scvs networker - march 2015
DESCRIPTION
The newsletter for Sutton’s Voluntary and Community Sector.TRANSCRIPT
The newsletter for Sutton’s Voluntary and Community Sector March 2015
In this issue: New membership offer, SAVVY theatre and
talking PQASSO.
thenetworker
Susanna’s column
Welcome to the first edition of the Networker this year.
Already, it is nearly Spring and as ever we have been
busy, busy, busy!
We’ve already run several training courses this
year and we’re busy planning our courses for the new
financial year. We’ve also been planning for the new
Infrastructure and Capacity Building Support
Programme (see page 3) which will be coming in on
April 1st, as will our new membership offer (see page
7).
This issue we also take a look at some of the great
work some of our local organisations have been doing.
SAVVY Theatre have been really busy with their
production ‘Hospital Food’ and now they are busy
crowdfunding for a new Alice in Wonderland
production, so please lend them your support. The
Refugee and Migrant Network have been successful in
getting their PQASSO qualification and we would
strongly encourage other organisations to follow suit
and get this accreditation. This edition we also have a
look at Queen Elizabeth Foundation, who do wonderful
work running mobility services in Sutton.
Finally, one last request for help. This year sees the
50th anniversary of SCVS and we are putting together
a timeline of Sutton’s voluntary sector. How long has
your organisation been around? Do you have any old
photos or stories you would like to share with us (and
we can then share with others). Please get in touch by
emailing us at [email protected].
In the meantime don’t forget you can also follow us
on Twitter (@SuttonCVS) and Facebook (SuttonCVS) so
follow us on both for the latest news and events from
Sutton’s voluntary sector.
Susanna Bennett
Chief Executive SCVS
thenetworker page2
In this issue Page 3 - news
Infrastructure support and
capacity building
Pages 4-5 - news
Funding news and the Sutton
Inclusion Centre
Pages 6-7 - news
Celebrating Sutton’s history and
our new membership offer
Page 8 - news
Run a Club
Page 9 - technology
Superhighways
Page 10-11 - Healthwatch
Sutton
The latest from Healthwatch
Page 12-13 - Local
organisations
Getting to grips with PQASSO
Pages 14-15 - Local
organisations
We find out what SAVVY has
been up to
Pages 16-17 - Local
organisations
We meet QEF mobility
Pages 18-19 - What’s on
Enjoy Easter in Sutton
Cover pic: - Innovative marketing
with SAVVY Theatre
page3
news
Infrastructure Support and Capacity Building From 1 April 2015 a new Infrastructure Support
and Capacity Building Programme, funded by the
London Borough of Sutton will be launched for the
Voluntary Sector in Sutton to help ensure that
local voluntary organisations are successful and
sustainable.
The outcomes for the Infrastructure Support
and Capacity Building Programme are:
A vibrant and enabled voluntary and
community sector with a diverse,
sustainable funding base.
An innovative, skilled voluntary and
community sector that can respond
effectively and efficiently to local need.
Community involvement and volunteering
supported and grown aligned to London
Borough of Sutton’s corporate priorities.
Sutton’s voluntary and community sector
has a strategic and representative voice.
The support and capacity building programme
will be provided by Sutton Together, our
consortium of local voluntary organisations, who
were awarded the Infrastructure Support and
Capacity Building tender by the London Borough
of Sutton following a competitive process.
The work will be led by Sutton Centre for the
Voluntary Sector (SCVS) in partnership with
Volunteer Centre Sutton (VC Sutton) and the
following organisations will also contribute
towards delivering the services:
Age UK
Bioregional
Sutton Carers Centre
Sutton Citizens Advice Bureau
Sutton Centre for Equalities.
Services Offered SCVS and VC Sutton will build on and develop
the services and support that we currently
provide with input from Sutton Together
partners. These will include:
Regular communication to voluntary
organisations with information to keep you
up to date with what is happening in Sutton
and in the charity sector (e-bulletins and our
Networker newsletter).
Regular network meetings to enable you to
meet colleagues, find out what is happening
locally, hear from the public sector, influence
strategies and services, and develop joint
projects.
Support for voluntary organisations to work
together to develop strategic services and
respond to commissioning opportunities or
funding bids.
One to one organisational development
support for organisations e.g. fundraising,
governance, financial management, quality
standards, volunteering good practice and
much more.
Support to develop the right volunteer roles,
find volunteers and manage them to good
practice standards.
A training programme based on the needs of
the voluntary sector and local priorities e.g.
fundraising, safeguarding, developmental
assets, One Planet Sutton.
Information about all important local
consultations and a chance to respond to and
influence them.
Opportunities to have your say, or to
represent the voluntary sector, in key
strategic partnerships or boards plus regular
feedback from them.
We will be conducting a survey shortly to ensure
that the delivery plan for 2015/16 meets the needs
of the voluntary sector in Sutton, so please
remember to respond to this and shape your
services.
