Pilot Light Programme Now Open!

We’re excited to tell you that we are now open for applications for our Pilotlight Programme. At the start of the year we think there’s no better opportunity for ambitious charities and social enterprises, based in England and Wales, to receive strategic support to take the next step in their development.

Take the next step and develop your organisation!

We’re looking for leaders of ambitious charities and social enterprises based in England and Wales who are open to change and challenge.

The Pilotlight Programme brings together senior leaders from prominent UK businesses with a charity leader to provide the strategic business support they need to develop their organisation.

After working with us, charities have increased their number of service users, diversified their income, improved their leadership and governance, raised their profile, and much more…

Deadline for applications is 13th March 2020.

To find out more & apply visit: www.pilotlight.org.uk/join/charity

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Russell-Cooke Sponsors Ethical Property Foundation’s 2020 Charity Property Matters Survey

We are delighted to be sponsoring Ethical Property Foundation’s 5th biannual Property Matters Survey.

The survey, carried out by Ethical Property Foundation, whose in house team provide support on property-related matters to around 300 small charities and community groups, is a national property survey aimed at understanding the needs and challenges faced by third sector organisations in dealing with property in England and Wales.

James McCallum, a partner in the team specialising in property law for charities, said: “Property issues in the voluntary sector are no less complex than elsewhere, but resources to address those complexities can be limited. The services provided by EPF are therefore not only manifestly desirable but necessary. This survey provides a clear perception of the landscape in which property advice and support to the voluntary sector will be provided in the future. It is essential that such high-level information is available in order to strategically plan and focus resources where they are needed.”

The survey is now live and your responses are key for understanding the challenges and opportunities for the sector in this area. The survey is accessible online and takes only six minutes to complete. You can find more detail about EPF and the services it can offer to charities on their website.

Read more

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Government Review Won’t Delay IR35 Changes – Charities Need to be Ready for 6th April!

At our recent seminar looking at what’s on the horizon for charities in 2020, we highlighted the changes to the IR35 tax rules that are expected to come into effect on 6 April this year. IR35 governs the tax treatment of pay to consultants supplying their services via an intermediary. The changes will apply to all medium and large sized private sector organisations, including charities and not-for-profit bodies.

On 7 January the Government launched a review amid confusion about how and when the new rules will apply, and concerns that organisations could be exposed to unexpected increases in costs and a shortage of skills. However, the changes are still scheduled to become law in April this year. So what should charities be doing now to prepare? Click here

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2020 Charity Accountant’s Conference – Book Early for Discounts!

Bookings for the 2020 Charity Accountants’ Conference have opened! It will be held on 17-18 September at the Nottingham Crowne Plaza. 

In partnership with our friends at Sayer Vincent, this will be our 29th event and we’re really excited about it. New for 2020, there will be bonus learning sessions in small groups, more varied breakout sessions and more.

We’re still fine-tuning the event and creating the sessions, but for now you can book, without making session choices, and we’ll contact you when it’s time to select your sessions. In the meantime, you can view this year’s content streams online.

Here’s some even better news – until 31 March, super early bird residential rates of £499 (charity rate) are available. So… Ready, steady, book!

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Link Worker Opportunities

Primary Care Networks (PCNs) involve GP practices, community services and local residents working in partnership to improve the health and wellbeing of communities. Link workers are key to this process. 

This link worker role is about people and places – supporting patients to become more independent, and building relationships within the local community, so we are looking for enthusiastic, motivated and energetic individuals who have a passion for people and want to make a difference to the community.

This is an exciting opportunity to help us build the link worker service, so if this is you, and you have the ability and desire to work independently within a wider team, then we’d love to hear from you.  The role is being hosted by H&F GP Federation on behalf of the PCNs so please get in touch with rosie.stewart@nhs.net who can provide details of how to apply. ​

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Riverside Studios Invites SOBUS Art Groups

Riverside Studios welcomes you to its newly opened venue for a networking event. After a five-year period of redevelopment, Riverside Studios returns with a new state-of-the-art building complete with a cinema, performance and rehearsal spaces, television studios, and a café/bar that overlooks Hammersmith Bridge. We are excited to reopen as a boundary-pushing home for the arts and creative expression.

Riverside’s Archive is a new project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. On Wednesday 11th March, we welcome SOBUS-affiliated arts groups to join us for a free information session and networking event. Find out about our exciting events programme, view materials from our archive collection, browse our current exhibition featuring artist Paul Muzni, and discover ways you can collaborate with Riverside Studios in the future.

Date: Wednesday 11th March

Timings: 6 p.m. – 7.30 p.m.

Venue: Studio 4, Riverside Studios, 101 Queen Caroline St, Hammersmith, W6 9BN

RSVP: Sophie at heritage@riversidestudios.co.uk

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SafetyNet Members Meetings & AGM

For dates and details of SafetyNet’s members meetings so far for this year, click here.

Our AGM is on the 25th Feb 2020 and will be a chance to see what we have successfully done over the last year.  It would be great if people can spare some time to come a long and get involved. Click here.

We are also looking for more members and trustees to join!

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Improve your Copy with These Upcoming Training Courses

Wednesday 12 February – Proposal Writing – Developing your Skills

Wednesday 11 March – How to Raise Money from Trusts

Thursday 23 April – Writing for Impact

Tuesday 12 May – Maximising Support from Trusts and Foundations

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Upcoming Charity & Social Business Seminars

These seminars will be taking place at the newly refurbished 7 Bedford Row events space. These events are FREE of charge, however places are limited.

Planning a major property transaction

Tuesday 25 February 2020

For many charities a major property transaction is a once in a decade or once in a generation event. It’s important that the process is properly understood by senior management and trustees, appropriate advice is taken, and the constraints imposed by charity law are understood.

Our charity property law solicitors together with guest speaker, Mike Greensmith, a specialist charity property surveyor, will introduce the issues that need to be thought about in a substantial property deal using the following case studies:

  • head office relocation
  • selling a property with development potential
  • purchasing a property for letting to a partner organisation

Data sharing: a survival guide

Tuesday 10 March 2020

Charities collect a wide variety of data about supporters, service users, beneficiaries, staff, and volunteers. Understanding what data your charity can voluntarily share, what you’re required by law to share, and what you shouldn’t share, can be tricky, but getting it wrong could have serious financial and reputational implications.

  • Our expert solicitors will present three interactive case studies focusing on data sharing requests that charities commonly encounter:
  • a Subject Access Request from a former employee – what needs to be disclosed and what is exempt?
  • a public sector funder asking for information to enable them to comply with a Freedom of Information request – how much should you share?
  • a third-party agency asking for information about a service user – balancing the need to cooperate with an individual’s right to privacy

To book either event click here

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English for Well-Being

English Class with Open Age

Fridays 9.30am to 11.30am

North Kensington Library

This practical Open Age course will give you information about health services while teaching you English along the way. Applicants must book to enrol.

Call Maude 020 8962 5594

£3 per session or FREE for benefit claimants.

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