Join our roadshow! Volunteer Week 2024 3-8 June We’re hitting the road again this year to celebrate Volunteers’ Week 2024! Volunteers' Week is an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make, across the UK, through volunteering in their communities. In the first week of June (3-8), we will be taking our community engagement vehicle out and about across the Forest of Dean, promoting and celebrating all things volunteering. If you’re a local group or organisation who needs volunteers and would like the opportunity to promote what you do to the local community, we’re inviting you to join us. From 10am -2pm we will be in: Wednesday 5 June LYDNEY - Taurus Crafts, The Old Park Park, Aylburton, Lydney GL15 6BU Thursday 6 June CINDERFORD - Ow Bist - Forest Community Space, Dockham Road GL14 2AN Friday 7 June COLEFORD - The Clocktower, Market Place GL16 8AW Saturday 8 June NEWENT - Newent Market Hall, Broad Street If you’d like to join us, please let us know by 31 May. BOOK YOUR PLACE **PLUS pop along and pick up the latest editions of our popular publications ‘Volunteering in the Forest of Dean’ and ‘Forest Compass’. Can’t make it? We’re happy to take along any flyers/leaflets/poster/giveaways to promote your group or organisation – just drop them into the FVAF office at Ow Bist - Forest Community Centre, Dockham Road, Cinderford GL14 2AN (located in the Tesco carpark) by 4pm Friday 31 May.

Get top tips to ‘Live for Less’ at community drop-in event! 2pm - 5pm Wednesday 22 March| Lydney Town Hall GL15 5DY Come along to our FREE drop-in event for top tips and advice to help you with the rising cost of living. From 2pm to 5pm you will get the chance to visit over 25 information stalls and speak face-to-face with experts who can offer help with food support, reducing bills, energy saving, searching for a job and benefits and money advice. PLUS we’ve got some fantastic interactive demos featuring cooking with Dean Forest Kitchen, grow your own tips from Adult Education Gloucestershire and upcycling skills with Newent Upcycling. In addition, AEG will also be giving a taste of the other sessions that they offer . Chris Brown, our CEO at said “With the cost of living constantly on the rise we are seeing first-hand the strain and impact this is having on the day-to-day lives of local people. This drop-in event will offer tips and advice and help everyone discover sustainable ways to cut their bills and save money.” ‘Living for Less’ is a free community drop-in event with a wide range of organisations signed up to attend including Forest of Dean District Council, Citizens Advice Bureau, Severn Wye Energy Agency, DWP, Homestart, Wlydwood, Two Rivers Housing and many other local community and support groups. Full list of organisations attending: Forest of Dean District Council - community, health, benefits and housing teams SevernWye Energy Agency Citizens Advice Bureau Department For Work and Pensions – Benefits and employment team Newent Upcycling Dean Forest Kitchen Friends of Forest Waterways Christians Against Poverty Wyldwood Crossroads Care Gloucestershire Carers Healthwatch Gloucestershire Adult Education Gloucestershire FRED – Forest Read Easy Deal Charlie's in the Forest Lydney Hub Gloucestershire Community Rail Two Rivers Housing Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Mothers in Mind/Homestart Lydney Exchange Gloucestershire Nightstop Great Oaks Hospice Managing Memory GOPA - Gloucestershire Older Persons' Association Dementia Action Alliance - DDA CCP – Caring for Communities and People For more information contact contact@fvaf.org.uk or 01594 822073.

Get Help To Unlock Your Community’s Potential! Forest of Dean District Council has just launched Community Grants 2025 to 2026 . This one-off funding is open to not-for-profit voluntary and community groups in the Forest of Dean to help build stronger, more cohesive communities. To help you fill in the application form we’ve teamed up with Gloucestershire Rural Community Counci l to offer drop-in sessions or bookable slots across the Forest: 18 March 2025 | Sedbury Village Hall & Sedbury Space Drop-in: 10am - 11am Bookable slots: 11am - 12pm 26 March 2025 | FODDC Offices, Coleford Bookable slots: 1pm - 3:30pm 7 April 2025 | Sixteen Community Café, Coleford Drop-in: 11am - 1pm 10 April 2025 | Newent Memorial Hall Bookable slots: 11am - 12pm Drop-in: 12:30pm - 1:30pm 28 April 2025 | The Victoria Centre, Victoria Road, Lydney Bookable slots: 10am - 12:30pm Drop-in: 2pm - 4pm 1 May 2025 | Ow Bist - Forest Community Space, Cinderford Bookable slots: 11am - 12pm Drop-in: 12pm - 1pm Learn more about the FoDDC Community Grants and download the application documents HERE For more information or to book your slot, contact us at volunteer@fvaf.org.uk or 01594 822073.

