AVOW Summer 2013 Newsletter

www.avow.org

NEWS Issue No. 59 Summer 2013

Charity Number 1043989 Company Limited by Guarantee Number 2993429

Volunteering gets richly deserved recognition!Volunteering can change your life bringing lots of benefits such as skills, experience, meeting new people, improvement of self-confidence and recognition. AVOW volunteers have recently been presented with awards for their outstanding volunteering and Committment to Learning.Louise Bollington has won a High Sherriff Award for volunteering for AVOW’s Wrexham Carers Service for nearly 4 years. The award was presented by the High Sherriff in March 2013. Louise provides a FREE, one to one counselling service to Carers living in Wrexham County Borough. These sessions provide Carers with an opportunity to offload the stresses and strains that caring can have on their own emotional well-being. Louise has also assisted at many events and activities over the years. Her dedication to the service and the individuals she supports is incredible. Louise said: “I feel very proud and privileged that AVOW has given me the opportunity to serve my community. It makes me very humbled and happy to have been chosen for the High Sheriff Award”.

Wrexham Adult Community Learner AwardsWe are also delighted to announce that one of our volunteers, Wayne Greenshields, has won the Learning for Health and Wellbeing Award at the Wrexham Adult Learning Community Awards as well as the prestegious Overall Learner of the Year. All whilst volunteering for AVOW.

www.avow.org

For regular news and updates, follow us on:

Louise Bollington receiving the High Sheriff Award from the High Sheriff Henry Dixon.

Wayne Greenshields receiving his award from the Mayor and Mayoress of Wrexham

2 www.avow.org

AVOW | Tŷ Avow 21 Egerton Street | 21 Stryd Egerton

Wrexham | Wrecsam | LL11 1NDTel/Ffôn: 01978 312556

Fax/Ffacs: 01978 [email protected] | www.avow.org

In this issue

03 NewsUnsung Hero AwardAVOW’s Volunteer Recruitment

04 EventsMake a Difference DayCarers Week

05 EventsAVOW Annual General Meeting, DAFFABig Health Day

06 Info for your organisationCharities Online,Disclosure and Barring Service

07 Info for your organisationData Protection Good Governance Survey

08 Money, Money, MoneyPaying your employees? North East Wales Funders Fair

09 Funding OpportunitiesLandfill Community Fund

10 Info for youOur ‘MAD’ fund grows

11 Info for youHistory of Volunteering ProjectWASUP successful event

12 Info for youLaunch of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programme

13 Info for youPlaying at The LandAVOW Free membership offer

14 Training

3 www.avow.org

NEWS

Interested in volunteering?

Unsung Hero AwardAVOW sponsored the Unsung Hero Award at the recently held Sports Awards arranged by Wrexham County Borough Council. The award is for volunteer committment at sports clubs and the winner was Laura Poole. Laura has helped Wrexham Amateur Athletics Club with all manner of things such as officiating, refreshments, first aid and has increased the clubs financial position with her commitment to grant applications.

AVOW’s Volunteer Centre support local and national voluntary and community groups with recruiting volunteers within Wrexham County Borough. We also support potential volunteers to find suitable opportunities locally. If you are interested in volunteering you can apply to volunteer and view the latest opportunities throughout Wales online via www.volunteering-wales.net or to book a one-to-one appointment please call on 01978 312556 or e-mail [email protected].

Follow AVOW’s Volunteer Centre on

Twitter: @WrxVolCentre

We also hold Volunteer Recruitment Drop-in sessions, held on the first Tuesday of the month between 10am-11am at Ty Avow, Egerton Street, Wrexham where you can meet staff and volunteers from local voluntary groups, find out about the services they provide and how you can get involved. The next drop-in will be held on Tuesday 2nd July 2013 10–11.30am, so please come and join us to find out more, light refreshments are provided.Watch an interview with Vicky Hand, AVOW’s Volunteer Recruitment Officer, explaining what Volunteer Recruitment Sessions are about: www.avow.org/news-and-events-vc/

4 www.avow.org

Saturday 1st June 2013Queen’s Square & Llwyn Isaf Green, Wrexham 10am - 3pmLots of stalls with advice, information & activitiesLive MusicChildren’s Play DayAnd more…Come along and join the fun!For more information contact [email protected]

Make a difference dayEVENTS

Do you care for a friend or relative because of illness, disability or the effects of age?If yes, you are a Carer.

