The Loss Project works across the UK and beyond connecting people in local communities through the universal experiences of grief, loss, death, dying or trauma.

We know that losses come in various forms; including the loss of independence, confidence, jobs, relationships and of course, of loved ones. We’re on a mission to reimagine traditional services, to challenge the status quo and to provide life affirming programmes that gives people the tools and confidence to support themselves and their communities.

Through creative community programmes, training, workshops and social action The Loss Project supports organisations and communities to become more open and connected.

We’re facilitators, connectors, and collaborators. We believe that a collective approach to these issues, can help to transform a better connected, and more resilient society.

Link

Entries now open for all businesses in Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington & Chelsea, Richmond and Spelthorne!

The nominations phase for the West London Business Awards 2021 is now open. This year, our awards will celebrate business resilience – reflecting the unprecedented impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on West London’s community.   The awards are now open for entries from all organisations doing business in West London!

There is no fee for entry, but entrants are responsible for any and all costs incurred in preparing their entry and submitting it for consideration. Shortlisted companies are required to book one company ticket to the Awards ceremony. There is no limit on the number of employees that can join the ceremony on this company ticket. This is to make sure that if you do win an award, one of your representatives will be able to accept the trophy.

Make sure you submit your entry by the deadline of 10pm, Friday 23 October 2020…

Read the Terms & Conditions for the WLB Awards 2021.
Have a question about the awards? Read our FAQs.
Before writing your entry, you are strongly advised to read our guide on ‘How to write an winning awards entry’.
Enter the awards

With restrictions on large gatherings and events still in place due to Covid-19, the iconic Notting Hill Carnival will be going ahead online this year. Over the August Bank Holiday weekend, the digital 2020 Notting Hill Carnival: Access All Areas, will be held with a range of online experiences on various channels.

As this year’s Carnival may look a little different, we want to celebrate your past memories and favourite Carnival moments from previous years. Whether you were trading, holding an event, or just enjoying the festivities, we want to hear from you!

Post your photos or videos with the hashtag #MyBestCarnival on Instagram or Twitter to feature on our social media channels. Find out more

Love to learn? Well whatever your role in a charity, DSC has a course for you!

We’ve got a huge variety of online and in-person courses in the second half of 2020. Our charity training equips you with the latest techniques and practical guidance, giving you the confidence to get back to your work and make a real difference for those you’re there for.

We’re in the process of adding more exciting online and in-person training dates to our website for the rest of the year – check them all out here.

Courses available to book

Webinars to watch again:

Whether you are a new subscriber to Funds Online or a seasoned veteran, join DSC’s Funds Online expert George Knight for a 30 minute webinar exploring some tips and tricks to help get you access to the funding you need today. Find out more.

GRANTfinder is Europe’s leading grants database which brings together funding opportunities and related policies across the UK.

It is used by private businesses, small or large, to search for funding or support others, as well as by consultants and charitable, voluntary and public sector organisations.

In this session you will be shown how to run a search for funding available for your area of interest, save it, produce reports and set up alerts. There will be time for a Q&A at the end.

GRANTfinder is available form Westminster Reference Library. RBKC library members can join Westminster Libraries and gain access to the database.

Online webinar about using GRANTfinder – Wednesday 26 August, 11am to 12 noon

Book Now!

The 75th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan) will be recognised on 15th August 2020, commemorating the end of the Second World War. This year is a significant milestone, marking the 75th anniversary since the world woke up to peace.

Alongside colleagues at the MoD and DCMS, we are going to be promoting the #NeverForgotten campaign, and we’d really appreciate your support!

Get involved

It would be great if you could support VJ Day 75 in the same way that you did recently for VE Day and Armed Forces Week by:

  • Using your own social media channels to post relevant content, linked to the #NeverForgotten campaign.
  • Issuing your own call-to-action, encouraging the public to share pictures and memories of their loved ones who served in the Far East and the Pacific, alongside the #NeverForgotten and #VJDay75 hashtags.
  • Sharing content that is posted on Government channels, in particular @DefenceHQ Twitter and MoD Facebook.
  • Tagging @HMGLondonSE and using our tracked link in all posts: https://bit.ly/VJDay75_se

Click here to download the toolkit, and find a range of images to use on social media here.

Share a case study

Please let me know if you would like to submit a case study video from your organisation talking about VJ Day and the significance of the 75th anniversary.

We would be delighted to share these in the same way that we did recently for Armed Forces Week, when we had some incredible stories from charity partners across the South East.

And if you have any other questions or ideas about how you can support the campaign, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Kind regards,

Michael Leafe
Regional Campaign Manager
Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Office Communications
michael.leafe@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Action Learning 
To complement our courses and as another offer to engage and support those working with communities, our Director, Wendy, has trained as an Action Learning Facilitator (another Lockdown activity!). We will also be hosting our first Community Development Action Learning Set starting in October.
Action Learning is a unique way to tackle real problems or issues in order to get things done. Action Learning brings individuals together in small groups where they can explore issues around their direct experience and develop actions around them through the support and exploratory questions of a group.
This will be for a group of 6 and is open for anyone who has a focus on community engagement or community development as part of their work. It is a very structured and facilitated process that has 5 key elements:

  • Issue holders arrive at their own action points and insights about real life work challenges
  • Value comes from hearing others talk through problems and identifying options
  • Leadership, questioning, listening and decision making skills are developed
  • Learning comes from the topics shared and from reflecting on the group process
  • A facilitator guides, encourages and maintains the structure of the session and the focus on learning

For those attending we will host 6 sessions and all members will get the opportunity to fully participate in being issue holders, helping colleagues explore questions, reflecting on learning etc. For more information and to book visit our website https://wsacommunity.co.uk/training/ or email hana@wsacommunity.co.uk.

Our training programmes are based on our extensive experience, and we have worked to develop a range of courses for a wide variety of people who work with communities, including those in local authorities, housing associations, health and the voluntary sector organisations. We have the long experience of being part of the Community Works training partnership and bring much of that delivery to these courses.

The courses will be running from September 2020 and we encourage you to book your places now! The one day courses will consist of two 2.5-hour sessions and there will be one hour’s pre-course work. They are all accredited through Continuous Professional Development and worth a 6-hour credit. The action learning will be over 6 three hours sessions with one session each month for six months.

We look forward to seeing you at these workshops and hope our training offer will support the capacity and sharing of good practice across the sector.