Supporting Local Communities & Forums
By uniting, strengthening Peterborough’s voluntary, community sector, and championing our members and their work, we’re helping to make the sector’s impact greater than the sum of its parts and improve the quality of life for people across the city.
PCVS stands up for local charities, community groups, and volunteers and gives a voice to the voluntary services sector in Peterborough. With more than 500 members, we’ve been supporting Peterborough’s charities and volunteering groups for 40 years.
Peterborough Council for Voluntary Service provides a wide range of support services to both member groups and the wider community. We have a diverse range of members from different ethnic backgrounds, faiths and disabilities.
Our support for local communities includes an events newsletter for members (click here to access it) and running regular forums. Please find a summary of the forums we run below.
If you are interested in joining any of our forums and for more information, please email communities@pcvs.co.uk
Disability Forum
To meet regularly and share important information and discuss issues affecting disabled people, their families and carers.
News
- The Department of Work and Pensions has developed a new tool to help employers through common health and disability scenarios at work. You can access it here.
Recent Projects
- Working on local disability issues such as accessible transport, wheel chair provision and changing places
- Supporting the national Ask Don't Assume Campaign
- Taking part in awareness campaigns with partners supporting Disability History Month through Reasonable Adjustment and Socially Accessible (now online) exhibitions.
Last Disability Forum Meeting (March)
We discussed the possibilities of consulting with the forum over the plans for Peterborough's new station quarter, shared organisation and project updates (including changing places toilets). Participants came from local community groups including Shine, RNIB, Age UK and Little Miracles.
Next Disability Forum
Thursday 9th May 2024 via Zoom at 11am
Monday 8th July 2024 via Zoom at 11am
News
- The Department of Work and Pensions has developed a new tool to help employers through common health and disability scenarios at work. You can access it here.
Recent Projects
- Working on local disability issues such as accessible transport, wheel chair provision and changing places
- Supporting the national Ask Don't Assume Campaign
- Taking part in awareness campaigns with partners supporting Disability History Month through Reasonable Adjustment and Socially Accessible (now online) exhibitions.
Last Disability Forum Meeting (March)
We discussed the possibilities of consulting with the forum over the plans for Peterborough's new station quarter, shared organisation and project updates (including changing places toilets). Participants came from local community groups including Shine, RNIB, Age UK and Little Miracles.
Next Disability Forum
Thursday 9th May 2024 via Zoom at 11am
Monday 8th July 2024 via Zoom at 11am
Domestic Abuse Forum
To develop and maintain a consistent approach to supporting Domestic Abuses Survivors in the City.
The forum has carried out a mapping exercise of organisations offering support for survivors and have been sharing policies, best practise and training experiences.
Recent Projects
- Supporting local 16 Days of Activism events
- Consultation in the county strategy
- Organised Peterborough Pull together conference
- Attended the Local Authority's Domestic Abuse conference.
Last DA Forum Meeting
A sub group met to discuss ideas to better support survivors with no recourse to public funds whilst they await a decision regarding this status.
Last forum meeting discussed a film show to mark Karma Nirvana's day of memory.
Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Newsletter
Click here for the latest Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Partnership's newsletter.
Next Domestic Abuse Forum
Film show in July, to be advised
The forum has carried out a mapping exercise of organisations offering support for survivors and have been sharing policies, best practise and training experiences.
Recent Projects
- Supporting local 16 Days of Activism events
- Consultation in the county strategy
- Organised Peterborough Pull together conference
- Attended the Local Authority's Domestic Abuse conference.
Last DA Forum Meeting
A sub group met to discuss ideas to better support survivors with no recourse to public funds whilst they await a decision regarding this status.
Last forum meeting discussed a film show to mark Karma Nirvana's day of memory.
Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Newsletter
Click here for the latest Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Partnership's newsletter.
Next Domestic Abuse Forum
Film show in July, to be advised
Food Poverty Forum
Reguarly meeting to discuss the issues around food poverty within the city, difficulties and how we may come together and try to resolve them.
The forum is working towards overcoming the problems of increasing demand, shortages in the supply of fresh food and recruiting volunteer helpers.
