New Guidance for Charities Managing the Cost of Living Crisis

The Commission has issued guidance for charities on managing financial difficulties caused by the ongoing cost of living crisis.

The guidance sets what to do...Read more

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HMRC Updates to Gift Aid Guidance

HMRC recently updated Chapter 3 of its tax guidance for charities, to clarify when donations made under the Gift Aid scheme may incur…

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Charity Commission New Annual Return Questions

The Commission has updated requirements for the annual return that will apply to registered charities’ financial years ending on or after 1 January 2023.

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Fundraising in a Downturn – 5 Fundraising Tips to Help You Keep Going!

‘It’s a challenging time out there for many of our supporters. The perfect storm of rising costs across just about all their regular outgoings (mortgages, energy, travel, food) has required many people to make economies. But don’t despair! Here are five tips to help you keep bringing in the crucial resources for your mission…’ Read more here.

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International Womens Month – Celebrating the Women of H&F, Sharon Tomlin, Sobus Community Organiser

“International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women’s achievements or rally for women’s equality”

International Womens Day – https://www.internationalwomensday.com/About

I have had the pleasure of working with phenomenal women who live, work and operate in Hammersmith and Fulham who go the extra mile to support residents who volunteer and work in organisations in this borough. These are colleagues from across the borough who work hard to strive for gender equity in the spaces they operate in.

Based on the listenings (dialogue) that I have had the privilege to conduct with women (workers, volunteers and residents) in the borough, I have found that many aspects of the service and work being delivered aim to address gender equity by developing and sustaining good practices, whilst being aware of the complex behavioural and societal challenges residents face.

As we get ready to attend and participate in activities organised in Hammersmith and Fulham, I wish to take this time to mention the immense body of work and service delivered by women colleagues from across the sectors in the borough.

The range in areas of work and service delivered by colleagues many of whom I have worked with directly or groups that I have supported the development of aim to address gender equity include:

  • Activism of women’s health such female genital mutilation
  • Raising awareness and hosting discussions on gender- based abuse and violence
  • Domestic abuse and violence against women and girls
  • Addressing harassment and “being believed” in matters of physical and emotional intrusion into the homes particularly of single women
  • Mothers of children involved in the justice system
  • Addressing digital poverty
  • Developing the discussions around menopause
  • Isolation and loneliness of mothers and teenage girls
  • Female led local grassroots sports voluntary groups
  • Addressing child care costs
  • Youth Justice leadership
  • Day to day challenges of unpaid carers
  • Inspire women and girls into science, technology, engineering and mathematics
  • Creating informal groups that address particular areas of interest, issue and or concerns

I wish to thank our women colleagues of Hammersmith and Fulham for the transformational work they do that include:

  • Residents
  • Volunteers
  • Voluntary Organisations
  • Community Groups
  • Local Authority
  • Health Authority

List of some events planned for March 2023 and beyond:

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Co-production – A Brief Perspective, Shad Haibatan, Sobus Head of Engagement & Partnerships

Co-production in service design and deliver is a principle that has been widely adopted by statutory and other service providers. In Hammersmith & Fulham the local authority and health providers are committed to implementing co-production. It is seen as a means of co-designing and co-producing services, which involves all stakeholders, who are affected or have an interest in that service. This should lead to the development of more effective and appropriate services, which are accessible to all potential beneficiaries and achieve the intended outcomes.

Development is centred around a partnership approach involving all stakeholders as equal partners. Developing a targeted service for older people may include health, local authority, voluntary and community sector, as well as service users and residents. Everyone should have an input from the drawing board stage to final delivery of a service. This would mean identifying needs more effectively, designing a service that meets those needs more effectively as users perspectives are taken into account and reaching marginalised communities who may have been excluded.

A co-production approach should therefore lead to more efficient, better-targeted and arguably more cost effective services, addressing needs identified and achieving intended outcomes.

From a voluntary and community sector perspective, participation in co-production often presents challenges. These will often discourage involvement.

These challenges include:

  • Being marginal to the process even when involved.
  • Not being invited at the earliest stage of development
  • Not being treated as an equal partner
  • A top down hierarchical approach to decision making
  • Exclusion through communication language and culture of statutory and larger institutions
  • Lack of adequate resources to participate in the process

All these factors mean a lack of voluntary and community sector participation in co-production.

This often leads to lack of progress in achieving a co-produced outcome despite the commitment of all partners to achieve this aim.

Sobus is working with the local authority, health and voluntary sector and community sector partners in trying to address these challenges to achieve a genuine co-production environment in Hammersmith & Fulham.

For more information on co-production in Hammersmith & Fulham please contact shad.haibatan@sobus.org.uk

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Almost 40% of One-Off Donations Now Made by Digital Wallet

‘Digital wallets are now used to make nearly four in 10 (39%) one-off donations, according to the latest annual report from goDonate, with their use for regular giving also growing. The Online Donations Insights Report is compiled from an analysis of anonymised donations data as part of £25m in income handled by goDonate in the past 12 months on behalf of UK charities…’ Read more here.

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CEOs of Large Charities Report Soaring Energy Costs & Fundraising Obstacles

‘The UK’s largest 100 charities by income are facing significant increases in energy bills, with one reporting an increase of £1m a year, according to new research.  Leaders of charities including Cancer Research UK, Jewish Care, and Methodist Homes told Charity Finance magazine they faced soaring energy costs in 2021-22…’ Read more here.

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Only Half of Charities Confident of Meeting Current Overheads

‘With the Government’s support for charities’ energy costs set to be cut from April, research by Charities Aid Foundation shows that just half are confident they can afford to meet their current overheads, including energy, rent and supplies…’ Read more here.

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How to Make Sure Your Proposal Stands Out

‘Are you proposal ready? If not, what do you need to do to get there? As fundraisers, we are all faced with two main constraints:  our budget and time. This can lead to feeling overwhelmed and the need to rush and churn out proposals. However, the art of proposal writing is not just in the narrative but is in the preparation, planning and research that needs to go beforehand…’ Read more here.

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