Hello and welcome to our newsletter! 

Every year, during the month of June, the LGBT+ community celebrates in a number of different ways. Across the globe, various events are held during this special month as a way of recognising the influence LGBT+ people have had around the world. Why was June chosen? Because it is when the Stonewall Riots took place, way back in 1969.  Only a few years later the first pride march in the UK took place in 1972. This was a transformative time for many people. For the first time, individuals who identified as queer could openly celebrate their identity without feeling ashamed.

Since then, many groups have formed to provide a wide range of support for the LGBT+ community. These groups include elop (East London Out Project) who lead the Tower Hamlets LGBT+ Community Forum bringing together people who live, work, study or socialize in the borough to discuss and influence issues that affect them, such as hate crime, asylum, faith and social care; Step Forward offers counselling and mentoring for young people, Aponghor British Bangladeshi LGBT+ provides a safe, inclusive space for queer Bangladeshis, and Positive East has been at the front for three decades providing HIV support from diagnosis to longer term care. There are also emerging groups like Bender Defenders  empowering the queer and trans community through Muay Thai and self-defense training.

In this newsletter, we will highlight some of the upcoming events and opportunities for you to get involved. Whether you are out and proud, questioning or closeted, or somewhere in between, we hope you will find something here that inspires you, supports you and connects you with others. 

This year’s big Pride in London event will take place on Saturday, July 1. It will start at noon at Hyde Park Corner and the grandstand in Haymarket will be open from about 11.30am for viewers.

“Hope will never be silent.” – Harvey Milk

HAPPY PRIDE!

The THCVS team

We need your help to gather data to understand the pressures across the VCS in Tower Hamlets. It should take less than 10 minutes to fill in.  
The purpose of this survey is to:  

• Understand the challenges and current issues in the sector
• Address the situation by advocating to statutory partners and funders
• Enable THCVS to respond with appropriate support

Results of the survey will be published on the THCVS website and in our news bulletin so that it can be used to advocate to strengthen the position of the sector. 
 
The survey is anonymous however you may enter the name of your organisation and email address if you want to be entered in our prize draw of three x £50.00 prizes for your organisation. If you would like to speak to someone about the survey please email jane.bell@thcvs.org.uk 

Thursday 8 June / 10.00 to 11:00am / Online

Join THCVS for a discussion on how you would like to connect and access opportunities and support. We can potentially offer support through networking meetings or newsletters but we want to hear what would work for you.

The NHS providers are interested in how communities can link into culture, arts, nature, environment and heritage organisations in order to support residents to:

• Improve their health and wellbeing
• Reduce their isolation
• Connect with social prescribing programmes and other support organisations
• Opportunities to get involved in coproduction opportunities

THCVS has been working with the Well Communities Research Collaborative that is researching the needs of communities in engaging with culture, arts, nature, environment and heritage programmes and the impact on resident’s well-being.

Thursday 22 June / 10.00pm to 1.00pm / Tower Hamlets Professional Development Centre 229 Bethnal Green Road, E2 6AB

Join the Health and Wellbeing forum to find out about the Health Determinants Research Collaborative (HDRC) and to give you the chance to tell us how you would like to be involved and how research can help your organisation. We will have presentations from LBTH on the new HDRC Programme and Queen Mary University (QMUL) on research approaches.

Join the Equalities Networks this Saturday 10th June at Stepney Green Park from 11:30am to enjoy a day of community activities for everyone!

Saturday 10 June /  11.30am to 4.30pm / Stepney Green Park

Sunday 11 June / 11.30am to 4.30pm / Queen Mary University’s Mile End Campus

The Festival of Communities was created by Queen Mary University of London in collaboration with Tower Hamlets community groups and organisations, to provide an opportunity where everyone can come together and share experiences. Save the date in your calendar for loads of FREE family activities, games and interactive experiences. Bring your family and friends and celebrate the best of Tower Hamlets!

Every Tuesday / 6.00 to 8.00pm / Toynbee Hall, 28 Commercial St, E1 6LS

Join elop for their weekly LGBT+ Social support group.This is a general social group and open to all to connect and talk. For more information and to sign up email events@elop.org.uk or call 07908 553744.

SAfH have launched a short survey to capture the views of adult men from minoritised ethnic groups in east London on mental health and wellbeing in the community. 

The survey will take approximately 5-8 minutes to complete, and responses are anonymous.  

The survey will help SAfH to shape our current and future work and make recommendations to other local providers, such as the NHS or local authority, about the best way to support Black, Asian and Minoritised ethnic men in our community.

This survey is part of SAfH wider men's wellbeing project, which aims to learn more about how best to support men from Black, Asian and Minoritised ethnic groups in our community with mental health, while offering a range of social support groups to improve wellbeing. 

The Equalities Hub is key to the new direction for the Council’s equalities provision, providing a central strategic focus, responding to the community’s needs and issues. The Hub will be vital to bringing about a more coordinated approach to equalities in the borough. If you want to find out more on how to get involved or if you have information you would like to share with the networks please get in touch.

