Talking Tory
This was a phrase used at the recent VSNW Festival of Thinking. It reflected that there is a need to develop new relationships and that communication with those with whom there is not a track record of alignment is not always easy. VSNW has begun to build relationships and develop learning to share with the aim of assisting the process.
A “one nation tory” webinar was attended. One nationism was coined by Benjamin Disraeli to remind those in government that they were there for all – not just “our people”. It was Thatcher who coined the phrase “our people” and there is a significant strand of the current conservative party to still adhere to that level of dogma. The seminar had four speakers.
Danny Kruger MP is gaining a reputation as the sector “expert” within the Tory party. He did reference Disraeli, mentioned that there is a need to “trust the people” and observed that “you have to be fierce in the defence of the gentle”. This phrase gives cause for reflection and may be useful in future discussions. He stated that moving forward One Nationism is Mutual Aid Groups and local action within a dismantled bureaucracy to enable action.
Arlene Foster – the leader of the Ulster Unionists then spoke and claimed that One Nationism has been reinforced by Covid. Three examples were cited.
a. The Union needs conserving (Tories take this for granted) but with less London Centric and England Centric announcements and policies.
b. Enable and trust the people – but not in the Blairism continual subsidy manner. She indicated a need for long term plans for education and training to enable this example to be effective.
c. Ambition without Empire. She observed that a permanent state of decline is not acceptable and that areas that once thrived need to be levelled up. Like many others she is somewhat lacking in detail as to what this means.
Jane Stevenson, newly elected MP for Wolverhampton SW saw one nationism as levelling up and warned that if “our people” do not benefit from the “splash the cash” that was promised before the last election there will be electoral consequences. One hopes that she is keeping an eye on the employment market for she will likely be a one term MP. She did highlight that the National Brownfield Institute is to be located in her constituency and that delivers “levelling up”. She sees that talent is evenly spread whereas opportunity is less even in distribution.
The final speaker was KIrstene Hair who was an MP, lost her seat in December, and is now senior adviser to Douglas Ross – leader of the Scottish Conservatives. She delivered a tirade against the Westminster Government and the PM which was quite extraordinary. Shortly after the “Devolution has been a disaster” comment, made by the PM, was reported. Certainly the desire to conserve the Union, expressed by Arlene Foster, is less likely to happen in Scotland.
There were either technical issues with some of the questions (or maybe the questioners had given up). John Denham (former Labour MP) was one of the questioners.
So, what did we learn from this? The main learning point is that there is no agreed definition of One Nation Toryism amongst Tories who have been invited to speak at a seminar that explored the issue. The differences were more than mere nuance. There is some talk about levelling up – but no shared understanding of what it means. There is some talk about education and training and no idea how it is to be delivered.
The conclusion may suggest that the session was not helpful. It was – if only to show that “Talking Tory” is not going to be easy as being in a position of leadership and representation does not mean a shared or consistent vision. Sorry!
The seminar can be viewed here https://www.conservativehome.com/video/2020/11/watch-live-one-nation-conservatism-what-does-it-look-like-after-covid-19.html It is recommended as is a regular scan of Conservative Home. Many of the articles are of relevance to the sector and it helps to read the comments – some are quite alarming.
Surviving or acquiring – strategies for business success.
The Business Desk held the above seminar on 17th November 2020. VSNW attended to gain insights to share with our Social Enterprise Networks – many of whom need to explore “hard subjects” resulting from the pandemic. We have to be good at the enterprise to enable the social. Speakers were excellent and it is hoped that the event will be on line in due course. The seminar comprised four speakers.
First off was Dr John Ashcroft – an economist of some renown. Amongst many points he observed two stand out.
1. “If you do not have a digital presence you have a problem”. This has been evidenced by the recent demise of Edinburgh Woollen Mill/Jaeger/Ponden/Peacocks who had a minimal online presence and is a lesson for all social enterprises. If customers cannot access you they cannot make purchases.
2. The FED (the American Central Bank) has indicated that there will be no interest rate increases for three years. Dr Ashcoft surmised that the Bank of England will have to follow suit. This does mean that it is a good time for directors of social enterprises to revisit appetite for borrowing. There will be opportunities for investment arising – as set out by other speakers in this seminar.
Chris Yates then followed. He is an experienced Chief Executive who specialises in turnrounds and business exits. This is language that brings sharp intakes of breath within the social enterprise sector but we cannot ignore such issues. Every word that Chris spoke added value to the seminar. Key points include
Obtain clarity of outcome from stakeholders. What do they want and do they all want the same? What happens if they don’t?
