Small charities are awesome!

In our Small Charity Week blog, Anne-Marie talks about the vital work of local small charities and how they have adapted and responded to the COVID-19 pandemic:

What the past three months have shown me is that small charities are awesome! They have truly made a massive difference in Salford and have been literal lifesavers.

During this past few months, I’ve been privileged to talk to so many people running small charities and heard their stories about what they have done and what they want to do. They have stepped up and made a difference enabling the communities they serve to have: enough food to eat; made sure people have vital medication; kept people connected through phone calls and other virtual means; ensured dogs were walked; educated children and adults online or sent packs to their homes; helped people escape domestic violence; kept people sane through online activities; rescued animals; kept homeless people safe and secure in accommodation; and much, much more.

Read our blog here.

Loneliness Awareness Week

Loneliness Awareness Week runs from the 15-19 June. All of us can experience loneliness at some point in our lives. The impact of Covid-19 has only shone a greater spotlight on the issue, so it’s time we started talking about it.

This year the awareness week will be extended to the weekend, encouraging virtual meet-ups through the Jo Cox Foundation’s ‘Great Get Together’.

For more information about the week and updated information and support on loneliness head to the ‘Let’s Talk Loneliness’ website.

This website brings together organisations, resources and inspirational stories that are united in a shared aim, to get more people talking about loneliness.

Find out more.

What we’ve been doing in lockdown

Anne-Marie, our Services Manager, shares what Salford CVS has been doing to adapt our services to the current COVID-19 situation:

If you said to me at the beginning of the year you would be living through a pandemic, working from home and wearing masks I would have asked what science fiction movie have you been watching?

But here were are.

In March the Development Team and Volunteers Centre had to decamp from downtown Eccles to our homes across Salford and beyond. This was a technological challenge at first, but everyone can now work from home and do the work we normally do – albeit differently.

The Volunteer Centre has had to change what it normally does and has been coordinating and recruited Emergency Response Volunteers as part of their role in the Spirit of Salford Network. They have had to process hundreds of references and DBS checks over the past few months as well as place people in emergency volunteer opportunities in both public and VCSE sector organisations. The people of Salford have shown how generous they are and over 600 people volunteered to be called upon to support food banks, cover helplines, shop for people, make deliveries of vital medicines and much more.

Read the blog in full.

#SalfordStories Activity Timetables

We have created weekly timetables of activities that support the wellbeing of adults and young people in Salford. The timetables include activities from local charities, community groups and social enterprises that have been supported by the Third Sector Fund (administered by Salford CVS and funded by NHS Salford CCG).

Wellbeing Timetable

This weekly timetable includes a range of activities that can help to boost wellbeing, including arts, reading and gardening challenges. Check out the wellbeing timetable here.

Families Timetable

This weekly timetable has fun and educational activities for children and young people. Check out the family timetable here.

#SalfordStories is a campaign celebrating the great work of local charities, community groups, social enterprises and volunteers. It is a chance to highlight good news and positive stories from Salford. 

You can join in by sharing your own Salford Stories on social media and tagging @SalfordCVS and using #SalfordStories - we will help to promote your good news.