Carers Week is a national event which aims to raise awareness of Carers issues, help Carers access the in-formation and support they need and celebrate the amazing contribution Carers make each day. This year the theme for Carers Week is “Prepared To Care?” . We will be asking the question ‘were you’ or ‘are you’ prepared to care?Wrexham Carers Service have organised a full week of activities for Carers, including relaxation therapies, social events and information sessions.So come along and join us, let’s make Carers Week 2013, 10th - 16th of June, a week to remember!

Get involved this Carers Week! 10-16 June 2013

Monday 10th June • 10am-12 noon - Tea & Therapies at Trinity

Church, King Street, Wrexham• 1-3pm - Changes to Benefits Information

Session at Ty Avow, Wrexham• 1-4pm - Information stand at Sainsburys, Plas

Coch, WrexhamTuesday 11th June• 10am-12noon - Carers Forum Meeting at Ty

Avow - Legal Advice Session• 9am-4pm - Information stand at Chirk Hospital Wednesday 12th June • 9am-4pm - Information stand at Wrexham

Maelor Hospital Staff Canteen• 5-7pm - Information stand at Mecca Bingo,

Smithfield, Wrexham

Thursday 13th June • 9.30am-4pm - Coach trip to Liverpool*• 9am-4pm - Information stand at Wrexham

Maelor HospitalFriday 14th June• 1-4pm - Carers quiz & buffet at Memorial Hall*,

Bodhyfryd, WrexhamSaturday 15th June• 10am-12noon - Information Stand at Mecca

Bingo, Smithfield, Wrexham

*Places for these events must be booked in advance. If you would like more information or would like to attend any of the events please contact Wrexham Carers Service on 0800 2761070 or [email protected]

Programme:

5 www.avow.org

AVOW Annual General MeetingFriday 19th July 2013

Catrin Finch Centre Glyndŵr University

Mold Road Wrexham LL11 2AW

10.00 - 13.00 (registration from 9.30am)

Guest speaker Carwyn Jones - First Minister for Wales

Save the date!Memorial Hall, WrexhamCheck AVOW’s website and Social Media for more details.

DAFFA (Drug & Alcohol Free Footbal Association)

1st October 2013

Following AVOW’s AGM, DAFFA will take on North Wales Fire Service at Glyndwr University.The DAFFA project was intended primarily as a diversionary activity for those in recovery. However the project is also playing its part in

reducing crime in the Wrexham area. As a result of the many outcomes and success of the project, AVOW has been asked to share the concept with other parts of Wales. One of our service users said: “I have not burnt a car out since I started playing football with DAFFA over a year ago.”

Scoring against drugs!DAFFA (with Ian Lucas MP)vNorth Wales Fire ServiceFriday 19th July 2013KICK OFF 1PM APPROX(45 mins each way)Following AVOW’s AGMAstro Turf Pitch, Glyndwr UniversityWrexham

6 www.avow.org

INFO FOR YOUR ORGANISATION

MRC has recently issued further guidance for charities on how to make gift aid claims online using its Charities Online Service, which is available from 22 April 2013. Andrew Edwards, Head of Charities at HMRC, said that Gift Aid payments will be quicker, easier and

cheaper to apply for with the introduction of Charities Online. The new system, which will replace the existing R68 print-and-post repayment form, will allow charities and community amateur sports clubs to make repayment claims online through the HM Revenue & Customs website. The other two options are to make claims through your own integrated software, which HMRC say will be ideal for those filing claims for more than 1,000 donors; and, for those without the internet, a new paper form that can be scanned more easily. You can find out more about the new process and its rules, together with a useful checklist for using Charities Online on the HMRC website.Source: Third Sector Online 28/03/2013

