RedbridgeCVSAnnual Review2014-15

Chair and Chief Officer’s ReportWelcome to our Annual Report. The last year has meant both successes and challenges for RedbridgeCVS and local community groups.

The good news is that RedbridgeCVS has been able to expand some of our activities. We have continued to deliver services supporting local groups, including helping them raise over £290,000 of much-needed funding. Our Fit for Fun project now also works with Waltham Forest community groups to help people get fit. Our work around TB has been nationally recognised by the Public Health Minister, Jane Ellison MP. We have been able to use the Health Buddies model, developed with community groups to raise awareness of TB, in our work to share information about HIV.

RedbridgeCVS has continued to work in partnership with the local public sector. We’ve worked together on the Fairness Commission, discussing how Redbridge Council can take action to address poverty and inequality. RedbridgeCVS has managed an innovative Peer Research project to ensure that the Commission can hear about the needs of excluded local communities, including Eastern European and LGBT people as well as those with mental health problems. Together, we have also renewed the Redbridge Compact which provides a framework for our successful collaboration.

Brian Spinks Chair

Ross Diamond Chief Officer

However, we know that local community groups face an increasing demand for their services. Funders understandably require evidence that organisations are well-run and meeting real needs – but small community groups aren’t all experts at monitoring, policy development or running the IT systems the modern world requires.

We’re determined to support groups which we know provide crucial services to people who are often excluded from mainstream provision, so we’re developing a membership system

to strengthen our relationship with local organisations. In a few months we’ll launch an “Essentials” package of training courses to provide vital information on key topics at a reduced cost. We now advertise hundreds of opportunities for people to volunteer on our website, and we’re making it easier for people to browse them.

We’ll continue this work in the years to come. Finally, we’d like to thank our staff, volunteers, stakeholders and trustees, whose skill and commitment make all our work possible.

FinancesOur total income has fallen, but spending on some key projects has increased. For details, see our website.

Total income Fit for Fun exercise project

Volunteer Centre Redbridge

Community Fundraiser

2013-14 2014-15£1.97m

£1.67m£117,000

£81,000

2013-14 2014-15

£32,000

£12,000

2013-14 2014-15

£87,000£75,000

2013-14 2014-15

Our Mission and AimsOur mission is to promote and support a strong, effective and independent voluntary and community sector in Redbridge.Aims

z Redbridge voluntary and community sector to be strong partners when working with local statutory bodies and promoting a positive vision of Redbridge.

z Redbridge voluntary and community sector to maintain its independence and flexibility.

z RedbridgeCVS to be a credible and authoritative representative of the voluntary and community sector.

z RedbridgeCVS to be able to respond to Redbridge voluntary and community sector support and development needs; enabling Redbridge’s voluntary and community sector to grow to meet local needs.

z RedbridgeCVS to encourage, support and facilitate the development of sustainable communities.

z RedbridgeCVS to provide sound planning for sustain-ability in order to continue the furtherance of our work with the voluntary and community sector in Redbridge.

Support ServicesWe help local community groups with affordable and high-quality services like room hire and photocopying.

Information ServicesWe keep local groups up-to-date with weekly news by email, a printed newsletter, through our website and now through Twitter and Facebook.We regularly provide information about local groups’ activities, how to run a voluntary group, public sector initiatives, training, other events, jobs and funding opportunities – and all these services are free.

z 849 people receive our email newsletter every week

z We publicised over 400 events by and for local groups

z We sent over 400 Tweets and have over 650 followers

z A total of 280 people attended our monthly Network meetings

Room HireWe have three modern rooms, only two minutes from Ilford station. We can provide refreshments and lunch, and IT facilities and photocopying are available. Our affordable prices are lower for small groups.

In the last year 32 local community groups have hired rooms from us.

PhotocopyingThis year we have upgraded our high-capacity, modern photocopier. We can do black-and-white and colour copies in A4 or A3, and we can usually fold, collate and staple your copies. We can print Word and PDF documents, and also laminate them.

Weekly email newsletter subscribers

849797

2014 2015

Twitter followers

658

486

2014 2015

Health PartnershipsWe link up voluntary groups with the NHS.

z We produced the 3rd edition of Our Health in our Hands, including case studies of ten voluntary groups providing health or care services.

z Over 150 people from community groups came to two meetings we organised with senior NHS staff.

Public Sector PartnershipsWe help voluntary and public sectors work together.The Safer Neighbourhood Board includes the police, Council, youth council and community groups.

The Public and Voluntary Sectors’ Partnership brings together staff from the NHS, police, fire service, the Council and community groups.

Network meeting gathers to discuss health issues

z We presented to over 85 Redbridge GPs about how to work with community groups.

Emergency contact cards and door posters for older and

vulnerable people, produced by Redbridge Pensioners Forum and funded by the Safer

Neighbourhood Board

TrainingWe ran 21 courses for people from 53 groups – a total of 187 trainees, 50 percent up on 2014.

