Building Thriving Communities Programme

Provides support for organisations facing funding and growth barriers. This support helps organisations develop their strategies and increase their resilience. Support may include writing bids on behalf of organisations where there is a skill gap or capacity issue.

If your Welcome Place would like to access support, please speak to your local Community Development Worker, or contact info@vas.org.uk.

We have a team of Cost of Living Link Workers and Community Development Workers in the Local Area Committee localities. They provide support to the Welcome Places network, helping them to develop services for their community and to get support around issues such as funding and volunteering.

To be put in touch with your local Community Development Worker, please contact costofliving@sheffield.gov.uk.

Citizens Advice Sheffield (CAS) can provide free training to staff and volunteers in local community organisations. The training helps with giving cost of living support and signposting. This reduces demand on CAS's specialist advisors and spreads knowledge in local communities.

For more information on the workshops currently available, speak to your Community Development Worker or contact community.trainers@citizensadvicesheffield.org.uk.

If you would like to receive a regular update with more information about the support available for your Welcome Place, and to aid you in helping your local community, subscribe to our Welcome Places Bulletin.

About b:friend

b:friend’s mission is to combat loneliness and social isolation and create new friendships in the community. Their social club in Gleadless runs weekly 2 hour sessions to boost wellbeing and meaningful community connections for older adults (65 years and over). The sessions are all carefully crafted and based on the Five Ways To Wellbeing. Although they do provide a warm space and refreshments, they are proud to be much more than a coffee morning.

Support received

As part of the Shared Prosperity Fund, b:friend was awarded £6,822 of cost of living grant funding to support it's weekly social club in Gleadless.

Impact: hear it from them

“The older neighbours in our community are often marginalised as they mainly live on a fixed income and due to health or mobility issues accessing services such as public transport can be very difficult.

"We regularly hear feedback that many of them are unable to access services or attend social events due to the costs. We aim to remove as many barriers as possible and bring our older neighbours together in an inclusive and accessible space.

"Our club is free, we only ask for a voluntary donation from members. They can access a warm and welcoming space with some refreshments and a new activity every week. 

"When organising external trips, thanks to the funding, we can cover transport costs - one of the major barriers that many of our older neighbours face when trying to access community activities.

"We were able to purchase food vouchers for 15 of our most vulnerable members, to help offset some of the food costs before Christmas. Many of our older neighbours told us that they don't go out during Christmas time as it is too busy and expensive, so the contribution was much appreciated.”

Background

Wharncliffe Side is a village in a relatively rural and deprived area of North Sheffield, with very few spaces to support social activities, with the result that there is a high level of social isolation amongst residents. 

The team at Brightholmlee Methodist church, one of the few community facilities in the area, were keen to establish support to address this need.

Support received

With support from Laura, a Community Development Worker funded by the Shared Prosperity Fund and based at Stocksbridge Leisure Centre, the church were able to launch a new community cafe.

Laura played a vital role in establishing the new service, supporting with hosting initial planning meetings, sourcing food and kitchen equipment, recruiting and training volunteers, as well as helping the team to register with the Food Standards Agency and promoting the new service within the community.

Impact

The cafe opened to 80 attendees on launch day, and now sees 40 to 50 regulars each week, providing affordable food and social connection. Attendees who initially arrived alone now come to socialise, building lasting friendships.

With Laura’s help, over 17 volunteers are now in place, helping to keep the new cafe running. 

Hear it from them

“The new cafe has been transformative, energising people and helping them to realise that they can make a difference in the community. Laura’s help has been invaluable. As a result of the cafe’s success, we’ve now worked together to set up a new Community Development Association, to help take other community projects forward, with over 40 people attending the first meeting”  

Ian, Brightholmlee Methodist Church.