Free workshop for unemployed people

Spaces are still available on the following FREE workshop:

New and different ways to make money

4th January 2012, 2.00 pm

No jobs available in your industry or role... Then let’s invent one. ‘One man’s

Story of how he did it differently when all said he was too old, didn’t have the

right skills’... You know the rest—fascinating and interesting, don’t miss it.

Workshop held at Westlea Housing Association, Methuen Park, Chippenham, SN14 0GU

For further details please contact Lisa Wroe, Employment & Training Advisor 01249 466159

Christmas Fire Safety Message

Have a safe and enjoyable Christmas!

As Christmas gets ever closer, Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service is warning people to be aware of festive fire risks.

Fire safety is important at any time of the year, but with the extra distractions of Christmas it’s especially important to be vigilant. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to accidental fires in the home, so take extra care this season to ensure that your families and loved ones are protected from the extra Christmas fire risks.

Ø  Festive decorations made of tissue paper or cardboard burn particularly easily, so keep decorations and greeting cards away from heaters, lights, fireplaces and candles.

Ø  Most fires start in the kitchen – so never leave festive cooking unattended.

Ø  Ensure that you check the smoke alarms in your home are working, check them on a weekly basis and do not be tempted to remove batteries to power any Christmas presents.

Ø  Plan your escape route for the event of fire and ensure that your family and guests know where the door and window keys are kept.

Ø  Be careful when disposing of boxes and festive wrapping - left outside, it could prove tempting to an arsonist.

Ø  Fairy lights and Christmas tree lights don’t get used very often, so make sure that they are in good working order before using them:

Ø  Check your Christmas tree lights conform to the British Standard (BS EN 60598). Always use a residual current device on outdoor electrical equipment – this is a safety device that can save lives by instantly switching off the power if there is a fault.

Ø  Check that the fuse in the plug is the right size (see the instructions for the maximum size of fuse you should use).

Ø  Replace bulbs that blow.

Ø  Don’t leave lights on when you go to bed or leave the house.

Ø  Don’t let the bulbs touch anything that can burn easily, such as paper or fabrics.

Ø  Candles and night lights are often used in celebrations for Christmas. It only takes one candle to put your home at risk – always take care when using them:

Ø  Make sure you don’t put candles in, or by, a Christmas tree, plants, flowers or other foliage.

Ø  Be careful that ribbons, greetings cards and other decorations aren’t near any candle flames.

Ø  Check that the candle is out of draughts and away from curtains, other fabrics or furniture, all of which could catch fire.

Ø  Never leave candles unattended.

Ø  Make sure you put out candles before you leave a room and before you go to bed.

Group Manager Kathy Collis, from the community safety department, said: “Christmas is the time of year where family and friends get together to celebrate. We don’t want to dampen spirits, but we do want to raise awareness of the danger and destruction an overloaded socket or an unattended candle can cause. By following these simple tips, hopefully we can all enjoy a peaceful Christmas that is safe from fire.”

Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service is working in partnership with other agencies through the Swindon Community Safety Partnership and Wiltshire Assembly to help make our communities safer over the Christmas period. .For further home fire safety advice, visit www.wiltsfire.gov.uk

Money available for green communities...

A new grant fund for communities has been announced by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. We’re running the application process and thought you might want to know more.  The Local Energy Assessment Fund (LEAF) is a £10 million pot of money aimed at reaching two hundred communities at an average of £50,000 per community.  The funds are available to communities in England and Wales that take an active role in developing a low-carbon society.  Money is available to finance projects that:  increase the understanding of energy efficiency and renewable technologies in the community  encourage the uptake of energy efficiency measures and renewable technologies in the community make the energy supply secure and affordable for everyone in the local community. Unfortunately activities and technologies already funded through The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT), Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP), Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) will not be eligible to apply.  For more detailed information about the fund visit the LEAF website. Online applications will be accepted from Wednesday 7 December 2011 and there will be two rounds. The first round closes on Thursday 22 December 2011 and the second round closes on Friday 20 January 2012.  All grants awarded must be spent by the recipients by the 31 March 2012.  The  programme has been developed by a partnership of community networks, including: Communities and Climate Action Alliance, Carbon Leapfrog, Local Untied, Greening Campaign, Low Carbon Communities Network, Energy Saving Trust, Transition Network, Community Energy Wales, NCVO, Locality, the Community Energy Practicioners’ Forum and DECC, and with the grant itself administered by us. Find out more and start the application today > The Energy Saving Trust

Now there's no need to carry a passport or driving licence to enjoy a drink in and around Melksham!

