World Book Night – Here are Cheryl Brown and June Wilson, Midlothian Sure Start, receiving copies of “The Time Traveller’s Wife” from Ian Cheyne, MVA, to distribute.
Midlothian Voluntary Action is turning a page by supporting World Book Night on April 23rd. World Book night is an international celebration of reading and books. Tens of thousands of volunteers in the UK, Ireland, Germany and the USA will gift books to people in their communities in order to share their love of reading.
The book chosen by Midlothian Voluntary Action is “The Time Traveller’s Wife”, by Audrey Niffenegger. From Charles Dickens to Stephen King via Roald Dahl and Jane Austen, twenty five books were shortlisted for World Book Night and staff at MVA opted for this intriguing tale which blends romance and science fiction.
MVA Development Officer, Lesley Kelly, herself an award-winning short story writer explained:
“The purpose of World Book Night is to share the joy of reading by gifting a book to people who may not necessarily ever read for pleasure. MVA shall be giving copies of “The Time Traveller’s Wife” to chosen local charities and voluntary organisations in Midlothian for them to distribute. Hopefully this wonderfully imaginative novel will inspire people to give reading a try and who knows, may even start them on a lifelong journey of reading.”
World Book Night will take place on Monday 23rd of April where a variety of events will be taking place across the UK to encourage people to take up reading. Currently one in six people in the UK experience difficulties with reading and writing. This can compromise health and well-being as well as confidence and employability. The event intends to promote literacy as well as celebrate books. It also looks to inspire those who have never discovered the value of reading. April 23rd was chosen as World Book Night as it is the date of the birth and death of William Shakespeare.
Philip Wark, Midlothian Library Services Manager added:
“As stated above reading is really important for all sorts of reasons and World Book Night gives everyone the opportunity of obtaining a free book to keep forever. For those wishing to further indulge in the reading habit your local library is available throughout the year and is free to join. You can borrow up to 20 books at a time for four weeks and yes it is absolutely free. Check the library website for further information.”
1. Accounts and Independent Examinations
If your financial year end is 31 March (as is the case for many organisations), you should be gathering together the information required to compile your accounts. When your accounts actually need to be prepared depends on a number of things, including requirements of your constitution and your funders.
2. OSCR Annual Return
OSCR (the Office of the Charity Regulator) issues the Annual Return form to charities shortly after the end of their financial year. This requires to be submitted to OSCR within 9 months of the charity’s financial year end – see the OSCR website www.oscr.org.uk for further information. If you are a charity, and have not received an OSCR form within a month or so of your financial year end, you should check with OSCR – you may have forgotten to inform OSCR of a change of contact/address, or it may just have got lost in the post!
If, however, you have registered to submit your return online, you may not receive information until June – see http://www.oscr.org.uk/about-oscr/oscr-online/ for further information or to register.
3. Monitoring
Again, if your financial year ends on 31 March, you may be asked to submit monitoring forms to your funders. The turn around timescale can vary but is usually fairly short. As April is a major holiday period, this can mean many organisations frantically trying to submit monitoring forms when half the staff is away! Forward planning and the constant updating of records makes life easier. However, if you are like MVA, and have staff funded by a number of funders, you are likely still to be very busy!
If you find you are struggling to provide the information funders are looking for this year, I would suggest that you start thinking ahead for next year – the website of Evaluation Support Scotland provides some useful resources – http://www.evaluationsupportscotland.org.uk/resources1.asp?id=28.
4. Business Plan
Even if you have an existing Business Plan, April is a good time to revisit it for many organisations (particularly ones funded by local authorities and the Scottish Government) as information on grants being awarded is often issued in March. If funding bids have been turned down, or less money is being provided than asked for, you will need to re-examine your Business Plan to fit resources.
5. Funding
If you have received less funding than you hoped for, and you are a voluntary sector organisation based in Midlothian, remember that Lesley Kelly, Development Officer (Funding), Midlothian Voluntary Action – tel: 0131 663 9471, may be able to help you find further funding.
1. Accounts and Independent Examinations
If your financial year end is 31 March, you should be getting ready to prepare your Annual Accounts.
If you will be preparing your accounts yourselves, you should make sure that the Treasurer or relevant member of staff will be available to work on them – just after the end of the financial year is not the ideal time for lengthy holidays!!. Workloads should be timetabled where possible to ensure the staff involved have ring-fenced time available.
Your governing document should state when you are required to hold an Annual General Meeting – hopefully you have allowed yourself sufficient time to get accounts prepared and examined. If the timescale is unrealistically tight, I would suggest you amend your constitution – you do not want too long a timescale as accounts are required to be submitted with your OSCR and/or Companies House Annual Return if you are a charity. Time required will depend on size of organisation and complexity of accounts.
