 The UK is expected to introduce restrictions on social media access for under-16s next year. While much of the debate focuses on protecting children from online harms, we want to understand what the changes could mean for charities that support young people under 16.
Complete our short survey to tell us:
 Please see the link below for the latest Heads up Health Protection bulletin. Please could you share this with all your contacts who may find this information useful:
Heads Up From Health Protection July 26 Bulletin With temperatures set to rise and remain high over the coming weeks, and as we move into the school holidays, it is important to reinforce and reshare water safety messages. Previous periods of hot weather, alongside research from the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) and the NCMD, have shown a clear link between higher temperatures and an increased risk of drowning. More people may visit coastal areas, lakes and rivers, and use paddling pools which could increase the risk of water safety incidents. Please support the sharing of key water safety messages with your networks, partners and communities. Please find attached the communications brief circulated ahead of Drowning Prevention Week; the social media messages included can be used throughout the year, not only during campaign periods.
 In December 2025, the Government launched a new National Youth Strategy — the first one in 15 years. Called Youth Matters, it’s a 10‑year plan shaped with input from young people. The aim is to make sure young people’s voices are heard, improve opportunities and outcomes, and make youth services more consistent across the country. It sets a clear direction for how youth services should work, focusing on working with young people, strong local leadership, and building long‑term support in local areas.
 We are delighted to share an open invitation to attend the Healthwatch Board of Trustees Meeting on Tuesday 21 July, from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm.
The meeting will be held in person at the People First Carlisle Conference Centre, or you can join online, making it easy to take part wherever you are. This is an opportunity to:
Whether you're interested in the work of Healthwatch, passionate about improving local health and care services, or simply want to learn more about what has been achieved over the past year, we would love to have as many people from our communities as possible involved.  We would like to invite you to join Lancashire Against Hate - Safety, Solidarity and Action, a strategic gathering of leaders, partners, and community organisations.
Inclusive North is convening this event at a time of growing concern. Across the country, we have witnessed a rise in racist rhetoric, hate-fuelled incidents, and the normalisation of narratives that seek to divide communities. We have also seen local incidents and community tensions being exploited and amplified by those seeking to sow fear, mistrust, and hostility.  In this issue:
Exhibition of cotton mills in 1970s Lancashire returns home Fifty years on, the great documentary photographer Daniel Meadows returns to Lancashire. This facsimile exhibition recreates an original touring show from the 1970s, when these extraordinary photographs were taken, documenting working life in Queen Street Mill, Bancroft Shed in Barnoldswick and even atop a 150 foot chimney stack! Shuttles, Steam and Soot premieres at Queen Street Mill Textile Museum from 8 July 2026 before touring to other Lancashire locations. The photographer visits for an ‘in conversation’ on Saturday 18 July. Daniel Meadows is now widely recognised as a pioneer of twentieth century documentary photography. His archive is now held in the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Back in 1975, the young Daniel Meadows began two years as photographer-in residence to Pendle Borough Council, with support from Mid Pennine Arts. Here, he found himself drawn to Queen Street Mill, and especially to Bancroft Shed, the last surviving steam powered cotton weaving mill in Pendle. Daniel began documenting the life of the mills and getting to know the people who worked in them. From weaver and radical organiser Bessie Dickinson, to Bancroft Shed engineer Stanley Graham, flue cleaner Charlie Sutton and steeplejack Peter Tatham, he created a uniquely vivid portrait of Lancashire’s workers and their disappearing trades.  With very hot weather across Lancashire this week and temperatures possibly reaching 35°C, please take extra care and look out for others. Hot weather can affect people quickly, so it’s important to plan ahead and stay safe.   Do you know someone who has been a reading hero in their community? Is there someone you’d like to see recognised for bringing books to people? We want to hear from and about volunteers who are helping others make room for reading in their lives.
Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner has called on Government to look again at the reclassification of Ketamine to a Class A drug, to protect young people and ensure offenders feel the full force of the law. Commissioner Clive Grunshaw made his call on the reclassification of Ketamine following the launch of Operation Shore, Lancashire’s response to the supply and misuse of Ketamine, building on a successful campaign in the east of the county. It delivers a whole-system approach bringing together prevention, engagement and enforcement to prevent addiction, encourage treatment and support, whilst going after the dealers and gangs that make life a misery for vulnerable people. He has written to the Policing Minister outlining his views, including evidence of increasing health and safeguarding risks linked to ketamine use, the operational picture, and the importance of ensuring national policy keeps pace with the harms being seen in communities.   Now open: Growing Together Award 2026
Entries are now open for the RHS and BBC's The One Show's Growing Together Award 2026. If your community group has transformed an unloved space into a thriving garden that benefits the whole community, let us know! We're particularly keen to hear about projects that have encouraged people to try gardening for the first time, and that involve a diverse range of people. Apply today to tell us what the transformed space means to your group and local community. The overall winner will receive £1000 in National Garden Gift Vouchers, a plaque and certificate. Apply by 11.59pm Sunday 28 June 2026. LSCFT would really value the expertise of the CVFSE organisations across the Lancashire and South Cumbria footprint to help influence LSCFT’s operating model and future neighbourhood thinking and working through attending the above conference.   The Filo Project is an award-winning, not-for-profit organisation providing enriching small group care days for people living with early to moderate dementia and other age-related challenges.
 Thank you to everyone who has already responded to the consultation on the Local Transport Plan (LTP) - Implementation Plan.
 Children and volunteers from Rosegrove Neighbourhood Watch enjoyed a fantastic day at Evergreen Forest School, West Bradford, on Sunday 7th June 2026.
The trip provided local children with the opportunity to explore the outdoors, learn about nature, meet animals, discover woodland habitats and take part in a range of exciting hands-on activities. Throughout the day, children enjoyed woodland adventures and wildlife habitats and developed new skills through outdoor learning. Six More Lancashire Places Added To The Priority Places For Culture List. Here’s Why It Matters.9/6/2026
The government just named its cultural investment priorities. Lancashire now has eight of them.  Last week, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport published its new Culture Priority Places list - 81 local authority areas across England identified as priorities for cultural investment, targeted specifically at the places where deprivation is highest and cultural engagement is lowest. For Lancashire, the news is significant.
Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool were already on the list as existing Arts Council Priority Places. They’ve now been joined by six more: Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Preston, Rossendale and Wyre. That’s eight Lancashire places in total on a list of 81. A significant concentration for a single county, and a clear signal that the scale of need here has been recognised at the highest level. National Volunteers Week, 1–7 June 2026 Across Lancashire, the arts and culture sector depends on the generosity of thousands of people who give their time, energy, and enthusiasm to keep festivals running, theatres lit, galleries open, and creative communities alive. From Blackburn to Lancaster, Burnley to Lytham, volunteering sits at the very heart of what makes our cultural life so rich.
But volunteering offers far more than the satisfaction of giving back. For those looking to build a career in the arts - or simply to develop new skills and connections - it can be one of the most powerful professional development tools available. And increasingly, the evidence points to meaningful health benefits too. Our volunteers are the heart of Neighbourhood Watch. Every day, they make a positive impact in their communities by supporting neighbours, promoting community safety, tackling local issues, and helping to bring people together. Their commitment, passion, and hard work deserve to be recognised and celebrated.
Do you know a Neighbourhood Watch volunteer who consistently goes above and beyond?
We are absolutely delighted to announce that The-Oasis C.I.C. has been crowned **Best Health and Wellbeing Business in Lancashire** at the England's Business Awards.
To say we were shocked would be an understatement. When our name was called out as the winner, we genuinely couldn't believe it. It was an incredibly proud and emotional moment for everyone involved with The-Oasis. Since we started, our mission has always been simple: to provide a safe, welcoming and supportive space where people can improve their mental health, reduce isolation, build confidence and feel connected to their community. To have this work recognised with such a prestigious award means the world to us.  At NAVCA, we want to make sure the support we offer reflects what our members need and value. That's why we are running a member engagement survey, to hear from you about your experience of being a NAVCA member.
The short survey asks about how you personally engage with NAVCA and what’s working well, as well as where we could do things differently. We want to hear your views on networks, events, influencing work, how we communicate, and more. Your feedback helps shape our future work and may be used anonymously in our annual reports or on our website. We want to hear from as many people as possible, so everyone in your organisation is welcome to complete the survey. |
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