District Council: Working Together event 2013

Following on from
Futures Forum: District Council: Have you booked your place for the Working Together Community Conference? Friday 11th October
here is a report from the District Council:

Working Together event 2013

Members of East Devon voluntary organisations and community groups were invited along to the East Devon District Councils free annual event called “Working Together for the Future of East Devon”.

The conference was on Friday 11 October at our offices in Sidmouth. Over 100 representatives of voluntary organisations, community groups and Town and Parish Councils came along. The gathering aimed to bring local agencies together to improve communications between the voluntary and statutory sectors.

During the day, attendees found out more about significant family, health and well-being reforms that are happening nationwide, with particular reference to East Devon.

Speakers Presentations:

•  How an East Devon organisation already helps families and communities - Helen Burgess at Exmouth Open Door Centre (743KB Portable Document Format - 10 October 2013 - PDF Help)
  www.opendoorexmouth.org.uk 
•  Targeted Families - Phillipa Court from Devon County Council (148KB Portable Document Format - 10 October 2013 - PDF Help)
  philippa.court@devon.gov.uk
•  How we can help families and communities linked to Council Housing - EDDC Community Development Workers Polly, Victoria (36454KB Portable Document Format - 14 October 2013 - PDF Help) and Alexpanderson@eastdevon.gov.uk  vrobinson@eastdevon.gov.uk   agibson@eastdevon.gov.uk
•  Health and Wellbeing Changes - Councillor Andrea Davis and Dr Virginia Pearson from Devon County Council (333KB Portable Document Format - 10 October 2013 - PDF Help)
  sarah.portch@devon.gov.uk
•  Knowing East Devons Communities - Richard Cohen, EDDC Deputy Chief Executive (381KB Portable Document Format - 10 October 2013 - PDF Help)
  aherbert@eastdevon.gov.uk
•  Introduction to the new Devon Active Volunteering Experience - Sandra Chapman, EDVSA (867KB Portable Document Format - 10 October 2013 - PDF Help)
  sandra.chapman@edvsa.org.uk 
•  Neighbourhood Health Watch - Dr Peter Aitken (1599KB Portable Document Format - 15 October 2013 - PDF Help)
  jayneclarke@nhs.net

As part of the event the voluntary and community group representatives could enter a competition to win up to £250 towards their good work. They were all invited to tell us what one thing they do well to help East Devons families and communities. The entries were judged and:

1. 1st prize of £250 to Sid Valley Memory Cafe. Theyare volunteers that help people with various forms and stages of memory loss for free. They offer support to the carers and families of those affected. They provide stimulation to the cared for with music, games, walks and refreshments.
2. 2nd prize of £100 to Home-start Exeter and East Devon. They have over 70 dedicated volunteers that support families with young children in their own homes. They tailor the support to what the family say they need.
3. 3rd prize of £50 to Exmouth and District Talking Newspaper. Since 1981 they have been sending weekly recordings of local news to anyone in the area who has little or no sight. They have 60 volunteers that work in teams.

This is an annual event that has now been running for three years and will hopefully run again in 2014. Feedback from the event said that the attendees would like more time to network with the other groups, which is something we will build into next years agenda.

Thank you to all of you that came along!

Page last updated on 15 October 2013

East Devon District Council - Working Together event 2013
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