Join us for the FVAF Community Celebration & AGM 2026 - a day of festivities, important discussions, and community connection! We’ll start with our Annual General Meeting (AGM), then you’ll hear how FVAF has made a difference over the past year through our 4 Ps: People, Place, Planet and Prosperity, along with our plans for the year ahead. After the AGM, come and explore the Newent Showcase, a market of local community groups and organisations that make Newent special. It’s a great chance to meet the people behind them, find out what’s happening locally, and connect with other community members. Refreshments and a delicious buffet lunch, sourced from local delis and caterers, will be provided. EVERYONE WELCOME! DOORS OPEN AT 10AM FOR COFFEE & CATCH UP! Places are limited, so please book your ticket as soon as possible to secure your spot. BOOK HERE!

BOOK HERE! Frequently visited pages: COMMUNITY HUBS VOLUNTEER ADVICE YOUTH SUPPORT ما هو FVAF؟ FVAF لتقف على منتدى العمل التطوعي للغابات. نحن نقدم الدعم للمواطنين المحليين ومجموعات المجتمع والأنشطة للقيام بالأشياء التي تهمهم أكثر. وهذا يشمل ما يلي: مشورة الدعم والتطوير تمرين معلومة اجتماعات التواصل تسهيل التمثيل تجنيد المتطوعين تنسيب المتطوعين ودعمهم ندير أيضًا العديد من المشاريع مع المجتمع المحلي ومن أجله ، مثل جمعية فورست أوف دين للشباب ، وحملات أنشطة العطلات ، وشبكة موسيقى شباب الغابة ، ومشروع GEM ، ودليل فورست كومباس ، والمشي بعجلات وغيرها الكثير. تحقق من صفحة مشاريعنا للحصول على التفاصيل الكاملة. "بناء مجتمعات أقوى في غابة العميد " اكتشف المزيد JOIN OUR MAILING LIST Get the latest community news and check out exciting volunteering opportunity in or around the Forest of Dean... اذهب الى الفيس بوك Useful publications: FREE directory of the many volunteering opportunities available locally... DOWNLOAD شركاؤنا We work with so many amazing and supportive partners. Find out more here... How to contact us Forest Voluntary Action Forum Ow Bist Forest Community Space Dockham Road Cinderford , Glos. GL14 2AQ Email us: contact@fvaf.org.uk Tel: 01594 822073 Copyright © 2021 Forest Voluntary Action Forum. All Rights Reserved. Forest Voluntary Action Forum is a charity (1141126) and company limited by guarantee (07557852) registered in England and Wales. The registered address is The Belle Vue Centre, Cinderford, Glos, GL14 2AB. Travelling in the Forest of Dean Forest Of Dean Climate Action Partnership has created a handy interactive guide to travelling in the Forest of Dean. DOWNLOAD HERE

حول FVAF حول FVAF قصتنا نحن مجلس الخدمة التطوعية ومركز المتطوعين لغابة العميد. نحن نقدم المساعدة للعديد من مئات المنظمات التطوعية والمجتمعية في المنطقة والذين هم بدورهم أكثر قدرة على تقديم عملهم في المجتمع المحلي ومن أجله. منذ التأسيس في عام 1994 ، طورنا سمعة طيبة في تشجيع واحتضان وتعزيز العمل المجتمعي في جميع أنحاء غابة العميد. نعتقد أنه من خلال الأساليب التي يقودها المجتمع ، فإننا نمكّن المواطنين من تطوير المهارات والمرونة ورأس المال الاجتماعي ليعيشوا حياة أكثر سعادة وتواصلًا. الخدمات المكتبية الموظفين والأمناء سياسات سهولة الوصول والاستدامة

Peer Development Developing the space between us to enable better Community Health and Wellbeing. Mycelium seeks to promote connectedness between people and encourage collaboration in service development in the Forest of Dean. Mycelium seeks to promote connectedness between people and encourage collaboration in service development in the Forest of Dean. We wish to do so to develop a counternarrative to ‘siloed working’ and the overbearing competitiveness between people, organisations and within emerging systems. We value both lived and professional experience equally and work from a horizontal, narrative informed, peer advocacy model with co-production and action research principles at its core. What do we do? We offer Peer Advocacy, Peer Mentoring & Peer Development for individuals, groups and organisations living or working in the Forest of Dean. For People from our Communities We work with individuals providing 1 to 1 support. Using peer advocacy and peer mentoring principles we can help you to develop a ‘recovery practice’ that enables you to get back up after a crisis, or travel safely through a difficult period in your life. We can help you: to understand and respond to social care needs or a health condition and can help you to cope with a situation that is causing you emotional distress. to find information, to build confidence as you begin to identify, navigate and try out the wellbeing and self-help resources that