Best wishes this Christmas and New Year from everyone at hvoss. Thank you all for your ongoing support.

In this issue:

Job opportunities (hvoss and 2Faced Dance Company ED)

AGM 2023

Successful campaigns

State of the sector survey and report COMING SOON IN 2024!

Funding updates

Annual General Meeting

Thank you to so many people who supported a very successful hvoss AGM on 6th December 2023. We heard some incredible stories from local charities, community projects, volunteers and people hvoss has been able to support over the last year. We also discussed our future plans, how we intend to support the local Community Sector, and what we need to fulfil these aspirations. Read our full report here.

Pyjamas and Fluffy Sock 2023

This year's appeal has been a huge success. A huge thank you to everyone who donated to the appeal, your donations will make a massive difference to children and young people needing some TLC this Christmas.

A massive thank you to our partners Halo, Hereford Leisure Pool, Halo Hereford Leisure Centre, Philip Morris and Son, HSBC Hereford and Asda Hereford for all their support and being collection points.

Thanks to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hereford for holding a collection and donating so generously.

A massive thank you to all the students, staff, families and friends at Our Lady's Primary School, Hereford. The Mini Vinnies fundraisers picked Pyjamas and Fluffy Socks as the school's Advent appeal. They have held a raffle alongside Nativities and other Christmas events across the school. Together they have raised an incredible £294 which will go towards buying more fluffy socks and pyjamas. Well Done to everyone at the school.

And thanks to @herefordfoodbank Leominster Food Bank, Bromyard Food Bank & Money Advice Centre, Ledbury Food Bank, Widemarsh Children's Centre, West Mercia Women's Aid and Herefordshire Young and Young Adult Carers CIC for accepting the donations and distributing them to the families in need of TLC.

Coming up in the New Year

In 2024 we have updates and events coming including:

State of the Sector Survey
Further 'Meet the Funder' events
Youth Provision Network meeting
Update on the Volunteer Strategy

Funding Focus

The VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme is now open, offering free Independent Energy Assessments to voluntary organisations. From January, the scheme will also be offering capital grants to implement measures recommended in your assessment.

To apply, and check eligibility here

Got a funding opportunity? Click here to tell us about it to be featured in a future edition of hvoiceNeed help with a funding application? Click here

Other news and events

Look out for the Herefordshire Community Network for Ukraine newsletter which will include:

Round 2 Ukraine Community Integration Grant
Household Support Fund
Culture and integration
Safeguarding
Counselling
Job vacancies

Join our fantastic team

For job descriptions and to apply

Share your opportunities or resources to be featured in a future edition of hvoice

Executive Director Contract:

Permanent Hours: P/T 32 hours per week

Salary Range: £32,000 - £36,000 pro rata (£40,000 - £45,000 FTE)

Location: Hereford/hybrid

Website: https://www.2faceddance.co.uk/jobs

Job summary 2Faced Dance Company is seeking an experienced, entrepreneurial, brilliant, and financially astute Executive Director and collaborator to join us as we embark on our next chapter.

Job description 2Faced Dance is a world-leading professional dance company based in the small, rural city of Hereford for 24 years, we are a small but mighty team, committed to providing opportunities for young people facing economic, cultural, and geographical disadvantages.

The Executive Director will work with the Artistic Director/CEO Tamsin Fitzgerald to shape the future direction of the company and drive the organisation’s fundraising and income generation. They will lead strategic planning, financial management, governance and communications and foster local and national partnerships.

We encourage applications from people with a lived experience of working in or growing up in culturally underserved locations or rural places.

For more information, please refer to the job pack on our website, which includes information on how to apply and key dates.

To discuss your application, or for an informal and confidential conversation, please contact our independent recruitment adviser Theresa Beattie. Theresa.beattie1@gmail.com

The deadline for this role is Monday 15 January, at 12pm.

Note: Applications made through recruitment agencies will not be accepted.

2Faced Dance is committed to equality and diversity. We thrive on the creativity, and commitment of everyone we work with, aiming to be an inclusive organisation that promotes equality, and challenges discrimination. We encourage applications from people with a lived experience of working in or growing up in culturally underserved locations or rural places, and from candidates reflecting a broad range of voices, opinions, and experiences.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

State of the Sector Research 2024

The voluntary and community sector are key partners in Herefordshire Council's Talk Community approach. In 2020, Herefordshire Council and hvoss commissioned Impact Consultancy to undertake Phase One of research into the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector which assessed the ‘state of the sector’ in Herefordshire. The research provided valuable insight into the size and diversity of the sector, the contribution it makes socially and economically and the key issues facing the sector locally.

Phase Two of this research will begin early in January 2024 with the launch of the State of the Sector survey. This will take the same format as the previous survey in order to enable comparisons from 2020 to be made. New questions relating to the cost-of-living crisis have been added to reflect the environment in which voluntary organisations and community groups are operating in.

The survey will be officially launched on 3^rd January and will be open until 28^th February. The survey will be open to all VCSO’s regardless of size and we are particularly interested to hear from very small volunteer-led organisations who operate at a neighbourhood level. The survey will be sent directly to organisations that completed the 2020 survey and will be accessible via Herefordshire Council’s consultation page from 3^rd January.

The 2020 report is available to download at The state of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in Herefordshire.