FVAF ના સભ્ય બનો FVAF ના સભ્ય બનીને તમે અમને સ્વૈચ્છિક અને સામુદાયિક ક્ષેત્રને મહત્વપૂર્ણ સહાયક સેવા પ્રદાન કરવાનું ચાલુ રાખવામાં મદદ કરો છો. ડીનનું વન . FVAF સ્વૈચ્છિક અને સામુદાયિક પગલાં માટે હિમાયતી તરીકે કાર્ય કરે છે જ્યાં જિલ્લા, કાઉન્ટી અને રાષ્ટ્રીય સ્તરે યોગ્ય હોય, અને અમે જેટલા વધુ સભ્યોનું પ્રતિનિધિત્વ કરીએ છીએ, તેટલો અમારો અવાજ વધુ મજબૂત બને છે. તેથી સભ્યોનો ફોરેસ્ટ ઓફ ડીનમાં સ્વૈચ્છિક અને સામુદાયિક ક્ષેત્ર પર અસર કરતી બાબતો અને સંસ્થા તરીકે અમારો હેતુ શું છે તે અંગે સલાહ લેવામાં આવે છે. સભ્ય તરીકે, તમે અમારી ઑફિસ સેવાઓની ઍક્સેસ, પ્રિન્ટિંગ અને કૉપિ કરવાના દરમાં ઘટાડો, તમારા જૂથ માટે સ્વયંસેવકની ખાલી જગ્યાઓના પ્રમોશન અને ઑફિસ સાધનોની શ્રેણીના મફત ભાડાનો આનંદ માણશો. આમાં શામેલ છે: ડિસ્પ્લે બોર્ડ સુનાવણી લૂપ ડિજિટલ પ્રોજેક્ટર અને સ્ક્રીન પીએ સિસ્ટમ ફ્લિપ ચાર્ટ્સ લાંબી ફોલ્ડિંગ ટેબલ ગરમ પાણીની કેટરિંગ કલગી ગાઝેબો (£5 દાન જરૂરી) જો તમે FVAF સભ્ય બનવા માંગતા હો, તો કૃપા કરીને જમણી બાજુએ જોડાઓ FVAF બટન પર ક્લિક કરો અને ફોર્મ ભરો. વધુ વિગતો માટે 01594 822073 પર કોલ કરો અમારી તમામ સપોર્ટ સેવાઓને ઍક્સેસ કરવા માટે FVAF ના સભ્ય બનવું મફત છે FVAF માં જોડાઓ

🌟 Forest Volunteer Awards 2025 – Celebrating Local Heroes 🌟 This year, we’re shining a spotlight on the incredible individuals, groups, and organisations who go the extra mile to make the Forest of Dean a better place. Whether they’re quietly making a difference or leading bold community change, we want to hear their stories. THE CATEGORIES: 🏆 Volunteer of the Year – People's Champion This is your chance to celebrate an unsung hero. Someone who consistently goes above and beyond to support others, uplift their community, or inspire through their own journey. Their dedication may have transformed lives—or even kept vital services running. We're looking for someone who: Shows exceptional dedication and commitment to their volunteer role Has made a significant positive impact on individuals or the wider community Demonstrates reliability, compassion, and selflessness May have overcome personal challenges while helping others Goes above and beyond to support those in need ✨ This is the only award chosen by public vote! Once finalists are announced, the community will decide who takes home the title. 🌱 Young Volunteer of the Year (21 & under) Recognising a young person who's making a big impact. Whether they've overcome personal challenges or shown outstanding commitment to helping others, this award celebrates young volunteers —in schools, clubs, or community projects. We're looking for a young person who: Demonstrates exceptional commitment to volunteering despite their age Serves as a role model and inspiration to other young people Shows maturity, leadership, and dedication beyond their years May have overcome personal obstacles while helping others Actively contributes to making their school, club, or community better Examples might include: peer mentoring, fundraising champions, environmental activists, community event organisers, or young carers who also volunteer. 🤝 Grassroots Group of the Year For small, volunteer-led groups making a big difference. From lunch clubs to sports teams, support circles to hobby groups—if your local group is powered by passion and community spirit, we want to celebrate it. We're looking for groups that: Are entirely or predominantly volunteer-run Demonstrate strong community impact despite limited resources Show innovation, creativity, and resilience in their approach Foster genuine connections and belonging among members Address local needs or bring people together around shared interests Operate with transparency, inclusivity, and community spirit Examples might include: village halls committees, friendship groups, local history societies, craft circles, walking groups, or neighbourhood support networks. 🏢 Community Organisation Award Recognising larger charities, CICs, CIOs, or teams of staff and volunteers making a meaningful impact in the Forest of Dean. We celebrate organisations that: Make a real difference by creating positive, lasting change in the local community Join forces with other local groups and partners to work together effectively Stay open and accountable while encouraging active community participation Keep evolving to meet new challenges and the changing needs of the community Use resources wisely to bring the greatest possible benefits to those who need them Stay true to the mission and focus on what matters most to the Forest of Dean Champion volunteering by effectively recruiting, supporting, and valuing volunteers This award highlights established organisations with formal structures, paid staff, and a commitment to fostering and sustaining volunteer contributions. 