the hall is underway.

My role in the Fens LeAP LEADER+ Programme has been simple – to make sure people know about LEADER+ and the difference it has made to people living in West Norfolk and Cambridgeshire Fens. If the Building Success Project has made a difference to your community, then I would like to hear from you so that I can include your comments in my final report. Please email me at vicki@norfolkrcc.org.uk or telephone me on 07981 642171"