Next Steps We will be providing more information about the
Infrastructure Support and Capacity Building
Programme through our e-bulletins, website and
at the Voluntary Sector Forum Thursday 23rd
April, so don’t forget to put the date in your diary.
If you have any queries in the meantime please
contact Susanna Bennett at SCVS.
news
thenetworker Page 4
The Sutton Community Fund awards grants of between £300 and £10,000 to projects that benefit Sutton's residents. Grants awarded must be used within 1 year. Applications are now being accepted for the next round of grants. The application process is quite straight forward but it is important that you read the guidance notes available on our website (www.suttoncvs.org.uk/communityfund) before applying, and please make sure that you have all the documents listed on the checklist. If you need any help to complete your application form, or you have any questions about the fund, please call Jackie on 020 8644 2867 or email her at [email protected]. The next deadline is 5pm, Tuesday 26th May 2015.
Sutton Community Fund
Pro Active Sutton grants
Proactive Sutton is an independent strategic partnership that aims to promote more, high quality physical activity and sport across the Borough. Pro Active Sutton, in partnership with SCVS, administered a small grants programme at the end of 2014 for local organisations to apply to support physical activity for residents. The maximum amount per application was £1,000 and could be used to pay for such things as instructor time, materials and venue hire for the specific project. A Panel was brought together to review the applications. 16 grants were awarded totalling £14,280. This money will provide a wide range of activities in the Borough over the next year. For example, Nordic walking, one day horse based therapy sessions for people with physical disabilities or learning difficulties, tennis sessions, yoga classes, exercise classes, chair based exercise classes and line dancing.
SCVS phone numbers Did you know that rather than coming through our reception, you can now phone individual staff
members in SCVS directly, and if they are not in, leave a message on their personal answerphone.
Please use these numbers when contacting us from now on. Many thanks!
Claire Avery (Communications) - 020 8641 9541
Glory Sivaraja (Finance Manager) - 020 8641 9545
Helen Varley (Community Accountant) - 020 8641 9548
Karen Adorjan (CPS Payroll) - 020 8641 9546
Melanie Brannan (CPS Payroll) - 020 8641 9547
Razia Sattar (Development Team) - 020 8641 9544
Hilary Chisnall (Development Team) - 020 8641 9543
Pete Flavell, Pam Howe and Sara Thomas (Healthwatch Sutton) - 020 8641 9540
If you would like to contact Jackie Parr (Office & Grants Manager) or Susanna Bennett (SCVS Chief
Executive) please continue to use the main SCVS number - 020 8644 2867
Page 5
news
Sutton Inclusion Centre A new era for Sutton’s inclusion centre is about to begin...
Are you living with a disability or impairment and looking for fun and stimulating activities? Or do you have a great idea for a group or activity that benefits vulnerable people but just not sure how to get started? Following a consultation and a programme to improve building access, the Sutton Inclusion Centre is now open for use by community groups and third sector enterprises. So if you are looking to start a group or community activity, why not come and talk to us first? All you need is an idea, some passion and a lot of enthusiasm to get started. Sutton Inclusion Centre can provide you with state-of-the-art facilities and even musical instruments and art materials. Support from a team with many years experience working with and facilitating groups may also be available. SCVS is on hand to offer support and advice to groups looking to tackle health and social inequalities and signposting to available funding can be provided. As well as this package of support, facilities at the Centre include:
Large community space with attached
kitchen
Activity rooms suitable for music/drama/art sessions (including soundbeam)
Meeting/counselling rooms
A hydrotherapy pool with fully equipped changing areas
Multi-sensory rooms and chill-out areas
Information Technology Suite
We know that in the Sutton community and voluntary sector there is a wealth of knowledge and experience which, if used in creative ways, can be channelled into collective action to achieve extraordinary goals. We believe that the Inclusion Centre is a fantastic asset for Sutton groups who are looking for a home in which to achieve their goals. Cllr Colin Stears, Chair of the Adult Social Services & Health Committee, said: “This is a great opportunity for groups with passion and talent to secure a space in which to grow and develop.” To arrange a visit please email [email protected] or telephone John Wallace (Project Officer) on 020 8641 4275. The Sutton Inclusion Centre is based at Northspur Road, Sutton, SM1 2BF
news
Sutton’s history of giving 1965 was the year that the Beatles’
film Help debuted in London, cigarette
advertising was banned on television
and Mary Quant introduced us to the
miniskirt.
A lot happened in the mid sixties of note. But for
Suttons voluntary organisations, this year is also
important as it was 50 years ago in September
that a Sutton Council of Social Services was
inaugurated, bringing together a number of
existing voluntary organisations, both those
providing services and those recruiting
volunteers. This organisation has evolved into the
present day SCVS and Volunteer Centre.
We would love to have more information,
(especially photos!) about the history of Grove
House or the people who lived there to help
compile the story of the house and park.