are available to you in your local community. if issues arise when trying to build yourself up again - we can be there and help you to learn about yourself, your world and your rights. to travel through the complexities of recovery from a health condition, from mental illness, trauma or addiction - to raise your voice about what is important to you as you do so. to access advice from the best expertise available and can then support you to understand, choose between and explore the options opened up for you by that advice. to access community groups and projects and help them in turn to become more confident, compassionate and efficient when supporting individuals experiencing mental health difficulties. Peer advocacy will work on up to three specific community advocacy issues at a time, but the Peer mentoring will be open access, an ‘in the background’ wrap around support that will attempt to respond to your unique circumstances and complex needs whilst still trying to link you in with the best expertise available to you. For Volunteers and Professionals “Project Support” - We work with individuals developing groups and organisations With consultancy, reflective practice and ongoing support we can help lived experience practitioners, peer support workers and staff with lived experience who are working in the VCS and local health and social care settings, to use their experiences of illness or mental distress in a way that is safe, effective and compassionate for both them and the people they are supporting. We can help: you to develop an idea, a workshop, a group or a project that has arisen from your own unique situation, lived experience or from the skills and awareness gained on your recovery journey. provide or link you in with training, information, supervision and a support structure around you to enable you to turn this awareness into a skill that can benefit others in your local community. projects, groups and organisations develop their co-production strategies and be a point of contact with transformed mental health services and the wider supports available. We can enable you to implement these strategies in a non ’tokenistic’ & authentic way. you to stay well and practice self-care whilst working and using your lived experience to help others who are going through health conditions or mental distres s. What does ‘Peer’ mean? “PEER … One that is of equal standing with another” The ‘Peer’ in Peer Advocacy, Peer Mentoring and Peer Development points to shared concerns and experiences. Peer support is when we come together with others who have been through or are recovering from something similar. It is about ‘mutuality’ - helping each other through conversations, activities and spending time together. It can help us not to feel so alone or unusual, to realise that there is a possibility of life beyond and outside of the condition, distress or situation encountered. Peer services connect people and create opportunities for ‘giving back’; they can help us to take notice of the skills and knowledge we have gained on our journeys while also creating opportunities to use these skills to build better services and communities for the future. Who are we? We are all local people with both professional and personal experience of disability, illness, mental distress and/or have been carers for people navigating social and health care systems. We are all individuals who have had extensive experience of managing our own recoveries from illness and mental distress and have learnt much from doing so. We all feel that talking to someone who has ‘been through’ and managed to successfully survive and navigate something similar in the past can be incredibly helpful to those who are feeling isolated with that condition, situation or circumstance in the present. Though we understand the importance of being supported by someone who understands from ‘lived experience’, we also recognise the importance of skill and learning. We know how important ongoing development is to help convert that learning into a constructive, safe and effective practice that enables others. We have all received extensive previous training and are committed to continued professional development alongside the “lived experience” knowledge that we draw upon. We have all benefitted from Peer Advocacy, Peer Support or Peer Mentoring ourselves and are passionate about its enormous benefits for good community mental health and