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 a noticeboard 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.

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 country 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.

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
Wednesday 24th April 2024 via Zoom 10:30

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. 

Next Food Poverty Forum 
Thursday 21st March via Zoom at 1pm.

Recent projects
Don't Go Hungry booklet
- Producing Christmas opening Padlet (2022)

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 
We hosted Amber Oberg from Integrated Neighbourhoods describing their role. Megan from the JOY app developers demonstrated this referral and evaluation tool. Anna from PCVS described her new role and the support we are now able to offer with engaging with health services. We also discussed how the voluntary sector who work together through the forums might be able to support each other in attending the large number of meetings that are currently being organised. Easing work pressure and making sure we are all kept in the loop.

Next Health and Wellbeing Forum
'Navigating the Health System,' Wednesday 20th March, at 12:00 on Zoom.  

Women's Forum

Meeting reguarly to discuss the issues and difficulties women are facing 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.

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