Guidance issued on new gift aid process that will save time and money

he Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has published helpful new guidance for employers on carrying out DBS checks,

and using a new 'e-bulk' system for carrying out multiple checks. It has also been confirmed that all applications to them must now be done on the DBS forms, and any applications submitted to them on CRB branded forms will be rejected.In addition to this, the Home Office has announced that it intends to stop certain old and minor cautions and convictions from appearing on criminal record certificates. This follows a Court of Appeal judgment earlier this year which found that a blanket requirement to disclose all convictions and cautions, regardless of how old they were, was incompatible with the right to privacy under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Under the proposed changes, criminal record certificates would no longer disclose:

• Adult convictionswhich aremore than 11 yearsold, and cautions which are more than 6 years old;•Forindividualsthatwereunder18yearsoldatthetime of the offence, convictions which are more than 5 and a half years old, and cautions which are more than 2 years old. However, these changes would not affect certain specified offences or offences that resulted in a custodial sentence, and individuals who have committed more than one offence would still have all of their convictions disclosed regardless of the age of the conviction.The proposed changes will need to be approved by Parliament before coming into force. Until that happens, the DBS has indicated that it will continue "business as usual". Source: BWB weekly review of websites

Disclosure and Barring Service

H

T

Do you have a trustee vacancy to advertise? If so just go to www.recruit3.org.uk and click on 'Contact Us' to download the media pack

7 www.avow.org

A chance to tell others how good your governance is In the last year WCVA has released a number of publications, to help voluntary organisations ensure that they can demonstrate good governance. We would like to find out how many of those publications you are aware of, and how useful you may have found them, so we have issued a short survey for organisations to answer.

You can complete the survey by going to www.surveymonkey.com/s/wcva-publications, and in doing so your organisation could have the opportunity to feature in a case study on WCVA’s website. So what are you waiting for? Complete the survey today and you could be on the WCVA website, telling others about your organisation.

ince 6th April 2010 the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has been able to impose fines of up to £500,000 if a breach

of one or more of the eight data protection principles is likely to cause substantial damage or substantial distress, and either the breach was deliberate or the data controller knew or ought to have known there was a risk of serious breach and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it. A number of financial penalties have been imposed, mostly to Local Authorities, Health Boards, NHS Trusts and some businesses; however a few charities have fallen foul of the law too.Cases include a fine of £95,000 to Leeds City Council in November 2012 in which sensitive personal data relating to a child was sent to the wrong person, revealing details of a criminal offence, school attendance and the child’s relationship with their mother. When sending internal mail, the council re-uses envelopes that have been used for external mail. But in this case the external address was not

crossed out, so the sensitive file was posted to someone who had nothing to do with this case – an easy but costly mistake to make. The penalties are not always financial and in March 2012, Durham University had to make a commitment to ensure all staff receive appropriate training on how to follow the organisation’s data protection guidance, after screenshots containing names, addresses and dates of birth of up to 177 former students and staff were used in a training manual about university systems.To make sure you are informed, check out the ICO’s website or come on our Data protection – Myth busting and legal responsibilities Training Course 21st June 20139.45am - 12.30pm£10 per personThe training aims to provide participants with an understanding of the Data Protection Act and understand their obligations when handling data.See more on p. 14

Breach of data protection: Could it happen to you?

S

INFO FOR YOUR ORGANISATION

What do you think about AVOW NEWS?We hope you enjoy AVOW Summer News. Please share with us what you think about it, by emailing [email protected] or calling 01978 312556.

8 www.avow.org

You can read AVOW’s Newsletters online, visit www.avow.org/publicationsYou will find there AVOW quarterly Newsletter; Health, Social Care and Wellbeing and Wrexham Carers Service Newsletters as well as the Funding Bulletin.