The Kings Arms in Melksham's Market Place is the latest licenced premises to respond to demand and sign up to Touch2id making it one of 27 not requiring young adults to identify themselves in order to buy an alcoholic drink.  The law does NOT require them to prove who they are.  With Touch2id they simply need to place their card or their mobile phone on a reader along with the finger they enrolled with and if it's their card green lights will come on showing they're 18 as that's the only way they can get a card! There is no database involved and no fingerprint, name or photograph stored or printed anywhere. 

Wiltshire licencing authority recognises Touch2id as an acceptable proof-of-age method (in line with guidance from the Home Office) and the Melksham Area Community Safety Group (MACSG) are promoting it as the method clearly preferred by young people and participating licensees. 

Cards within the PASS scheme (e.g. Validate UK and Citizencard) have had their day as they are being refused by a growing number of licensed premises due mainly to the availability of good quality fakes and young people are becoming increasingly unhappy about carrying expensive and sensitive documents such as passports when they go out for the evening. A far more modern and popular replacement for PASS cards has started right here in Melksham!

Any premises wishing to take up Touch2id can find out more by contacting MACSG c/o Melksham Town Hall, emailing communitysafety@melksham.communityarea.org.uk or visiting the Touch2id website at www.touch2id.co.uk  Early next year will see Touch2id spreading to Chippenham, Devizes and then to Bath and last but not least, cards and phone stickers are currently free thanks to a grant from our Area Board!

You can enrol at the Touch2id enrolment centre on the roundabout opposite HSBC bank on Thursdays and Saturdays between 1 and 5pm (take your passport or full/provisional driving licence) and use your card/phone at the following locations: 

MELKSHAM
Total garage
Tavern
Kings Arms
Assembly Hall
Parson's Nose
Unicorn

TROWBRIDGE
7 Day Shop
Silver Street News
Voltz Tattoo Studio
Staverton Convenience Store
Cricket and rugby clubs
Trowbridge Lodge and Shires filling stations
Arc Theatre (Trowbridge College)
Albany Palace and Sir Isaac Pitmans (Wetherspoons)
Bargain Booze
Courthouse
MooMoos
Harleys
Black Horse
Lamb
Kings Arms
Twelve Bells
Ship Inn
Club Ice - Westbury

Arts Award Adviser Training

Wiltshire’s Flame

Arts Award Adviser Training

Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre

Tuesday 31^st January 2012, 9:30am - 4pm

To celebrate the Olympic year Wiltshire Council and Arts Award South West are collaborating on a project to celebrate the creativity and energy of young people within Wiltshire. The aim of the project is to enable hundreds of young people to take part in dozens of projects all across the County inspired by the Olympic Flame. 

If you work with young people and are interested in supporting them to be more creative, develop leadership skills and gain a nationally recognised qualification then this may be the project for you. Wiltshire Council Arts Service and Arts Award are working together to provide subsidised training for people to become Arts Award Advisers - which means you can deliver the award with any young people aged 11-25. Training usually costs £140 but under this scheme you only pay £65.

The training day is led by Ruth Jones, Arts Award South West Regional Coordinator and Senior Trainer. The training course will give you all the skills and knowledge that you need to deliver Arts Award at Bronze and Silver levels. The next day will take place on Tuesday 31^st January at the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre.

The project will culminate in two awards ceremonies, the first will be timed to mark the journey of the Olympic Flame through Wiltshire and the second will be timed to coincide with the closing of the Olympic Games. At these ceremonies a panel of judges will select the best three projects to be awarded a Bronze, Silver and Gold commemorative coin.

