News

Falkirk’s Integration Joint Board (IJB) is now recruiting a Third Sector Representative to join the Board. The Representative will have the opportunity to represent the views of the wider third sector in Falkirk at IJB meetings, and to communicate relevant information back to the sector. All nominations for Representatives must be received no later than 5pm on Thursday 6th October.

After a 3 year hiatus, the People’s Projects has returned, and reopened for applications. In Scotland, groups and organisations can apply for up to £70,000 in National Lottery funding. They are looking for imaginative ideas from those who have already done good work in their local community; they are especially keen to see projects bringing people and communities together. The deadline for applications is 12pm on Friday 7th October; however, interested groups are urged to apply as soon as possible.

With another Falkirk investment from the Scottish Government Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund coming soon, we have arranged a series of 3 online Funding Support Sessions to help third sector groups and organisations prepare to make an application to the Fund. The sessions will take place via Zoom on Wednesday 21st September, 11am – 12:30pm, Wednesday 5th October, 11am – 12:30pm, and Wednesday 12th October, 11am – 12:30pm.

Scottish Government’s Participation Team has launched the new health and social care online survey, which supports the review of national community engagement guidance. The deadline for responses is Friday 30th September.

The Royal Statistical Society’s Statisticians for Society is holding 2 free drop-in sessions, “Meet the Statisticians: data support for the third sector”, on Thursday 22nd September, 10am – 1pm, and on Monday 26th September, 1pm – 4pm.

Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre has a range of events and information sessions this autumn, with the next taking place: Wednesday 14th September: “Care with Confidence: Frontotemporal Dementia Carer Session”, 10:30am – 12pm, with Forth Valley Advocacy; Wednesday 21st September: Information Afternoon for Professionals, 2pm – 4:30pm.

The next online “Smoking and Mental Health: Understanding the IMPACT” training session from NHS Forth Valley takes place on Wednesday 14th September, 10am – 11am, via Teams. The training is aimed at NHS, local authority and third sector staff and volunteers who support people with mental health problems.

Under the Trees is running a series of low-pressure cycle rides for adults aged 18 years old and over, with a social campfire lunch, prepared by the group in a peaceful woodland setting. Take a Brake cycle rides are short cycling journeys with no time pressure, using low-traffic roads and traffic-free paths where available. Sessions are in blocks of 4, with the first block beginning on Sunday 18th September, 11am at Tesco Redding, Colliery Road, Falkirk, FK2 9RA. Booking is essential.

Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) Forth Valley’s “First Time for Everything” Project is holding a free Wreath-Making Event on Tuesday 13th September, 10am – 12pm at the Ben Cleuch Centre, Park Street, Tillicoultry, FK13 6AG. Participants will be able to take their wreaths home with them. The event is completely free, and includes refreshments.

The Dandelion Harvest Festival takes place across Scotland this weekend, Friday 9th September – Sunday 11th September, with a number of local Community Harvest events, including: The Helix’s Celebration of Harvest on Saturday 10th September, 10am – 4pm; Rainbow Muslim Women’s Group “More Than Just Vegetables” Harvest Festival on Saturday 10th September, 11am – 1pm; Coo Park AFC’s Harvest Festival on Saturday 10th September, 12pm – 4pm; Tidy Clean and Green’s Harvest event on Saturday 10th September, 12pm – 2pm.