🏢💚 Business in the Community Award Celebrating local businesses that give back. Whether through employee volunteering, project sponsorship, or hands-on community support, this award recognises businesses that are making a real social impact. We're looking for businesses that: Go beyond profit to actively contribute to community wellbeing Encourage and support employee volunteering during work time Provide meaningful sponsorship, donations, or in-kind support Partner with local charities and community groups Operate with environmental and social responsibility Demonstrate genuine, long-term commitment to the Forest of Dean Examples might include: businesses offering apprenticeships to local youth, companies supporting community events, employers giving staff volunteer days, or businesses donating skills, space, or resources. ♿ Accessibility & Inclusion Award (sponsored by FoD Dementia Action Alliance) This award celebrates organisations or groups that are actively working to break down barriers and create welcoming, inclusive spaces. It's not about being perfect—it's about showing commitment to accessibility, equity, and belonging for all. We're looking for organisations that: Actively work to remove physical, social, or communication barriers Demonstrate understanding of diverse needs including disability, age, culture, and background Show ongoing commitment to improving accessibility and inclusion Provide training, support, or resources to become more inclusive Create environments where everyone feels valued and able to participate Take practical steps to accommodate different needs and abilities This could include: dementia-inclusive initiatives, wheelchair accessible improvements, sensory-friendly adaptations, multilingual support, or programmes specifically designed to welcome marginalised groups. 🌍 Community Climate Action Award (sponsored by Forest of Dean Climate Action Partnership) F or individuals or VCSE groups leading the way in environmental action. From community gardens and repair cafés to sustainable transport and flood resilience—if you're helping the Forest adapt and thrive in a changing climate, we want to hear from you. We're looking for nominees who: Take practical action to address climate change or environmental challenges Inspire and educate others about sustainable living Develop innovative solutions to local environmental issues Build community resilience to the impact of the changing climate Create lasting positive environmental change in the Forest of Dean Examples might include: renewable energy projects, sustainable food initiatives, active travel promotion, waste reduction campaigns, or climate adaptation projects. NOMINATIONS NOW CLOSED FAQs Who can nominate? Anyone can nominate! Whether you are an individual local resident, part of a community group or from a local government organisation. How can I nominate? It’s easy – just fill in our nomination form here or if you would prefer a paper copy you can request one via communications@fvaf.org.uk or 01594 822073. What information do I need to provide? Please provide plenty of detail about what the nominee has achieved and as much information as possible about them and their unique contribution. If you have any, please provide good quality photographs. Make sure that you have permission from anyone else in the photograph so that we can use it for media and promotional activities unless you tell us not to. Should I tell the person or organisation I am nominating them or keep it a surprise? Ideally it would be good to let them know once you have decided to nominate, just so that they are aware and happy for their story to be shared. We want to celebrate and shout about the wonderful work of volunteers which would include promotion via social media, on our website and to local press. How will it be judged? All nominations will be carefully considered by a panel of judges. This panel will be made up of a mix of unbiased and independent judges including; members of staff from FVAF, a FVAF trustee, and representatives from local councils, businesses and media. For more information or if you have any questions, email communications@fvaf.org.uk or call 01594 822073 .