North East Wales Funders Fair Wednesday 25th September 201310am - 3.30pmMemorial Hall, Bodhyfryd, Wrexham

Following the great success of the 2011 North East Wales Funder’s Fair, the three North East Wales Voluntary Councils, AVOW, FLVC & DVSC, have come together to repeat the event. If you are a charity, community group, voluntary organisation, social enterprise or ‘not-for-profit’ organisation, then this event is of vital importance to you. It will enable you to gain a greater understanding of what types of support are available, and what opportunities exist. National and Regional funders, plus other organisations, will all be on hand to discuss funding requirements and assist groups in developing their ideas/projects. The real value of the Funders Fair is that it brings the funder to you. All grant funds have criteria, specifying eligibility and exclusions, which can sometimes be a bit of a minefield to negotiate. The Funders Fair is a rare opportunity to have an informal chat direct with a funder and provides an invaluable opportunity to assess your chances before applying, and also obtain advice about how to apply. We are sure that you will find the event to be an enjoyable and informative experience and look forward to seeing you there.Contact Heather Hicks on [email protected] or 01978 312556 to request an appointment.

For further information or quote please contact AVOW Accounts & Payroll Team 01978312556 / [email protected] / www.avow.org/departments/support-services/voluntary-organisations-finances/

Paying your employees? HMRC has published important information on its website for employers which includes: • Changes to PAYE - Real Time Information (RTI)from 6 April 2013 - act now•InformationfromtheGovernment’sBudgeton20March 2013• Checking your tax codes following the Budgetby using the form P7X (2013), Tax codes to usefollowing the budget, at www.hmrc.gov.uk/helpsheets/p7x.pdf

•EmployerBulletin,latestissue(44),withthreeessential articles• Update on HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools for 2013(includingchangesforRTI)To find out more, read the key information for employers on the HMRC website www.hmrc.gov.uk/payerti/forms-updates/employer-email.htm

Alternatively let us take care of your payroll needs and we will take the stress out of staying compliant.

Money, money, money...

9 www.avow.org

• Landfill Community FundUnder the Landfill Community Fund (LCF) grants can be offered for: • Improvementtocommunityamenitiesor facilities, fora recreationalor leisureactivitye.g.playareas,village halls, public parks, nature reserves, skate parks, visitor centres etc. Facilities must be fully accessible to the public. •FortheconservationofidentifiedspeciesorhabitatsthataredetailedinaBiodiversityActionPlan.•Tomaintain,repairorrestoreplacesofreligiousworship,orlistedhistoricalbuildingsorstructures.Eligible applicants can be charities, voluntary and community groups, environmental organisations, constituted not-for-profit organisations, local authorities and even government bodies. Projects must be based within 10 miles of the landfill sites listed below.

• Located at the Pen-y-bont site, Chirk, Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd. (WREN) operate large and small grant schemes:

o WREN Small Grants Scheme £2,000 - £15,000, which is aimed at smaller projects, where the total project value is no more than £50,000.o WREN Main Grant Programme, £15,001 - £75,000Contact: Meleri Jones, Wales Project Manager. Tel: 01248 674907 / [email protected] / www.wren.org.uk

• Cory Environmental Trust in Britain. Located at the Hafod site, Johnstown

Grants up to £50,000 for projects meeting the LCF objectives (above). Preference is given to applications from projects located near the Hafod site.Contact : Angela Haymonds, Tel: 01753 582513 / [email protected] / www.coryenvironmental.co.uk/page/cetbhomepage.htm

• Cemex – Located at Ballswood Quarry, Gegin Lane, LlayGrants of between £1,000 and £15,000 are available for projects that meet the LCF objectives. Priority is given to projects located within a 3 mile radius of the Cemex site.Contact: Cemex Community Fund, PO Box 53978, London SW15 1UU [email protected]

Funding Opportunities

Alternative source of funding!Have you considered a loan?Check what Credit Union has to offerCall 0333 2000 601 or visit www.northwalescu.co.uk