We are also looking for any information you
might have about the history of the voluntary
sector in Sutton, and any of Sutton’s
organisations. When was your organisation
started? Why? How long have you been operating
in Sutton? We want to know as we’ll be creating a
timeline of Sutton’s voluntary Sector to mark 50
years in the borough and we need your input.
To tell us what you know, and contribute to
the history, please email as at
[email protected] or call us on 020 8641
9540.
thenetworker page6
SCVS membership - new offer To offer increased choice to all
voluntary organisations in Sutton, and
to make our services available to as
many of our members as possible, we
are now changing the way we deliver
and charge for some of our work.
On page 3 we told you about the new
Infrastructure Support and Capacity Building
Programme that sets out the services that SCVS
and the Volunteer Centre, along with our Sutton
Together partners, will deliver to ensure the
success and sustainability of local voluntary
organisations.
Planning for this new funding programme
over the last year (and developing our 2014/17
Strategic Plan) has been a great opportunity for
SCVS to review all our work, consult with our
members and public sector colleagues about the
support needs of local voluntary organisations,
and agree the priority services we should deliver
within the funding now available to us.
As a result we have developed a new
membership offer for voluntary organisations in
Sutton. This provides a range of services ‘free of
charge’ to all our members plus an allocation of
one-to-one support time to each organisation –
these are the services funded through the
Infrastructure Support and Capacity Building
Programme. Once members have used up their
allocation of ‘free’ one-to-one support time (up to
14 hours in each financial year) any additional
one-to-one support services will have to be paid
for as we need to cover the costs of providing
them.
The new membership offer will provide extra
one-to-one services to voluntary organisations .
For example, as part of the ‘free’ offer members
will now be able to access financial management
support and bespoke funding searches. There
will also be increased choice as members select
the services that best meet their needs from a
menu of options.
This new membership offer will start on 1st
April 2015.
Services free of charge to all
SCVS members • Regular e-bulletins
• Quarterly newsletter
• Website
• Regular forums/networks
• Representation
• Consultation
• Brief telephone advice and signposting
• Subsidised training
news
page7
• Support for safeguarding
• Crisis support for voluntary organisations (in
danger of going out of business within the next 6
months)
• Support for consortia development, joint
working and collaboration
• Support for service development in response
to local need/tenders
Additional support services We also provide one to one support services to
meet the needs of your organisation, free of
charge for an agreed number of days. The level of
one to one support you can access free of charge
(over each financial year from April - March)
depends on the income of your organisation (your
best estimate of your income for the current
financial year).
Income less than £49,000 - 14 hours free support
Income £50,000 -£200,000 - 10 hours free support
Income over £200,000 - 7 hours free support
Services offered
Governance Support Getting governance right is the key to a
sustainable organisation. SCVS has been
supporting voluntary sector boards for a number
of years and can help with a number of issues
ranging from choosing the right legal structure to
business/strategic planning and trustee
development.
Securing a sustainable income and
fundraising In an increasingly competitive environment
generating income is becoming a much more
complex and time consuming challenge. We can
help you develop a fundraising strategy and apply
for grants.
Developing your workforce For most voluntary organisations staff is their
greatest expense and their greatest asset. We can
help you make the most of your staff.
Demonstrating your impact and quality Demonstrating the difference your services make
and measuring your effectiveness has never been
more important. We can help you with measuring
your impact, producing evaluation reports and
achieving quality marks.
Writing and implementing your policies and
procedures Governance and sustainable fundraising start
with good policies and procedures. We can help
you get yours into shape.
Financial Management Setting up and managing your finances can be
time-consuming and getting this wrong can cost
your organisation dearly. SCVS has a long history
of providing financial services and we can help
with all sorts of things from Charity Commission
compliance and financial advice to
computerisation of accounts and budgeting.
Communications
Telling people what you do and why you do it is
vital your success as an organisation. We can help
you plan your communications, review your
website and set up your social media.
Once your organisation has used up its allocation
of free hours, you can still purchase any of these
services at a rate of £50 per hour. In addition we
will continue to offer the following services on a
chargeable basis only.
Chargeable services
Training SCVS offers subsidised training courses on
subjects ranging from fundraising to
safeguarding. All members receive regular
ebulletins with details of the latest training
courses and this information is also available on
our website.
End of Year accounts and Independent
Examinations SCVS has significant experience and expertise
producing end of year accounts and carrying out
independent examinations for charities and small
organisations. To find out more about this service
contact Helen Varley ([email protected]) or
Susanna Bennett ([email protected]).
Admin services We can provide a range of admin services for
charities and small organisations. For details and
prices contact Jackie Parr
CPS Payroll services CPS Payroll has over 20 years’ experience of
providing payroll services to the voluntary sector.
