News

Falkirk Council’s Adult Support and Protection team is holding online Public Protection Training via Microsoft Teams throughout the year, with the next date Tuesday 20th July. All training will take place 9am – 12:30pm, and requires access via a laptop, tablet or desktop P.C. with a webcam and audio capability.

Money Advice Scotland has released its events schedule for June 2021, with all events, training and sessions free to attend. Upcoming events include “Money Works Webinar: Scams” on Tuesday 13th July, 1pm – 2pm, and
Thursday 29th July, 10am – 11am.

A dedicated online portal has been launched for social care Personal Assistants across Scotland to apply for a £500 thank you payment. A paper-based application form is also available for those who prefer it. A dedicated helpline has also been set up to support applicants (including access to paper applications), which is available Monday – Friday, 9:30am – 4:30pm by phone: 0800 841 1321. The portal closes for new applications at 11:59pm on Wednesday 25th August.

Falkirk Community Trust is currently exhibiting “Our Stories – Views of the Past” at Callendar House in Callendar Park. The free exhibition showcases some of the history across the local Falkirk area, discovered by volunteers from Great Place Falkirk. Falkirk Community Trust will use their museum collections to give these, initially digital, stories a real-life presence. The exhibition is available to view until Sunday 29th August. While places are free, booking ahead online is essential, due to COVID-19 restrictions.

NHS Forth Valley is asking residents of Falkirk for their help in recycling unused walking aids. If you live in the Falkirk Council area and have a walking aid that you no longer need, you can help NHS Forth Valley to repair and reuse, by bringing it to a local recycling centre. The walking aid will then be refurbished and used again by someone in need of it.

The next meeting of the Forth Valley Social Enterprise Network (FVSEN) will take place via Zoom on Wednesday 21st July, 10am – 12pm. FVSEN is a network of and for social enterprises working in or across the Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire areas.  It is free to join, and July’s meeting will focus on the new FVSEN online Social Enterprise Directory.

Off the Bench is a 16 week (one day per week) programme for young people aged 18 – 24 year olds who have committed or are likely to commit offences, or engage in anti-social behaviour. The programme will focus on education, physical health, and mental health as a prevention from anti-social behaviour, and has a new deadline for referrals of Tuesday 24th August.

The Volunteer Expenses Fund 2021-22 has been set up to support community groups and voluntary organisations operating in Falkirk and District whose volunteers provide support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Travel expenses will be reimbursed directly to volunteers in order to reduce organisational time and resource. Applications can currently be made at any time up until Monday 31st January 2022.

Through the Scottish Sport Fund from Aldi, grants of up to £2,500 are available to organisations in Central Scotland for sporting activities for the benefit of people in the local community. Applicants must be located where there is currently a participating Alid store. Central Scotland stores include: Falkirk, Polmont, Stirling, and Alloa. The deadline for applications is Monday 19th July.

Public voting on the Community Choices Place-based Capital funding projects is now open, with voting closing on Friday 16th July.  Members of the public can vote for the projects they think will make the most difference in their area. Grants of over £5,000 are available for this round of Place-based projects, with multiple different projects across different Falkirk areas.