Tell us what training would help your organisation We're exploring how best to support the training needs of voluntary and community groups across the Forest of Dean. This might include hosting training ourselves, bringing in external trainers, or connecting you with existing resources and courses. Please complete this brief survey to let us know what would be most valuable for you. Your feedback will shape the support we're able to offer. Organisation Name: Your Role: Email Training Topics Which of the following topics would be most valuable for your organisation? (Please tick all that apply and add any others) Funding & Fundraising Marketing & PR Digital Skills/Using Technology Financial Procedures & Management Governance & Trustees Finding & Recruiting Volunteers Volunteer Management & Retention Embedding Climate Action Neurodiversity, Mental Health & Inclusion Safeguarding First Aid Health & Safety Food Hygiene Other Let us know your TOP 3 training needs: When Which days work best for you? (Tick all that apply) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Preferred times: (Tick all that apply) Morning (9am-12pm) Afternoon (1pm-5pm) Evening (6pm-8pm) Where How would you prefer to attend training? (Tick all that apply) In-person only Online only Hybrid (option to attend either way) No preference If in-person: Forest of Dean only Willing to travel How Which learning formats work best for you? (Tick all that apply) Workshops (group sessions) Online webinars/courses One-to-one support/mentoring Drop-in sessions Self-paced resources Peer learning/networking groups 5. Additional Information Are there any barriers that prevent you from accessing training? (e.g., cost, time, childcare, accessibility needs) Any other comments or suggestions? Submit

Our publications Forest Compass Edition 3 Volunteering in the Forest of Dean FVAF Annual Report 2024/25 FVAF Annual Accounts 2024/25 FVAF Annual Report 2023/24 FVAF Annual Report 2022/23 FVAF Annual Report 2021/22 Insights into the Experience of commissioning for small VCSE organisations in the Forest of Dean By Chris Brown My Networks publications My Networks Scoping Project Report, Oct 2022 by Simon Price Supporting documents: Mental Health Scoping Project – Survey Results Co-production – How we facilitated My Networks Scoping Report The Forest of Dean Mycelium Mental Health Project A report from the Undergrowth by Simon Price, Anwen Jenkins, Pete Harper, Miranda Thomason and Teresa Rose Useful community publications The Digital Divides Report and Recommendations By Digital Divides Steering Group Learnings from the Forest By Forest of Dean Climate Action Partnership (FODCAP), Holding The Space, Thirty Percy, and CCRI.

સ્વયંસેવી ફોરેસ્ટ ઓફ ડીન માટે સ્વયંસેવક કેન્દ્ર તરીકે અમે તમને સ્વયંસેવકોની ભરતી અને સંચાલન કરવામાં મદદ કરવા માટે અહીં છીએ અમારી નવી સ્વયંસેવી વિગતોથી ભરેલી પુસ્તિકા સ્થાનિક સ્વયંસેવી તકો હવે બહાર છે ડાઉનલોડ કરવા માટે ક્લિક કરો માટે સ્વયંસેવક કેન્દ્ર તરીકે ડીનનું વન સ્વયંસેવીમાં રસ ધરાવનાર કોઈપણ માટે અમે વારંવાર સંપર્કનો પ્રથમ બિંદુ હોઈએ છીએ. ગયા વર્ષે અમને આ વિસ્તારમાં 100,000 કલાકથી વધુ સ્વૈચ્છિક સેવાને સમર્થન આપવા બદલ ગર્વ હતો! FVAF સ્વયંસેવકોને ટેકો આપવા માટે અને લોકો સ્વયંસેવક બનવાનું પસંદ કરવાનાં કારણોની વિશાળ શ્રેણીને માન્યતા આપતી સંસ્થાઓ તરફથી સ્વયંસેવી તકોની વિશાળ શ્રેણીને પ્રોત્સાહન અને જાહેરાત કરે છે. શા માટે સ્વયંસેવક? સ્વયંસેવીના અસંખ્ય વિશાળ લાભો છે, ફક્ત તમારા માટે જ નહીં, પરંતુ તમારા સમુદાય અને અમે જેમાં રહીએ છીએ તે વિશ્વ માટે. જો તમે તમારા સીવીને વધારવા માંગતા હો, નવા લોકોને મળવા માંગતા હો, તમારી કુશળતાને સારી રીતે ઉપયોગમાં લેવા માંગતા હો, કંઈક નવું શીખવા માંગતા હો, રસ કેળવવા માંગતા હો, અનુભવ ઑફર કરવા અથવા ફક્ત તફાવત લાવવા માંગતા હો, તો અમે તમારા માટે તકની ખાતરી આપીએ છીએ! તમે નીચેની રીતે આ તકો વિશે જાણી શકો છો: પર તકો શોધો કરો.org અમને 01594 822073 પર કૉલ કરો દ્વારા સંપર્ક કરો ઇમેઇલ FVAF સોમ - શુક્ર 9:00 - 1:00 ( દિશાઓ ) પર અમારી મુલાકાત લો જો તમે મોટા જૂથના ભાગ રૂપે સ્વયંસેવક બનવાનું વિચારી રહ્યા છો, ઉદાહરણ તરીકે કોર્પોરેટ સ્વયંસેવીના ભાગ રૂપે, તો અમારી પાસે પસંદગી માટે તકોની વિશાળ શ્રેણી પણ છે. 