We cater for all voluntary organisations,
whatever size, and tailor the service to meet your
needs and budget. For more information contact
Karen Adorjan ([email protected])
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news
Do you need extra support in running an existing club? Would you like a single place from which you can run your club? RunAClub has developed an online tool to help groups and clubs get established, manage their ongoing activities, schedules, calendars, bookings, give all committee members access to important data and keep in contact with members. It’s been developed from the experience gained by a CEO of setting up her own youth club and has all the essential support you need to set up and manage your own community club or network of clubs – whether it's a sports, youth, health, faith, residents, toddler, music or arts club, for any age and any community. Through RunAClub your club will be able to create your own website, monitor your clubs membership and delivery and access accurate data to demonstrate your outcomes to potential funders. There is also a wealth of useful information for you to access including standard forms, templates and fundraising advice. Through the South London CVS Partnership we have a number of free one year RunAClub licences for Sutton organisations. To find out more about RunAClub call Razia on 020 8641 9544 or email her at [email protected].
Free RunAClub licences
'Using RunAClub enables us to share all our club information across all staff members. It is all in one place and
reduces the time and energy previously spent on keeping everyone informed.
It is user friendly and easy to navigate
around. We are building up our database of members and keeping them up to date
with all our new and exciting weekly events through the RunAClub toolkit.'
Sue Hubble, The Wix Youth Club
'Using RunAClub means our Thursday football runs smoothly.
Recently our key organiser was injured and has been unable to
play, but because RunAClub records all our members, allows
us to communicate with our members for their availability and
record their subs it means that our other staff/organisers were
able to pick up where our key organiser left off and continue to
run the club as normal.'
John Clark, Thursday Footy Club Organiser
page9
technology
Did you know that as a member of SCVS you can access fantastic IT training from Superhighways at great prices - some courses are even free! Superhighways is an ICT support and development project, run by and for the voluntary and community sector and based in South London. The organisation provides technology support, consultancy and training that ultimately benefits local communities. Their aim is to enable local charities and community groups to harness the power of technology and communications to help them thrive and flourish. Courses are run regularly across South London on a variety of subjects. You can learn how your organisation can use Mailchimp, a free email newsletter designer to send out professional looking e-bulletins, or the Superhighways team can help you create an interesting Annual Report, or set up a free website. Whatever your communications and technology needs they’ll help you make the most of what the web has to offer and get your message out there without breaking the bank!
Monitor your work Get the data that counts, and capture your stories, both in the office and on the go. Learn about: Online surveys Spreadsheets Databases Audio recordings Case studies
Evaluate your impact Deliver more efficient and effective services to your beneficiaries. Use digital to: Explore community need Improve service delivery Evidence what works
Communicate your achievements Get the data that counts, and capture your stories, both in the office and on the go.
Learn about: Online surveys Spreadsheets Databases Audio recordings Case studies
You can find out more on the Superhighways website - www.superhighways.org.uk, or by calling 020 8255 8040.
Courses coming up Top Digital Tools for Communicating Impact When: Thursday 9th April, 10am-1pm Where: CVA Resource Centre, Croydon CR0 2TB
Sometimes telling people about your impact is almost as hard as measuring it in the first place but luckily there are plenty of free or low-cost digital tools that can help you create and share content that tells your stakeholders what they need to know. Join this packed 3 hour practical demonstration session to get an overview of the top tools available, including web technologies, social media platforms and key content generation tools – audio & visual, that can help you shout about your achievements.
Beginner's Guide to Mailchimp Email
Campaigns When: Tuesday 28th April, 10am-2pm Where: Vestry Hall, Mitcham, CR4 3UD
Join this training session and learn how MailChimp can help you design email newsletters, share them on social networks, integrate with other online services you already use, and track your results.
thenetworker page10
Picture caption
Healthwatch Sutton
At the beginning of last year Healthwatch volunteers
carried out interviews with people that had been recently
discharged from St Helier hospital. A report analysing the feedback from the interviews was published in
April 2014. The report was sent to Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS
Trust.
In autumn 2014 Healthwatch staff and volunteers, were invited to
attend a workshop to discuss the recommendations within the Healthwatch
report. The following key actions were agreed at the workshop;
Review information provided regarding discharge and follow up.
Training for doctors in managing patient expectations of the discharge
process.
Healthwatch representative to attend Junior Doctor's Forum to discuss content and feedback
from the Healthwatch Hospital Discharge report.
Healthwatch will continue to work with St Helier to ensure patients have a good experience when
leaving hospital.
GP access consultation
Patient experience of hospital discharge
Last year Healthwatch Sutton carried out a consultation to find out how easy it
is to make an appointment with a GP in Sutton.
The feedback was analysed and collated and a report was sent to all Sutton GPs via the Sutton
Clinical Commissioning Group, the report has also been sent to NHS England.
Common themes highlighted within the report included;
A high percentage of people said they were unhappy about
having to call back at different times of day to make an
appointment.
