We are the Lancashire Association of CVSs

The Masonic Charitable Foundation's grant programme operates a variety of funding streams - and they are currently keen to receive applications from the north west, especially from projects working with younger people in their "Early Years" funding stream.

Click here to learn more.

About LACVS

Lancashire Association of Councils for Voluntary Service (LACVS) is a partnership of independent, not for profit infrastructure service providers that supports the vital work of Lancashire's voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector.

LACVS believes that the work of its members is strengthened by sharing resources and knowledge and supporting the VCFSE sector's voice and influence across the sub-region.

LACVS's members, listed below, work from a network of offices across the Lancashire sub-region. They have a long track record of providing infrastructure services that offer support to VCFSE sector organisations and help people to volunteer in their communities. Each member delivers their own infrastructure services as well as working collaboratively within LACVS.

The LOCAL Project

LACVS has recently launched a major collaborative project, Locally Organised Communities Across Lancashire 14 (LOCAL) Project, which aims to facilitate positive change for communities building on the priorities of A VCFSE sector Manifesto for Lancashire.

The LOCAL project is working to identify the change that needs to happen around the nine Manifesto priorities: -

1. Equality and Social Justice for All: Tackling Poverty in Lancashire 14

2. VCFSE Sector as an Equal Partner

3. Economic Model The Works for Lancashire 14

4. Community wellbeing and person and community-centred Public Service Models

5. Green Communities

6. Pioneer a Lancashire 14 Social Prescribing Model

7. A Safer Lancashire 14

8. Helping People into Employment

9. Adequate VCFSE Resources to play our full part in the future of Lancashire 14

This follows a number of successful programmes delivered by LACVS over the years, including through funding from ONE Lancashire, Lancashire County Council and European Social Fund.

Click here to find out more on the LOCAL Lancashire website

Our members

We currently have eight members representing the sector across Lancashire (seven full and one associate member). Click on the logos above to visit the websites of our members.

Community CVS

35 & 45 Railway Road, Blackburn BB1 1EZ
01254 583957
office@communitycvs.org.uk

Burnley, Pendle & Rossendale CVS

The CVS Centre, 62-64 Yorkshire Street, Burnley BB11 3BT
01282 433740
info@bprcvs.co.uk

Hyndburn & Ribble Valley CVS

Suite 5, The Chambers, Town Hall Square, Great Harwood BB6 7DD
01254 888614
Dorothy.parsons@hrv-cvs.org.uk

Lancashire BME Network

Suite 405, Daisyfield Business Centre, Appleby Street, Blackburn BB1 3BL
01254 392974
office@lancashirebmenetwork.org.uk

Lancaster District CVS

The Cornerstone, Sulyard Street, Lancaster LA1 1PX
01524 555900
Contact LDCVS

Volunteer Centre Blackpool Wyre and Fylde

Volunteer Centre Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde

95 Abingdon Street, Blackpool FY1 1PP
01253 301004
Contact VCBWF

West Lancashire CVS

The Ecumenical Centre, Northway, Skelmersdale WN8 6LU
01695 733737
enquiries@wlcvs.org

Preston Community Network

c/o I-CANN, Howick House, Howick Park Avenue, Penwortham, Preston PR1 0LS
07526 786795
admin@prestoncn.org

Vision, mission and values

LACVS's vision is of a vibrant, diverse and sustainable Lancashire sub-region with a strong, independent and effective VCFSE sector that improves people's quality of life and contributes to thriving communities.

Its mission is to provide services to VCFSE sector organisations and citizens in the Lancashire sub-region that support voluntary action, empower local communities and change lives.

LACVS, its members and associates are committed to:

helping to harness the skills, talents and strengths at the heart of communities
enabling citizens to be active in their communities both individually and collectively - particularly those whose full participation in society is limited by economic disadvantage, institutional discrimination and exclusion

a VCFSE sector that is vibrant, diverse and independent
collaboration that improves support for the sector with services that are responsive to local need and of a consistent and high-quality standard
enabling the voices of local people to be heard through effective representation that links the VCFSE sector to decision-makers across localities, districts and the sub-region

campaigning on issues that affect the VCFSE sector and local communities' quality of life and contributing towards equality and social justice
the accountability of LACVS, its members and associates.

Services

The work of LACVS, its members and associates, is rooted in local communities and reaches out to thousands of VCFSE organisations. LACVS's members range in size, resources and geographical coverage from single district to county wide.

Members each provide different elements and combinations of infrastructure services, from district level to sub-regionally. This includes:

support for trustees, staff, and volunteers
helping new groups to set up and existing ones to become stronger through information, guidance and training e.g. governance, business planning, quality and funding development
specialisms that include equality, diversity and support for BAME communities across Lancashire

developing collaborative projects at neighbourhood level which help economically inactive, unemployed, isolated or vulnerable residents
V
brokering and supporting volunteering, so that individuals can volunteer in their communities and organisations can be effective in how they involve volunteers in their work
running local forums and networks of VCFSE groups
facilitating representation

enabling information-sharing, co-operation and collaboration with public and private sectors, including strategic work at local and subregional level
ensuring that local communities' voices and concerns are heard
campaigning and influencing policy and decisions on issues that matter to local people and their communities
helping local people to connect to VCFSE services in their community, by providing information and signposting to access support or volunteering

innovatory social prescribing project work that supports health and wellbeing
managing grant programmes that provide vital funding to local VCFSE sector groups
offering bespoke services including accountancy, payroll and DBS checks
running a range of projects and services that fill gaps and offer local solutions to need

Contact us

Open Street Map of Railway Road, Blackburn

Registered address: LACVS, c/o Community CVS, 35 Railway Road, Blackburn BB1 1EZ

Greg Mitten - Lead Co-Ordinator
greg.mitten@lacvs.org.uk

Denise Hayhurst - Place Co-Ordinator
denise.hayhurst@lacvs.org.uk

Rachel Coupe - Place Co-Ordinator
rachel.coupe@lacvs.org.uk

Rachel Wheble - Place Co-Ordinator
rachel.wheble@lacvs.org.uk