} The training is invaluable. It’s helped us make successful funding applications to provide services and volunteering opportunities for young people with disabilities, and helped us improve our policies and procedures. ~ STAAR (Supporting Together those with Autism and Aspergers)

FundraisingWe raised £301,262 for local groups. We supported over fifty groups directly with up to twelve one-to-one sessions. We sent targeted emails about grants to 182 groups, and we provided training sessions.

} This was my first introduction to planning grant applications. I enjoyed the training and now feel confident to write a grant application. ~ Redbridge Forum

Workshop in how to write funding bids

} I can’t actually believe it! We got the £9,269 we requested. We are all thrilled. Thank you so much for all your support. ~ Basti Ram

} Thanks for today! I learned more about press releases in four hours than I did in three years at uni! ~ Healthwatch Redbridge

BAME Psychological HealthWe worked with over 600 people to raise awareness of anxiety and depression. Sessions in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Gujarati and English aim to reduce stigma, promote wellbeing and explain how to access care and talking therapies.

TB Awareness ProjectWe held 55 sessions which reached over 1,500 people.We added key messages about TB to our website in eight community language videos. Our work gained national recognition from the Department of Health and was cited in their Living Well for Longer document, and by NHS South East commissioners.

} After attending the awareness sessions on anxiety and depression, I am now more open to talking about them with family and friends. ~

} An excellent piece of work, well done. ~ Chair, Redbridge CCG Patient Engagement Forum

Health Partnerships Manager Swati Vyas with Public Health Minister

Jane Ellison MP

HIV Awareness ProjectWe worked to raise awareness of HIV in African communities.The rate of HIV infection in Redbridge is over 50 percent higher than the national average. Late diagnosis is a concern among black African communities.

We recruited and trained 16 Health Buddies, who spoke six African languages.

Fit for FunOur exercise project now works in Waltham Forest as well as Redbridge.Seventy local community groups have signed up to the programme, and we have two new part-time staff working with them.

} I lost some weight and I feel good within myself. ~} I am really happy with it. I have more energy to cope with the kids.~

Tamil Mikkal Sangam undertaking line dancing

} I have more energy to do tasks. My hip pain has disappeared. ~} I suffer from depression and anxiety. Now I feel much better. ~

In six months they delivered 34 group sessions and 12 one-to-one sessions, distributed over 4000 leaflets and signposted 193 people for HIV testing.

Volunteer Centre RedbridgeWe help people find a place to volunteer, and help groups find and work with volunteers.

z We placed over 300 volunteers

z We provided advice or training to 68 organisations

z With Redbridge Council we ran employability workshops for 29 volunteers.

Employment & Skills TeamWe helped 159 local people get a job.The team worked with 321 people. 51 completed qualifications and 32 went on to further learning or training.

Three-quarters of the people who got a job were still in work six months later.

Reception volunteers, Volunteering Fair

} Many thanks for your help, the Play Park would have been near impossible without you. ~Vicarage Lane Play Park

} I’d been looking for work for a while. I wasn’t aware Card Factory was recruiting. To join the project and be offered a job the same day is great. I am really thankful to the project for helping me get a job. ~

Our VolunteersAs well as paid staff, we depend on volunteers. Many thanks to them all. Volunteer Centre

z Adhiraj Sodhi z Avanthi Kanchireddy z Caroline McGlynn z Dipa Kotecha z Joanna Branco z Krithika Kalpathi Subramanian z Lynette Jackman z Lynne Rochford z Marie Roache z Mehtab Tagari z Mireille Bakashika z Nargis Farzana z Ruth Baron z Safeera Patel z Samia Nneji z Sangeetha Rathnakumar z Sarita Mohur z Temitayo Adisa z Zivile Matikiene

Making it Count Project z Nick Ball z Dervise Ali Riza z David King z Elizabeth Ayere z Armenella Peake z Caroline McGlynn z Misha Mowlabaccus z Swati Vyas z Lisa Wood z Lynne Rochford

Support Services z Robert Cohen z Sreevidhya Arunachalam z Nadeem Ahmed z Naseema Khalique

Information Services z Hinga Stitcher

Fit for Fun z Angela Walker z Mark Beresford z Efe E. Joseph-Osahon

TB Awareness Project z Parvathy SundaramMaragatha-

Sundaram z Nabeel Aijaz

BAME Psychological Health z Rabbeka Jaulim z Adiilah Moosafeer z Sadaf Hussain z Reem Othman

Brian Spinks (chair)Keith White (vice chair)Ali Qureshi (treasurer)Ram BhandariAmy BurgessBashir ChaudhryVal CumminsMandeep GabhariJohn GarlickValrie GittensCatherine Rowan

Trustees

RedbridgeCVSInspiring everyone to play a part in a caring, vibrant communityForest House 16-20 Clements Rd Ilford IG1 1BA

020 8553 1004 info@redbridgecvs.net www.redbridgecvs.netRegistered charity 1005075 Registered company 2569614

We are funded by

North East London and the CityRedbridge Clinical Commissioning Group

Samaritans work in partnership with National Rail at Ilford station

Front cover: Getting to know farm animals at Lambourne End Outdoor Centre –

Sikh Community Care Project launch their renovated day centre