2023 marks the 39th year of Volunteers’ Week. With this year’s theme of ‘Celebrate and Inspire’ Volunteers' Week hope to encourage people to be the change that we want to see and get involved in volunteering in whatever way works for them.

The contribution of volunteers is often unseen and unrecognised by many, visible only through the incredible impact of their volunteering, so taking the time during Volunteers’ Week to celebrate their efforts and all they contribute to our local communities, the voluntary sector and society as a whole has never been more important.

Volunteer Centre Tower Hamlets (VCTH) recruits volunteers for a wide variety of non-profit organisations in Tower Hamlets. The VCTH work with Volunteer Co-ordinators, providing them with free information, training and advice on all aspects of volunteering.

The VCTH can offer a great variety of volunteer roles. Times are flexible and opportunities range from admin, health and social care, teaching and mentoring, reading with children and one-off outdoor volunteering.

‘London’s Lifelines’ are a group of London-based organisations, charities and networks who’ve come together to form the London Volunteering Strategy Group (LVSG). They aim to:

• Show the scale and scope of volunteering in London
• Shine a light on Londoners everywhere who give their time for others
• Demonstrate how volunteers power London’s vital services and communities
  

The ‘London’s Lifelines’ campaign is the very first of its kind, to shout about all the different types of volunteering activities in London and the important part they play in building stronger communities.

'London’s Lifelines' are ordinary Londoners doing extraordinary things that keep our city going. With their help, a short film has been created to tell their stories and showcase the power of volunteering in London. 

Thursday 29 June / 9.30am to 12.30pm / registration from 9am / Professional Development Centre, 229 Bethnal Green Road, E2 6AB

Improving local health and care services by learning how to work together better: As people of Tower Hamlets, you know what is needed to improve health and wellbeing in the borough. The Council, the NHS and Community organisations in Tower Hamlets can do better at listening and working with people to make sure health and care services better address people’s needs. You can help shape this so local services and opportunities are more in line with what people want.

Wednesdays / 9.30am to 1.30pm & alternate Saturdays / 10.00am to 12.00pm / Victoria Park, Lock House Gate entrance to the park where Parnell Road meets Jodrell Road, E3 2LA

Bikeworks believe that cycling should be accessible and possible for everyone to enjoy. The Drop-in All Ability Cycling Clubs are designed for people with learning, physical and/or sensory disabilities to enjoy cycling on a range of adapted cycles, including single/tandem tricycles, side-by-side cycles for two or more people, wheelchair platform cycles and go-kart style recumbent cycles. The clubs are also a social and friendly place where you can meet the same people time after time.

After being shown how to use the cycles by our friendly volunteers and staff, attendees are free to cycle around the park or green space with their friends, family or carer.

Various Dates available / June 6, 7, 8 and 12

Tower Hamlets has a benefit calculator tool which enables practitioners to provide benefit and budgeting advice without needing to be experts in the benefits system. Features of the calculator include:

Compare income under current system and Universal Credit
Save and download information about benefits and how to maximise income
See which benefits couples can claim to maximise joint income
Policy in Practice provides Tower Hamlets with this benefits calculator and it has been arranged for them to provide training on Teams to more practitioners working with families in Tower Hamlets on their benefits calculator. If you or a colleague are interested in attending the training, please email alex@vcth.org.uk

Wednesday 21 June / 10.00am to 12.30pm / Online

The Children’s Society are holding a free Professionals’ Learning Events in Tower Hamlets. This event will bring together a broad range of multi-agency professionals and will provide bespoke training around identifying, referring and supporting young carers. This event will also provide attendees with the opportunity to understand the factors that can influence a young carer’s likelihood to remain hidden; associated vulnerabilities of being a young carer; and how a whole systems, whole family approach can be utilised to better support young carers.

This impact report from the London CVS Network highlights the vital role of local infrastructure in connecting, supporting, promoting and representing London’s voluntary and community sector. 

Wednesday 7 June / 10.30am to 2.00pm / Mile End Stadium, Mile End Road, E3 4DH

Vallance will be holding their 13th Annual Disability Sports Day Festival for people with Special Educational Needs & Learning Difficulties. This event is free! There will be a lunch and refreshment break between 12. 30pm to 1.15pm (please bring your own lunch). A medal will be provided to ALL participants.Click here for the timetable.

All groups and individuals who want to compete and are not members of Vallance need to arrive before 10-30am for registration and fill in the consent form at the Mile End Stadium reception. If your group will like to put out a stall on the day or if you have any questions, please email info@vallancecsa.org.uk.

Thursday 20 July / 1.00 to 4.00pm / Mile End Hospital Gardens Bancroft Road, E1 4DG

After a 4 year hiatus, it's time to reconnect and reunite across Tower Hamlets Together, our health and care partnership! Join THT to meet people working across Tower Hamlets, learn about each other's programmes and services, and enjoy refreshments, lunch, giveaways, wellbeing activities, and games in the Mile End Hospital Gardens. We will also be celebrating the 75th birthday of the NHS!

