AGM 2011

Pictured left to right:  Phil Clay, Chairman; Walter Park, Vice Chairman; Gordon Birtwistle MP; Susan Hughes, Trustee; Terry Hephrun, Chief Officer.

Role of CVS

CVS is a local development agency which exists to develop, support and promote voluntary action and charitable activity.  The activity can be summarised in six key statements:

• we provide a range of support services to groups such as training, information, advice, payroll and office functions including access to sources of funding and constitutional advice;
• we, through contact with individuals and groups, identify gaps in the provision of services and develop initiatives to meet those needs;
• we bring together voluntary, community and faith organisations to discuss issues of common concern.  This helps to avoid duplication of effort and helps to ensure that groups work together;
• we help to disseminate information about statutory service provision and development;
• we represent the views of the voluntary sector on many statutory led committees;
• we are engaged in strategic partnership activity, including Local Area Agreements.

We have brought back into use the former Burnley Corporation Water Works (United Utilities) building on a prominent town centre gateway.  The building is now known as the East Lancashire Voluntary Sector Resource Centre; it provides a base for a number of voluntary organisations and offers excellent conference and meeting facilities.

In addition:

• we run a series of carers projects which offer support to individuals and groups;
• we operate the Volunteer Centre and the volunteer transport scheme;
• we are the accountable body for the Burnley Community Network, the New Opportunities Fund Fair Share programme in Pendle;
• we are engaged in the development of a Community Foundation for Lancashire.

Status

We are both a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee which ensures that we have systems in place to ensure that we are properly accountable to both charity and company law.  Membership is open to all (organisations and individuals) who support our aims.  However, we do not restrict our support or services to the members alone.  We also benefit from the membership of regional or national organisations which provide, networking, training and advice facilities eg National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA), National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the Lancashire Association of Councils for Voluntary Service.

Summary

CVS has performed a valuable service to the people of East Lancashire for over 70 years.  Though the role and functions have changed, and will continue to change over time, CVS will respond to contemporary needs; there can be no doubt that CVS has adapted itself to the needs of the individual and the community.  Government recognises that voluntary service plays an important role in developing and maintaining a just and civilised society – in effective partnership with the public sector.

Feedback

Here are a few examples of what our members think of our services:

Funding and individual support has been invaluable!

We have received excellent help and support with CRB processing

The CVS is a useful reservoir of information relevant to our organisation

Suggestions and Complaints Procedure

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