We have all lost someone, or at some point, we will. These losses bring with them pain and grief, however, there are some cultures that manage to find joy and beauty amidst the loss and pain.
The Desert Rats Association is raising money to build a new memorial to the men and women who have served in the division from 1940 to the modern day. To do that they needed funding, and lead fundraiser Beverley Cooper - a campaigner and fundraiser of many years’ experience and standing -turned to CAN for further advice and direction.
Inspired by the experience of shielding as the pandemic hit, the Rainbow Art Making Club was set up by two Thorpe St Andrew mums to help promote wellbeing, celebrate kindness and connect people in the community.
There are definite benefits to registering as a charity, not least of which is credibility when applying to potential funders. Making your case to the Charity Commission needs to be done in an organised and planned way.
Creative Arts East’s normal activity with vulnerable people focuses on face to face arts, music and dance sessions. These events were unable to take place as a result of Covid-19. Some organisations took activities online. However, many of Creative Art East’s clients suffered from Dementia and online options were unlikely to be effective. Instead creative activity packs were developed with themes from Egyptian dance to creative writing. These could be sent out by post and provided a range of activities that could be done alone or with carers.
The VCSE sector is hard-pushed financially because of the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. In previous articles we have looked at how the financial challenges require many of us to explore new ways of fund-raising and generating income – and perhaps turn those challenges into opportunities. In this article we will be exploring an option new to many – Social Investment.
The Arts and Culture sector is an important element in the VCSE fraternity, in the context of community engagement and outreach, and addressing local health issues such as social isolation and loneliness. Natalie Jode, Executive Director at Creative Arts East, has seen the impact of the pandemic on operational capability and capacity across the county.
An award-winning group of music workshops has worked with Community Action Norfolk (CAN) to successfully register with the Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).