Why not apply to host a stand? If you are interested in hosting a stand at the event, just complete the short online form, outlining how your stall will demonstrate and benefit integrated working across the THT footprint. Closing date for applications:  21 May @5pm.

Do you have an idea for a community project in your local area that you want to raise money for? Spacehive, a community fundraising platform helps communities raise funds to improve their local areas: everything from spruced up playgrounds and new street markets, to city farms and learning hubs. Together with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Spacehive can help you crowdfund the money you need to bring your idea to life. You could get as much as £10,000 towards your fundraising total. 

Deadline: Friday 23 June @12 noon

The community grants programme ORT manages a small community grants programme which provides around £50,000. This supports locally led charities and groups to deliver projects in the area which focus on:

• Promoting Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion
• Further Education, Skills building, Training and Entrepreneurship
• Engaging Young People in Positive Activities
• Connecting Older People
  

The grants given have a positive impact in the local community and the relatively small sums given can allow transformative and creative schemes to take place, as well as enable the delivery of some key services in the area. Click here for the ORT area map. Click here here for a copy of the application form.

Deadline: Friday 30 June

The THICN YOF grants scheme has been designed to support local young people. Grants from £1000 to £5000 are available for activities for young people on the Isle of Dogs. For more information, contact zakaria.hussain@osmanitrust.org

Rolling deadline until 30 September

Wakefield Tetley Trust will offer grants from £500 to £6,000 for local initiatives that support their fund priorities to support marginalised communities and individuals by:

• Supporting urgent work 
• Supporting core activities and services
• Making a practical difference  

Grants of £6,000 will be exceptional; most awards will average £3,000. Please get in touch with them first if you intend to apply for the maximum amount. Organisations with an annual turnover under £600,000 and a track record of delivery are eligible to apply. Deadline for applications are open on a rolling basis, but the round will close when funds are allocated and no later than 30 September.

Fund Priorities: EECF has two funding streams: the Isle of Dogs Grants Chest and the Millwall Park Endowment Fund. Both funds will award grants to support positive community activities across their geographic areas of benefit. Through their grant-making, they aim to fund high-quality projects or services that will make a positive and long-lasting difference to local residents. Grant Amount: Grants of up to £10,000. Please click here to read the full guidelines.

Deadline Tuesday 15 August

The Public Health Research (PHR) Programme wishes to commission research on interventions aimed at reducing loneliness. Although social isolation and loneliness often come together, they are conceptually and empirically distinct from each other. This call is primarily interested in intervention aimed at reducing loneliness. The PHR programme is predominantly interested in interventions that are likely to have impact on populations at scale, addressing health inequalities and the underlying wider determinants of health

Deadline Tuesday 31 October 2023

Magic Little Grants is open for applications for £500 grants. It has simple 20-minute application process and an outcome within six weeks. Organisations must be in their first year of operation or have an annual income under £250k. Funding can be used to launch new projects, support existing ones, or cover core costs.

Charities and not-for-profit organisations working with children and young people can apply for Project Costs grants for up to £15k from BBC Children in Need. No deadline.

The National Databank provides free mobile data, texts and calls to people in need via Good Things Foundation’s network of local community partners. Think of it like a ‘food bank’ but for internet connectivity data. Community organisations can apply to access the databank, enabling them to provide data to people in their communities who need it.

Do you run a community group or any small organisation that supports One Housing or Riverside residents? One Housing have made £250,000 available in 2022/23 through their new Community Fund to help fund projects that promote opportunities and wellbeing and tackle poverty in our communities. If you’ve got an idea that could make a difference, they want to hear from you.

This funding aims to help communities across the UK to address climate change.

National Lottery Community Fund are looking for projects that focus on the link between nature and climate. They want to fund projects that use nature to encourage more community-led climate action. The NLCF expect these projects to bring other important social and economic benefits. Like the creation of strong, resilient and healthy communities or the development of ‘green’ skills and jobs.

Grants of between £300,000 and £500,000 are available, with grants of £50,000 to £150,000 over 12 to 18 months also available to constituted groups or clubs, voluntary or community organisations, registered charities, CIOs, SCIOs, CICs and more. The deadline for applications is ongoing.

Grants of between £300 and £10,000 are available for charities, voluntary groups, schools, and local authorities in England to carry out projects that will improve their local community. The aim of the grants programme is to support communities to thrive by funding projects that build strong relationships in and across communities. The deadline for applications is ongoing.

Do you require support with putting together or reviewing funding applications? The East London Business Alliance (ELBA) is a charity brokering opportunities to connect the corporate and community sectors. They are currently offering volunteer support to organisations who need help with writing and reviewing grant funding applications.

Employee volunteers from across ELBA's member companies are able to assist you with writing the application and/or reviewing a completed application. In some cases, they may be able to write a grant funding application on your behalf.

Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions, please contact Orlaith: orlaith.mcguinness@elba-1.org.uk