Newsletter2

• Job vacancy: CWO Social Prescribing Manager – closing date 29 April 2024

  28 March 2024

  News from: Reading Voluntary Action (RVA)

  RVA is looking to recruit a Social Prescribing Manager to join the Community Wellness Outreach (CWO) project.

  The mission of CWO: A collaboration of local health and voluntary services to support people’s wellbeing, enabling them to live fulfilling lives, make healthy choices and address inequalities that impact them, in the places they live. Delivering a full Health Check, in community settings, by qualified nurses. Helping those who are most at risk of serious health issues such as cardiovascular disease, and diabetes to identify ways to reduce their risk. Providing advice and guidance enabling people to take steps to address other issues that are impacting on their health and wellbeing.

  Summary of the role: The CWO Social Prescribing Manager will join a small and friendly project team providing the outreach sessions. The primary responsibility of the role is to enable participants at risk of poor cardio health to make changes to improve their health outcomes. The right person is likely to be motivated to overcome health inequalities and have some understanding of good cardio health.

  CWO Social Prescribing Manager Job description and Person Specification

  Contract type: Part time
  Location: Greater Reading
  Salary: £32,000 pro rata
  Contact: Rachel Spencer
  Main contact telephone: 01189 372273
  Email: rachel.spencer@rva.org.uk
  Reference number for post: 2024/09
  How to apply: Applications can be made by submitting an application form – RVA Application Form
  Closing date for applications: 29 April 2024

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• RBC/ACRE: Community Health Champions project grants – deadline extended to 5 April 2024

  21 March 2024

  Reading Borough Council, together with Alliance for Cohesion and Racial Equality, are inviting local organisations who support Reading residents with their health and wellbeing to apply for this project grant. The grants are designed to support community-based organisations working with those at the greatest risk of experiencing poor health outcomes and health inequalities.

  This grants programme is aimed at voluntary and community groups based in Reading Borough including:
  -Charitable organisations
  -Voluntary organisations
  -Constituted community groups
  -Faith groups
  -Sports groups
  -Arts groups
  -Cultural organisations
  -Not-for-profit social enterprises

  Groups can apply in partnership or as a single organisation.

  The project is inviting applications for funding that support the following project grant criteria:
  -Projects which strengthen community development by empowering individuals in the community to identify their strengths, support other members of the community and consolidates community relationships.
  -Projects which encourage individuals in the community to harness their skills, resources and knowledge to support other members of the community and reduce health inequalities.
  -Projects which include working with Community Health Champions to identify community needs and developing initiatives or support to meet those needs
  -Projects which address misinformation about health and wellbeing in our local communities, including working to build trust between our communities and statutory organisations, including health partners.
  -Projects which encourage and support residents to access appropriate health and wellbeing services and accurate health and wellbeing information
  -Projects which look to explore, understand and evidence health inequalities in the communities of Reading
  -Projects which support Reading residents to access vaccines or information about vaccination, including the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, the flu vaccine and Covid-19 vaccines.

  Funding requirements – If your application is successful:
  -Your organisation is expected to recruit at least one voluntary Community Health Champion (CHC) within their organisation. The Champion could be an existing paid member of staff, a volunteer, or a service user/participant. Training and support will be provided to any recruited CHCs by the CHC team.
  -Your organisation will also be offered the opportunity to host NHS Health Check pop up events as part of the Community Wellness Outreach (CWO) project. The aim of the CWO project is to bring NHS Health Checks and health and wellbeing support to the communities of Reading.

  What the funding can be used for: The funding can be used to pay for the infrastructure and/or additional capacity needed by voluntary and community organisations to expand their existing work or to deliver new projects.
  -Local ‘one-off’ and small projects.
  -Running events.
  -Minor start-up costs (for example, to get a new idea/project off the ground).
  -Running costs such as hall hire and staff capacity.
  -Purchasing equipment.
  -Sessional costs (including staffing costs).