10 www.avow.org

As AVOW continues celebrating its Silver Jubilee this year, efforts are continuing to raise more funds for our ‘Make a Difference’ MAD Grant. Backed by Business Supporting Communities (B2C), AVOW are calling on local businesses to donate what they can to the fund.The aim is to raise £10,000 and all of the monies received will be redistributed to worthy causes which are making a difference in Wrexham County Borough.A small donation could make a big difference to one of the many groups that are making a difference within your community. John Gallanders, Chief Officer at AVOW explained: “The fund is AVOW’s way of saying thank you for all the support that third sector groups give to the community in Wrexham.“It is fundraising for the third sector, not for AVOW, and every penny donated to the Make a Difference Grant Fund will be redistributed to community and voluntary groups in Wrexham County Borough who will be able to submit their applications for their “Make a Difference” project in the Autumn 2013. This year sees the cessation of AVOW distributing the Community Facilities and Activities Programme grant fund as the Welsh Government are now allocating that in a different way, but our MAD grant fund will ensure that local groups can still benefit.B2C Project Officer Alison Roberts, said: “Third sector groups in Wrexham make a huge difference to so many people in the County Borough and it would be great if businesses could help to give something back through AVOW’s Silver Jubilee grant scheme. Even a small donation could make a massive difference to one of these groups so I would urge all businesses in Wrexham to get on board and do whatever they can.”There are a number of ways in which you and your business can donate to AVOW’s Silver Jubilee Make a Difference Fund:• You could pop into AVOW’s office in Egerton Street , Wrexham.• You can visit www.justgiving.com/AVOW-MAD-Grant• OryoucantextAVOW00pluseither5or10(foryourdonationvalue)to70070.Allofyourdonation

will go into the grant scheme for distributing to voluntary and community groups across Wrexham in 2013.

CheckoutAVOW’swebsite(www.avow.org/silver25),Facebook(AVOW)andTwitter(@AvowWrexham)for more information about upcoming events which will celebrate AVOW’s 25th anniversary.

THANK YOU to the Women’s Music and Art Festival in Llangollen for their donation towards the MAD Grant!!!

INFO FOR Our ‘MAD’ fund grows...

11 www.avow.org

he Wrexham Alliance of Service User Partnership (WASUP) organised a service user consultation event on 14 February

2013. Called ‘A Perfect Engagement’, the event was held in Trinity Church, King Street, Wrexham and was attended by people who use drug and alcohol services in Wrexham County Borough.The aim of the event was to give people an opportunity to talk about their respective experiences of using these services and to feed back the outcome of these discussions to providers and commissioners of the services at the event on the same day.Key recommendations from the day included:• Aftercare support and services need to bedeveloped as a matter of urgency

•‘Outofhours’supportalsoneedsdevelopingasamatter of urgency• The need for service providers to completeextensive paperwork needs to be reviewed to free up more time for professionals to engage with service users.Following on from the success of the event, Tony Ormond, Service User Involvement Co-ordinator at AVOW, and three service users were invited to Cardiff on 18 March 2013 to replicate the Perfect Engagement event. The group delivered 2 workshops at the Welsh National Best Practice Conference arranged by the Welsh Government and showcased the ground breaking work of WASUP to share good practice throughout Wales.

WASUP successful event

T

Exhibition Research reveals Wrexham’s Civil Foundations

AVOW’s History of Volunteering project is investigating a previously unrecognised source of Wrexham’s civil foundations. It aims to investigate why people come together and work tirelessly for a greater good? What do volunteers do? Why do people volunteer? And what difference has volunteering made to Wrexham? These questions will be answered at the History of Volunteering Exhibition, which will be held in the autumn 2013. Volunteering has made a difference to Wrexham for many generations and this project will recognise the work of volunteering groups and individuals and preserve that civil history for future generations. But we need your help! Are you a long term volunteer? Are you a local historian? Do you have an interest in, know any stories about, know the history of, or been involved with any of the following organisations / activities? • The Royal Observer Corp, the Home Guard, the

Royal Welch Fusiliers, The Yeomanry and Rifle Volunteers and the Territorial Army.

