Our news is collected from our network of members, and is updated regularly. We also present information and articles from other sources that might be relevant to your kind of group.
Growing Careers – new courses starting in June
18 May 2021Food4Families is offering Growing Careers – a free 6-week series of courses starting in June these offer a practical, hands-on introduction to what your could be doing if you got a job in horticulture. -1.5 hour sessions, based outdoors in local Reading community gardens -seed sowing and propagation -plant care -soil health -garden maintenance -sustainable growing techniques. For dates, times and locations please download this flyer.
Help save lives by donating blood plasma
11 May 2021
The NHS Blood and Transplant service needs help from men aged 17 to 66. In April, the service began collecting blood plasma from donations to make vital antibody-based medicines and we urgently need more people to make donations. These medicines, called immunoglobulins, will help thousands of people with immune diseases. Thousands of patients rely on immunoglobulin medicines for short-term treatment or lifelong diseases. NHS Blood and Transplant is asking for men to consider donating their blood plasma.
Interested in tenants’ rights? ACORN needs you!
26 April 2021The ACORN community union, representing tenants, is hoping to set up a branch in Reading. The union is about organising for a fairer deal for tenants and focuses on housing issues. To establish a branch locally, ACORN needs to get a membership of 100. The union will then appoint a branch organiser, which is a paid role, but they need to see enough local support before they will invest in an employee.
Berkshire Community Foundation Vital for Berkshire Coronavirus Fund – deadline 10 May 2021
21 April 2021
Berkshire Community Foundation will be allocating funds to local charities, community and voluntary groups impacted by and working to help people affected by the ongoing Covid-19 crisis in Berkshire. Their aims are: -To help organisations respond to immediate needs. -To help stabilise organisations supporting those in need. -To help organisations adapt to the crisis. Grants up to a maximum of £5,000 will be considered, subject to funding availability.
Community Participatory Action Research Facilitator – closing date 5 May 2021
20 April 2021
This is an exciting opportunity to facilitate a local community participatory research project as part of a voluntary and statutory sector partnership. The role will support local researchers from minority ethnic communities in Reading to co-produce and carry out community research into widening health inequalities Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, inequalities in health, especially mental health, have become magnified amongst some Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups disproportionately affected.
Have your say – RBC is reviewing how it allocates social housing
19 April 2021
Reading Borough Council is reviewing how it allocates social housing, and would like your thoughts on the proposed changes. Their aims are to make the scheme fairer and easier to understand for the customers who use it, and to ensure they are creating thriving and well-balanced communities where residents want to live. They have defined these two themes as Well-Balanced Sustainable Communities and Clear and Fair Allocations Scheme. The consultation is open until 12 May 2021.
Council launches ‘Love Your Park’ campaign
3 April 2021The council has launched a new anti-littering campaign to encourage residents to ‘Love Your Park’. The campaign aims to encourage people to put litter in the park bins or take it home – and will encourage visitors to report litter and full bins for emptying. As the weather gets warmer and lockdown restrictions ease, more and more people will be taking advantage of Reading’s beautiful parks and open spaces.
Do you need help with your census form?
28 March 2021
Reading Voluntary Action is pleased to be working with the Office for National Statistics and the Good Things Foundation to offer the Census Support Service for Reading during March and April. Every 10 years a complete census is taken of the current UK population and this provides valuable information to help plan local services in the future. The date for this year’s census is 21 March 2021 and most households will complete the census on or just after that date.
Spring courses from Food4Families
26 March 2021
Food4Families are pleased to be offering two new courses starting this April: -Growing Healthy Conversations – free eight week courses (Practise your conversational English whilst learning gardening skills at our local community gardens) -Growing Careers – free six week courses (Practical, hands-on introduction to what you could be doing if you got a job in horticulture)
Growing up in Reading: Key findings from a report by RVA’s Youth Social Action Team
26 March 2021
Reading Voluntary Action has published the key findings from research into what it’s like to grow up in Reading. The research was shaped and carried out by a Youth Social Action Team. It was completed before the start of the pandemic, but the pandemic has made the priorities identified by the Youth Social Action Team – especially tackling loneliness among young people and supporting the diverse communities in Reading – even more urgent.