1 of 3 Minutes of Daventry Voluntary and Community Sector Forum on

1 of 3
Minutes of Daventry Voluntary and Community Sector Forum
on Wednesday 4th December 2013 at 12.00 noon at the Abbey, Daventry.
Present: Carella Davies DVC (Chair), Karen Clarke (Bromford Support) Cllr Alan Hills), Dawn Cummins
(Countywide Forum) Tony Doyle (DACT) Cllr Wendy Randall, Roz Tidman (DDC-LSP) Sarah Sims (DDH), Anne
Dow (DVC-CAB project), Angie Crashley (Enrych), Gloria Edwards- Davidson (DOFF) Carol Hulm (Homestart),
Amanda Hamp ( Mayday Trust) Penny McCarthy (Mindfulness in the Community) Joanne Brown (NCC Business
support- Children and families) Pam Tomalin (Dyslexia Assoc),Tom Thompson (Northants Police) Peter Kay
(SSAFA).
Apologies: Bernie Pridgeon (Aquarius), Christine Thomas (Beanstalk- Volunteer Reading help), Jane Ames
(Brixworth Youth Foundation), Sarah Wilson (Bromford Support), Andrea Gilchrist (Bromford Support), Claire
Richmond (Bromford Support) Cllr Chris Millar (Leader DDC), Anne Bamfield (CAB/Forum Rep), Martin Birch
(Contact), Jo Miller (DDH), John Marshall (Kilsby Tennis club), Richard Perry (Mayday Trust) Jenny Richardson
(Northants Assoc of the Blind) Dawn Crawford (NCC Senior Portage) , Elaine O Leary (Northants Acre), Andy
Nixon (Time2Talk) , Delia Wilcox (DVC- Timebanking project) Fizz Heseltine (Voiceability).
Welcome: Carella welcomed everyone to the meeting, and especially welcomed members attending for the
first time.
Minutes of the last meeting (Weds 25th September 2013): These were agreed to be a true record and were
signed by the Chair.
Matters arising : None
Countywide Forum Steering Group (CWF) Update – Fizz Heseltine/Dawn Cummins/Anne Bamfield (Please
contact Fizz or Anne if you have any views about anything that that you would like to be discussed at the
CWFSG. Email addresses: [email protected] or [email protected].)
Anne submitted a written report of the meeting held on Dec 3 rd which was read to the group- (attached to
these minutes)
Dawn added the following points
 Adult Prevention funding is delayed. The district councils do not want to take on the lead body role.
Housing associations seem to be showing an interest in the adult prevention work.
 NCC contracts will be going to larger organisations only so smaller ones will need to form
partnerships/enter into consortium arrangements/speak with larger organisations if they wish to be
considered for commissioning to deliver services.
 Dawn agreed to share details of who attended the 3 recent prevention funding events both the Adult
and Children’s services, so that groups could see who had shown an interest in the process and could
be contacted to make links etc.
 Dawn reported that the Countywide forum had raised concerns over the increasing number of NCC
contracts that are being linked with the NCC Libraries service e.g. infrastructure and prevention
monies to run volunteering, and some children’s centre work . Carol H raised concern about the
accessibility of libraries for some families and whether Libraries are appropriate venues for this type of
Comment [CD1]: All
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work. Gloria expressed concerns about confidentiality. Joanne B indicated that the delivery model is
for libraries to deliver “universal” Children’s services and Children’s centres to deliver the more
targeted work. Carella will put a response together for the steering group to express the concerns of
the group. Please submit any comments you wish to have included as soon as possible.
Funding for the Countrywide Forum is due to end in March, although Jane Carr at NVC has agreed to
find money to finance Dawn’s post for at least a further three months.
DVC will also lose its infrastructure money from March 2014. However, Carella said the DVC will
continue to run the Daventry VCS Forum until alternative funding is sourced.
The Northants Enterprise board have a place for a volunteer sector rep. The countywide Forum are
putting together a job description and person spec.
Guest Speaker: Roz Tidman – Daventry District Council /Local strategic partnership
Roz gave an overview of the Daventry LSP work on behalf of the Daventry District and of the contents of the
Community Strategy. She shared copies of the Draft Daventry District Community Strategy, and encouraged
everyone to respond to the consultation. Consultation closes January 24th 2014.
Feedback can be submitted on the paper form or online at:
http://www.daventrydc.gov.uk/your-council/lsp/2014-community-strategy .
Roz also mentioned that the consultation for the Strategic Housing Plan 2014-19 closes on January 10th2014.
Carella thanked Roz for her presentation and commented on the importance of partnership work, sharing
limited resources and working together to meet the needs of local people, as prioritised in the Community
Strategy.
News from VCS Organisations:
Angie Crashley - Enrych: Angie outlined the remit of the group – who work with people who are 17+ with a
physical disability – enabling them to access social and leisure activities through volunteers. Any referral
should be directed to Angie who covers Warwickshire and Northamptonshire on 01926 485469.
Amanda Hamp - Mayday Trust: Northampton have just opened a conversation hub for 16-25year olds at
Broadmead court. If successful they may try to get funds to extend to other areas.
Tom Thompson – Northants Police: Towcester and Daventry have each recruited about 9 volunteers for
various volunteer roles. On 17th December they will start advertising the extension of the Cadet Scheme to
Daventry for young people aged 16-18. Enrolments will be taken for the 2 years course starting in May 2014,
which will probably be centred on Daventry Police Station.
Alan Hills DDC: Alan provided an update on the WW1 Commemoration events across the District during 2014.
They include poppy planting, family history books, learning village event, flag raising and a make and bake
event for help the Heroes. Events culminate on 9th Aug with the main events, and continue to Nov 9 th
(Remembrance Day ). WW1 commemoration events are being planned and co-ordinated by Della Butcher at
DDH who will have specific details re dates etc.
Tony Doyle-DACT: Tony informed the group about the DACT Days Out scheme. Pickups from the bus station,
taking people in mini buses to local places of interest. Fees according to trip. Booking needed, but no
membership. No eligibility criteria.
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Karen Clarke - Bromford: The Clothes bank launched on 20th Sept has been very successful. Bromford do not
have adequate storage facilities for the clothes in Daventry so have linked with the Hope Centre in
Northampton When donations are made in Daventry they consult their list of needy families as well as
advertising on Facebook and Freecycle before passing garments onto the Hope centre. People referred to the
Hope centre by Bromford do not have to pay for clothes and Bromford can help with transport costs.
Childrens clothes cannot be sent to Hope centre but due to demand they are usually distributed very quickly.
Peter Kay (SSAFA): Peter outlined a recent case where linked up working had resolved a situation for a local
resident who was in need. It would not have been possible without support from partner organisations.
Penny McCarthy (Mindfulness) : Penny advised that she has secured funding* for some 8 week courses and
professionals workshops. (*from Community Foundation and Away with Pain).
Sara Sims-DDH: DDH are re- advertising a Customer service advisor position for a young person 16-18years
who is not in education or training.
Prizes: The group awarded the prizes for the best news stories to Peter Kay (SSAFA) and Tony Doyle (DACT).
Any Other Business:
None
Date of Next meeting:
Weds 12th March 2014 12- 1.30pm at the Abbey Centre , Market Square Daventry , NN11 4XG.
Please phone Carella on 01327 300614 or email [email protected] to book a place with a
free lunch and confirm attendance or give apologies.
Comment [CD3]: All

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