Today 12 December conspired to be a real day of deadlines with us bashing out expressions of interest for the new Area Based Grants initiative. There has been much work for Jill and I which occurred at the same time as the preparation stage for the Annual Review which also needs to be submitted and loads of other things. As if that wasn't enough through my home letter box on Tuesday came an almighty crash as a large package almost knocked the dog out. 'Twas the long lost dissertation from my university student who I tutored at an early stage. Good to see it finally submitted but it is, well long and will require a detailed read. The university are keen for a quick marking turn around as they seem to break for Christmas just after bonfire night - so it looks like Saturday will be spent working. And Sunday the 100th Anniversary Marathon is finally here - not before time really as it is really starting to get cold and I am a bit sick of pasta and those Carbo-Gel things.
Last week Hastings Voluntary Action won - FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW - the inter-agency quiz championshipwhich is run each Xmas to raise funds for a local youth drop in centre. Only by a single point though. I can't claim to have added much to the effort - although I was on the team - and bow to the general knowledge of others who really proved their worth more than I did. I think the only meaningful things I contributed was knowing the name of the goal-keeper who broke his neck during an FA cup final and naming the first Elvis Costello album. Strange thing General Knowledge isn't it? facts which stick in your mind but which serve no apparent purpose. For example, I know that the B-52s come from Athens Georgia which is the same town which REM come from. Quite how this fact will ever be useful I know not but there it is lodged in my brain forever. In contrast, remembering the 4 digits for the cash-point and not confusing them with the burglar alarm code (as I did 2 days ago) is beyond me.
What else, employment issues loom large again as I advise a group who are about to become an employer for the first time having achieved their first substantial funding award. I try and go through the things they will need to have in place without making it seem too daunting. This morning was a meeting of the regeneration company wherre I was reappointed to the board as one of their independant directors. There's me representing the Voluntary Sector and two business people representing the views of local commerce. Actually its been really interesting and I've learnt a lot about how these huge capital building programmes actually work from the inside. All in all its just like running a voluntary organisation but with far far more noughts!!
Anyway enough rambling - off for the weekend and as for the lyric reference what else http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xtrEN-YKLBM
Friday 12 December 2008
Friday 5 December 2008
All Over the Place
The title hear refers to the amount of cross county travel I have been doing rather than the state of my mind (I hope). A few things have been developing and the commissions are finally published from Hastings Borough Council so we can submit Working Neighbourhoods proposals soon. Actually commissioning has been at the forefront of our minds and we have recently submitted to the Borough Council for what used to be our "core grant" which is now a commission crossing 2 specific service areas. The PCT were in monitoring mode too which meant a lot of paperwork to be submitted.
Apart from that we had a well attended seminar at which the Community Network launched its new constitution and electoral arrangements for the future. Well received too, with many who had previously been on the edge of the representational process keen to regiater their intention. At a county level Speak Up (the County wide Voluntary Sector forum) is gathering pace and bringing some shape to the whole issue of VCS representation. One of the key bodies we relate to is the East Sussex STrategic Partnership which met this week in the rather grand Council Chamber in Bexhill. I was told that Bexhill was the model on which the Dad's Army town of Walmington on Sea was based. It did have that kind of feel to it too. The ESSP reviews the Local Area Agreement and comes up with a model for the distribution of the reward money if any is received as partof this process. The Compact Review results are presented concisely by my colleague (another Steve) from Age Concern. There is much praise for the fact that East Sussex won a commendation at the recent Compact awards - I use this opportunity to request that partners consider engraining the compact within the culture of their organisation by including a reference to it in their standing orders or governance documents. I give a pledge that HVA will change its mem and arts at our next AGM to reflect our continuing commitment to partnership and the compact. I then dash back to the office to ask Pauline (our financial administrator and expert on our constitution) how I actually do this! It is more complex than you think - so much for me and my big mouth. What else. I must pass on some sad news which is that we learnt of the sudden death of John Appleyard the chair of the Hastings Seniors Forum and involved with much else besides. John was a fan of HVA and gave a lot of his time to voluntary activity at a Borough and County level. He will be much missed and I pen a tribute to appear in the next newsletter.
What else any spare moment seems to be spent pounding the streets of our fair Town in preparation for the 100th anniversary Hastings Marathon. I am running this for the unit where my grandson Jacob had his operation. There is a small charity which supports parents whilst their children are having major heart surgery. I ran 15 miles last weekend and this Sunday we go for 20. People have been kind pledging money and if you want to join them feel free to leave a comment here or email me at steve@hvauk.org
Apart from that we had a well attended seminar at which the Community Network launched its new constitution and electoral arrangements for the future. Well received too, with many who had previously been on the edge of the representational process keen to regiater their intention. At a county level Speak Up (the County wide Voluntary Sector forum) is gathering pace and bringing some shape to the whole issue of VCS representation. One of the key bodies we relate to is the East Sussex STrategic Partnership which met this week in the rather grand Council Chamber in Bexhill. I was told that Bexhill was the model on which the Dad's Army town of Walmington on Sea was based. It did have that kind of feel to it too. The ESSP reviews the Local Area Agreement and comes up with a model for the distribution of the reward money if any is received as partof this process. The Compact Review results are presented concisely by my colleague (another Steve) from Age Concern. There is much praise for the fact that East Sussex won a commendation at the recent Compact awards - I use this opportunity to request that partners consider engraining the compact within the culture of their organisation by including a reference to it in their standing orders or governance documents. I give a pledge that HVA will change its mem and arts at our next AGM to reflect our continuing commitment to partnership and the compact. I then dash back to the office to ask Pauline (our financial administrator and expert on our constitution) how I actually do this! It is more complex than you think - so much for me and my big mouth. What else. I must pass on some sad news which is that we learnt of the sudden death of John Appleyard the chair of the Hastings Seniors Forum and involved with much else besides. John was a fan of HVA and gave a lot of his time to voluntary activity at a Borough and County level. He will be much missed and I pen a tribute to appear in the next newsletter.
What else any spare moment seems to be spent pounding the streets of our fair Town in preparation for the 100th anniversary Hastings Marathon. I am running this for the unit where my grandson Jacob had his operation. There is a small charity which supports parents whilst their children are having major heart surgery. I ran 15 miles last weekend and this Sunday we go for 20. People have been kind pledging money and if you want to join them feel free to leave a comment here or email me at steve@hvauk.org
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