wellbeing. We have all had extensive previous experience of co-production work, collaborative working, community development and promoting diverse voices. What have we done so far? Developing Action Research & our Narrative Model for locality-based peer development Over the past two years Mycelium has been drawing together people with experience, professionals and those passionate about community development, to overcome barriers to discussion and rally around shared concerns or stories. The aim of this has been to increase understanding about mental health illness and, most importantly, move towards improvement of the current situation for individuals, families and the Forest communities. We have developed a Resource Hub, Community-based Recovery Education Sessions and a Community of Practice group for those working with individuals with mental health challenges. We have facilitated extensive community-based action research to ascertain need and identify a network of allies. This has been published alongside papers on co-production and has all been fed into the Community Mental Health Transformation undertaken in Gloucestershire. Who are we for? We have supported the growth of community initiatives that allow everybody’s voices to be heard and we want change to continue to be driven by well-being and mutual aid. We are listening, learning and offering opportunities for all community members within the Forest and invite you to join us on this exciting journey. Anyone 16 + who is living or working in the Forest of Dean. Anyone who feels that they could benefit from support from individuals with experience of managing their own recovery from mental health difficulties, addiction, mental distress or a health condition. Anyone facing challenges in accessing the support that they want and need help to find information, understand their rights, build a support network or develop an advocacy plan of action to raise their voice or complain about the care they have received. Anyone with either diagnosed or undiagnosed conditions and people waiting on waiting lists for assessment. Our aim is to respect all perspectives and encourage action and improvement in the lives of all across our Forest communities. How do I find out more, get involved or access Mycelium support? For more information drop Simon Price (Project Manager and Mental Health Researcher) a message at Simon@fvaf.org.uk or call 07394 945046 to arrange a meet up and find out more about Mycelium Peer Development.

We Celebrate our Outstanding Volunteers! Winners crowned at annual Forest Volunteer Awards event... The Forest of Dean's most dedicated volunteers took centre stage this week at our annual Forest Volunteer Awards, held on Tuesday 2 September at the AccXel Construction School in Cinderford! People's Champion Takes Top Honours Ian Gower claimed the evening's most coveted award – Volunteer of the Year (People's Champion) – following a public vote that attracted over 3,500 participants. Ian's tireless work spans multiple organisations including CANDI, Mitcheldean Youth Club, and Scarr Bandstand, where he inspires young people through STEM education, drawing on his engineering background with Rolls Royce. Community Groups Recognised for Vital Work Several local organisations received recognition for their outstanding community contributions. The Salvation Army Community Hub in Coleford won Community Organisation of the Year for providing comprehensive support services including food assistance and domestic violence support. The Sharing Kitchen in Newent claimed the Grassroots Voluntary Group award, having transformed from a winter soup kitchen into a thriving community hub since launching in November 2024. Meanwhile, Music for Memories received the FoD Dementia Action Alliance Accessibility & Inclusion Award for positively impacting nearly 200 lives through personalised music therapy. We Rewarded Resilience Brockweir Village Shop and Café earned our ESV Business in the Community Award, demonstrating remarkable resilience after rebuilding following devastating fire damage in 2023. Volunteers worked tirelessly through an 18-month reconstruction to reopen the vital community facility. We Recognised Environmental Action Our newly introduced Community Climate Action Award went to the Save the Wye Campaign, recognising the group's creative activism in bringing national attention to the environmental crisis facing the River Wye. We Celebrated