CCB's Social Media Training: Likes and Tweets Galore

On Tuesday 28th July 2015 at the Adelaide Room of the Holy Trinity Church, Hermitage CCB ran a workshop on 'How to Use Social Media to Recruit Volunteers.' Supported by the Adult Community Learning Team at West Berkshire Council the session was organised by CCB and was run by Nigel Morgan (@Nigel_Morgan) a PR and Social Media specialist.

16 members of local communities attended and were very positive about the experience. Feedback included; "course was well presented and in a humorous style with good general information on how to use Facebook for an organisation" and "practical, sensible advice, interesting and easy to follow".

Tessa Hall, Community Development Worker for CCB said:  "This was a really useful event, people enjoyed discussing how they could promote their organisations using these free Social Media tools. If there is further demand I would like us to run a more practical, hands on session."

If you would be interested to attending future Social Media training please contact Tessa.Hall@ccberks.org.uk

Summer Fun Day in Wokingham: Ollie Young Foundation

Family Open Day at Five a Day Market Garden

New Training: Finance and budgeting for Town and Parish Council

Finance and Budgeting for Town and Parish Councils is taking place at 6:30pm on 21st October 2015 at The Calcot Centre.

Who should come?
All councillors, particularly those with financial responsibilities; it will also be a useful reminder for clerks and councillors that find finance challenging.

What does it cover?
Steven Parkinson, SLCC Development Manager and Finance, ex clerk to Alton Town Council and finance specialist will deliver this training which will provide a general introduction to finance and budgeting. Topics covered will include:

• Legislation and guidance
• Budget and Precept
• Internal controls
• Borrowing, Investment, Cashflow
• After the financial year ends - account and audit
• Open forum

There will be time for questions and networking.

If you would like to book a place please complete this booking form: https://ccberks.wufoo.com/forms/finance-and-budgeting-for-town-and-parish-councils/

CCB Oil Club - saving our members money

During the last financial year CCB Oil Club Members saved over £15,500 on their heating oil! Buying a massive 325,000 litres of oil and saving the average member in excess of £125 per year!!

CCB launched the club three years ago. Over that time we have managed to save our members not only money on their heating bills but also provided them with valuable advice as to when the best time to fill up their tanks might be.

When we launched the club in March 2012 prices were often over £0.60 per litre and even after negotiation regularly hitting the high 50 pences. This was cripplingly expensive for some that were reliant on heating their homes with oil. Recent months have thankfully seen prices of a barrel of crude oil falling but even now we are still regularly managing to save 4-5 pence a litre for our members compared to average prices. 

At the beginning of 2014 CCB signed an agreement with Oil Fuel Poverty Solutions (OFPS) to extend their remit in support of the club and provide the administration as well as the negotiation with oil suppliers. Here Marion Lathar, Negotiator at OFPS gives her take and what is happening with recent oil prices.

“I think it is fair to say that the price of oil has not changed so dramatically since the oil embargo of 1973 (when the prices quadrupled).  During the past year we have seen the price of crude oil drop from $115 per barrel to a low of $46 in January 2015.  It is now bouncing around the $65 mark.  This has had a major effect on the prices that members of the CCB Oil Club have had to pay.  Prices at the start of the 14/15 financial year have dropped from 52ppl down to 37ppl by the end of the 12 months.

Although it is now easier to get low prices for your heating oil the CCB Oil Club continues to save you substantial amounts of money. We have continued to seek out new suppliers and to negotiate with a wide number to ensure that you continue to get the best possible levels of price and service.

What will happen to the price of heating oil in the near future?  Obviously, I don’t have a crystal ball but the general belief in the market is that the prices will remain reasonably static for the next few months but are likely to start rising again towards the end of the year.  Most experts think that the price will, however, remain well below the high levels of last summer – good news for those of us who have no choice but to use oil in our houses.  It almost doesn’t matter what the price is though – if you need oil you have no choice but to buy it.  This is where the CCB Oil Club can continue to help you.  No matter what the general price trend we will continue to use the power of community buying to negotiate the best possible price.”

The more people in any locality that buy through the Club the easier it is to negotiate a great price.  With that in mind, please do mention the club to your friends and neighbours.  Information is available from info@ofps.co.uk or 01993 225011 or you can sign up online: https://ccberks.wufoo.com/forms/ccb-oil-club-membership-form/ 

Annual membership fees are £24 for individuals, £36 for community buildings and £120 for businesses, all including VAT at 5%. Based on the average saving achieved over the last year, an individual placing a single order of the minimum quantity of 500 litres will save money through the club. 

