The Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead LINk Community Chest Fund
Welcome
The Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead Local Involvement Network (LINk) works to gather information about health services and social care services from local residents- so that the people who run the services know what works well and what needs improving.
The LINk has a Community Chest Fund of £2,000 that will be used to provide grants to local groups, networks and interested people who wish to:
1. Gather people's views of about health services or social care services in Windsor, Ascot or Maidenhead; or
2. Improve access to existing services.
The closing date for applications is 30th September 2010. Successful applicants will be informed before mid October 2010.
What is the Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead Local Involvement Network?
Sometimes the people who use services don't feel they have a strong enough voice to change aspects of their health or social care. LINks help the community have a stronger local voice. A LINks role is to:
- ask what local people what they think about local healthcare services and provide a chance to suggest ideas to help improve services
- investigate specific issues of concern to the community
- use its powers to hold services to account and get results
- ask for information and get an answer in a specified amount of time
- be able to carry out spot-checks to see if services are working well
- make reports and recommendations and receive a response
- refer issues to the local 'Overview and Scrutiny Committee'
What sort of projects we will fund?
We will consider funding for projects that meet the following criteria:
1. Finding out people's views about existing services in Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead:
For example:
- "We will interview young mums about access to breastfeeding clinics."
- "We are a group that already has views about what is working and what needs improving."
- "We are a group of students and would like to film students talking about access existing services or clinics."
- "We will consult with people with addiction issues to engage and support them and carry out a survey which will highlight any issues with their health and social care needs."
- We will conduct a survey with women that have been subjected to domestic violence, recently or in the past, to identify how easy (or not) it was for them to access care, support and treatment."
2. Improving existing services in Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead:
For example:
- "We will improve signage in our local hospital for people with a visual impairment."
- "We are a group who need access to more wheelchair accessible premises for meetings and would like to apply for hiring costs."
Timescales
- The closing date for applications is 30th September 2010.
- Successful applicants will be informed mid October 2010.
- Projects must be completed before the end of December 2010.
Who can apply?
We will accept applications from community groups and charities in Windsor, Ascot or Maidenhead - see below for criteria.
Criteria:
- Applications must be from not-for-profit, voluntary, or community groups.
- Applicants must be able to demonstrate their governing regulations and mission statement and provide documentation that, as a minimum, covers the group name, aim or purpose, objectives and a list of Trustees/Committee members and their signatures.
- Applicants should have a bank account in the name of the group. If you do not have a bank account then it may be possible to fund you if you can find another group who will allow you to use their bank account. It is not acceptable to use an account in the name of an individual person.
- Applicants should have the necessary Safeguarding training (Child Protection training or Protection of Vulnerable Adults) if working with young people below the age of 18 years or vulnerable adults.
- Statutory/public sector organisations (e.g. Primary Care Trusts, schools or Parish Councils) are not eligible to apply
- Funds are available for projects which are community based and contribute towards the aims of the LINk i.e. increasing the capacity of local people to have a voice in local health and social care and/or influence service delivery
- Funds can be used to pay for the whole project or used in combination with other funds where appropriate.
- Priority will be given to applications that can demonstrate wide community support and need from local groups/people
- Funds will not be made available for any political or religious activity – however religious groups can apply if they meet the other criteria in application
- Projects must be to do with people, funds will not be made available to fund projects concerned with animals or the environment
- Projects will need to be underway by November 2010 and completed by mid February 2011.
- Funds cannot be used to fund salaries i.e. in relation to an existing post or to establish a new post. If a project requires additional help/staffing capacity, funds may be used for the remuneration of short-term project workers or volunteers
- Funds can be used for capital expenditure
- Funds can be combined to deliver a project across one or more groups/ networks/ organisations
- Work on the project must not have commenced, nor expenditure committed before an offer letter is received. Any invoices should not predate an offer letter.
- All invoices, receipts and accounts will be shared with the LINk as proof of expenditure
- Funds are not available for loan repayments, topping up accounts or transferring to another body
- Your group must use the LINk logo on any publicity materials or promotional work
- Feedback gathered must be shared with the LINk in the form of a written account of the outcomes and where appropriate the LINk should be invited to events related to the project work.
- You must encourage your network/membership (if relevant) to join the LINk
- You must report to the LINk on a regular basis about the success (or otherwise) of your proposal/project
- Your application should account for how you intent to spend the funds you are applying for.
How to apply
In order to apply, you need to complete an Application Form and send it to us before 30th September 2010.
You will need to explain:
- what the idea/scheme is
- why it is needed
- who will benefit
- how it will be implemented
- any additional funding you already have and from where
If you are successful...
Successful applicants will be informed before mid October 2010. They will be expected to send the results of their work to the LINk and complete and end-of-grant form when the project is complete.
What will we do with the results of the projects?
The results of these projects will be sent to the commissioners of the services that the projects are about. The commissioners are the people who design and run the services themselves – such as the Primary Care Trusts, who are responsible for GP Surgeries and health centres, or Hospital Trusts that run hospitals. These commissioners have a legal obligation to give consideration to the public's feedback and ideas.
So your project could really change the way things work and help people access services that help them
Contact us:
For more information, or to submit your application, contact us:
By phone:Office: 0118 936 0090 (we are often out and about, so please leave a message if we aren’t in, or ring The LINk helpline: 0300 1110102 - local rate)
By post: Freepost RSAC-KULA-LBTX, Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead LINk, Suite 3 First Floor, 26-28 Market Place, Wokingham, RG40 1AP
By email: BerkshireLINk@makesachange.org.uk
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