Future Leaders and Lifetime Achievement Our ceremony highlighted emerging community leaders, with Moss Thornton taking home our Young Volunteer of the Year honours for outstanding work as a Youth Expert and Youth Worker with Gloucestershire Health and Care Trust and Forest Pulse. Albert Weager received our Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 for his decades of community service as a representative and advocate for improved healthcare in the Forest of Dean. Celebrating Community Spirit "So much of what happens within our community is because of people who give their time and energy for free," said Deb Cook, Volunteering Manager at FVAF. "We're so proud to host this event and make a massive fuss about the incredible work that goes on in groups and organisations large and small. The work carried out by these volunteers is absolutely crucial to so many." Hosted by Steve Knibbs (BBC News Presenter) and Les Love (Dean Radio), our award winners were announced by guest presenters; Simon Murray (Vice chair, trustee of FVAF and chair of the Forest of Dean branch of CPRE), Cllr Jackie Dale, Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities FoDDC, Piers Cardiff (new Co-ordinator of FoDCAP), Tyler Josh Carpenter (volunteer at SARA (Severn Area Rescue Association) AND winner of last year’s Forest Young Volunteer of the Year), Dame Janet Trotter (DBE CVO), Nick Penny (FVAF Programme Manager). The celebration evening was made possible through generous sponsorship from local organisations, KW Bell Group and AccXel Construction Centre , Cinderhill Farm , Float in the Forest , Forest of Dean Climate Action Partnership (FODCAP) , Forest of Dean District Council , Mid Counties Co-operative and Pedalabikeaway . We received hundreds of nominations following their summer call for submissions, with an expert panel handling the challenging task of shortlisting candidates across all categories. FOREST VOLUNTEER AWARD WINNERS 2025: Volunteer of the Year – Peoples’ Champion WINNER: Ian Gower: CANDI, Mitcheldean Youth Club, Scarr Bandstand Highly Commended: Carol Austin: Sedbury Space Laura Dovey: Taurus Crafts Annie George: Forest Exchange Glynis Halling: The Victoria Centre, Lydney Dial-a-Ride, Dr Charley's Lunch Club Julie Holder: Packed with Love Young Volunteer of the Year 21yrs & under WINNER: Moss Thornton: Youth Expert and Youth Worker with Gloucestershire Health and Care Trust and Forest Pulse Highly Commended: Chloe Watts - Her Game Too and Bristol Rovers Women Ambassador Community Organisation of the Year WINNER: Salvation Army Community Hub Highly Commended: Forest of Dean Writers Collection Project and Dean Green Team Grassroots Group of the Year WINNER: The Sharing Kitchen Highly Commended: Cinderford Town FC (Youth Team)  Forest Wombles Business in the Community Award WINNER: Brockweir Village Shop & Cafe Highly Commended: Dean Forest Food Hub FoD Dementia Action Alliance Accessibility & Inclusion Award WINNER: Music for Memories Highly Commended: Skillzone – Preparation for Adulthood Community Climate Action Award (sponsored by FoDCAP) WINNER: Save the Wye Campaign Highly Commended: Yorkley Village Garden Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 – Albert Weager - community representative and advocate for better healthcare in the Forest of Dean For media enquires contact communications@fvaf.org.uk or 01594 822073. END - Notes to editor: Established in 1994, Forest Voluntary Action Forum (FVAF) is the Voluntary Service Council and Volunteer Centre for the Forest of Dean The charity offers support to local citizens, community groups and activities including support and development advice, training, networking meetings, facilitating representation, volunteer recruitment, volunteer placement and support In addition, FVAF delivers projects with and for the local community, including Forest of Dean Youth Association, Holiday, Activities and Food Programme, The Forest Compass Directory, Walking with Wheels FVAF receives some financial support from the Forest of Dean District Council and funds activities through external funding opportunities Head office - Forest Voluntary Action Forum, Ow Bist – Forest Community Space, Dockham Road, Cinderford , Glos. GL14 2AN.

Current job vacancies at FVAF Work for us. We are passionate about nurturing talented, compassionate, community minded team players. Join our friendly and supportive team! We don't have any vacancies right now but check back soon! Trouble downloading the documents? Contact communications@fvaf.org.uk or 01594 822073