  Further information/how to apply:
  -Organisations can apply for grants of up to £10,000 (from an available pot of £44,000)
  -Guidance notes and an online application form can be found on the Reading Borough Council website at www.reading.gov.uk
  -The deadline for applications is 5 April 2024 at 17:00

  For further support from RVA with preparing your application or the policies and procedures required for this funding, contact Herjeet Randhawa at herjeet.randhawa@rva.org.uk.

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• Thinking of holding a street party? Free road closures available this summer

  21 March 2024

  A street party is a great way to bring your neighbours together and have fun, and as in previous years communities across Reading are invited to host street parties without having to pay the usual road closure fees. This year the council has announced that free road closures will be available for street parties that take place on any weekend in June or July.

  To apply to hold a street party, please use the online application form at www.reading.gov.uk/streetparties. The deadline for applications this year is 29 April 2024.

  Closing a street will need agreement from the affected households – the forms are quite straightforward and completed applications from most streets that are not on bus routes will be accepted. Even if you are unable to close your street you might be able to have a party in a local park or other area of open space.

  For further ideas or help in planning your street party please visit the Street Party official website at www.streetparty.org.uk.

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• Are you ready for May’s elections?

  15 March 2024

  The local council and PCC elections will take place in Reading on Thursday 2 May 2024.

  If you’re not yet registered to vote, have moved address, or changed your name, you have until 23:59 on Tuesday 16 April 2024 to do so. The easiest and quickest way is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. Residents can contact the Electoral Services Team if they need an application posted at elections@reading.gov.uk or 0118 937 3717.

  Last year, the government introduced a new law which means residents have to show photographic ID to be able to vote at polling stations. That requirement continues this year. People who plan to vote in person at a polling station are being asked to check now that they have an accepted form of ID. These include a passport, riving licence/provisional licence, blue badge, certain concessionary travel cards, such as an older person’s bus pass or an Oyster 60+ card, identity card with Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) mark, biometric immigration document, defence identity card, and certain national identity cards. Voters can use expired ID, as long as they are still recognisable from the photo. A full list of accepted forms of ID is available on the Electoral Commission’s website.

  Residents who do not have an accepted form of ID can apply online for a free Voter Authority Certificate (VAC) at www.voter-authority-certificate.service.gov.uk. Residents who need help with applying for a VAC, or prefer to request a paper application form, can contact Electoral Services at elections@reading.gov.uk or call 0118 937 3717. The deadline for applying for a VAC is 5.00pm on Wednesday 24 April 2024.

  The deadline to apply for a postal vote for this year’s elections is 17:00 on Wednesday 17 April. For a proxy vote, it is 17:00 on Wednesday 24 April. Residents can find out more at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote or www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote.

  From 31 October 2023, absent vote applications for all polls in England, UK Parliamentary elections in Scotland, and UK Parliamentary and PCC elections in Wales, must be verified against Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) data. To apply for a postal vote, residents need to supply their National Insurance number, as well as their name, address, date of birth and signature, so that the council can verify the identity of the person applying for the postal vote. It is important to note that the Council is unable to accept electronic signatures.

  Residents requiring further information or clarification contact the Electoral Services team at the Council by phoning 0118 937 3717 or email elections@reading.gov.uk.

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• New app for Reading’s library users

  26 February 2024

  Residents can now reserve or renew books in any of the town’s libraries with a new app. The Library App gives residents the ability to reserve or renew books remotely, enabling users to manage their library accounts conveniently from their devices. The app enhances the overall user experience and will help users access all the resources available from Reading Libraries wherever they are.

  Residents will have 24/7 access to library resources where they can complete research, extend loans, make reservations and requests and interact with library resources from anywhere, at any time.

  Key features of the Reading Libraries app include:

  -Multiple library accounts can be managed in one app, all the families library ‘cards’ in one place
  -Search the full Reading Borough Council library catalogue and reserve a book to collect at your local library
  -Extend the loans of books via the app
  -Access eBooks, audio books and eMagazines and other online resources
  -Reading’s library stock is now more accessible, as well as being completely free to borrow.

  Librarians, kiosks and book drops continue to be available in-branch and branch opening times can also be checked in the app.

  The app can be downloaded here https://www.yourlibraryapp.com/ReadingLibraries.

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