A summary of all the speakers from last week's COP meeting, with external links and contact details included
With an attendance of 60+ strong, this month's COP Meeting was held at the Jubilee Centre in Wallasey.
Jubilee Church
Dave Frodsham from the Jubilee Church welcomed us all to the Jubilee Centre. Jubilee Church Wirral is a Christian church in Wallasey and homes the Jubilee Centre as well as the Wallasey CAP Debt Centre.
The Hall is available to be hired out at competitive rates. If you're interested, please visit their website.
GRAHAM
GRAHAM Construction are the construction group currently reworking central Birkenhead on behalf of Wirral Borough Council for a regeneration scheme. Sharon and Steve discussed the construction plans for Birkenhead and would like feedback on the regeneration work they are doing. In addition, they have donated wood chippings to 3 local voluntary organisations and have offered to support local community projects with volunteers, funding and renovation work over the next 12 months while they are redeveloping Birkenhead.
Future Yard
Future Yard is a 280-capacity music venue and community space open at 75 Argyle Street, Birkenhead. Mika and George discussed the projects they currently have going on:
Mosh Tots – Music for families and young kids.
Sound Check – Program to teach people how to become Sound Engineers, Event managers, lighting designers and front of house staff for music venues.
Propeller – Artist Development Program.
Accessible tickets scheme – Free gig tickets to those who would not normally get to go.
Future Yard can host workshops for anyone from COP wishing to use their space and the space is available for hire.
Collective Encounters
Collective Encounters is an arts charity specialising in theatre for social change.
Abi discussed some of the projects they have going on:
Drama in community Projects
Community Chronicles – Interactive performance that explores community issues - 22nd November at 7pm in the Bloom Building. E-mail Patrick for a free ticket.
Outreach Workshops – Creative courses in Theatre/Drama/Writing available in 2025.
Abi also discussed Wilful Misfits, a neurodiverse arts company that have an arts festival on Saturday 28th September from 12pm hosting workshops, talks, exhibitions and evening cabaret completely performed by a neurodiverse cast.
Citizens Advice Wirral
Citizens Advice Wirral is a local charity providing advice, information, advocacy and representation across Wirral. Carol discussed CAB Wirral’s current projects
they have going on:
Phone lines are open 9:30am - 4pm.
Email advice is available and they have several drop-ins (check website for details).
Ask Us Wirral Information and Advice Service is being delivered in partnership with Age UK Wirral, Wirral Change, Wirral Mencap, Wirral Mind and Involve Northwest. The service includes specialist benefits, debt, housing and older peoples advice.
They have a partner referral form on their website for other CVF orgs to refer into the CAB service.
They are currently putting Terminals into high traffic community spaces, such as The Stein Centre, that offer free advice to those who might need it. If you are interested in a Terminal for your community space, get in touch with Carol.
0808 2787848
SP Energy Networks
SP Energy Networks is a distribution and transmission network operator managing overhead lines and underground cables for the electricity network. David, who is part of the Social Obligation Team, came to talk about some of the provision they offer during power cuts.
105 is the emergency number should you experience a power cut. They have a priority service register that will support vulnerable people immediately in the case of a power cut. This can be accessed by people with children under 5, people who rely on medical equipment, people with stair lifts or motorised beds or those who store medicine in their fridge at home.
They can support with home fire safety checks and supply carbon monoxide detectors through their partnership with Cadent. They will also provide local community institutions with winter packs for people who may need them in the event of a power cut.
0330 10 10 167
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
Colette Kennedy was here to discuss the Fair Employment Charter, a mayoral pledge by Steve Rotherham which celebrates fair employment practices where they are in place and drive-up standards elsewhere. The intention is to recognise good quality and effective practice in fair employment and build the broader case amongst other employers for them to consider changing their practices. So far, 132 organisations are signed up.
You can read more about the Charter from our blog below:
NHS
Helen Hackett from the Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust got up to discuss Diabetes Smart, a free course to support local people living with type 1 and 2 diabetes. The free course is facilitated by trained professionals and sessions are currently at St. Cath's, although they are looking for new venues to host sessions. They look at topics like Healthy Lifestyles for those with diabetes, good food choices, understanding food labels, physical activity and keeping well.