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 As a one-stop-shop for all things volunteering, we can help you find, and keep, the perfect volunteer: સ્વયંસેવી તમામ બાબતો માટે વન-સ્ટોપ-શોપ તરીકે, અમે તમને મૂલ્યવાન સ્વયંસેવકોની ભરતી અને જાળવી રાખવાની શ્રેષ્ઠ તક આપવા માટે બહુપક્ષીય પદ્ધતિનો ઉપયોગ કરીએ છીએ. આમાં નીચેનાનો સમાવેશ થાય છે: Do-it.org પર તમારી તકોની જાહેરાત કરવી અમને અથવા અમારા ડ્રોપ-ઇન ફંક્શન દ્વારા જાહેર જનતાના સભ્યોને તમારી તકોનો પ્રચાર કરવો. અમારા Facebook અને Twitter પૃષ્ઠો પર તમારી તકોની જાહેરાત કરો સ્વયંસેવીને સમર્થન આપતી સ્થાનિક સેવાઓમાં તમારી તકોનો પ્રચાર કરવો દા.ત. જોબ સેન્ટર, LearnDirect અને 2GetherTrust દર વર્ષે 30 થી વધુ ઇવેન્ટ્સમાં તમારી તકોની જાહેરાત કરવી સ્થાનિક વ્યવસાયોને તમારી તકો મોકલવી જે એમ્પ્લોયર સમર્થિત સ્વયંસેવી ઓફર કરે છે શાળાઓ, કોલેજો અને યુનિવર્સિટીઓમાં સંબંધિત તકોને પ્રોત્સાહન આપવું 1,000 થી વધુ લોકોના અમારા સ્વયંસેવક ડેટાબેઝમાં તમારી તકોનું વિતરણ કરવું તમારા પેચને જાણો સહિત વિવિધ નેટવર્ક્સ પર તમારી તકોનો પ્રચાર કરવો 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)

COMING SOON! Universal Youth Services We’re thrilled to announce our new partnership to bring Open Access Universal Youth Services to Gloucester and the Forest of Dean! Together with Gloucestershire Gateway Trust and The Venture Community Hub (TVCH), we’ve joined forces to make a real difference in the lives of young people. Guided by GGT, in the Forest of Dean FVAF will be leading on supporting a wide range of services for young people aged 11 to 19 (or up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities). Our youth services will be available to everyone, focusing on the needs of the local community to create a more connected, supported, and engaging youth sector. Stay tuned for more updates and get ready to be part of something amazing! FIND OUT MORE ABOUT... Gloucestershire Gateway Trust The Venture Community Hub

We crown our community heroes! The community turned out in force on Tuesday 3 October to see local volunteers crowned at our glittering Forest Volunteers Awards 2023 celebration at the AccXel Training Centre in Cinderford. READ THE NOMINEE PROFILES IN THE AWARDS PROGRAMME We created the Forest Volunteer Awards to recognise and celebrate the amazing efforts of local volunteers in the Forest of Dean and earlier this Summer, we asked you to nominate those volunteer heroes who have demonstrated exceptional and outstanding support to the local community over the past 12 months. We had an amazing response and received hundreds of nominations. Our expert community panel had the tough task of shortlisting the nominations and picking the winners. However,one category - Volunteer of the Year – Peoples’ Champion – was decided by a public vote withalmost 1,400 votes cast. The winners were crowned at a special evening, held at the stunning conference space at the impressive AccXel Training Centre, which was provided for free to FVAF by local construction company the KW Bell Group, who were the main sponsors of the event. Jando Greco, volunteer at St Stephens Church in Cinderford was crowned Volunteer of the Year – the People’s Champion following a public vote. A volunteer of over 12 years his nominator said: “We so appreciate him, he is such a thoughtful, caring person and will do anything for anyone – Jando is so worthy of receiving this award.” Young volunteers were celebrated with Ebony Powell, volunteer and fundraiser at Forest of Dean Dog Rescue crowned under 16 