Minutes

The group had split into 2 groups as follows: -

·         Services for BAME communities – to report back to Women’s Forum

·         FGM, HBV – to report to Police/NADASA initially

The reason being that the group was initially set up behalf of the Women’s Forum due to services struggling to get support for their clients on and it was important this group reported to the Forum.  Issues of FGM, HBV etc were very important issues and needed reporting back to a countywide forum rather than locally.  It was also felt there was not enough time to discuss all the issues in one meeting.

It was reported that there were some issues with the running of the group, not always knowing when the meetings were, the minutes not being very accurate and the Terms of Reference not yet being decided.  However, as Rachel explained her Officer was not used to doing minutes and was trying to fit in helping with the group with her day job and to remember that the time she took with the group was taking her away from her job which was working with the BAME community.  It was agreed that the meeting dates would be sent out by Debbie/Debs through the Forums but they did not have the capacity to do the minutes for the group.

Action: DB to follow up on next meeting date with Ruby / DM to find Women Forum TOR as a starting point for the FGM, HBV group.

Update: the next meeting is 9 February at 10am.  Please email Forums.NBC@northampton.gov.uk for joining details.

It had been agreed the event would be virtual this year – Saturday 6^th March.  It would be live streamed over You Tube and consist of a mix of live and recorded content.  There would be some performances (Rock Choir and Rachel’s band), workshops and interviews with women in a typically male orientated environment (Fire Service, Police, Football Team).  The Inspirational Woman award would be announced live, and previous winners were being asked to do a little video about what winning meant to them and a little catch up on what they were doing now.  Sally would see if Breastfriends had/could do a recorded session of art therapy or similar.  Neelam added that the dance performance used in the Diwali event could also be used (the dancers had performed live at IWD the last 2 years). Morcea suggested the Girls School might do a performance.

Alex reported that NCF had several funding opportunities open at the moment. 

Coronavirus Response and Recovery Fund

Please note that this fund is will re-open on Monday 8^th February.

The Coronavirus Response and Recovery Fund supports vital community projects as they continue to respond to exceptional challenges over the coming months. For those charitable groups well placed to take action, this additional funding aims to help them in their ongoing steps to provide the much-needed essential support to the most vulnerable members of our community during this public health crisis.

Crisis Response Grants - this is a rolling programme of up to £2000

Grants of up to £2,000 are available to support community action to help vulnerable people affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.  We will aim to make funding decisions as quickly as possible on a rolling basis while the fund is open.  All grants will be paid by BACS and you may receive a telephone call from a member of our team about your application to help speed up the decision-making process.

The Compton Fund - for Arts, Culture and Heritage wish to support a broad range of high-quality arts, culture and heritage activity across Northamptonshire. The fund will offer awards between £500 and £5000.
The Fund will consider a wide range of projects including:

• Community events and activities
• Heritage activity such as sharing local history
• Cultural activity such as a celebration of a new community’s way of life
• Arts activity such as putting on a play or musical performances
• Small or large pieces of equipment that relate to the aims of the fund

The next deadline for this fund is the 5^th March

The Northampton Queens Institute Fund- one-off grants of £10,000 to £20,000 for projects based in Northampton that are all about improving health and wellbeing.

Applications are welcomed for projects that achieve the following:
 
• Support and advocacy groups for people living with a health condition

• Community projects that promote emotional, mental and physical health and wellbeing

• Activities that reduce isolation or that provide social activity for vulnerable people to prevent loneliness

• Activities that provide help for people that need support to live in their own homes

• Activities that use arts, creativity, physical exercise and sport to support health and wellbeing

The next deadline for this fund is the 5^th March

The Northamptonshire Federation of Disability Sport Fund - a bursary scheme designed to support the county’s sports clubs, groups and non-profit organisations. The fund will offer grants of up to £1,000 for sport activities catering for any disability, sensory impairment and/or mental health problem.

The fund has been set up by the Northamptonshire Federation of Disability Sport with the aim to increase the number of disabled people involved in all aspects of sport, recreation and physical activity within Northamptonshire.

The maximum amount to be applied for is £1000 and projects can run for up to a year.

Is my group eligible?

•  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Covid – effects on mental health

BAME group update

International Women’s Day – evaluation of the event

Pauline wanted to record a big thank you to Rachel packman who had just retired before Christmas, for all the support she had given the forum.  This was agreed by all present.