Simon Banks, the Place Director for Wirral, came to discuss the Darzi Report and discuss the priorities of the NHS in the local region. He outlined the fact that we are still in financial recovery and that additional funding is not likely to be forthcoming in the next 2 years. However, he outlines a few areas where he is keen to work with the local CVF groups, such as neurodiversity pathways, mental health services and urgent care services.
David Hammond came to talk about the program of work they are undertaking to work more closely with PCN to streamline and strengthen support services. They have established streamlined systems that have led to a 10% decrease in GP interactions. They are particularly interested in the areas of social isolation, social prescribing and identifying vulnerability earlier.
Our Happy Hub
Our Happy Hub is a CIC based on the Noctorum Estate which aims to support the local community. Gina came to discuss some of the projects they are currently working on:
They are part of the Evolve Strategy with local communities and police forces in Noctorum, Beechwood and Woodchurch to look at crime reduction, prevention, and rebuilding communities.
They are working with Age UK Wirral's Out of Hospital team on discharge support for those who need social rehabilitation support when coming out of hospital. Read more about the SPA project here.
They are working with Can Cook on the Well-Fed project to support families get low-cost health meals similar to that of a gusto style service. The most expensive box they have for a 4-person family is £6.50.
They are looking to support the establishment of a youth group in Noctorum and are working locally to improve green spaces with the hope of putting in play equipment.
07563 531234
Clearground
Clearground are a commercial facilities management company working in drainage, high-level access, high pressure cleaning, kitchen fan & extraction systems, pest control, waste management, and window cleaning.
Jane and Gemma came to discuss an upcoming opportunity to access furniture packages. Their clients are removing around 240 apartments worth of furniture and these are being made available to local community groups. These will be made available in October.
If you are interested in joining the mailing list for this, please provide your email to WCVS by e-mailing info@wcvs.org.uk and this can be passed on to Gemma.
Men's Sheds Association
Men’s Sheds are looking for local partners to establish men's sheds on the Wirral. They are similar to garden sheds – a place to pursue practical interests at leisure, to practice skills and enjoy making and mending. The difference is that garden sheds and their activities are often solitary in nature while Men’s Sheds are the opposite. They’re about social connections and friendship building, sharing skills and knowledge.
Bee Wirral CIC Elemental Project
Tom came to discuss some of the work that Bee Wirral were doing locally. They support men (mainly in the 55+ age range) and provide safe supportive spaces to reduce isolation in men. They have a variety of skills and programs that they use to support men whilst also supporting local organisations in turn with the skills they possess.
They have a Men’s Shed program they run out of an allotment space and Tom is also interested in establishing a men's group forum with the likes of Wirral Wise Guys to encourage the diversity of men's group and support each other in sustainability. They have an open day coming up on October 5th.
Involve North West
‘Connect Us’ was launched by Public Health with an underpinning objective of positive wellbeing interventions. The Community Connectors can serve as that missing link for local people to access the things they need in order to move forward and look to achieve their aspirations. Connectors work on ‘what is strong and not what is wrong’ and look at how you may want to develop your potential.
Community members working with Connect Us have re-sparked old interests and shared that they have rediscovered what motivates them. The connectors have offered to take local organisations on their door knocks in targeted areas.
UK Unplugged CIC
UK Unplugged began in 2019 as a local community group dedicated to helping parents and carers balance their family’s time on and off screens. Diana came to talk to us about the Hamilton Bear project which aims to be working with local young people to explore historic fiction on the Wirral. There are opportunities to work on the Hamilton Bear comic and adapt the story going forward which will be running from 13th October until 8th November. Further to this there will be an event themed around Peru hosted by them, exploring it’s animals and culture with Ximena, their Peruvian zoologist on 13th October with more details to follow.
Unplugged are supporting the NHS with local neurodiverse pathways and mental health support by creating kits for young people on the waiting lists to provide them with positive activities and creative projects to support interaction within family units. To facilitate this, they are looking to hear what teenagers want from this support and would love to get in contact with any youth groups who could help with this to give feedback.
hello@ukunplugged.org - Hamilton Bear project
diana@ukunplugged.org - General enquiries & youth feedback contact
If you want any more information or would like to contact any of the attendees, you can e-mail zel.rodgers@wcvs.org.uk or alex.fisher@wcvs.org.uk
If you want to speak at the next COP meeting, please let Mark know via mark@wcvs.org.uk
To attend our next COP Meeting at King’s Church, Birkenhead on 31st October 10am, please RSVP on the event below:
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