In the Loop Spring 2023

Welcome to the Spring 2023 edition of our In the Loop members’ newsletter, where we focus on the work of new members who are joining us at Hunts Forum. Please take a while to learn about these organisations as they introduce themselves. Each one is a possible partner, collaborator and inspiration.

Our monthly News Forum newsletter now includes all the latest news from our members and the wider VCSE, as well as training, events and funding updates. If you haven’t already signed up to receive our News Forum newsletter then you can do so here. These are published on the third Thursday of the month. If you have something you would like to be included in either In the Loop or News Forum, please do get in touch.

We have 6 new members to tell you about this month, click the images below to read about them:

Donor Conceived Register Alconbury Recreation St Ives EcoAction St Neots Initiative Safe Soulmates Places for People

Donor Conceived Register

This contact register, formerly known as UK DonorLink (UKDL), has been set up to enable people conceived through donated sperm or eggs, their donors and half-siblings to exchange information and, where desired, to contact each other. The register is available throughout the UK and is predominantly intended for anyone who donated in a UK clinic or was conceived following treatment in a UK clinic before August 1991.

The register has been running since 2004 leading to several links between donors and their donor offspring and donor offspring sharing the same donor. Contact has taken place in various ways, dependent on the wishes of the parties involved. Information can be shared via an independent third party, emails can be exchanged or people can meet up.

Laura Bridgens is the Chair of the Donor Conceived Register Registrants Panel and identified a need for a National organisation that is Peer-led and supports the donor conceived voice and educates and advocates for it here in the UK.

There is no fixed process; it’s all up to the individual’s wishes. If you

were a sperm or egg donor and would like to find out what has happened with your donation or;
if you have been conceived via sperm or egg donation and want to know more about your donor and/or genetic half-sibling from the same donor

As a ‘group’ they are known as the Donor Conceived Register (DCR) which can be quite misleading as they support anyone over the age of 18 who is DC and DCR is the name of the register set up for pre- 1991 conceptions.

They have encouragement from the Donor Conceived Network (which is parent led) and the service provider which is currently Liverpool Womens Hospital NHS and other stakeholders and will soon apply for funding/ fundraise to make this a reality.

There’s currently no legal structure at all so they are really starting at the beginning. Laura is about to about the undertake a consultation amongst the community and explore funding with the HFEA.

Lead Contact name: Laura Bridgens

Website: Donor Conceived Register

Email: laurabridgens@gmail.com or tel : 07766 567556

Alconbury Recreation

The Alconbury Recreation Field Charity offers unique sports, exercise and recreational facilities not available elsewhere in the rural area. It owns two attractive park like fields on the Old Great North Road, one freehold, the other leased from the Parish Council at no cost. Its assets and main Trustees named on the Charity Commission website are distinct in ownership from other organisations functioning in its premises.

The Charity focuses services on children, families and the older age groups in an extensive network of rural villages. It supports healthy life styles, promoting outdoor exercise on its two Fields: encouraging social activity in its permanent premises. It aims to prevent the health hazards associated with obesity, physical inactivity and social isolation all of which can carry high morbidity and mortality.

In total, there are three senior and six junior football pitches, a cricket square and outfield, cricket nets, a floodlit artificial grass pitch, a fully equipped children’s playground and a modern outdoor gymnasium for which we are grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund for their support. They have received two ‘Magic Little Grants’ to help with pitch maintenance.

Their facility benefits from a main club house comprising a function room, games room, lounge bar, two sets of home and away changing rooms, officials changing room, first aid room, and a spacious kitchen with new equipment recently funded by grants from the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, through the Woolley Wind Farm Scheme.

They are home to the local senior and junior football clubs, senior and junior cricket clubs, pool team, running club, indoor bowls club, pilates, zumba, bingo club, the ‘Thursday Club’ run for elderly members of the community and local Cycling Clubs regularly use the site as a base for their Duathlons and Road Races.

They hold many fundraising and social events including fireworks, race nights, children’s parties, fashions shows, family bingo nights, craft fairs and family Sunday lunches. They also hire our function room for private events.

Lead Contact name: Laurence Rickard

Website: Alconbury Recreation Field Charity

Email: admin.assc@btconnect.com or tel 01480 891313

St Ives EcoAction

St Ives EcoAction formed in February 2020 when the community came together at a well attended public meeting (over 70 people) to begin to form a local Climate Action Plan. They are a place-based community-led climate action group working together towards achieving net-zero carbon

The group met regularly on Zoom throughout COVID and has built momentum since, adopting a formal small charity constitution at its first AGM in May 2022, which was attended by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Mayor, in addition to Town and District Councillors, representatives of local community organisations and businesses, and many local residents.

They run a number of campaigns and projects, including the St Ives Against Rubbish (STAR) litter awareness campaign, and will run our second Repair Café in February this year.

Inclusivity is a core driver, and their motto, ‘learn more, care more, do more’.

Lead Contact name: Helen Dye

Website: St Ives EcoAction

Email: helen.dye26@gmail.com or tel 07850 280114

St Neots Initiative

St Neots Initiative (SNI), is a collective of driven volunteers with a clear focus; energising the people, places, prosperity and principles of St Neots.

The SNI is at the heart of the beautiful market town of St Neots in Cambridgeshire. We work with the local community, businesses and authorities to make real change; promoting and further developing St Neots to be a great place to live, work and play.

The group consists of various members from the private and third sector, working with public bodies. The group is self funding and receives no finance from public bodies.

Previously known as the St Neots Town Centre Initiative, the group was formed in late 1998 and was funded to support the Town Centre Manager. Now, the SNI is run by volunteers and relies on membership fees from local companies.

The organisation’s purpose is the promotion of urban regeneration in the widest form for St Neots through sustainable, economic and environmental development. Its aim is to help make our town the best it can be.

Lead Contact name: Debbie Phillips

Website: St Neots Initiative

Email: secretary@stneotsinitiative.org.uk or tel 07818 264423

Safe Soulmates

The overarching purpose of Safe Soulmates is to end loneliness for adults with additional needs (most Soulmates are autistic and/or are adults with learning disabilities).

They have been doing this by hosting small and large events (in person and on zoom); by connecting people in WhatsApp groups; by encouraging Soulmates to check in with each other and by checking in ourselves with those soulmates and parents who are really struggling; they also chaperone friendship and date matches if there is a romantic or friendship connection; Safe Soulmates is a safe community.

Lead Contact name: Vicky/Christine Baddeley/O’Neil

Website: Safe Soulmates

Email: info@safesoulmate.org.uk or tel 07935 866219/07493 542963

Places for People

As one of the UK’s leading social enterprises, we are responsible for ensuring our products and services positively impact People, Places and the Planet. Creating social value for Customers and Communities is our approach’s heart.

Across the Group, they deliver a wide range of social value activity through our core work in creating thriving Communities as well as through the Places Impact Group function and Places Foundation Group charity.

The Places Impact Group function works with all our businesses to help measure, multiply and maximise social value. This includes delivering social value by providing grants, volunteering opportunities and fundraising to make a positive difference in People’s lives.

The Group charity The Places Foundation is an independent charitable organisation which provides grants and social investment to ‘improve the lives of People and Communities that have experienced disadvantage and are furthest from the labour market’.

Across their organisation, they deliver lots of activities that make a difference by providing grants, volunteering opportunities and fundraising to help people overcome barriers to reach their potential.

Lead Contact name: James Lewis

Website: Places for People

Email: James.Lewis@placesforpeople.co.uk or tel 020 7429 0400