المشي بعجلات استخدم واحدة من دراجات بخارية للتنقل لجميع التضاريس للوصول إلى مسارات الغابة الجميلة مع عائلتك وأصدقائك ، بغض النظر عن قدرتك على المشي. ال غابة العميد هو مركز معترف به للمشي وركوب الدراجات ويتم خدمته جيدًا عن طريق الممرات وغيرها من المداخل المعبأة. بالنسبة للأشخاص الذين يعانون من إعاقة جسدية أو صحة سيئة أو ضعف حسي أو بعض الحالات المثبطة الأخرى ، قد تكون هناك حاجة إلى بعض المساعدة القوية أو التفسير المتخصص أو غيرها من الوسائط المناسبة لتمكينهم من الاستمتاع بالمزايا التي يأخذها الآخرون كأمر مسلم به. هذه غابة الغابات التراث الممول من مشروع يانصيب التراث ، والعمل مع التنقل في الريف يوفر فرصًا لمزيد من الأشخاص للوصول إلى Forest of Dean. يوفر Walking with Wheels دراجات بخارية للتنقل لجميع التضاريس (تسمى Trampers) للتأجير من Forest Holidays at Christchurch ، و Speech House Hotel. تتوفر عربات الترامبرز للطرق المعينة مسبقًا التي تطل على سيموندس يات وبيبلنز ومشتل سيريل هارت وبحيرة مالاردز بايك على سبيل المثال لا الحصر. إذا كنت ترغب في معرفة المزيد عن "المشي بعجلات" ، يرجى الاتصال على 01594 822073 أو اتصل بنا عبر البريد الإلكتروني . أسئلة مكررة ما هو "الترامبر"؟ من يستطيع استخدام هذه الخدمة؟ ما الطرق التي يمكنني استخدامها عليها؟ متى هو متاح للتأجير؟ كيف يمكنني حجز واحد؟ كم يكلف استئجار عربة الترامبر؟ ماذا لو لم أستخدم واحدة من هؤلاء من قبل؟ ماذا لو احتجت إلى مساعدة إضافية؟ لماذا يجب أن أصبح عضوًا في Countryside Mobility؟ هل يمكنني المساعدة في هذا المشروع؟ ماذا لو احتجت إلى إلغاء الحجز؟ Frequently Asked Questions

YOUTH CLUBS & ACTIVITIES

FVAF Appoints Nick Penny as Head of Operations FVAF is delighted to announce the appointment of Nick Penny to the newly created role of Head of Operations, effective 1 January 2026. Nick brings over five years of dedicated service to FVAF, where he has been instrumental in driving delivery of various community projects as Programme Manager. His promotion recognises his outstanding contribution to the organisation and his deep understanding of FVAF's community-rooted approach. In his new role, Nick will provide strategic leadership across FVAF's operational teams, programmes, and internal systems. He will oversee frontline delivery, ensure operational excellence, and lead the organisation's people-management functions. Reporting directly to the CEO, Nick will be a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, guiding FVAF's continued growth and impact. The Head of Operations role has been established to strengthen FVAF's infrastructure and ensure the organisation's delivery remains aligned with its TRIBE (Trust, Relational, Innovation, Bravery, Equity) values and Theory of Change. Chris Brown, FVAF CEO said: "Nick lives and breathes community. He is a fantastic role model within the organisation and his commitment to the Forest of Dean and FVAF is infectious. I am delighted that Nick will be taking this next step in his journey with us and am excited to see what we’ll achieve together”. Nick Penny said: “I am really excited by the opportunities that this new role brings for both my own personal development and the continued growth of the Charity. I am extremely grateful to our Board of Trustees for their support of Chris and the leadership team with this investment in developing our organisation. It is fantastic to wake up in the morning knowing that my role, and those of my colleagues, contribute so successfully to making a positive impact across our Forest of Dean community." For media enquires contact communications@fvaf.org.uk or 01594 822073. -END- Notes to editor: Established in 1994, Forest Voluntary Action Forum (FVAF) is the Voluntary Service Council and Volunteer Centre for the Forest of Dean The charity offers support to local citizens, community groups and activities including support and development advice, training, networking meetings, facilitating representation, volunteer recruitment, volunteer placement and support In addition, FVAF delivers projects with and for the local community, including Forest of Dean Youth Association, Holiday Activity Campaigns, The Forest Youth Music Network, The Gloucestershire Digi Partnership, The Forest Compass Directory, Walking with Wheels FVAF receives some financial support from the Forest of Dean District Council and funds activities through external funding opportunities Head office - Forest Voluntary Action Forum, Ow Bist – Forest Community Space, Dockham Rd, Cinderford, Glos. GL14 2AN.

