Updated news from the FVAF office

 

 

• FVAF annual subscription for 2011 remains at £10 for which members can get many benefits such as cheaper photocopying, subsidised training and the equipment hire service.

 

• The portable PA system has proved its worth as an excellent system for groups holding both indoor and outdoor meetings

 

• The Local Action Group is still open to invitations for Expressions of Interest for funding for projects that fully subscribe to the objectives of the local Rural Development Programme – contact FVAF for more information

 

• FVAF training continues to be able to offer CIEH Level 2 Food Safety (catering) at the affordable price of £30 per attendee and Emergency First Aid at Work at £35 per attendee. This includes training and assessment and we always use local community venues. Contact  the office for more information

 

• We have also secured funding to be able to provide free Manual Handling training and assessments for up to 90 volunteers and at affordable rates for paid staff. More details from the FVAF office – please note we will not be starting this training until 2011 to enable Pat Nixon to fully prepare for the courses

 

• Liz Chung has now completed her contract as Office and Administration Assistant. This was funded by the national Future Jobs Fund programme and enabled FVAF to help a young person with some vital work experience and training as well as helping us to deliver our services more effectively. Our first appointment on this programme was very successful for all concerned and Ryan Sansome, the post holder, is now in employment. We wish both Liz and Ryan every success for the future

 

• Our social gardening project – Strim It and Trim It –has been heralded as a major success and we have secured additional funding to continue for another year. We have a Support Worker (Jamie Powell) and an Administrator (Rhonda Hall) in post and now have a squad of 7 volunteers and many Cinderford householders have joined the scheme. The volunteers (who themselves have learning difficulties) are feeling good about contributing to the community and the residents are delighted with the various jobs done. These include grass mowing, hedge cutting, bulb planting, tidying borders and picking fruit.  FVAF has plans to expand the basis of this work to include other volunteer groups and also a more ‘mainstream’ and sustainable way of working