years old Young Volunteer of the Year for her caring and dedicated commitment caring for the rescue dogs, whilst in the 17 – 25 years old category, Daisy Hoole rewarded for her tireless hard work volunteering at C.A.N.D.I Youth Space. In the groups section, The George in Newnham was recognised as the New Voluntary Group of the Year for reopening the former café as a vibrant community space. Next up, was Sedbury Space who picked up the Grassroots Voluntary Group award in recognition of the fantastic efforts of the community to create a thriving, inclusive, welcoming hub. Fire safety education organisation SkillZONE was awarded the Community Organisation award for their responsive work with young people in the Forest, and a team of volunteers from EDF Energy picked up the Business in the Community Award for helping out at Camphill Village Trust in Lydney. Forest of Dean Dementia Action Alliance (FDDAA) sponsored the launch of a new Inclusion Award, with Cinderford Bowls Club scooping the top spot for making changes to the game and their grounds to make bowls accessible for everyone to enjoy. Our Volunteering Manager Deb Cook said “So much of what happens within our community is because of people who give their time and energy for free. We think that recognising the amazing efforts of volunteers and organisations is incredibly important which is why we have been so pleased by the reaction of the local people who have supported these awards by nominating and voting.” Deb added, “It has been an incredible evening and we are so lucky and proud of the strength of the amazing voluntary sector we have in the Forest.” Master of Ceremony for the Forest Volunteer Awards was Steve Knibbs, BBC Points West reporter who kept the guests entertained with his expert hosting skills. Award winners were announced by guest presenters; Mark Topping( Leader of Forest of Dean District Council), Emma Snell (Go Volunteer Glos), Penny Hulbert (FVAF Chair of Trustees), Jonathan Lane (Cabinet Member for Economy at FODDC), Kirsty Downie (John Lewis Partnership & Waitrose - Monmouth), and Andrea Harman (Ecophon). The celebration evening was made possible thanks to generous sponsorship for the following local organisations: KW Bell Group and AccXel Training Centre – main sponsors Ecophon Simplicity in Business Steve Gooch Estate Agents Waitrose & Partners (Monmouth Store) FOREST VOLUNTEER AWARD WINNERS 2023: Volunteer of the Year – Peoples’ Champion WINNER: Jando Greco – St Stephens Church, Cinderford Highly Commended: Chris Brain (Broadwell Football Club), Melanie Getgood (Friends of Worcester Walk), Edna Husbands (Lydcare Community Transport), Barbara Jenkins (Over 60’s Group at Berryhill Memorial Hut), Albert Weager (community representative & advocate for better healthcare) and Dave Young (Forest Sensory Services and Samaritans). New Voluntary Group of the Year WINNER: The George, Newnham Highly Commended: Lydney Army Cadets Young Volunteer of the Year 16yrs & under WINNER: Ebony Powell – Forest of Dean Dog Rescue Highly Commended: Evie Harris - community volunteer and Teens in Crisis fundraiser Young Volunteer of the Year 17 – 25yrs WINNER: Daisy Hoole – C.A.N.D.I Youth Space Highly Commended: Leanne Hendrix – Coleford Youth Club Grassroots Voluntary Group of the Year WINNER: Sedbury Space Highly Commended: Forest Community Shed Community Organisation of the Year WINNER: SkillZone Highly Commended: Forest of Dean District Scouts Business in the Community Award WINNER: EDF Energy Highly Commended: The Rising Sun Community Pub FoD Dementia Action Alliance Inclusion Award WINNER: Cinderford Bowls Club Highly Commended: Artspace Cinderford END For media enquires contact communications@fvaf.org.uk or 01594 822073.

