Completed Recovery Project Forums
Born out of our work during the Covid-19 pandemic our forums are now the established voice of the community and used by government and other bodies to consult the community.
The Disability and Health Forums are continuing, but the Domestic Abuse, Food Poverty and Future Forums have all ran their natural course.
Domestic Abuse Forum
We aimed to develop and keep a consistent approach to supporting Domestic Abuse Survivors in the City.
Domestic Abuse forum dissolved as many of the members became part of a Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Partnership (DASV) that works across the county in a strategic way to deliver joined up services and support.
Peterborough DA survivor Film
Supported local 16 Days of Activism events – Peterborough City Council worked with partner organisations and local charities Impakt, Peterborough Women’s Aid, Peterborough Rape Crisis Care Group and Living Keys to develop a short film showcasing lived experiences of Domestic Abuse victims to recognise White Ribbon Day.
The film can be viewed at: Domestic Abuse Stories
Successes
- Mapping exercise of organisations offering support for survivors
- Shared policies, best practise and training experiences.
- 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
Food Poverty Forum
This forum discussed issues around food poverty within the city, the difficulties experienced and how we could come together and try to resolve them.
The forum worked towards overcoming the problems of increasing demand, shortages in the supply of fresh food and recruiting volunteer helpers.
The work of this forum transferred to the Food Poverty Partnership led by the local authority, which involves VCSE organisations and groups as equal partners and integrated the outcomes and aims of the Food Poverty Forum.
Successes
- In 2023 we collaborated on a Food Mapping exercise.
- In 2024 we posted regular Food Poverty News to identify where help was available.
- In 2025, in collaboration with PCC colleagues, we hosted an event themed around “Building Sustainable Hubs”, where representatives from hubs, were able to share their thoughts of what was working well and what wasn’t, raise concerns and identify what was needed to build a more sustainability.
Future Forum
Future forum discussed various subjects important to local Voluntary Community Sector organisations.
Successes
The Forum met annually to discuss issues important across the city and VCSE.
In January 2024 we held our final Future Forum on the subject ‘Making the Case for Peterborough.’ sharing examples of good practice and discussing what is good (and what could be great) about Peterborough. We showed the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough insight portal which stores lots of data sets. PCVS also 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 show 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.