A considerable number of people were dissatisfied with the lack
of availability of GPs and appointments.
A significant number of people were keen to use different
methods (e.g. email) to make appointments and have
appointments with GPs.
A high percentage of people were also keen to be able to make
appointments for a Saturday, early morning or in the evening.
Healthwatch Sutton is now awaiting a response from the Sutton
Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS England.
page11
Healthwatch Sutton
Healthwatch Sutton wants to know
what matters to you.
When it comes to health and social care for you
and your family, what do you think is most
important? Whether you have had a good
experience in hospital or a bad visit to the dentist
Healthwatch Sutton wants to know.
Share your views and experiences with
Healthwatch Sutton by completing a new “What
matters to you?” form. You can do this by
completing a short questionnaire online via
www.whatmatterstoyou.org.uk, by scanning the
QR code on this page or by requesting a paper
copy from the Healthwatch Sutton office.
The information you share will help shape the
priorities for Healthwatch Sutton. By sharing
your views and experiences it can help to build a
picture of the services that are doing well and
those that need some improvements.
Your input will help build strong evidence
that will support Healthwatch Sutton in
influencing decision makers to improve local
services. Feedback is completely anonymous.
Body image highlighted as a priority for young people in Sutton Last year Healthwatch Sutton carried
out a consultation with young people
in Sutton to find out what their top
health and social care concern was.
Following an online survey and various meetings
with local voluntary and community groups
including; Jigsaw4U, Sutton Mental Health
Foundation and the Youth Parliament,
Healthwatch Sutton found mental health to be of
most concern with body image as the biggest
issue followed closely by stress, bullying and diet.
Healthwatch Sutton is going to work with
Citizenship Media, a media group run by young
people, based at Sutton Life Centre. They will
produce a short film about body image. The film
will show young people speaking openly about
their views on body image. They will also be
asked about how they think the issues can be
tackled locally.
The film will be played at the Healthwatch
Sutton Annual General Meeting in July 2015.
Do you know what PQASSO is? What
does PQASSO mean to you? Is it a
mark of excellence, or the name of one
of the leading artists of the twentieth
century? We take a closer look...
In recent years it’s an undeniable fact that the
voluntary sector has been hit hard financially. In
these tough times quality has become even more
important, and against a backdrop of funding
cuts, tighter regulation and greater scrutiny in
relation to effectiveness and how money is spent,
funders and commissioners are asking for, if not
insisting on, proof of effectiveness and value for
money when considering parting with their cash.
Showing your funders that your organisation
represents quality has never been more
important. And that’s where PQASSO comes in…
All about PQASSO Developed in 1997, PQASSO (Practical Quality
Assurance System for Small Organisations) is a
quality mark for charitable organisations in the
UK.
The PQASSO mark covers all aspects of an
organisation, from governance to service delivery
and monitoring outcomes. PQASSO’s flexibility
means it can be used by all types of third sector
organisations, including charities, social
enterprises, community interest companies and
community groups.
It is suitable for all organisations irrespective
of size, turnover and staffing levels and allows an
organisation to work at its own pace as it is self-
assessed through twelve quality areas.
PQASSO offers a staged approach to
implementing quality through three levels of
achievement. Organisations can use it in a
variety of ways, from working through PQASSO
as an organisational health-check or to help guide
organisational growth and development to
working towards an external accreditation: the
PQASSO Quality Mark. Organisations that are
assessed as level 2 or above are eligible to carry
an official stamp of endorsement by the Charity
Commission demonstrating that the charity is
well managed.
So do you really need PQASSO? In the current environment perhaps the question
voluntary organisations should be asking
themselves is not ‘can we afford to do PQASSO?’
but ‘can we afford not to?’.
The PQASSO Quality Mark remains the only
quality mark that covers the work of charities and
other organisations; no other award addresses all
the essential areas necessary for the effective
management and governance of a charity or other
third sector organisations but despite being
designed by the sector for the sector, some
organisations are hesitant to commit to the
scheme. There seems to be a fear that the process
will be too complicated, onerous and expensive.
As the experience of Refuge & Migrant Network
Sutton opposite demonstrates, the benefits and
organisational improvements derived can far out
way any challenges and costs encountered.
It goes without saying that best practice
should always be a priority. However, in the
current challenging times achieving a recognised
quality standard such as PQASSO will go a long
way towards showing that you are a quality
organisation, and in the long term, towards
getting you funding.
Want to find out more? If you’re interested about getting started with
PQASSO for your organisation, or you’d just like
to find out a little bit more about the scheme
contact Razia Sattar on 020 8641 9544 or email
her at [email protected]. SCVS is being
assessed for our PQASSO Level 2 quality mark at
the moment so we are very well placed to answer
any queries!
