Featured

CVS Falkirk and District look forward to welcoming members and guests to our online virtual AGM on Thursday 25th November 2021 at 2pm. This is a great opportunity to hear about what CVS Falkirk has been doing over the last year, the challenges of the pandemic for us and our members, while also looking to the future.  Our guest speaker is Niall Kearney, Head of Third Sector Unit, Scottish Government. The presentation will be on the Government’s ambitions for the role of TSIs in the future, and the opportunities for the third sector to meet Government’s ambitions for Scotland.

Our team is holding FREE cyber resilience training for third sector groups and organisations across the Falkirk area, taking place via Zoom on Wednesday 20th October, and Thursday 21st October, Friday 22nd October. The training, delivered by our staff, is designed to be accessible to everyone, and not incredibly technical, but focused instead on human behaviour and what people can do. Making these small changes can have a big difference on your group’s online security. Our team will help you learn the cyber resilient behaviours and the tools you need to protect your group.

In a change to previously announced dates, Falkirk Community Planning Partnership (CPP) is holding online meetings and local in-person pop-up stalls to speak with local people in Bainsford and Langlees about what they want to see in their areas. The CPP is working with local community groups and residents to develop a Community Action Plan (CAP), which focuses these voices as key to the areas’ future. The first in-person stalls will be on Monday 20th September. Online meetings will take place the following week.

Firstport’s Catalyst Fund has announced its first investment – to Bo’ness’ own Sustainable Thinking Scotland CIC! They have become the first social enterprise in Scotland to secure investment from the fund, with £190,000 to enable them to bring their biochar technology to market. In addition to their innovative biochar work, STS grows fresh fruit and vegetables for local foodbanks, as well as delivering learning projects – and most recently, they’re involved with the new gardening project at Bo’ness Community Hospital!

The Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) in Forth Valley and Falkirk Safebase have been gifted an incredibly generous and large donation of L’Oreal hand sanitiser, which they are offering FREE to local third sector organisations and sports clubs across the Forth Valley.

Scottish Government has confirmed that, on Monday 9th August, all of Scotland will move beyond Level 0 of COVID-19 restrictions, as planned. However, some protective measures will stay in place, including masks and face coverings indoors and on public transport, by law (with exemptions in place), and the collection of contact details as part of Test and Protect. People are also advised to continue to clean their hands and surfaces regularly.

Canal Encounters is a free, month-long celebration of the Forth and Clyde Canals as part of Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21, running Sunday 1st August – Sunday 29th August, with different activities, workshops and walks along the 4 mile trail in Falkirk.

Scottish Government has confirmed that, from Monday 19th July, all of Scotland will move to Level 0. However, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has urged everyone to follow the current safety measures in place in their area until that time, and to follow Level 0 guidance afterwards. As a result of the ongoing high number of cases in Scotland, face masks will remain mandatory (with medical exemptions in place).

NHS Forth Valley has extended their drop-in COVID-19 vaccination clinics until THIS SUNDAY. The clinics will run every day until Sunday 18th July (inclusive), 8:30am – 7pm at the Forth Valley College campuses in Falkirk, Stirling (not the Raploch campus), and Alloa. People from the following groups should attend: anyone aged 30 – 39 years old who has not had their first Pfizer vaccine; people over 40 years old who have not had their first AstraZeneca vaccine; anyone (of any age) who had their first Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine more than 9 weeks ago and now needs their second.