Agenda item

Kit – There were a couple of opportunities through NHFT:-

1.    Cadets – a year round programme with sessions once a week during school term time for young people aged 14 – 18 from groups who have not traditionally entered into volunteering opportunities within the health sector including those with learning difficulties or disabilities (full details have been sent out separately).

2.    Peer support programme – providing training for those with lived experience.  The advert will go live in September for the next round in January.  This training will prepare people for paid positions although there is no promise of a job.  Consideration will also be given as to whether this is the right time for the person themselves.

Rashmi asked, for those with disabilities who were on benefits, whether the money could be paid to the organisation that they represented.  Action: Kit to enquire.

Kit and her colleague Kirstie would be presenting on the Peer Support worker and Volunteer to Career programmes at the next meeting.

Cllr Chantler – One thing he had picked up from his first meeting was the Council needed to find better ways of communicating.  However, he asked everyone to be patient as it was a new organisation.  He also asked people to get in touch if there was anything they thought needed more attention within the Council.

Graeme – hoped everyone had enjoyed the successful Olympics especially with athletes from th county winning medals.  He always thought of it as the warm up to the real event of the Paralympics.  There were now 5 athletes from Northamptonshire competing with swimmers Zara Mullooly and William Perry joining fellow swimmers Ellie Robinson and Maisie Summers-Newton along with wheelchair tennis player Dermot Bailey in Tokyo.

Funding was available for the Couch to Coach Scheme and he reminded everyone that there were ample opportunities across the county to try most sports.  Ashley stated he had been to Sail-ability at Pitsford Reservoir and could report that it was excellent!

Alex – Funding opportunities currently available included:-

Family Food Aid

Made by Sport

The Constance Travis Endowment Fund

Northamptonshire Sport Disability Fund

More details on all grants can be found here -Northamptonshire Community Foundation (ncf.uk.com)

New funds for the autumn included one specifically for CICs and CIOs (Community Interest Companies and Organisations) and the next round of the Anglia Water Fund.

Alex explained that the Foundation was a middle man between the donor and the applicants and worked with all types of donors who all had their own criteria of what they wanted to target which they took on board but also tried to align it with  community needs.  Processes were in place for auditing and applicants had to sign an agreement to produce an end of grant report before the funds were released. However, if anyone had concerns that any grants administrated by NCF were not being used appropriately, they should get in touch.

A point was made that organisations representating should make an effort of promoting disabled people to attend and was backed up by a member suggesting when presentating, bring along disabled person to cary out the presentation if possible