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development
All about PQASSO
page13
development
Our PQASSO journey - The
Refugee and Migrant Network
Sutton The Refugee and Migrant Network Sutton
(RMNS) started on the PQASSO trail over two
years ago. At the time SCVS had funding
available for one organisation to be assessed. Our
then Chief Officer, Kau Belleh, was keen to go
ahead, realising the potential benefits for the
organisation such as improved practice, raised
profile, reassurance for funders.
For some time, Kau worked on the
documentation but it was a busy period for us and
other matters such as incorporation, recruitment,
an office move and a new IT system were claiming
our attention and unfortunately PQASSO did not
receive the attention it might otherwise have
done. We applied twice for our assessment to be
deferred.
In March 2012 Kau left the organisation and
it was evident from the paperwork that there was
much work still to be done. One problem resulting
from the length of time we were taking was that
documents filed in evidence became outdated and
had to be replaced.
SCVS encouraged us to persevere with
getting our accreditation and our Management
Committee became much
more involved with PQASSO
and it became a regular
agenda item at Committee
meetings.
We were finally assessed
for a Level one quality mark
in April 2014. We were told to
improve one aspect of our
minute-taking to correspond
with our Articles and once we
had done this the PQASSO
quality mark was all ours.
How have we benefitted
from PQASSO? Getting our PQASSO
accreditation has benefitted
us in a number of ways.
We have improved how
we monitor and
evaluate our service.
Our Management
Committee and
volunteers are now much more involved in
the development of the organisation.
We have become more ’outward facing’, and
we now have a voice at going to various
meetings across the borough.
Reflections We are grateful to SCVS for the funding and for
having faith in us. And we are very grateful to
Razia for her helpful suggestions and great
patience in supporting us.
Our PQASSO assessor expressed doubts about
our application, saying he had not heard of any
organisation as small as RMNS that had been
successful with PQASSO. This actually stiffened
our resolve to succeed, and of course we were
successful! That said, we found the PQASSO staff
most helpful and understanding, both on the
phone and in person.
Our advice to other groups in Sutton wishing
to pursue PQASSO?
Contact SCVS for advice in the first
instance.
Look at what you have got already
Let everyone in your organisation know
about PQASSO and get them involved in the
process.
The Refugee and Migrant Network with their well earned Level 1 PQASSO Quality Mark
Pre
para
tion
s are
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nd
erw
ay fo
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Ha
tter’s T
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Local organisations
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Getting Marketing SAVVY SAVVY Theatre is an award-winning
company, creating unique and
accessible youth and community
projects in Sutton, Croydon and the
surrounding boroughs.
SAVVY Theatre Company first started working
with young people in the borough in 2001. Since
then this inclusive group has produced a
monumental amount of extraordinary theatre.
Many youth theatre groups create unique
productions, but considering many of the young
people attending SAVVY come from difficult
backgrounds, have disabilities or are living with
mental health and other issues, make the work
they create quite remarkable.
Aside from simply performing, SAVVY also
provides opportunities for the young people to
become involved in all aspects of theatre
creation.
The group take responsibility for backstage
technical aspects such as running lights and
sound, sourcing and managing props and
costumes and understanding the responsibilities
associated with a good stage manager.
In addition, the group often work with Sutton
Mencap on their annual Christmas production,
supporting the cast of learning disabled adults
both onstage and off (their first collaboration in
2011 saw them shortlisted for the National
‘Children & Young People Now’ awards).
In 2013 the SAVVY Adult Company was
taking its first production to the Brighton Fringe.
A brand new work entitled ‘Coke Floats & Chemo’
based on the blog by the award-winning local
writer Yvonne Newbold. It was during this
project that one of the Young Company members
approached Artistic Director Sheree Vickers,
asking if she could design the poster.
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Local organisations
“I’ll be honest I wasn’t expecting it to be much
good. Boy was I wrong. Her initial draft was so
intricate in detail and drawing that we scanned it
and used it straight away.”
Soon the idea for an Arts Ambassadors
programme was born, allowing young people to
take on the responsibility for the marketing of our
various projects. In addition to design, the group
have been learning about developing strategies,
using Facebook and Twitter, writing blogs and
the importance of hashtags.
“We didn’t want the group to be limited by
resources, so the money we received from the
Sutton Community Fund has been instrumental
in developing not only their skills but confidence
when taking on a marketing project.”
Funding for the project coincided with the
group’s participation in the National Theatre’s
Connections Festival. The flyer and online
marketing campaign for their production of
‘Hospital Food’ has been orchestrated by the
group with the National Theatre even
commenting on the quality of the work produced.
Their next task will be in supporting the
marketing campaign for the upcoming Adult
Company production when SAVVY Theatre
Company is creating magic in the Victorian
garden of Honeywood Museum an interactive,
sensory installation performance of Alice In
Wonderland for the whole family.
The group has received some funding from
Arts Council England, but to complete the project
and make it as accessible as possible they need
some more help, so now you have the chance to
help AND become part of the production!