2. Monitoring
A number of funders are likely to require monitoring returns completed shortly after 31 March, regardless of your own end of financial year. Sometimes the turn around is very short, for example, a couple of weeks, so organisations should ensure they are prepared and ready to get the completed in time.
3. Planning for your Annual General Meeting (AGM)
If your financial year end is 31 March, you should now be thinking of planning your AGM, if you have not already done so. Your governing document should state how quickly after the year end this is required, so you should make sure you comply.
4. Thinking about Changes to your Governing Document
If you have been thinking that you need changes to your governing document (e.g. constitution), a few months before your AGM is a good time to start planning. First of all you need to check your constitution to check you ARE allowed to change it, and how e.g. at AGM, notice of resolution required etc. Remember, this process can be lengthy as changes will need to be drafted, approved by Committee/Board, then sent out in plenty of time to members for AGM – often 21 days (may be more).
Further information:
1. Accounts
The financial year end of many organisations is 31 March, so February is a good time to start making sure you have all records that are required to pull together accounts,
including invoices, receipts etc.
2. Monitoring
Many funders require monitoring returns as at the end of their financial year, which is usually 31 March. February is a good time to prepare for this, e.g. making sure you know what information you require to gather; where information is stored; that relevant people know what they are required to do.
3. Planning for the year ahead
If you have not already produced a Business Plan for the following year, it might be a good
idea to start one now. February is also a good time to start reviewing other plans and policies.
Three hundred families across Midlothian, including family units such as foster carers, kinship carers and siblings with caring responsibilities, are to benefit from an award of £899,081 to Midlothian Sure Start. In partnership with a range of voluntary groups, Midlothian Community Health Partnership and Midlothian Council, the project will work with families before they reach crisis point to help them plan for a better future and in turn reduce the likelihood of involving child protection agencies. The project will have a particular focus on reaching out to disabled children and those whose families are affected by unemployment and substance misuse.
Sheila Thacker, Chair, Midlothian Sure Start, said: “We are thrilled to receive this grant. This funding allows Midlothian Sure Start in partnership to help the community meet an identified need. Families have been telling us that we make a significant difference in helping them raise their children with confidence. Each change in children’s lives can bring fresh challenges. This grant will help us to ensure that early gains are not lost and families receive the help they need, when they need it.”
Midlothian Sure Start was one of three projects in Scotland receiving the funding.
Maureen McGinn, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, said: “I am delighted that around 800 families in Scotland are to benefit from this first investment from the Improving Futures programme. These groundbreaking Scottish projects will help to give some of Scotland’s most vulnerable children the best start in life by providing tailored and joined up support for families before they reach the point of crisis. Together they will unite some of the country’s leading children’s charities, key voluntary organisations and public services to reach out in new ways to families who have fallen under the radar thereby helping them to plan for a better future.”
The application was endorsed by the Midlothian Community Planning Partnership.
Cllr Alex Bennett, Cabinet member with responsibility for Community Planning, Midlothian Council, said: “This is great news. Midlothian Sure Start already do a great job in helping children and families get off to a good start and this funding will allow them to do even more for the benefit of people in Midlothian. We are delighted to be able to support them in their important work.”
MVA produce 3 main e-briefings: Training News; Funding Signpost; and Midlothian Info – to find out more information on these see our website http://www.mvacvs.org.uk
Hi
Do you have any workplace New Year’s Resolutions?
Are you a voluntary sector organisation or community group working in/based in Midlothian?
• Perhaps this is the year you get that new project of the ground – if you need funding come and talk to me about it!
• Or perhaps this is the year you finally embrace social media (or at least find out a bit more about it!). Talk to Kash, our Social Media Officer, on 663 9471 if you would like to discuss social media and your organisation, or look out for our forthcoming training sessions;
• Or perhaps this is the year you finally get the recognition that your organisation deserves…
I have produced a document that brings together a series of different awards, all celebrating third sector excellence – everything from Charity of the Year, Director of the Year, Scottish Care Awards, environmental awards, you name it – there’s an award for it. In a time of very competitive funding, raising your organisation profile and having your quality externally recognised can be very useful. So let’s make 2012 the year that Midlothian organisations get the recognition they deserve – apply or nominate!
Lesley
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Dr Lesley Kelly, Development Officer (Funding)
Midlothian Voluntary Action, 4/6 White Hart Street
Dalkeith EH22 1AE
0131 663 9471
MVA will be closed on Friday 23 December and will reopen at 8.30 am on Thursday 5 January 2012.
After some consultation, MVA has regretfully decided to cancel today’s Voluntary Sector Forum meeting because of the severe weather warnings and scheduled school closures.
We will send out the date of the next meeting as soon as possible.
