Shropshire’s Voluntary Sector holds annual Assembly

Shropshire’s Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly holds its annual event tomorrow (Thursday 3 April 2014).  Attending the event as the key speaker is Caroline Slocock, the author of “Independence Undervalued: the Voluntary Sector in 2014”.  The publication has been written on behalf of the Panel on the Independence of the Voluntary Sector.

The Independence Panel consists of eight charity experts and was initiated in 2011 by the Baring Foundation to report annually on independence and make recommendations about how it could be strengthened.   Caroline is the founding Director of Civil
Exchange, a think tank set up to help the Government and civil society work better
together.  The event marks an important opportunity for Shropshire’s voluntary sector organisations to influence the work of this important and influential panel.

Chairing the event is Jackie Jeffrey, Chair of the VCS Assembly (and Chief Executive of Citizen’s Advice Shropshire).  Jackie will speak about the contribution the voluntary and
community sector makes in Shropshire, both as providers of services (Shropshire
is home to 1,184 registered voluntary organisations) and leading Shropshire’s
diversity of community groups (an estimated 1,127) in total.

Jackie commented:

“I feel proud to represent the diversity of voluntary sector
organisations and community groups that form the Shropshire VCS Assembly.  As managers, volunteers and individuals, you all show dedication and commitment to supporting local people and making Shropshire a great place to live.”

One of the achievements that will be celebrated at the event is the new close working relationship Shropshire’s voluntary sector organisations have developed with the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).  The Marches LEP aims to create the conditions for economic vitality and sustainable employment across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Telford and Wrekin. The event will see the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding designed to cement the new partnership arrangements.

Attendees at the event will also hear from:

• Shropshire Providers Consortium, a group of organisations working collaboratively to win contracts and funding opportunities http://www.shropshireprovidersconsortium.co.uk/

and

• ShropShare: a new organisation designed to support joint work between the voluntary sector and private sector orgnisations in Shropshire http://shropshare.org/.

Gwilym Butler, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for the voluntary sector, will also speak at the event.  He said:

“We are all working through challenging times, with significant changes affecting us all.  However, with Shropshire’s public and voluntary sector organisations all share a common purpose and by working together we can ensure Shropshire has a brighter future.”

Any voluntary organisation or community group operating in Shropshire can join Shropshire’s Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly free of charge.  To find out more about email: VCSAssembly@shropshire.gov.uk,
ring: 01743 252740, or visit: http://vcsvoice.org/.