Welcome to the January 2022 Cambridgeshire Matters newsletter.
Welcome to the second edition of the resurrected Cambridgeshire Matters newsletter. This monthly newsletter aims to share good news, highlights and updates from across Cambridgeshire to help our network of district, city and community members stay informed.
Please do share this e-newsletter with your parish council colleagues and feel free to use any of the features in your own newsletter or social media.
Household Support Fund helps those most in need
Cambridgeshire County Council is offering a payment of £20 to all 39,000 people in the county on Universal Credit to help them manage the rising costs of living this winter.
Announced earlier this month, anyone receiving Universal Credit can apply for this payment by filling in a simple form.Thousands of people have already been supported through the fund, however a considerable number of those thought to be eligible have yet to make a claim.
Cllr Tom Sanderson, Chair of the council’s Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee (CoSMIC) said; “With rising energy and other essential bills, and the £20 reduction of Universal Credit last October, households in Cambridgeshire are already having to choose between heating and eating. We want to make sure this fund can help everyone who needs it now and highlight what other help it might be able to provide.”
Please help us reach as many people as possible by sharing or retweeting our Household Support Fund messaging on social media.
Local Councils Conference
More than 130 councillors from across Cambridgeshire came together online to attend the 6th annual Cambridgeshire Local Councils Conference on 14 January.
The full day event was attended by councillors and clerks from town and parish councils. District and county councillors also attended as well as representatives from organisations that work with, and support, local councils across Cambridgeshire.
The conference was launched by Councillor, Tom Sanderson, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee, and followed by keynote speakers Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Darryl Preston, Police and Crime Commissioner.
Cllr Sanderson said “Local councils are the foundations for good local government and community work and without their hard work and dedication the public wouldn’t get the help and support they need and the other tiers such as district and county councils wouldn’t function as well.
“This has been so clearly demonstrated during the pandemic when local councils came into their own and helped during this unprecedented and on-going crisis.”
Delegates also took part in conversations and panel discussions on how best partners can work together to improve our local communities. Six learning and development workshops were popular and well attended, with subject matters including Emergency Flooding, tackling Climate Change and Community engagement.
Videos and highlights from the conference will soon be available to watch via the Cambridgeshire County Council YouTube channel:
Stay safe, stay working, get the jabs
Everyone over the age of 12 is now eligible to receive their Covid-19 vaccination, which has proven to be the best defence against becoming seriously ill from the virus.
With winter in full swing, it is more important than ever that people take up the opportunity to receive the vaccine to keep themselves, their families and co-workers safe.
Over 1.9 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough so far, however we still need more people to come forward for their first, second, third primary or booster dose to keep those most vulnerable in society safe.
The latest campaign from Cambridgeshire County Council continues to urge employers to encourage their staff to take up the Covid-19 vaccine to protect their workplace and their families to keep people moving. It includes social media posts and a video featuring Anca Roman, who runs Buchan House Care Home in Cambridge. You can watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/-oaEuccMBRQ #GetTheJabs
Cambridgeshire Against Scams Partnership
Spring will soon be upon us and with it the necessity to find trades people to fix the ravages of winter. This will no doubt lead to an increase in rogue traders who overcharge for poor quality goods and services, or demand money upfront and then don’t show up to do the job. Our advice is, use trusted sites who rigorously check trades people such as Safelocaltrades.com, and don’t pay upfront for work.
In addition, increased online shopping due to Covid-19 and Christmas has led to a scam letting you know there is unpaid postage on your parcel. It is rare for postage charges to be wrong these days, so our advice is don’t respond to these messages, even if you are expecting a parcel!
For more information on both of these, visit the Against Scams Partnership - Cambridgeshire County Council website or follow @CAPA5P on Twitter, @capasp19 on Instagram or @CAPASP19 on Facebook.
DCMS Youth Investment Fund available
The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) has launched phase 1 of the Youth Investment Fund (YIF) and £10m is now available in small capital grants for youth work providers across England. The fund will be distributed by Children in Need and will officially open on 31 January 2022.
The Think Communities Youth in Communities team is busy working with eligible community partners to see how they might wish to access the fund, as well as Community Interest Companies (CIC), sports clubs, uniformed organisations and charities. Cambridgeshire schools that deliver services to 11–19-year-olds (SEND up to 25) in eligible areas can also apply for a capital grant of between £5,000 and £50,000. All funding must be spent by 31 March 2022.
The fund can be viewed here but includes the whole of Peterborough, East Chesterton (Cambridge City), Huntingdon North and 14 wards across Fenland.
Since the announcement of the fund the Youth in Communities team has mobilised a specialist task and finish group to offer support to the network of community youth providers in the eligible areas, making direct contact with those known to be eligible and who have the potential to access the fund. The Think Communities team is excited to be able to support some of the most valued and hardworking third sector partners, including proposals that support development and digital inclusion across the county.
For further information on the YIF or to find out more about the work of the Youth in Communities team and how it can enable, support and collaborate with partners please contact YouthinCommunties@Cambridgeshire.gov.uk or Liz.Morris@Cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Winter Warmers
The Think Communities team would like to say a massive thank you to people in Huntingdonshire who participated in the 2021 /22 Winter Warmers Campaign.
The Winter Warmers Scheme is an initiative supported by local community knitting, crochet and sewing groups and individuals who want to make blankets for residents, including families and older people living in Huntingdonshire. Over 200 donations have been received and distributed through local community organisations.
“From the fabulous donators with their incredible blanket creations, our library colleagues who opened their doors to receive them, our partners who helped with the distribution, to the wonderful organisations that received the donations to distribute to those in need, we extend our heartfelt thanks!” from the Think Communities Huntingdon team.
Please follow us on Facebook @TCHunts to see the photos of the campaign. Thank you so much for your support.