Ask the team for simple and straightforward things that can be achieved quickly. By setting simple goals, with short time frame, it helps get people out of a fog that is caused by panic operating practices brought about by increasing pressures.
Be honest and don’t be economical with the truth. Not every operation can be saved.
Plan for three or four key outcomes and base the plan on stakeholder consultation.
This all sounds quite straightforward. The author of this piece knows that it is not so easy in practice which is why he brought in some one when the community enterprise he was heading took over a failing operation – and this despite him providing similar services for others. One step removed, yet immersed on an interim basis, can be of huge assistance.
Frank Otanagoro continued the seminar with useful advice for dealing with the Covid situation. He advised that unnecessary costs should be eliminated and cash managed tightly followed by a micro and macro evaluation of the business. Bluntly, is what you do and how you do it needed and being undertaken in a manner that is now relevant. He also urged a robust examination of the supply chain – a failure of a supply could have a knock on effect for what you do.
From a social enterprise perspective it then became interesting. Frank strongly encouraged examining all operations within a business and, perhaps, shedding some of the non-core ones. From an existing operation perspective it can have the effect of creating an element of cash or, at the very least, releasing management time to concentrate on the “knitting”. From our perspective it could provide opportunities to acquire an operation which is already up and running with a customer base from which income can be generated. It may even come with a management team who can learn from us as we learn from them. It could be exciting.
Ian Barton concluded the session by stressing the need for business planning. Be strategic in thinking – what will the operation look like in the “new normal”. He talked about the need for strong balance sheets which can be strengthened by the sale of non-core assets – which resonated with Frank. There was discussion about different natures of mergers and acquisitions which, for the author, a former commercial banker, was fascinating but perhaps outside the scope of this report. However, Ian did observe that if blue sky strategic planning had taken place an operation is well placed to react quickly to an opportunity. A distress sale can make things cheaper. This is an element of commercial aggression that the social enterprise sector can learn from.
The Q&A session also produced information gems. It is possible to have a profit poor and cash rich business. Q2 of 2021 will be critical as this is when the support packages, for all sectors, are due to end and first repayments of Covid loans are due. It is sensible to plan for opportunities and wait as well as having an agile response system. Good business will become available due to impaired balance sheets. There has to be caution and a need to fully understand cash flow implications of expansion. Late filing of annual returns can impact on credit rating and it is essential to work with auditors to obtain an audit report which does not have a going concern qualification.
Finally, Dr Ashcroft observed that this will all pass – eventually whilst Frank stressed the importance of good business coaching and support networks.
About – speakers. One of the joys of this seminar was that none of the speakers tried to push their services. In that spirit readers of this article are urged to explore profiles on Linked In and other sites.
About – Business Desk. This is a daily business update bulletin that arrives at 08.15/08.20 each weekday morning. It is free of adverts and provides headlines. These can be clicked upon for further information. There are adverts on the supplementary pages. It is a free service to which the author signed up when CEO of an enterprise in the West Midlands and again now he is working in the North West. There have been no unsolicited emails that can be tracked back to this sign up.
About – author. Andrew Rainsford is Policy and Research Officer for Voluntary Sector North West. He has a varied career including commercial lending; local government management; CEO of a new start community enterprise and project development/funding for a wide variety of third sector bodies.
Social Enterprise Day 2020
Social Enterprise Day is held annually on the 3rd Thursday in November. This year, as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, Social Enterprise Day falls on the 19th November.
According to Social Enterprise UK, social enterprises are “our best chance of creating a fairer world and protecting the planet”. Essentially, social enterprises are distinguishable from traditional businesses by their profit channels. Their aim is to reinvest or donate their profits into projects and campaigns aimed at creating positive social change; goods and services are sold in an open market, which in turn creates employment, and thus reinvests into the local community.
This community focus makes Social Enterprise Day important to VSNW. We are delighted to say that Racheal Jones, Chief Executive at One Knowsley (a VS6 partner), has joined the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Social and Solidarity Economy Reference Panel as a VCFSE sector representative. Racheal joins other leaders and experts from social enterprise organisations as part of an advisory panel aiming to maximise the contribution of the sector as part of the regions Covid-19 recovery planning. The panel provides a vital voice for the sector in discussions with the LCR Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram.
In keeping with the social enterprise ethos, Racheal states that:
“The establishment of the Social and Solidarity Economy Reference Panel is a testament to the ongoing commitment within the region to develop a whole economy that is fair and inclusive”.
VSNW is committed to the continuing support of organisations whose raison d’etre surrounds giving back to the community and looks forward to a more equal and fairer society.