TRUSTEES' WEEK 2022 - Showcasing & celebrating trustees Next week (7 – 11 November) we will be taking part in a national celebration of charity trustees as part of Trustees’ Week 2022 . Ever wondered what a trustee does? Maybe you’d like to take on a trustee role but don’t know where to start. Across the week we will try and answers your questions by looking at what a trustee is, the benefits of taking on a trustee role and showcasing the fantastic impact it can have to local people and communities. Follow us on Facebook for daily tips and info and check our website for updates and links to useful resources. Are you recruiting trustees? Tell us! If you are an organisation of community group looking for trustees – this is the perfect opportunity to recruit! To advertise your trustee opportunities just send the info to communications@fvaf.org.uk by 5pm Thursday 10 November

Recovery & Wellbeing Café

Forest of Dean Mental Health Locality Partnership

Peer Development

Digitale innovasie Dit word algemeen erken dat mense regoor die Forest of Dean digitaal uitgesluit voel. FVAF, in samewerking met Gloucestershire County Council, Digital Unite en IT Schools Africa werk hard om hierdie hindernisse af te breek. Deur 'n groep Digitale Kampioene op te lei en 'n aantal 'pop-up' digitale drop-in-sessies rondom die Forest of Dean te bedryf, hoop ons dat jy diegene kan ondersteun wat hul digitale vaardighede wil verbeter, of dit nou is om te leer hoe om te maak video-oproepe na geliefdes, betaal rekeninge aanlyn, stuur e-pos of woon virtuele klasse by. Benewens die 'pop-up'-opleidingsentrums, sal ons binnekort 'n digitale opleidingsuite in ons gemeenskapsgebou in Cinderford installeer. Ons sal ook saam met GRCC en plaaslike dorpsale werk om hul digitale infrastruktuur te verbeter om beter konnektiwiteit in landelike gemeenskappe te verskaf. As jy belangstel om 'n Digitale Kampioen te word en ander te ondersteun, kontak asseblief Nick Penny per e-pos by Projects@fvaf.org.uk IT Skole Afrika Digitale kampioene GRCC

SUMMER HAF - HOLIDAY, ACTIVITIES & FOOD WEEK 1 - 1 to 4 August MONDAY PROSTARS KIDS CLUB CAMP (4-12yrs) Dene Magna Secondary School, Picklenash Junior School, Dean Academy Secondary School PROGRESSIVE SPORTS ACTIVE CAMPS (4-13yrs) St Whites Primary School, Cinderford SWIM PASS (4-16 yrs) Freedom Leisure, Cinderford LITTLE LEARNERS CRAFTS, MESSY PLAY AND MORE Foxglove Gardens, Coleford WILDINGS HOLIDAY CLUB (5-12yrs) Noxon Farm Permaculture, Lydney REKINDLE YOUTH HOLIDAY HANG OUT (13-16yrs) Kensley Sheds, Cinderford, Coleford Recreation BOOK HERE Click to book WEDNESDAY PROSTARS KIDS CLUB CAMP (4-12yrs) Dene Magna Secondary School, Picklenash Junior School, Dean Academy Secondary School PROGRESSIVE SPORTS ACTIVE CAMPS (4-13yrs) St Whites Primary School, Cinderford SWIM PASS (4-16 yrs) Freedom Leisure, Cinderford LITTLE LEARNERS CRAFTS, MESSY PLAY AND MORE Foxglove Gardens, Coleford WILDINGS HOLIDAY CLUB (5-12yrs) Noxon Farm Permaculture, Lydney REKINDLE YOUTH HOLIDAY HANG OUT (13-16yrs) Kensley Sheds, Cinderford, Coleford Recreation BOOK HERE Click to book TUESDAY PROSTARS KIDS CLUB CAMP (4-12yrs) Dene Magna Secondary School, Picklenash Junior School, Dean Academy Secondary School PROGRESSIVE SPORTS ACTIVE CAMPS (4-13yrs) St Whites Primary School, Cinderford SWIM PASS (4-16 yrs) Freedom Leisure, Cinderford NEWENT INITIATIVE ACTIVITY SESSIONS (9-16 yrs) Chillout Zone, Newent LITTLE LEARNERS CRAFTS, MESSY PLAY AND MORE Foxglove Gardens, Coleford WILDINGS HOLIDAY CLUB (5-12yrs) Noxon Farm Permaculture, Lydney REKINDLE YOUTH HOLIDAY HANG OUT (13-16yrs) Kensley Sheds, Cinderford, Coleford Recreation BOOK HERE Click to book THURSDAY PROSTARS KIDS CLUB CAMP (4-12yrs) Dene Magna Secondary School, Picklenash Junior School, Dean Academy Secondary School PROGRESSIVE SPORTS ACTIVE CAMPS (4-13yrs) St Whites Primary School, Cinderford SWIM PASS (4-16 yrs) Freedom Leisure, Cinderford ARCHERY King George V Field, Coleford LITTLE LEARNERS CRAFTS, MESSY PLAY AND MORE Foxglove Gardens, Coleford WILDINGS HOLIDAY CLUB (5-12yrs) Noxon Farm Permaculture, Lydney REKINDLE YOUTH HOLIDAY HANG OUT (13-16yrs) Kensley Sheds, Cinderford, Coleford Recreation BOOK HERE Click to book FRIDAY PROSTARS KIDS CLUB CAMP (4-12yrs) Dene Magna Secondary School, Picklenash Junior School, Dean Academy Secondary School PROGRESSIVE SPORTS ACTIVE CAMPS (4-13yrs) St Whites Primary School, Cinderford SPORTILY ADVENTURE DAY Christian Adventure Centre, Lydney ARCHERY King George V Field, Coleford WILDINGS HOLIDAY CLUB (5-12yrs) Noxon Farm Permaculture, Lydney REKINDLE YOUTH HOLIDAY HANG OUT (13-16yrs) Kensley Sheds, Cinderford, Coleford Recreation BOOK HERE Click to book For more information visit the Gloucestershire County Council website here

