Category Archives: Money Matters

Birmingham Settlement to continue vital debt advice despite cuts

Birmingham Settlement has confirmed that it will continue to offer its full range of support services despite the news that hundreds of debt advisers have stopped taking on new cases as funding is axed.

For the past five years, the £25m-a-year Financial Inclusion Fund has been paying for about 500 specialists in England and Wales to give free advice. But the cash is due to run out in March and the government has said it will not renew the fund.

For further information please see the Press Release:

Awards for Bridging Cultures

Community and voluntary organisations that are working towards making a real and meaningful contribution towards the mutual understanding of cultural differences within communities are being invited to enter the Awards for Bridging Cultures (ABC).

There are three different categories of the Awards for Bridging Cultures:

  • Voluntary or community groups or organisations running projects to promote intercultural dialogue with gross annual financial income of over £100,000 (in the last two financial years)
  • Voluntary or community groups or organisations running projects to promote intercultural dialogue with gross annual financial income of £100,000 or under (in the last two financial years)
  • Local authorities, public sector organisations and private companies who can demonstrate their support for voluntary sector projects which promote intercultural dialogue by financing, initiating or supporting grassroots projects.

A set of general criteria applies to all three categories. All submissions should cover as many of these criteria as possible.

The winners of each of the two categories for voluntary organisations will receive £10,000 and commended organisations in these categories will receive up to £5,000 each.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on the 13th September 2010.

To submit your application visit this link:

Back Office Services – Learning Cluster Meetings

As part of the collaborative approach of the G:XL project, contract holder Midlands Youth is setting up learning clusters which will provide an interactive forum for sharing learning and ideas, with representation from right across the sector.

  • Are you interested in cost-effective savings?
  • Are you the person that deals with these areas in your organisation?

If so then we want to hear from you at these meetings!

  • 15 July, 11am – 12.30pm

We will be joined by Nigel Crockford from TSG computing services and will be looking at ICT shared services (cloud computing) and savings that can be made on hardware and software purchases.

  • 4 August, 11am – 12.30pm

We will be joined by Paula Wilson of the Community Accountancy Service who will help us to explore the savings that can be made by outsourcing Payroll, book keeping, accountancy services and independent examination etc.

Both meetings will be held at:

WAYC, Jubilee House, Westlea Road, Leamington Spa CV31 3JE

Travel expenses will be paid for those attending (up to a maximum of £40 per person).

To confirm your attendance contact Jane Goddard on 01926 450156. Alternatively you can send an Email to: Janet.goddard@wayc.org.uk.