Resource Hub/Library Leaflets & literature on wellness, recovery, self-help & coping with mental distress. The group office, based above the Library at The Main Place in Coleford, is available for members to use as a safe and confidential space. We keep material that may be of use to members – and we are happy for people to provide us with leaflets that they would like shared. To read the My Networks Scoping Project Report please visit: www.fvaf.org.uk/publications

Forest of Dean Mental Health Locality Partnership The Locality Partnership offers VCS and faith-based organisations the opportunity to meet with other professionals and voluntary groups who are supporting people with their mental health in the Forest of Dean. The Partnership is a collective of social care practitioners who are working towards a community response to the My Networks scoping project findings. By coming together, we hope to keep abreast of developments, begin partnership projects or create collaborative opportunities that can address what is needed for better mental health in the Forest of Dean. We are now an integral part of the wider Forest Know Your Patch network. Regular online meetings as well as live, in-person events are held where topics and projects are discussed and highlighted. As well as this, the FKYP works closely with other statutory organisations offering a platform to disseminate up-to-date information about services available in the community.

FVAF વિશે આપણી વાર્તા અમે ડીન ફોરેસ્ટ માટે સ્વૈચ્છિક સેવા પરિષદ અને સ્વયંસેવક કેન્દ્ર છીએ. અમે જિલ્લાની સેંકડો સ્વૈચ્છિક અને સામુદાયિક સંસ્થાઓને સહાય પૂરી પાડીએ છીએ જે બદલામાં સ્થાનિક સમુદાયમાં અને તેમના માટે તેમનું કાર્ય પહોંચાડવામાં વધુ સારી રીતે સક્ષમ છે. 1994 માં રચના થઈ ત્યારથી અમે સમગ્ર ડીન ફોરેસ્ટમાં સમુદાયની ક્રિયાઓને પ્રોત્સાહિત કરવા, સ્વીકારવા અને વધારવા માટે પ્રતિષ્ઠા વિકસાવી છે. અમે માનીએ છીએ કે સમુદાયની આગેવાની હેઠળના અભિગમો દ્વારા અમે નાગરિકોને વધુ સુખી, વધુ સારી રીતે જોડાયેલા જીવન જીવવા માટે કૌશલ્ય, સ્થિતિસ્થાપકતા અને સામાજિક મૂડી વિકસાવવા સક્ષમ બનાવીએ છીએ. ઓફિસ સેવાઓ સ્ટાફ અને ટ્રસ્ટીઓ નીતિઓ સુલભતા અને ટકાઉપણું

Photo: L to R County Cllr Ray Donaghue, Chris Brown (FVAF CEO) & Reuben Brown, Tom Cousins, Cinderford Town Mayor Roger Sterry & Cllr Sid Phelps Local Councillors Celebrate New Community Mural Marking FVAF's 30th Anniversary Striking artwork brings together decades of Forest of Dean community action Local councillors visited Cinderford earlier this month to view a vibrant new community mural celebrating the Forest of Dean's heritage of grassroots activism and marking Forest Voluntary Action Forum's 30th anniversary. Councillors from Cinderford Town Council and County Councillor Ray Donaghue toured the large-scale artwork, which was made possible through funding from Gloucestershire County Council's Build Back Better Fund. A Community-Led Design The mural emerged from summer workshops where local residents shared stories, memories, and perspectives spanning decades of community action. Local artist Tom Cousins transformed these diverse voices into a unified artwork capturing the enduring spirit of volunteerism that defines the area. The design bridges past and present, from early 20th century Friendly Society Banners to today's environmental campaigns. It showcases grassroots volunteer-led groups, community choirs and music festivals, local food networks, sports clubs, and community-owned shops and pubs. References to the area as the "land between two rivers" ground the celebration in the Forest of Dean's distinctive landscape and character. Catherine Best, Communications & Fundraising Manager at FVAF, said: "This mural wasn't just about improving the look of our new community building – it's about celebrating who we are as a community and the pride we have in our local heritage. Every time you look at it, you see something different. We've had a fantastic response from local people stopping to take a look, taking pictures and discussing what they see and what it means to them. We hope it will serve as both a reminder of the rich heritage of community action in our past and an inspiration for the future." Part of a Wider Transformation The mural is part of FVAF's transformation of the former doctor's surgery into a welcoming, inclusive community space for everyone in Cinderford and the wider district. For over 30 years, FVAF has helped local people turn ideas into action through resources, guidance, and networking opportunities. The organisation works with over 800 community groups annually to make the Forest of Dean an even better place to live. For more information, contact communications@fvaf.org.uk or 01594 822073.

