 This year's Pension Awareness Week is here, and we're asking stakeholders to get involved by encouraging your customers, service users, colleagues and contacts to take one simple first step: checking their State Pension age on GOV.UK.
To make this easy, we've launched a new State Pension age toolkit, with ready-to-use materials including:
 As part of Burnley's Climate Action Week, we are bringing together community groups, organisations, volunteers and residents for a borough-wide community litter pick on Friday 2nd October.
The aim is simple: to make a positive difference to our local environment while bringing people together to take pride in their neighbourhoods.  Social Care is Changing
Nationally, the Government's Big Conversation on Adult Social Care could influence how care and support are delivered for years to come. Locally, plans for a new Pennine Lancashire Council could bring responsibility closer to home. If you work in social care, health , local government, the voluntary sector, faith groups or support people in your community, these changes will affect you, your organisation and the people you serve. This event is your opportunity to
 Please find below our August newsletter, as with previous newsletters please forward this newsletter to anyone you think would benefit from reading it.
We hope you enjoy reading the latest news from VIC. Our Facebook page and group is updated regularly with further news and information.  This quarter's e-newsletter highlights Gas Safety Week which starts on Monday 14th September. It includes information about the resources available for your clients to help raise awareness not of just CO, but of gas safety in general. Well worth a look.
Think CO Zoom workshops and the e-learning course continue to be popular. Details about both are in the e-newsletter.  Become a Volunteers’ Week 2027 Sponsor
Help shape and support the UK's biggest celebration of volunteering.We're now seeking sponsors for Volunteers’ Week 2027.  Hello Neighbours,
Tackling knife crime requires a whole-of-society approach, with government, communities, charities and local partners working together. This September we’ve got some great news about knife crime figures. This change has come thanks to a coordinated and collaborative effort from campaigners, charities, government and the police. Thanks so much to all our members who shared information about the knife amnesty in person and online. These statistics show that working together, we can make a real difference. Other highlights this month:
 Following a successful showing at Queen Street Mill, Burnley, the Daniel Meadows exhibition: Shuttles, Steam and Soot moves to Barnoldswick.
Fifty years on, the great documentary photographer Daniel Meadows returns to Bancroft Mill. This facsimile exhibition recreates an original touring show from the 1970s, when these extraordinary photographs were taken, many of them documenting life at Bancroft Shed in Barnoldswick. Shuttles, Steam and Soot opens at Bancroft Mill Engine Museum, the surviving part of the mill, from 5 September 2026 before touring to other northern locations. Click 'read more' to read the full press release.  Click read more to see when our upcoming support groups are happening and for more information about our services.
We also have a dedicated SEND Support Facebook group, click the link below to join: Basically SEND support | Facebook
Are you supporting a neurodiverse child aged 0 to 25? Whether you're just starting to have questions, waiting for an assessment, recently received a diagnosis, or looking for practical advice, the NEU WAY Peer Support & Hubs are here to help.
 You will no doubt have seen the recent and unexpected announcement from Government. Discussions are already underway about the next steps following the decision to pause and review Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Lancashire.
Ministers have recognised the hard work that has taken place so far, while also acknowledging the frustration this review may cause. The government has reiterated its commitment to LGR and its role in supporting devolution during this Parliament. The review will look at all aspects of LGR, including legal considerations and the proposals that have already been submitted. We do not yet have a timetable, other than being told it will be a rapid review covering all 14 areas affected across the country. Based on current government statements, and assuming the shadow elections now take place in 2028, the likely Vesting Day would be April 2029.  We are pleased to invite you to our Future North West: VSNW Conference and AGM 2026. Please see the event details below and sign up to secure your place.
 Get your charity’s story in front of journalists ✍️Applications open on a rolling basis
Got a newsworthy story but struggling with limited PR capacity and budget? Media Trust has partnered with PA Media Group, the UK’s national news agency, to help small charities refine and distribute their press releases. If selected, you’ll receive expert feedback from media professionals to strengthen your story, followed by free distribution through PA Media Group’s press release service giving journalists across the UK the opportunity to discover your story. Whether you’re launching a campaign, sharing new research, announcing a milestone or highlighting your impact, this could help your story reach a much wider audience. Applications are open on a rolling basis, with up to two charities selected each month. We welcome applications from UK charities and nonprofits with an annual income of £1 million or less. Apply with your press release idea today! Apply for our press programme  We wanted to share some exciting news with you regarding a new initiative we are rolling out to support the delivery of the Best Start in Life. We have commissioned the Easy Peasy App for Lancashire, a fantastic tool designed to support early childhood development.
Our shared aspiration is to encourage all our parents and carers to download and use the App regularly. The evidence supporting Easy Peasy shows a significant positive impact on the number of children achieving a Good Level of Development by the end of reception. This aligns perfectly with the targets set by the Department for Education.  Monday 5 October 2026 @ 12pm
📍 Longside Lounge, Turf Moor, Burnley Football Club, Harry Potts Way, Burnley, BB10 4BX The event is open to all Trust members, colleagues and members of the public. On the day there will be a selection of engagement stalls where you can find out more about some of the Trust's services and our partner organisations. You can also visit our HARRI bus to improve your health and wellbeing, get involved with the Trust charity, Hope and Mind, or hop aboard and explore our mobile research unit. During the Annual Members' Meeting, the Board of Directors will present this year's Annual Report and Accounts and provide an opportunity for members to ask questions. Lancashire Police has launched Fake or Real? Know the Deal, a campaign designed to help young people and families recognise and respond to the growing threat posed by artificial intelligence (AI) generated deepfakes, including harmful manipulated content that can have devastating consequences for victims. The campaign aims to give young people, parents, carers and educators the confidence and knowledge needed to embrace technology safely while understanding the risks associated with deepfake content. Deepfakes are images, videos or audio clips created using artificial intelligence that can make it appear as though someone has said or done something they never actually did.   Our latest episode of Out of the Ashes: Stories from Lancashire explores our draft Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) for the next five years.
In Episode 15: Shaping Our Future: Exploring the Community Risk Management Plan, Deputy Chief Fire Officer Steve Healey and Area Manager Tom Powell take a closer look at what the CRMP is, why it matters and how it will shape the work we do over the next five years. They explore the changing risks facing communities across Lancashire, including fires, flooding and wildfires, as well as prevention, protection, emergency response and working with partners to help manage these risks.  As we head into autumn, we are reflecting on the changes and challenges ahead, particularly with the closure of Reach Volunteering that was announced earlier this week. Reach provided an essential infrastructure service to the voluntary sector, and we are saddened to see it close. Read more below.
With devolution and local government reorganisation also continuing to impact local voluntary sectors, we want to make sure all types of organisation feel confident to navigate these changes. In this newsletter, you’ll find links to events, resources and information all related to devolution and LGR. As always, if you have any feedback on this newsletter, let us know by replying directly to this email. In the meantime, you can stay in the loop by connecting with us on LinkedIn. |
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