Happy Social Enterprise Day!
Welcome to our new Trustees
Thank you to all those who attended our third Festival of North West Thinking event, which also incorporated our AGM. We know switching to digital interactions for events like these has sometimes proven hard, so we appreciate your continued patience, enthusiasm and commitment.
We are very happy to welcome back all of our Board of Trustees, who have succeeded in making sure that VSNW can continue to work together to enable the VCSE sector to positively shape the future of the North West. This includes: Alison Page, Chair of VSNW; Ed Moss, Vice-Chair; Dan Moxon, Treasurer; Dave Packwood and Sally Yeoman.
In turn, we are also pleased to announce three new members to the Board of Trustees, voted for by our members during the AGM:
Firstly, Gill Bainbridge, who is the Chief Executive at Merseyside Youth Association in Liverpool City Region. Gill has experience working with some of Merseyside’s most vulnerable young people and working strategically and operationally with and on behalf of them. Gill presently represents the sector on the Liverpool City Region Youth Task Force, the Liverpool Providers Alliance, Liverpool Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Partnership Board and Liverpool’s City-wide Fairness and Anti-Poverty Group. She is a member of VS6, the Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Social Care Leadership Group and Health Watch Community Engagement Group.
We are proud to welcome Gill to our Board of Trustees and look forward to working with her.
Secondly Dr Ridwanan Gurjee; she is a Principal Lecturer, leading the Centre for Volunteering and Community Leadership (CVCL) at the University of Central Lancashire in the School of Social Work, Care and Community. Ridwanah is the employability lead within the school, supporting subjects in Community Leadership, Children, Schools and Families, Social Work and Applied Community and Social Care Studies. Ridwanah also leads the International activities within the school and has developed her specialism of peer mentoring, globally, with UCLan Students and young people from the Agadir Orphanage Centre in Morocco.
Ridwanan’s vast experience, will be vital in her role and we look forward to learning from her expertise.
Thirdly, we welcome Khansa Taha. Khansa is a trainee solicitor, soon to qualify and intending to continue practicing within Family Law. Her current role is within a specialist domestic abuse firm working with local and national charities to support service users to bridge the gap to legal recourse, including Victim Support/New Era and the National Centre for Domestic Violence. She also has experience working with young people and youth participation including Youth Focus North West, UK Youth Parliament and Bolton Council Children Services.
Khansa will be a great asset to the board and we are pleased to welcome her.
Thanks again to all those members who voted in our AGM. For those who are interested in becoming a member and having a say at next year’s AGM, please click here for more information.
For more detailed profiles on our current trustees, please see our Board of Trustees webpage.
Thriving Communities Programme Launched
On 10th November, the National Academy of Social Prescribing (NASP) launched Thriving Communities, a new national support programme for voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise groups, supporting communities impacted by COVID19 in England, working alongside social prescribing link workers. VSNW is part of the North West Regional Lead partnership, alongside Sefton CVS ( representing Cheshire and Merseyside). Salford CVS (representing Greater Manchester) and Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale CVS (representing Lancashire and South Cumbria).
The Thriving Communities programme consists of four main areas:
The Thriving Communities Network which brings together local voluntary, community, faith, social enterprise groups and organisations, to champion and amplify the impact of their work, and inspire innovation.
An Ideas Hub where organisations can share ideas, and read others’ stories i to champion successes, share challenges and support each other together.
Learning Together, a regional support initiative for voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise groups and organisations supporting communities through COVID19. It is free to join and runs for 6 months. from 11 January 2021 – 16 July 2021. There are up to 100 free places in the North West and applications must be received by 11th December. Apply here.
The Thriving Communities Fund which will support local voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCSFSE) projects that bring together place-based partnerships to improve and increase the range and reach of available social prescribing community activities – especially for those people most impacted by COVID19 and health inequalities. Applications will open on 23rd November and close on 8th January 2021.
Thriving Communities Fund Webinar
Following the launch of the Thriving Communities Programme, on Monday 23 November, NASP are hosting a webinar outlining the funding opportunities which are available to local voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise groups across the country who are supporting communities most impacted by COVID19.
As well as the above Thriving Communities Fund, the webinar will also include information on NHS Charities Together Community Partnership Grants. These aim to help local NHS Charities develop community partnerships to reduce health inequalities, support people impacted by COVID19 and improve prevention.
The webinar will help you understand the funds’ aims and eligibility, as well as how to apply for these funding opportunities.
To register for the webinar visit here.
North West Region Session
To build on the national event, the Regional Leads for the North West will be hosting a follow-up session for organisations in the region to discuss how we can work together to form partnerships which might apply for Thriving Communities Funding.