Launched this week, you can check out their
crowdfunding campaign at www.gofundme.com/
savvyalice, or follow SAVVY on Facebook
(www.facebook.com/SAVVYTheatre) to find out
what they are up to.
thenetworker page16
local organisations
The Queen Elizabeth Foundation
One of Surrey’s oldest charities, The
Queen Elizabeth Foundation (QEF)
has been helping disabled people in
Sutton for nearly a century.
Queen Elizabeth Foundation is celebrating 80
years this year, 2015. It was as Patron of the
Central Council, the late Queen Mother, then
HRH The Duchess of York, expressed her interest
for the work of this specialised disability charity.
As more services were opened, the charity became
Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for Disabled
People. In 1934, this disability charity supported
16 individuals, today it serves more than a
thousand disabled people each year.
The charity's mission is that Queen
Elizabeth’s Foundation for Disabled People
enables and supports disabled people to increase
independence
and improve life skills.
With the vision being that Disabled people should
have the same opportunities as everyone else.
QEF has created opportunities and support
for disabled adults from across the UK by
providing expert development, assessment,
rehabilitation and training services. Many of the
foundation’s services provide residential care for
disabled people to give them the support, care and
focus that makes QEF so unique.
These services are delivered through four
specialist departments, and offer the right
combination of individual care and support to
enable these people to become as independent as
their disability permits and to establish their own
lifestyles.
Right here in Sutton, in Carshalton, QEF
Mobility Services offers services for disabled
people from the age of 2, with no upper age limit.
Dealing with both physical
and mental disability they offer a
wide range of assessments
including, driving, car adaptations,
wheelchairs and scooters, transfer
and seating in both aircraft and
cars. Also assessments for
motorbikes, lorries buses and more
can be arranged. Some of these are
free and some are charged at
different rates. Some assessments
are paid for by Motability and
DVLA. QEF Mobility Services also
offers driving lessons from their
QEF driving school.
There is a private track and a
static rig for driving and a part of
a real aircraft fuselage in the
assessment centre for air travel
transfer and seating making this a
unique centre for mobility in the
UK.
QEF Mobility Services also offers a
range of training courses for
TopGear presenter Richard Hammond meets some of the QEF’s satisfied customers.
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local organisations
healthcare professionals and Driving Instructors
(to learn to teach people with disabilities). Plus
the opportunity for bespoke training. There are
also training rooms for hire for both private
training and meetings or even exercise classes
and people come from all over the country to
have assessments and training.
The people that use the service have a very
wide variety of needs. Here’s what just a few of
their users have said:
“After my stroke I was told that I would not
be able to drive again, which was a tremendous
blow as you can imagine. I was grateful, however,
that the DVLA recommended an assessment at
the Mobility Centre. The staff there are excellent;
expert, caring and very understanding of both my
health and concerns. Thankfully the result was
positive. They gave me the opportunity to drive
again – an opportunity that I thought I would
never get. It has changed my life and that of my
family, for which I am most grateful.” David
“I came back from Afghanistan, a triple
amputee. I wanted to resume driving my sports
car. It was really important to me, the car was an
essential part of my life and I needed it back. The
assessment was fine, and then assessors at the
Mobility Centre came up with a package of
adaptations to suit my reduced abilities.” Tom
“I was the victim of a criminal assault which
affected my confidence to such a degree that I
could no longer drive. From a person with an
active work and social life I became completely
housebound, which was devastating. I was pretty
pessimistic when I went to the Mobility Centre;
however after two visits everything was very
positive. They suggested some car adaptations
and recommended a driving instructor who could
help me to regain my confidence. I am now
driving again, which has enabled me to recover
my life – all thanks to the response and
encouragement I received from the Centre.” Bryn
Also in Sutton, in St Nicholas Car Park, you
will find Shopmobility, part of the QEF family of
charities where they offer short-term and long
term rental of wheelchairs and scooters plus
their new R & R service which takes in old
mobility equipment that people no longer need
and repair and recycle it.
If you’d like to find out more about the
Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation and all the
mobility services they offer in the Sutton area,
visit their website at www.qef.org.uk, or call
them on 020 8770 1151.
Lucas McElroy
what’s on
March - June 2015
Easter Egg Trail 28th March, All day
Whitehall, 1 Malden Road,
Cheam SM3 8QD
Come and enjoy this egg-cellent
trail around the house. Suitable
for ages 3+. Free - although
donations welcomed.
Easter holiday activities 28th March - 12th April
Honeywood Museum
Throughout the Easter holidays,
drop in arts and crafts trails with
a Spring-time theme, inspired by
the Honeywood Museums
beautiful location. Free
www.friendsofhoneywood.co.uk
Sutton’s High Street Farm 4th April, 10am-5pm
Sutton High Street
Come and visit Sutton’s first
High Street Farm and meet some
of our furry friends.