Berkshire Community Foundation Funding Workshop

Presenter: Dave Soper, Charity Engagement Manager, BCF 
Tuesday 21st July
10.00am - 1.00pm
Room 3, Chalvey Community Centre, The Green, Chalvey, SL1 2SP 

This session will look at fundraising opportunities with Berkshire Community Foundation and how best to make an application.
It will also look at making the best use of online donation portals using Local Giving as the example platform.
Dave Soper is Charity Engagement Manager at Berkshire Community Foundation. Dave has eleven years of experience of working with voluntary organisations across Berkshire with their fundraising and other issues. 

If you have a funding application or an idea for a project and would like to book a 10 minute one to one session after the presentation please contact Barbara Poulter by emailing barbara.poulter@slough.gov.uk.

FREE TRAINING: How to find volunteers in your community using social media.

Could you spare a few hours on an ongoing basis? Could you be an Arthritis Care Community Champion Volunteer?

This is a really exciting opportunity for people who have experience of arthritis whether personal or via family and friends - OR for those willing to learn - to provide peer support to others living with arthritis.

For a few hours each week - or less regularly if required - you will be helping us to run drop-ins in the West Berkshire area. 

Arthritis Care provide full training and ongoing support and your role would usually cover:
• providing support at drop ins: sharing information and signposting to local services 
• providing self-management tips
• there are further opportunities to provide telephone support and attend workshops - all with full training and support - should you wish to be involved in these. Travel expenses are also reimbursed.

We’re looking for people who ideally have experience with arthritis whether personal or via family and friends - OR for those willing to learn - who would like to meet and provide information for people living with the condition.

If you're friendly, helpful and approachable then you are just what we need. 
If you enjoy getting out and about in your local community we would love to hear from you.
You will be supported by Arthritis Care staff at every drop in and we will make sure you are confident and comfortable before you start in your role.

If you feel the above role could be right for you please contact me for an informal chat: 
Debbie Holden, Projects Coordinator Arthritis Care (West Berkshire), 07834 418450 or debbieh@arthritiscare.org.uk

Summer Activities at West Berkshire Museum

West Berkshire Museum in partnership with the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust presents a programme of summer activities to tie in with the My Wild Life exhibition.

Friday 3rd July, 12.30 - 1.30pm: Beautiful Butterflies. £2.50
Wednesday 22nd July, 6 - 7.30pm: The birds of our town and garden. £2.50
Wednesday 5th August, 10 - 1pm Under the microscope. Free
Wednesday 5th August: Make an animal puppet. Drop in free family activity
Wednesday 26th August: 10am - 1pm: Under the microscope. Free
Wednesday 26th August: 10am - 4pm: Make a dragonfly. Drop in free family activity
Friday 4th September: 7.15 - 8.45pm: Bats in the Dusk. £2.50

Tickets for chard activities must be purchased in advance and can be bought from West Berkshire Museum. For more information, please call 01635 519562 or email museum@westberks.gov.uk

West Berkshire Learner Achievement Awards 2015: ‘Celebrating the outstanding achievements of adult learners’

West Berkshire recently celebrated the success of adult learning with the thirteenth annual Learner Achievement Awards (LAA) ceremony at Shaw House, Newbury.

This year’s winners included Les Billing, Chairman of Ashampstead Recreational Trust, who received the Most Committed Volunteer to Learning Award in recognition of the role training has played in the development of Ashampstead’s village facilities. Other awards went to Xtrac employee Tim Plows for ‘Outstanding Achievement’ and Newbury College student Michelle Edwards for the ‘Returning to Learning’ category

Councillor Peter Argyle, Chairman of West Berkshire Council presented the awards which also acknowledged the contribution made by volunteers, teachers and older people such as 79 year old Eric Scott who trains the volunteers at the Community Furniture Project.

Peter Argyle said, “The awards demonstrate the depth of learning opportunities available to adults across West Berkshire covering professional, academic and vocational qualifications, apprenticeships, courses for pleasure, community development and family learning. I am delighted that we are able to offer such a wealth of learning opportunity in West Berkshire.

The LAA are organised by West Berkshire Council on behalf of the West Berkshire Community Learning Partnership and sponsored by Newbury College, West Berkshire Training Consortium, Workers Educational Association and the Newbury Resource Centre.

For more information on the Learner Achievement Awards contact the Community Learning Team at West Berkshire Council (01635) 519060 or email aclteam@westberks.gov.uk.