This session will be held online on Thursday 26th November at 3pm. To register for the Zoom please click here.
We recommend that you either attend the webinar on the 23rd November or watch this back prior to the North West Region event.
NAVCA Guide to Volunteering in Lockdown
NAVCA have produced a “quick guide to decision-making“ in relation to volunteering activity during this November lockdown.
However, please note if in doubt always refer to the Government guidelines:
November update: upcoming funding & campaigns
Funding:
Power to Change: The Community Business Renewal Initiative
In response to the current pandemic, Power to Change opened their first round of funding of the Community Business Renewal Initiative. This fund is aimed at those organisations who are focused on delivering services to those most affected by Covid-19. Grants are available between £10,000-£20,000; this money can be used for staffing costs, adaptation of community business and the continued survival of organisations. This fund is aimed at those in the most deprived areas and communities, especially those supporting and led by disabled and BAME-led or BAME- supporting businesses. Round one closed on 3rd November due to high levels of applicants. Round two and three will open on 12th January 10am-1pm and Tuesday 2nd March 10am-1pm respectively. Make a note in your diaries.
For more information: https://www.powertochange.org.uk/get-support/programmes/community-business-renewal-fund/
Comic Relief: The Global Majority Fund
Comic Relief have also partnered with the National Emergencies Trust, Barclays and The Clothworkers’ Foundation to launch The Global Majority Fund, which is aimed at response work in communities experiencing racial inequality. Applications close on 30th November at midday.
They will also be holding three Zoom Q&A sessions. To register and for more info click here: https://www.comicrelief.com/funding/funding-opportunities/the-global-majority-fund/
UK Youth: UK Youth Fund
UK Youth have launched the UK Youth Fund. They are asking all youth organisations across England to complete a SHORT questionnaire relating to their experience of Covid’s impact which will form part of their application for funding. They have secured £2,000,000 to support small youth organisations who so far have had little access to any Covid relief funding. Those organisations whose turnover is less than £250,000 are eligible to apply, with grants of up to £50,000 being offered. The closing date for applications is the 25th November at midday.
Complete questionnaire: https://www.funding.ukyouth.org
UK Youth will be holding two webinars to answer any questions relating to the application.
Thursday 12 November 10am-11am:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_46TczAZ7S1uKvoIUU3ZMIA
Tuesday 17th November 3pm-4pm:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jXvEFyrnRPWFsno6zFBJ-w
Ecclesiastical: Movement for Good, 12 Days of Giving
As part of their ‘Movement for Good campaign’, Ecclesiastical are giving financial assistance to eligible charities in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands & Isle of Man; 10 charities will receive £1000 each weekday from 7-22th December. They are asking people to nominate their favourite charity; each draw will close at midnight the day before & the 10 charities that day with the most votes will receive £1000 to help them through this difficult period.
To nominate: https://www.movementforgood.com/12days/
Sector Challenge Programme
Catalyst and The National Lottery Communiy Fund, as part of their Covid-19 Digital Response fund, have launched 12 Sector Challenges across four sectors which have been most affected by Covid-19. These include: early years; mental health and wellbeing; financial wellbeing; and sexual abuse and domestic violence.
Three charities or civil society organisations will be funded for each challenge; they will come together with a digital partner to explore heightening digital usage to overcome some of the problems faced in light of the pandemic. The budget will be between £5,000-£10,000.
Deadline for applications is 27th November 2020.
For more information, click here.
Campaigns:
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA): Personal Assistants in Care Recruitment Campaign
This scheme is aimed at encouraging recruitment and applications for Personal Assistants in Care (PAs). Disabled members of our communities, who have access to a direct payment personal budget often find themselves without access to good PAs. As many people are finding themselves without work due to the ongoing pandemic, there are many potential great PAs who are looking for work; this scheme is circulated around promoting this opportunity into work. GMCA are working with partners across Greater Manchester to facilitate easy access to information; “partner packs” are available for organisations etc to have ample access to useful promotion.
For more information & access to resources: https://greatermanchesterpa.org.uk/resources/
Announcing: Festival of North West Thinking 2020
VSNW are pleased to announce that our Festival of North West Thinking 2020 will be taking place online over four weeks from 23rd October through to 12th November. The theme of this year’s festival will be Covid-19 recovery.
The series of four events will bring together panellists from organisations across the VCFSE sector with representatives from the combined local authorities to listen and identify the key issues the sector is facing, feeding key challenges and potential solutions identified into strategy. This is part of VSNW’s work to facilitate the VCFSE sector’s response to re-design and recovery in the North West region.