التطوع بصفتنا مركز المتطوعين في Forest of Dean ، نحن هنا لمساعدتك في تجنيد وإدارة المتطوعين تطوعنا الجديد كتيب مليء بالتفاصيل من التطوع المحلي الفرص خارج الآن اضغط للتحميل أو التقط نسخة من مكتبتك المحلية أو Community Hub كمركز المتطوعين ل غابة العميد غالبًا ما نكون نقطة الاتصال الأولى لأي شخص مهتم بالتطوع. في العام الماضي ، كنا فخورون بدعمنا لأكثر من 100،000 ساعة من التطوع في المنطقة! تعزز FVAF وتعلن عن مجموعة واسعة من فرص التطوع من المنظمات التي تشاركنا روحنا في دعم المتطوعين والاعتراف بمجموعة واسعة من الأسباب التي تجعل الناس يختارون التطوع. لماذا التطوع؟ للعمل التطوعي عدد من الفوائد الهائلة ، ليس فقط بالنسبة لك بشكل فردي ، ولكن لمجتمعك والعالم الذي نعيش فيه. إذا كنت ترغب في تحسين سيرتك الذاتية ، أو مقابلة أشخاص جدد ، أو الاستفادة من مهاراتك بشكل جيد ، أو تعلم شيء جديد ، أو متابعة اهتمامك ، أو تقديم الخبرة ، أو ببساطة إحداث فرق ، فنحن نضمن لك الحصول على فرصة! يمكنك التعرف على هذه الفرص بالطرق التالية: فرص البحث في Do-it.org اتصل بنا على 01594 822073 تواصل معنا عبر البريد الإلكتروني تعال لزيارتنا في FVAF من الاثنين إلى الجمعة 9:00 - 1:00 ( الاتجاهات ) إذا كنت تتطلع إلى التطوع كجزء من مجموعة كبيرة ، على سبيل المثال كجزء من العمل التطوعي للشركات ، فلدينا أيضًا مجموعة واسعة من الفرص للاختيار من بينها. Get the latest volunteer opportunities - direct to your mailbox! Sign up to receive our regular email Volunteer Newsletter: SIGN UP HELP FOR GROUPS - recruiting & managing volunteers كمتجر شامل لجميع الأشياء التطوعية ، فإننا نستخدم منهجية متعددة الأوجه لنمنحك أفضل فرصة ممكنة لتجنيد المتطوعين المتميزين والاحتفاظ بهم. وهذا يشمل ما يلي: قم بالإعلان عن فرصك على موقع Do-it.org الترويج لفرصك لأفراد من الجمهور المحالين إلينا أو عبر وظيفة الاستقبال لدينا. الإعلان عن فرصك على صفحتنا على Facebook و Twitter الترويج لفرصك للخدمات المحلية التي تدعم التطوع على سبيل المثال. Job Center و LearnDirect و 2GetherTrust الإعلان عن فرصك في أكثر من 30 حدثًا سنويًا إرسال فرصك إلى الشركات المحلية التي تقدم التطوع المدعوم من صاحب العمل تعزيز الفرص ذات الصلة للمدارس والكليات والجامعات توزيع فرصك على قاعدة بيانات المتطوعين لدينا لأكثر من 1000 شخص الترويج لفرصك في مجموعة متنوعة من الشبكات ، بما في ذلك تعرف على الباتش (Know Your Patch) As a one-stop-shop for all things volunteering, we can help you find, and keep, the perfect volunteer: Get in touch - call us on 01594 822073, via email or visit us at FVAF, Ow Bist - Forest Community Space, Dockham Road, Cinderford GL14 2AN (Mon - Fri 9am - 4pm)

حول FVAF قصتنا نحن مجلس الخدمة التطوعية ومركز المتطوعين لغابة العميد. نحن نقدم المساعدة للعديد من مئات المنظمات التطوعية والمجتمعية في المنطقة والذين هم بدورهم أكثر قدرة على تقديم عملهم في المجتمع المحلي ومن أجله. منذ التأسيس في عام 1994 ، طورنا سمعة طيبة في تشجيع واحتضان وتعزيز العمل المجتمعي في جميع أنحاء غابة العميد. نعتقد أنه من خلال الأساليب التي يقودها المجتمع ، فإننا نمكّن المواطنين من تطوير المهارات والمرونة ورأس المال الاجتماعي ليعيشوا حياة أكثر سعادة وتواصلًا. الخدمات المكتبية الموظفين والأمناء سياسات سهولة الوصول والاستدامة