સમુદાય કનેક્ટર્સ ફોરમ - તમારા પેચ નેટવર્કને જાણો Supporting Strong and Thriving Communities with Know Your Patch તમારા પેચને જાણો સાથે મજબૂત અને સમૃદ્ધ સમુદાયોને સમર્થન આપવું કોમ્યુનિટી કનેક્ટર્સ ફોરમ (CCF) નો તમારો પેચ ભાગ જાણો સ્વૈચ્છિક અને સામુદાયિક ક્ષેત્ર, વૈધાનિક સેવાઓ અને સ્થાનિક રહેવાસીઓને એવી રીતે જોડે છે જે કામ કરવાની વધુ સારી રીતો બનાવે છે. ફોરેસ્ટ ઓફ ડીન નો યોર પેચ નેટવર્ક સ્વૈચ્છિક અને સામુદાયિક ક્ષેત્ર, વૈધાનિક સેવાઓ અને સ્થાનિક રહેવાસીઓને એવી રીતે જોડવા માટે રચાયેલ છે જે કામ કરવાની વધુ સારી રીતો બનાવે છે જે આખરે આપણા સમુદાયોને મજબૂત બનાવે છે. આ 'સમુદાય ઓફર' ખાસ કરીને આરોગ્યની જરૂરિયાતોના વધારાને રોકવા અથવા વિલંબિત કરવા માટે મહત્વપૂર્ણ છે. અમે સમગ્ર ફોરેસ્ટ ઓફ ડીનમાં ત્રિમાસિક ઇવેન્ટ્સનું આયોજન કરીએ છીએ જ્યાં અમે હિસ્સેદારોને તેમના સમુદાયમાં શું બાબતો છે અને સેવાઓ અને સ્વૈચ્છિક ક્ષેત્રના જૂથો આને કેવી રીતે મદદ કરી શકે છે તેની ચર્ચામાં જોડાવા માટે આમંત્રિત કરીએ છીએ. દરેક નો યોર પેચ ઇવેન્ટ મફત છે અને વાતચીતનો ભાગ બનવા માંગતા કોઈપણ માટે ખુલ્લી છે. જો તમે હાજરી આપવા માંગતા હો, તો કૃપા કરીને 01594 822073 પર કૉલ કરો અથવા help4groups@fvaf.org.uk પર ઇમેઇલ કરો. ફોરેસ્ટ ઓફ ડીનમાં શું ચાલી રહ્યું છે તેના સંબંધમાં અમે અમારા નો યોર પેચ નેટવર્કને નિયમિત ઈ-મેઈલ અને અપડેટ્સ પણ મોકલીએ છીએ. જો તમે આ નેટવર્કમાં જોડાવા માંગતા હો, તો કૃપા કરીને સબ્સ્ક્રાઇબ કરો અહીં તરફથી ભંડોળ માટે આભાર Gloucestershire County Council , Know Your Patch Gloucestershire માં દરેક અન્ય જિલ્લામાં પણ ઉપલબ્ધ છે. જો તમે આ વિશે વધુ જાણવા માંગતા હો, તો કૃપા કરીને મુલાકાત લો અહીં અહીં કેટલાક સંશોધનો છે જે આપણા વિચારને રેખાંકિત કરે છે: "વ્યક્તિઓ અને સમુદાયોને સામાજિક મૂડી વિકસાવવા માટે મદદ કરવા માટે આપણે બધાની ભૂમિકા છે. વંચિત સામાજિક જૂથો અને સમુદાયો પાસે જટિલ અને આંતર-સંબંધિત જરૂરિયાતોની શ્રેણી હોવા છતાં, તેમની પાસે સામાજિક અને સામુદાયિક સ્તરે અસ્કયામતો પણ છે, એવી માન્યતા વધી રહી છે. જે સ્વાસ્થ્યને સુધારવામાં મદદ કરી શકે છે અને સ્વાસ્થ્ય સમસ્યાઓ માટે સ્થિતિસ્થાપકતાને મજબૂત કરી શકે છે" (ધ કિંગ્સ ફંડ, 2018) "નબળા સામાજિક સંબંધો ધરાવતી વ્યક્તિઓની સરખામણીમાં પર્યાપ્ત સામાજિક સંબંધો ધરાવતા લોકોમાં જીવન ટકાવી રાખવાનો દર 50 ટકા વધુ હતો" (હોલ્ટ-લનસ્ટેડ એટ અલ 2010) "સામાજિક નેટવર્ક્સ સામાન્ય જીવનશૈલી અને ક્લિનિકલ જોખમો જેવા કે મધ્યમ ધૂમ્રપાન, અતિશય આલ્કોહોલનું સેવન, સ્થૂળતા અને ઉચ્ચ કોલેસ્ટ્રોલ અને બ્લડ પ્રેશર જેવા મૃત્યુદરના શક્તિશાળી અનુમાનો તરીકે દર્શાવવામાં આવ્યા છે" (પેન્ટેલ એટ અલ 2013; હોલ્ટ-લનસ્ટેડ એટ અલ, 2010) . "સામાજિક સમર્થન ખાસ કરીને