Charity and Voluntary Sector

BIG: The Big Lottery Fund is enabling Media Trust to create an innovative UK network of local community news hubs that will support & empower local groups to tell their stories for online, broadcast and print media.
 
A TV & online platform will be supported by professional journalism, UK-wide news distribution and a new online Academy of Citizen Journalism.  The new Academy will provide community news hubs with the tools, online training and resources to support & develop the skills of the Active Citizen Journalists who will be at the heart of the hubs.
Press release & links ~ Media Trust
 
CRUK: On World No Tobacco Day last week Cancer Research UK renewed its call for the European Union (EU) to adopt standardised, plain packaging with graphic pictures of health warnings on all tobacco products.
 
A new report being presented in Brussels shows the importance of stopping tobacco being marketed via its packaging.  The briefing – titled ‘Spotlight on the FCTC’ – highlights that tobacco packaging can be used by governments to communicate the dangers of tobacco use rather than being used as a marketing tool by the tobacco industry.
Press release & links
 
CAB: During a time of continued economic uncertainty and cuts to public services, the value placed on volunteering is higher than ever.  During National Volunteers Week (1-7 June 2011) national charity Citizens Advice is calling on people from all backgrounds with different skills to get in touch.
 
Citizens Advice relies heavily on the generous contribution of volunteers who make up 75% of the total workforce, and this year the charity needs even more volunteers than ever.  Last year the service saw a huge increase in demand: 2.1m people were helped with 7.1m enquires – an 18% increase from the year before.
Press release & links
 
BHF: Parents may be shocked to learn that a standard plate of children’s party food could be more calorific and laden with saturated fat than an entire pepperoni pizza.  But the British Heart Foundation new party pack shows how parents can still lay on tasty treats without the usual gut-busting nutritional content.
 
The colourful & interactive pack provides parents & teachers with easy-to-follow   recipes to create party favourites such as mini pizzas, chocolate buns and jellies with lower amounts of sugar, salt, fat and saturated fat than standard party foods. The pack costs £6.99, plus postage & packaging.
Press release & links
 
DUKDiabetes UKis helping involve people in improving their diabetes care, through a recently-completed 2-year project, which has led to a permanent online resource for healthcare professionals. The scheme, ‘User Involvement in Local Diabetes Care’, worked with 3 NHS organisations to involve people with diabetes in improving their care.  Each group was made up of around 25 local people living with diabetes.  The project was funded by NHS Diabetes.
 
DUK has now developed practical advice & tools for healthcare professionals to follow so that they can involve patients in diabetes care.  This resource is the Making Involvement Happen website, which was shaped by what has been learned from the project.
Press release & links
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