Derbyshire Carers Association (DCA) are proud to launch their new project – The Young Carers GP Project: ‘Are you Young Carer aware?’

NHS England are funding DCA to work with GP surgeries across Derbyshire to help them to identify and support young carers in their communities. They want to make GP surgeries accessible to Young Carers and help these children to feel valued in their caring role.

Find out more: https://www.derbyshirecarers.co.uk/young-carers-gp-project

Rural Action Derbyshire (RAD) are now offering further Suicide Awareness Training (SAT) dates. RAD believe that suicide is everybody’s concern, and that individual tragedies can be prevented. RAD aim to increase awareness around the subject and to help remove the stigma which can be a barrier for those who need help and support in a time of crisis. This free training is supported by funding from Derbyshire County Council. 

The training consists of both individual online e-learning and a group virtual training session delivered via Zoom. The e-learning consists of three short modules which take approximately 1 hour to complete in total and which MUST be completed prior to attending the half-day group virtual training.

This training package enables participants to:

• Examine their own and society’s attitudes to suicide
• Find out about (and challenge) the myths that surround suicide
• Discover possible suicide risk factors and warning signs
• Find out how they might help someone at risk of suicide 
• Share learning with other people working and volunteering in Derbyshire

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This event is only available for people in Derbyshire (excluding Derby City) working either in a paid or voluntary capacity with the public (particularly vulnerable groups at greater risk of suicide and self-harm) or acting as community representatives. Please note that registering your place on Eventbrite does not guarantee a place for you on the course. Registrations will be reviewed to ensure that places are given to delegates who meet the above criteria.

Due to the nature of this training, numbers have been reduced so there is likely to be a much higher demand than there are places available in the short-term. Therefore RAD will not be able to offer more than two places per organisation per date. RAD can only offer these limited places on a first come first served basis, but RAD will of course be offering more dates in the coming months if you do not secure a place initially.

To see availability and request a place please follow the links below for each date and complete the registration process. A link to the e-learning will be sent to you when your place is confirmed.

Monday 18^th January 2021 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/130222449853

Tuesday 2^nd February 2021 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/130223264289

Wednesday 24^th February 2021 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/130223452853

Thursday 4^th March 2021 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/130223751747

Monday 15^th March 2021 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/130223964383

Tuesday 30^th March 2021 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/130224144923

www.mhmotorbike.com

The choice is yours #Chesterfield!

We need a name for a new Facebook Page for our #VolSector ‘s #SharedSpaceHub project! Launched Feb (Report: http://ow.ly/fzQt50Cqn1b) & now re-energised via a #CollectiveProcurement project and this FB page called….?

• Chesterfield Hubbub
• Hipper Com.Hub Chest’fld
• All for One (One for All)
• Hipper Hub

Vote here: https://twitter.com/ComChesterfield/status/1329827226146271232

Friday 27 November will mark Fuel Poverty Awareness Day 2020 and your support is needed more than ever to get key messages out to vulnerable people this winter.

Figures published by National Energy Action (NEA) state that around 4 million households in the UK are in fuel poverty, unable to live in a warm dry home.

Fuel poverty in England is measured using the Low Income High Costs (LIHC) indicator. Under the LIHC indicator, a household is considered to be fuel poor if:

• they have required fuel costs that are above average (the national median level)
• were they to spend that amount, they would be left with a residual income below the official poverty line

There are 3 important elements in determining whether a household is fuel poor:

• household income
• household energy requirements
• fuel prices

The energy efficiency of your home will also impact on your fuel costs and can be another factor contributing to fuel poverty.

If you are struggling to pay your fuel bills

For information and support on the following issues, the The Citizen’s Advice Bureau has comprehensive webpages:

• A problem with your fuel bill
• Struggling to pay your fuel bill
• How to switch energy providers
• Problems with your supply
• Problems with your meter (including pre-payment meters)

The following organisations and projects also provide information and support:

• Derbyshire County Council – Keep Warm in Winter
• Warmer Derby & Derbyshire
• Citizen’s Advice Derbyshire Branches
• Rural Action Derbyshire
• Derbyshire Community Hub
• The Money Advice Service
• Turn2Us
• StepChange

Derbyshire County Council has also produced the Healthy, Warm and Well Booklet for the general public.

The High Peak Connect COVID 19 Support Grant is a small grant scheme funded by the Health and Wellbeing Partnership for High Peak and managed by High Peak CVS. It aims to support new groups that have responded to the current COVID 19 pandemic or existing groups that have been directly impacted by the Coronavirus. 

Applications can be made by any voluntary / community group or local people within High Peak who have come together to support the health and wellbeing of their community during the pandemic.  Applications that support the following High Peak Connect focus areas will be prioritised but all applications will be considered;

• Supporting expectant or new families
• Supporting mental health and wellbeing
• Supporting children and young people 

Grants of up to £500 are available.  Consideration will be given to requests for help with core costs and operational expenditure where evidence shows this will aid the longer term sustainability of the group. 

Pre- application advice and the application form / application guidance is available from High Peak CVS.  Donna@highpeakcvs.org.uk

Deadline – none

Debbie Fennell has joined Derbyshire Voluntary in the newly-created role of ‘Social Connectedness Development Worker.’

Debbie joins the DVA team to play a key role in the ‘Feeling Connected in North East Derbyshire and Chesterfield’ project – an initiative to improve local approaches to tackling social isolation and reducing the impact of loneliness.

Debbie, who describes herself as a ‘people person,’ has nine years’ experience of working in the voluntary and community sector, most recently as a Project Coordinator at Age Concern Chesterfield and District, where she was responsible for the ‘Active Age’ project.

In her new role, she will work out and about in communities across Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire, supporting residents and communities to create and take up opportunities to be better socially connected.

Debbie says, ‘My role is about building relationships with people who want to make a difference in their street, estate, village, town or workplace – and to be responsive in helping them in whatever way they need.  It’s a challenging time to be starting a job like this, but even in lockdown there are many ways we can all keep our spirits up and continue to connect with family, friends and the people who live around us.’

If you have ideas about keeping your community connected this winter, Debbie would love to hear from you.  Call her on 07547 342251, email debbie@dva.org.uk or find her on facebook: FeelingConnectedNEDC.

Due to very high demand for places on the Derbyshire County Council Public Health virtual Adult Mental Health First Aid courses, 2 extra new courses have been added in before the end of this year. Dates for these 2 new course dates are below. Places are still currently available but are likely to fill-up very quickly. Please note each virtual course comprises 4 live sessions and self-learning, all of which must be completed to qualify as a Mental Health First Aider.

• 4 live sessions: 7 December (morning), 9 December (morning), 14 December (morning), 16 December (morning) – deadline for booking is 23 November 2020

• 4 live sessions: 8 December (morning), 10th December (morning), 15 December (morning), 17 December (morning) – deadline for booking is 23 November 2020

For further information including how to book please visit the Mental health training webpage

The North East Derbyshire Together Events are a series of free drop-in sessions, taking place in different parts of the district, whereby residents can engage directly with health and wellbeing service providers.

Due to current restrictions, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the last two North East Derbyshire Together Events in Wingerworth and Eckington have, sadly, had to be cancelled. This directory has been produced as a safe method of sharing the same health and wellbeing information with the residents of these communities.

Information and contact details of organisations which provide invaluable support to local residents can be found in the Directory.