સ્થિતિસ્થાપકતા વધારવા અને માંદગીમાંથી પુનઃપ્રાપ્તિને પ્રોત્સાહન આપવા માટે મહત્વપૂર્ણ છે" (પેવલિન અને રોઝ, 2003) "સામાજિક નેટવર્ક્સ અને સમર્થનનો અભાવ વર્તણૂકને સ્વ-નિયમન કરવું અને સમય જતાં ઇચ્છાશક્તિ અને સ્થિતિસ્થાપકતાનું નિર્માણ કરવાનું મુશ્કેલ બનાવે છે, જે બિનઆરોગ્યપ્રદ વર્તણૂકોમાં વ્યસ્તતા તરફ દોરી જાય છે" (Cacioppo and Patrick 2009). "સમુદાયની ભાગીદારી અલગતા, બાકાત અને એકલતા ઘટાડે છે" (ફેરેલ અને બ્રાયન્ટ 2009; સેવિગ્ની એટ અલ 2010; રેયાન-કોલિન્સ એટ અલ 2008) "મજબૂત સામાજિક મૂડી ધૂમ્રપાન જેવા જીવનશૈલીના જોખમોને ટાળવાની તકો સુધારે છે" (ફોલેન્ડ 2008; બ્રાઉન એટ અલ, 2006) Autumn Programme 2025 September 2nd (Short) Thriving Communities The TC grant was launched in August. Come along and find out more about it and hear about the work that has been funded through the scheme. 16th (Short) Digital Inclusion Strategy – Stakeholder Engagement with GCC This session will be led by those involved in the Digital Inclusion Project in Gloucestershire. 30th (Short) Health in the Forest A focus on health-related matters and support that is available in our locality. October 14th (In-person) Spotlight on Cinderford This meeting will take the form of a walk around the town visiting some of the projects that are being led by FKYP members and partners. We will meet at Ow Bist Forest Community Space and follow a route round Cinderford. 28th (Short) FODCAP Update Come along and hear about developments and updates on project in the Forest. November 11th (Short) Community Support Showcasing the work of several community groups who work for the benefit of the Forest Community. 25th (Long) Health in the Forest Another session where we will focus on health-related matters and support that is available in our locality. Please note The meeting on October 14th will be in-person and an opportunity for all those attending to network. All other meetings are online on MS Teams. The invitation will be sent out at the beginning of the season and then the link will be added to the regular reminder email – together with meeting notes from the previous session and the Agenda for the meeting If you would like to deliver a presentation at a forthcoming meeting or there is a topic that you would like to be addressed, please contact Teresa Rose, FKYP Facilitator at fodkyp@fvaf.org.uk to discuss this further. We look forward to seeing you in the forthcoming weeks.