• Penley Polish Hospital, the British Red Cross, Coedpoeth Care Group, Nightingale House, Wrexham Maelor League of Friends, Wrexham Maelor Voluntary Service and the Frank Wingett

Cancer Appeal.• The Air Cadets, the

Army Cadets, the Beavers, the Scouts, the Guides, the Rainbows and the Brownies.

• Volunteers who helped at the Gresford Colliery Disaster.

• The running of local churches, feeding the roofless, the establishment of Wrexham Mosque and the Salvation Army.

• Wrexham’s original volunteer fire fighting service and the Police Specials.

• AVOW, Walter Roberts Pantomime Company, Wrexham Carers.

• Wrexham Football Club Supporters Trust or the North East Wales Search and Rescue Service.

• Philanthropists William and John Jones, Elihu Yale, Dame Dorothy Jeffreys.

If you can help please get in contact with [email protected] or call on 01978 312556.The exhibition will be taking place from the old JJB store in Wrexham town centre between 4th October and 21st November 2013. It will then tour community centres throughout Wrexham County Borough to ensure everyone has an opportunity to join in the celebration.

12 www.avow.org

Men aged 65 in Wales will be invited to take part in a new screening programme launched May 1, 2013 by Public Health Wales.The Wales Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)Screening Programme will offer men a quick, painless, one-off test to check for a condition that can be life-threatening if left undetected.The aorta is the main blood vessel that supplies blood to the body. Sometimes, as people grow older, the wall of the aorta in the abdomen can become weak and stretch to form an aneurysm. When this happens there is a risk that the aorta may splitortear(rupture).Not every AAA will rupture but if it does the chances of getting to hospital in time and surviving surgery are poor.The new screening programme aims to reduce this risk of rupture through early detection, appropriate monitoring and treatment.Llywela Wilson, Head of the Wales AAA Screening Programme, said, “We would encourage all men who receive an appointment for AAA screening to take up the offer for this quick, free and very important check of their health.“There are no signs and symptoms of having an AAA

so most men with one will know nothing about it until it ruptures, and their chances of surviving will sadly be very poor.“The screening programme aims to reduce this risk by providing men with a simple, painless ultrasound scan that will detect whether an AAA is present. “The screening takes only a few minutes but it really could help save your life.”More information on AAA screening is available from the programme website at www.aaascreening.wales.nhs.ukAnyone who is not eligible for screening as part of the programme but is concerned about a family history of AAA is advised to speak to their GP.

Launch of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programme

E-NewsletterIf you would prefer this Newsletter by email please let us know by emailing [email protected] or subscribe online www.avow.org/subscribe-to-newsletters/

AVOW Trustees & StaffTo find out more about AVOW Trustees and Staff please visit our website www.avow.org/our-trustees/ and www.avow.org/about-us/our-staff/

FactfileThings you need to know about AAA• AAA is six times more common in men than women, and becomes increasingly common with age.• Ruptured aneurysms are a small but significant, cause of death in the UK. In the UK, each year an

estimated 6,000 people die as a result of a ruptured aortic aneurysm. In men over 65, ruptured AAA is responsible for 2.1 per cent of all deaths.

• In Wales in 2010, there were 246 deaths from AAA in men, 95 per cent of which were in men aged over 65. Around half the deaths attributed to ruptured aneurysms take place before the patient reaches hospital

• About95menoutof100(95percent)whoarescreenedforanAAAwillhaveanormalresult• Aboutfourmenoutof100(4percent)willhaveasmallormedium-sizedAAA• Sixmenoutof1,000(0.6percent)willhavealargeAAA

13 www.avow.org

• in Flintshire CVC visit www.flvc.org.uk, email: [email protected] or tel. 01352 744000

• in Denbigshire CVC visit www.dvsc.co.uk, email: [email protected] or tel. 01824 702441

Training courses

You can find out more information on AVOW’s website www.avow.org and www.avow.org/media-and-publications(CurrentConsulations,MembersEbriefing,InformationSheets,LinksDirectory).Forfresh,

daily news check www.avow.org/news, our Facebook page and Twitter @AvowWrexham

Wayne is one of the volunteers with DAFFA (see page 5) and a single father of two boys who regularly visits The Land in Plas Madoc.“I love coming down here, with my two boys building dens, building fires, marshmallows, climbing things, water fights. I love it, it’s brilliant.I think since The Land and Play has come to Plas Madoc it has improved so many people’s lives including my own and my children’s. I think play is wonderful.It’s brilliant when I come down here with my two boys, I bring two or three of my mates with us, the biggest compliment I can pay is it’s probably the boys that want to go home before us. We’ll be building dens and throwing things about and just playing rough and tumble, it’s just immense.”