If you are interested in taking part in the project please register your interest by returning the following information by email to arts@wiltshire.gov.uk

For more information about arts awards visit http://www.artsaward.org.uk/site/?id=64

Name of person taking training:
Contact telephone and email address:
Name & address to invoice for £65:
Please confirm you have either 2 years full time or 3 years part time experience of working with young people:
Do you have any -dietary requirements: -access requirements:

Melksham Area Board

When Melksham area board meet on Wednesday 14 December, members will be asked to approve up to £10,000 grant funding for Melksham town centre to have a long awaited CCTV system. The motion proposed by Cllr Jon Hubbard, will be discussed by the board at the meeting which starts at 7pm at Semington Village Hall. In a report to the meeting, Cllr Hubbard said the CCTV would reduce the fear of crime, improve public confidence and reassure residents and local businesses. It would also assist the police with investigations and help increase prosecutions.

Other items on the meeting agenda include an update on the proposed campus from Cllr Roy While, chairman of the shadow community operations board. The group of commmunity representatives are considering the detail of the emerging campus proposal both in terms of design and how it will operate on a day to day basis.

There will also be an update on Extended Services (Melksham), a newly established charity set up by education providers to further support children and young people in the area.

Amongst the request for grants which will be considered are: Wilts & Berks Canal Trust's application for £497 towards renewing the signs of the ‘Lost Waterways of Melksham’ walk which indicate the historic route of the canal through the town Beanacre Cricket Club's application for £1500 towards a roller to prepare the wicket at their new ground in Beanacre. Keevil Parochial Church Council's application for £5000 towards the conservation of table tombs in St Leonard’s churchyard.

 Full agenda and papers are now available online.

Do you have the X Factor?

Today, more than ever, we need good quality councillors at all levels who are ready and willing to engage with the community and make tough decisions.  For this reason the Councillor Development Group has produced a DVD aimed at encouraging people to become more involved with democracy in their local area.  This could be by standing as a unitary, town or parish councillor, campaigning on local issues, volunteering or attending meetings.

The DVD is now available to view on YouTube.

If you would like a copy of the DVD to show at an event or to pass onto someone who may be interested in getting more involved in the democratic process please contact Marie Todd on 01225 718036, or Lynda Williams  on 01225 71317

Funding for Community Shops

The Village Retail Services Association in partnership with Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and Co-operative and Community Finance have funding available to support the start up  of new Community owned shops in rural areas of England or  to save an existing shop by transfer to community ownership. The funding which will be available over the next three years will provide up to £40,000 per shop. This will be made up of a grant of £20,000 together with a loan of £20,000 from Co-operative and Community Finance.

Eligible applicants will include community based organisations located in rural communities of not less than 300 residents. The community is required to raise match funding through community contributions, which could take the form of share capital, donations raised through community fundraising events and grants obtained from other sources to the same or greater value than the grant requested from the Village CORE Programme. At least some of the funds raised should have been provided by the community itself and not solely through external grants.

The application process commences with a telephone interview with one of the programme managers. If the community appear to meet the criteria within the programme timeframe and if Village Core funds are available, application forms are sent electronically where possible to the main contact person on the committee.  The forms must be returned within 6 weeks of the telephone interview.

http://www.plunkett.co.uk/whatwedo/core/Core.cfm

Funding to support deprived communities

The Community Development Foundation (CDF) has announced the launch of the Communities First Fund.  

The £80m government-funded programme that will run for four years, until March 2015, consists of a £30m Neighbourhood Matched Fund programme for some of the most deprived areas in the country and a national £50m Endowment Match Challenge. 

Through the Neighbourhood Matched Fund, the 600 most deprived areas in England will be awarded between £17,000 and £200,000 to give out as grants within their locality.  The CDF is currently seeking members for 600 grant-giving panels.  The supermarket chain Asda will provide publicity and support for the programme at both local and national levels. In many areas, charities will also be able to access match funding from the Asda Foundation. 

The £50m Endowment Fund will be available only once £100m in match funding has been raised from other sources.  The target is to help donors create funds valued at £150m, £100m of which will be private donations topped up by £50m of government match.

The fund is currently in the process of raising money and eligible organisations will be able to apply to the programme in 2015.

http://www.cdf.org.uk/web/guest/community-first