Over these past six months, the conversations VSNW have been working to support and facilitate across the region have increasingly shifted from co-ordinating the sector’s immediate emergency response to Covid-19 to looking forward to how we rebuild, and what we want this new world to look like.
Each event has been designed to bring together different perspectives from across the sector to explore the threads of Covid-19 recovery conversation taking place across the region. We have identified a number of key areas where the opportunity to listen and learn from one another is essential to build a strategic response which places the goal of building a more equitable, socially just society at its heart.
The Festival will be comprised of four online events. For more information and to book, please click on the event title:
Covid-19 Recovery: VCSE Leadership Voices Assembly with a focus on Inequalities
Friday 23rd October – 10am-12pm
This event is intended for our colleagues in leadership roles at VCSE sector organisations and equalities networks across the North West. It will give us an opportunity come together and start to coordinate a strategy for using our sector’s Covid-19 recovery as an opportunity to combat inequality.
Covid-19 Recovery: The VCSE Infrastructure Perspective
Wednesday 28th October –2pm-3:30pm
This event is intended for our colleagues at VCSE sector infrastructure organisations across the North West. It’s an opportunity for us to bring together our different perspectives from across the region, identify the salient issues the sector’s infrastructure bodies are confronting, and to coordinate and synergise our response.
We are delighted to announce that the following national VSCE sector leaders will be joining us for a panel discussion:
Rita Chadha, CEO of the Small Charities Coalition
Andrew O’Brien, Director of External Affairs, Social Enterprise UK
Karl Wilding, Chief Executive of NCVO
Beyond 2020: The Role of the VCSE Sector (including VSNW’s AGM)
Thursday 12th November – 2pm-4:30pm
This event is intended for our membership, but we’d welcome new organisations who are interested in attending, to see if you’re eligible for free membership. For more information on what this entails and how to apply please see the membership page of our website.
We are also hosting a discussion on the Future of Funding for the sector. Speakers confirmed include:
Paul Streets (Lloyds Bank Foundation)
Elly De Decker (The National Lottery Community Fund)
Sarah Longlands (IPPR North)
Building Back Better: In Conversation with the North West’s Metro Mayors
Date & time TBC
VSNW is the regional VCSE sector network for the North West of England. We work to ensure the sector, in all its diversity, takes its full part in shaping the future of the North West. VSNW is a membership organisation; we connect to the sector through infrastructure organisations, equalities networks and regional and national providers. If your organisation fits this description, we’d like to invite you to join us as a member of VSNW. Membership is free and joining us will ensure we’re able to keep you linked into the strategic conversations we help facilitate across the region. To find out more and apply for membership, please take a look at the membership page on our website.
Cheshire & Warrington Infrastructure charities come together
Infrastructure support charities from across Cheshire & Warrington have come together to form a new collective, the Cheshire & Warrington Infrastructure Partnership. This partnership will work across the region to coordinate support for the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector, share best-practice and resources, and assist with the continuing efforts to tackle Covid-19 and help our communities and charitable organisations recover.
The partnership currently consists of the following organisations:
Cheshire Community Action
Cheshire West Voluntary Action
CVS Cheshire East
Halton & St Helens Voluntary and Community Action
Warrington Voluntary Action
Secretariat and administration support for the Partnership will be provided by Voluntary Sector North West.
The formation of the Cheshire & Warrington Infrastructure Partnership follows the recent announcement that the three local authorities in the region and the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) have committed to a vision of building a better future after COVID, where businesses and local communities see improvements in four key areas – economic growth, health, sustainability and inclusivity. This is a goal which the Partnership fully supports and will work alongside colleagues in the public sector to achieve.
Caroline Whitney CEO of CVS Cheshire East said:
“We are delighted to be a founding member of this new partnership which will ensure better cooperation and more joint working across the Cheshire and Warrington region.”
Clare Harrison Deputy Chief Executive of Cheshire West Voluntary Action said:
“The Partnership will provide a collective voice for the VCSE sector[1], enabling us to present a united front in discussions around how our communities can recover from the current crisis and Build Back Better with a fairer and more sustainable society.”
Alison Cullen CEO of Warrington Voluntary Action said:
“As a founding member of this new partnership I am looking forward to participating on behalf of the sector on the new Public Sector Transformation Board”
Margaret Cheshire, Chief Operations Officer of Cheshire Community Foundation said:
“We are delighted to have been co-opted into the Partnership and to play an important role in ensuring that the Sector is effectively linked into economic and funding conversations”
To view a PDF copy of this press release please click here.