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"Bou sterker gemeenskappe in die Bos van Dean" Wat is FVAF? FVAF staan vir Forest Voluntary Action Forum. Ons bied ondersteuning aan plaaslike burgers, gemeenskapsgroepe en aktiwiteite om die dinge te doen wat vir hulle die meeste saak maak. Dit sluit die volgende in: ondersteuning en ontwikkelingsadvies opleiding inligting netwerkvergaderings verteenwoordiging te fasiliteer vrywillige werwing vrywilliger plasing en ondersteuning Ons bedryf ook baie projekte saam met en vir die plaaslike gemeenskap, soos die Forest of Dean Jeugvereniging, Vakansie-aktiwiteitsveldtogte, The Forest Youth Music Network, The GEM Project, The Forest Compass Directory, Walking with Wheels en vele meer. Kyk na ons Projekte-bladsy vir volledige besonderhede. Vind meer uit Hop onboard the DigiBus! FREE 1-2-1 training Coming to a town near you…the DigiBus will be stopping at locations across the Forest during June and July with trainers on hand to help you improve your digital skills. FIND OUT MORE NUWE Vrywilligersgids Selfs makliker om as vrywilliger in die Forest of Dean te werk? By FVAF het ons 'n splinternuwe boekie genaamd Vrywilligerswerk in die vervaardig Bos van Dean. Hierdie is 'n gratis gids van sommige van die vele vrywilligersgeleenthede wat plaaslik beskikbaar is. Harde kopieë sal binnekort in wees jou plaaslike Biblioteek of Gemeenskapsentrum of klik hieronder om 'n digitale kopie. Vrywilligerswerk Boekie Laai af Vind jou naaste inloop-hub NOU OOP Gemeenskapsbou-inloophubs Loer in en gesels van aangesig tot aangesig met 'n gemeenskapsbouer. Elke inloer-spilpunt bied 'n verskeidenheid ondersteuning, advies en leiding vir plaaslike inwoners. Byvoorbeeld; ondersteuning en aanwysing van plaaslike dienste, skakel en stig van nuwe gemeenskapsgroepe, ondersteuning van mense om nader aan werk of verdere onderwys te kom, help om toegang tot die digitale wêreld te kry en ondersteuning om jou idees vir die gemeenskap tot lewe te bring. Bos van Dean Jeugvereniging Forest of Dean Jeugvereniging ondersteun jongmense onder die ouderdom van 25 om pro-aktiewe burgers en leiers van hul eie lewens te word. Ons ondersteun ook gemeenskapsgroepe en organisasies regoor die Forest of Dean om die wonderlike werk wat hulle reeds doen te verbeter deur die ontsluiting van plaaslike vaardighede en bates, of dit nou mense, plekke of befondsing is. Die span het 'n wye verskeidenheid vaardighede en ondervinding om met jongmense en ons Bosgemeenskappe te werk, so ons kan aanpas en reageer op die meeste jeugverwante projekte of navrae. Gevolglik raak die Jeugvereniging betrokke by 'n wye verskeidenheid projekte en bied aanwysings vir ondersteuning en dienste. Vind meer uit Vrywilliger Ondersteuning As jy wil vrywillig werk in die Forest of Dean, het ons 'n verskeidenheid huidige geleenthede vir jou. As jy 'n gemeenskapsgroep is wat vrywillige ondersteuning wil hê, kan ons jou vrywilligersvakature vir jou bevorder. As jy hulp en raad nodig het oor die werk met Vrywilligers, kontak asseblief Search Volunteer Opportunites Volg ons op Facebook Ons plaas ons jongste nuus en gebeure gereeld op Facebook. Vir die mees onlangse inligting volg asseblief ons Facebook-blad Gaan na Facebook Ons Vennote