We have seen an increase in people attending emergency departments with colds.
Emergency departments are for life threatening emergencies only.
If you of a family member has a cold or flu, get well at home and help prevent the spread to others. You can also still get a flu vaccination from a local pharmacy or GP.
If you need help or advice with your symptoms NHS 111 can assess and direct you to the right place for you. Call, go online or use the NHS App nhs.uk/111
More advice on staying well this winter can be found at www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/keep-warm-keep-well
“UK businesses including Aldi, Marks and Spencer’s, Motability Operations Ltd, Liberty Global, Capita, the Institute for Social Value and Certas Energy are collaborating to provide support for community groups and charities over the winter…” Read more here.
The DCMS has released an online guide called the ‘business hub’ to enhance the ability of charities and social enterprises in securing public service contracts. Learn more here.
Learn more about Bluesky and how to master the basics in this Charity Comms blog by Tillie Corlett. Take a look here.
My 6 top tips for fundraising
Having now put together two fundraising titles for DSC (Fundraising Strategy and The Charity Fundraising Templates), Richard Sved has put together six top tips. Take a look here.
More fundraising tips from around the sector
From mirroring your language to pinpointing your constraints, these tips will empower you to connect with supporters, maximise donations, and create lasting impact. Take a look here.
MPs have condemned the government’s choice to not exempt charities from increases in employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs) and are urging it to reconsider. Read more here.
In this article from Charity Comms, Emma Bracegirdle from Holly Cuthbert offers five simple ways that teams can better their charity’s communications in 2025. Take a look here.
Ioan Marc Jones from Charity Digital has gathered together all of the social media trends set to define 2025. Take a look here.
In this article, Andrew Purkis, DSC’s Policy Trustee, writes about the Children’s Society’s public rejection of a donation by the outgoing Archbishop of Canterbury and how it raises questions. Read the full Civil Society article here.
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is launching its new annual notification service for volunteer subscribers to the Update Service, allowing subscribers to confirm that they still require the service.
From Sunday 8 December 2024, subscribers to the Update Service will be emailed 30 days before their renewal date to ask if they wish to stay subscribed. Renewal dates are based on original joining dates. In preparation for this change, DBS advises volunteers to check that the email address attached to their subscription is linked to the individual who is subscribed.
The renewal email will ask volunteers to access their Update Service Account and confirm that they wish to continue with the service. For those who confirm, this request will be repeated annually. If no confirmation is made, their volunteer subscription will automatically be cancelled.
Volunteers who do not renew their subscription will not be able to keep their DBS certificate(s) up to date and organisations will not be able to check them. They will need to reapply for a DBS check if they need one in the future.
Attempts to exempt charities from proposed rises to employer national insurance contributions (NICs) were unsuccessful after a debate in parliament on 17th December 2024. Read more here.
sobus
20 Dawes Road, London, SW6 7EN
Telephone 020 7952 1230
Email info@sobus.org.uk
Registered Charity No.1071089
and Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England No.03471416
Sobus is a new Community Development Agency for Hammersmith & Fulham. It has been created through the merger of the Community and Voluntary Sector Association Hammersmith & Fulham (CaVSA) and the Fulham Community Partnership Trust (FCPT). Building on the strengths of both organisations, sobus aims to provide a wider range of support services for local charities, community groups, social enterprises and start up businesses.