Wayne Greenshields tells us what he likes about “The Land”

AVOW FREE Membership!!!AVOW goes MAD (Make a difference) with its membership with new

organisations getting 12 months FREE to celebrate AVOW’s Silver Jubilee. A spokesperson for AVOW said ‘We are very pleased to be able to offer free membership to new organisations to celebrate 25 years of supporting the voluntary and community sector in Wrexham. We have a broad range of services to support organisations and individuals wanting to volunteer’.AVOW, as the County Voluntary Council, are able to offer support for anyone wishing to start up a new organisation or to assist those that are established. Based in Egerton Street, Wrexham the offices are easily accessible for anyone wanting to drop in for support or to use one of the many meeting rooms for group activities.Organisations that have been a member of AVOW previously will be offered a free place, valued at £20, on one of the very many training courses that will be arranged throughout the year. This special offer will be limited and will only last until the end of May 2014.Any organisation wishing to take advantage of these offers should go to www.avow.org/about-avow/become-a-member/ for application form

Playing at The Land

14 www.avow.org

AVOW provides a range of training opportunities for individuals, voluntary and community groups with the aim of encouraging the improvement of skills and sustainability of local services. AVOW is committed to supporting individuals and groups with achieving their goals and as a local charity, AVOW is well placed and experienced in providing community training.

TRAINING COURSES

AVOW members will benefit from 10% discount off each training course. To become a member please contact AVOW on 01978 312556.

You can book courses online at www.avow.org/training-booking, by email: [email protected] or call 01978 312556.

AVOW provides a range of courses and services for the voluntary and community sector. For further details please view the AVOW website www.avow.org/training/

Information Technology11th June 20139am-1pm£20 per personThe training aims to provide participants with understanding the advantages and disadvantages of various IT infrastructure systems for voluntary and community organisations to ensure the implementation of cost effective solutions.Grants Fit for Funding13th June 2013 10am - 3pm£20 per personThe training aims to provide an understanding of funders expectations and tips to improve the quality of applications

• Learn how to write concise and compelling funding applications

• Have an overview of the current funding climate in Wales.

• Learn how to improve the chances of a funding application being accepted.

• Have the ability to meet Grant Givers expectations

Data protection – Myth busting and legal responsibilities21st June 20139.45am - 12.30pm£10 per personThe training aims to provide participants with an understanding of the Data Protection Act and understand their obligations when handling data. (Run by John Sweeney from the Information Commissioner’s Office).

Volunteer Recruitment 25th June 2013

9am-1pm £20 per person

The training aims to provide participants with understanding how to successfully recruit and retain

volunteers.Fire Safety

9th July 20139.30am-12.45pm

£20 per personThe training aims to provide participants with all

aspects of fire safety including fire risk assessments, fire equipment checks, relevant legislation and duties of the

fire warden. (Run by Andy Hill of Hamilton Deed).Communications and Customer Engagement

26th July 20139.30am-4.30pm£20 per person

Participants will gain an understanding of social media and other tools for effective customer engagement (Run

by Esther Barrett).Child Protection

4th September 20139.15am-1pm

FREEThe training aims to provide participants with a greater

understanding of what child abuse is, an understanding of the procedures that need to be followed if they know or suspect a child has been abused and the confidence

to make appropriate referrals when concerned regarding the welfare of a child.

Booking is essential!

All courses will take place at Ty Avow, 21 Egerton Street, Wrexham unless stated otherwise.

June - September 2013