Last Food Poverty Forum (March)
The group discussed some of the key challenges facing food providers, in particular reducing levels of stock and uncertainty over the long-term future of the Household Support Fund. Also, looked at some of the models beings adopted across the country that are seeking to provide more sustainable food provision, a key topic that will feature in future meetings.
Next Food Poverty Forum
25 July via Zoom at 1pm
24 September via Zoom at 1pm
25 November via Zoom at 1pm
Recent Projects
- Don't Go Hungry booklet
The forum is working towards overcoming the problems of increasing demand, shortages in the supply of fresh food and recruiting volunteer helpers.
Last Food Poverty Forum (March)
The group discussed some of the key challenges facing food providers, in particular reducing levels of stock and uncertainty over the long-term future of the Household Support Fund. Also, looked at some of the models beings adopted across the country that are seeking to provide more sustainable food provision, a key topic that will feature in future meetings.
Next Food Poverty Forum
25 July via Zoom at 1pm
24 September via Zoom at 1pm
25 November via Zoom at 1pm
Recent Projects
- Don't Go Hungry booklet
Health and Wellbeing Forum
The newest of all the forums, amalgamated from the former Mental Health Forum. Meetings take place online within the context of a rapidy developing health agenda.
Last Health and Wellbeing Forum
Health Information Day event held on 20 May, where key stakeholders in the Health System explained their roles to community groups, to enable them to support local people access the right parts of the system.
Next Health and Wellbeing Forum
2 July 2024
Last Health and Wellbeing Forum
Health Information Day event held on 20 May, where key stakeholders in the Health System explained their roles to community groups, to enable them to support local people access the right parts of the system.
Next Health and Wellbeing Forum
2 July 2024
Women's Forum
Forum currently on hold
Discuss the issues and difficulties women face within the city, how these voices can be amplified, and where the gaps are within the city. Supporing local International Women's Day events.
In 2024 the Peterborough Women's Forum organised an IWD event at the New Theatre in Peterborough. The forum held a mini survey of issues affecting women in Peterborough, held self-defence classes, a menopause workshop, had a catwalk with women showcasing traditional costume and enjoyed some great food and entertainment.
Discuss the issues and difficulties women face within the city, how these voices can be amplified, and where the gaps are within the city. Supporing local International Women's Day events.
In 2024 the Peterborough Women's Forum organised an IWD event at the New Theatre in Peterborough. The forum held a mini survey of issues affecting women in Peterborough, held self-defence classes, a menopause workshop, had a catwalk with women showcasing traditional costume and enjoyed some great food and entertainment.
Future Forum
Meeting several times a year to discuss various subjects important to local VCS organisations. Our last Future Forum was held in January 2024 on the subject 'Making the Case for Peterborough.' sharing examples of good practise and discussing what is good (and what could be great) about Peterborough.
Last Future Forum
We focussed on Making the Case for Peterborough. Gill from PCVS showed the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough insight portal which stores lots of data sets. Josh from PCVS presented the health inequalities data. As examples of good practice locally Ali Lyons presented the evaluation of PCVS' Recovery Project forums, and Sarah Haythornthwaite from Peterborough Presents gave an overview of their work and evolution of approach over that last 10 years.
The attendees discussed the opportunities that the inequalities in health and deprivation offered the sector in the city to demonstrate their worth, and what they perceived as barriers to being able to make the most of this. They also discussed what is good in the sector in the city which could be great, and what else needs to be addressed by the sector in the city.
Last Future Forum
We focussed on Making the Case for Peterborough. Gill from PCVS showed the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough insight portal which stores lots of data sets. Josh from PCVS presented the health inequalities data. As examples of good practice locally Ali Lyons presented the evaluation of PCVS' Recovery Project forums, and Sarah Haythornthwaite from Peterborough Presents gave an overview of their work and evolution of approach over that last 10 years.
The attendees discussed the opportunities that the inequalities in health and deprivation offered the sector in the city to demonstrate their worth, and what they perceived as barriers to being able to make the most of this. They also discussed what is good in the sector in the city which could be great, and what else needs to be addressed by the sector in the city.