With sheep and lambs to cuddle,
naughty goats and kids, piglets
to tickle and a miniature donkey
to groom, there are animals for
everyone.
www.enjoysutton.co.uk
Nonsuch Park Service
Wing Museum Reopening 6th April 2015
Nonsuch Park
The Friends of Nonsuch are re-
opening the Service Wing
Museum in Nonsuch Park this
Easter. The museum, which will
be free to visit, has undergone
extensive restoration work,
conserving the stained glass and
redecorating the interior.
www.friendsofnonsuch.co.uk
Punch and Judy 11th April, Europa Gallery,
Sutton Central Children’s
Library
A traditional puppet play with
lots of laughs as Mr Punch tries
not to get eaten by the crocodile.
Tickets (£2) available at the
Customer Services Desk.
Wallington Farmers’
Market 11th April, 9am - 1pm
the Old Town Hall and Library
Gardens in Woodcote Road
Get along to the borough's oldest
Farmers' Market which hosts
around 26 local producers stalls
every month.
World Book Night 2015 23rd April , Sutton Libraries
World Book Night is an annual
celebration of reading and books.
Sutton Libraries will be
celebrating with their own book
give-aways on the night.
Please ask in your local library
for more details.
Old Carshalton guided
walk 26th April, 2.30pm
Meet at Honeywood Museum
An hour and a half walk led by
local historian John Phillips
looking at some of the historic
buildings and landscapes of
Carshalton. £3.50. Call 020 8647
4297 to book a place on the walk.
Quiz Night 29th April , St Bede’s Centre
In aid of St. Raphael’s Hospice.
Table of 8: £60 please bring your
own food and drinks. Doors open
at 7pm and the quiz starts at
7.30pm. For more details contact
Diana on 020 8641 3540.
www.straphaels.org.uk
Getting started on your
allotment course 10th May, 10am - 3.30pm
Carshalton Community
Allotment
Getting started on an allotment
or new vegetable patch can be
daunting! Where should you
start? How much space do you
need? How can you keep the
weeds down? What can you
grow? If these questions are
worrying you then this EcoLocal
course could be for you.
www.localfoodnetwork.org.uk
Get on your bike Learn to ride a bike. Get exercise
in the fresh air. Or just enjoy
trying out EcoLocal’s exciting
accessible cycles.
EcoLocal’s regular inclusive
cycling sessions for adults of all
abilities run three times per
week:- Mondays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays 10am-12noon
Sessions are outdoors on the
David Weir Leisure Centre
athletics track whatever the
weather!
Only £3 per person, carers free.
14+ year olds can attend if
accompanied by an adult.
www.localfoodnetwork.org.uk
thenetworker page18
Chief Executive: Susanna Bennett
Communications and Admin:
Claire Avery
Jackie Parr
Development Team
Razia Sattar
Hilary Chisnall
Accountancy Services:
Glory Sivaraja
Helen Varley
Creative Payroll Solutions Ltd
(CPS):
Karen Adorjan
Melanie Brannan
Healthwatch Sutton
Pete Flavell
Pam Howe
Sara Thomas
The Networker is the bi-monthly
magazine of :
Sutton Centre for the Voluntary
Sector (SCVS)
Granfers Community Centre,
73-79 Oakhill Road,
www.suttoncvs.org.uk
020 8644 2867
@SuttonCVS
Registered Charity No: 1063129
contact us
page19
March - June 2015
thenetworker
facebook.com/suttoncvs
Training and networking
Create presentations that count
Superhighways 19th June, 10am - 2.30pm
SCILL, 3 Robin Hood Lane, Sutton SM1 2SW
Organisations that want to attract new funding or
encourage supporters to take action need to clearly
communicate their impact – and an effective digital
presentation should tell the story of your work in a way
that engages your audience and demonstrates the
difference your organisation makes.
Every element you use in a presentation has a function,
from your first slide to a well-placed powerful image or
graphic. Long bullet-point lists, endless text and poor
design are likely to leave your audience snoring. Join this
course from Superhighways to learn how to create a
compelling digital presentation that captivates and
inspires.
Find out more at http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/create-
presentations-that-count-tickets-15100133907
SCVS Voluntary Sector Forum
23rd April, 2-4pm
SCVS, Granfers Community Centre, 73-79 Oakhill Road,
Sutton, Surrey SM1 3AA
Please confirm your attendance for the forum by emailing
[email protected] at least a week in advance.
Payroll that stacks up
Contact us today: t: 020 8644 2867 e: [email protected] w. www.cpspayroll.co.uk
Get CPS to manage your payroll and see how much time you could save
Focus on service delivery - getting us to sort out your payroll means that you can concentrate on what’s important for your organisation
Comply with current legislation - we make sure that pay is calculated correctly, and HMRC have all the correct up to date PAYE information for your organisation
No need to purchase specialist software or train staff - we are specialists in payroll and up to date with all the latest legislation