Amanda Jordan OBE

In the new government, we have more Cabinet Members and MPs with experience of the voluntary sector than ever before – a great opportunity to ensure that charities are front and centre in political discussions and decisions. With the overwhelming majority of smaller charities still citing income as their main concern – unchanged in over a decade – what can we realistically expect the new government to do for the sector? It’s highly unlikely that there will be substantial financial support for charities, but we can ask for public and formal recognition of the vital role the sector plays in society. MPs and ministers can help to educate everyone on how modern charities work, on our close relationship with government in service delivery, and on how our funding is structured. Without charities, we’d all struggle to maintain and enjoy our daily lives, and we’d lose so much in terms of community and companionship. With a new government elected on the promise of change, let’s make sure that change happens for charities too. Every Minister should be for and speak up for charities – let’s hear it for and from the Labour government. Full article: https://lnkd.in/e3ZgwQZ4

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Impact investments are investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. Learn how donors can use the assets in their donor-advised funds (DAFs) to make impact investments, which can in turn be granted. #ImpactInvesting #Philanthropy #DAFs #DonorAdvisedFunds

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Interesting article in @Cityam today by Stephen Timms arguing for a partnership between government and the impact economy: https://lnkd.in/eEYekcwm He specifically calls for the creation of an Office for the Impact Economy, as a  a joint Treasury-Business and Trade unit; saying "We need a new partnership between Government and the impact economy, putting shared values into practice to build a more prosperous, equitable and sustainable future for all." Regardless of the result on Thursday, I hope that all parties will recognise the role that #SocialEnterprises and #Charities can and must play to unlock capital in order to tackle some of our most complex social challenges.

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Danone made huge profits, and give healthy and increasing dividends to shareholders as seen here https://lnkd.in/ezs39xYZ My email to the Council's planning dep. "I wish to place on record my strong objection to the above planning application by the Danone Harrogate Water Corporation in Harrogate. Considering all we know about climate change, loss of biodiversity and the role that trees and forests play in the eco-system, for nature and our own health, I am amazed that a company that promotes 'clean' Harrogate water to the world is even considering such a regressive development. I walk frequently through and around the Rotary Woods and Pine Woods. A lovely area enjoyed by families, the elderly and many children. Already there a large number of heavy water trucks driving to and from Harrogate Water's plant, they are clearly damaging a public road (a road taxpayers will need to pay for repairing), and these trucks pose a danger to pedestrians and cyclists who share and cross the road. Adding more heavy goods traffic is both non-sensical & not in the interests of people, nor the finances of the council itself. It benefits Danone only. I understand that protected bats and badgers call the woods home. Replanting new trees in place of older growth trees and established woodland is obviously not going to provide a home for these protected species, in fact it will both displace and potentially kill the existing wildlife, including a significant bird population. Whilst Danone's proposal to use durable, harmful chemicals to manage any new woodland further threatens wildlife and your rate payer's health and well-being. Not only is this in direct conflict to the public's interests, I cannot see how Danone's own brand will not be damaged by such measures. There are other matters that Danone's application directly conflicts with or contradicts, including government policy, and the Deciduous Woodland Priority Habitat, Asset of Community Value and Special Landscape area status of Rotary Woods. By itself this surely shows that the application should not be granted, and any future attempts thrown out with it. Danone is a highly profitable multi-national business who can and should afford to find an alternative to this clearly unpopular and regressive plan. They are more than capable of finding profits in other parts of their water businesses across the globe that do not cause so much damage. In fact, it is in their own interests and ESG credentials to put profits second to the well-being of our shared environment, the wildlife that relies and thrives in it currently, and the health and well-being of your rate payers, all our neighbours and their children. Please put local people and the environment before Danone's profits and reject the planning application - they have alternatives".

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*** 2024 GRANT FUNDING NOW OPEN *** Cornwall Women's Fund is now accepting applications for our 2024 grant funding! We aim to support community projects in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly supporting women’s mental health. For this round of funding projects with a focus on perinatal mental health will be given preferential consideration. In 2021, we worked with a team from Oxford University that undertook in-depth research into the needs of women and girls across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. They considered existing research where it was available and interviewed charity and community leaders, and women from across the county to get a true picture of what really mattered to them and which areas it was difficult to find funding for. One of the 4 key areas in their report “Understanding what matters to women and girls in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly” was women and girls mental health, identifying a particular lack of support for those accessing perinatal mental health services. Our Members have voted the area of Women and Girls Mental Health for our 2024 grant funding and we are now accepting applications. Grants range from £500 to a maximum of £1,000 Our grants are administered by Cornwall Community Foundation and you can find more information and details of how to apply here: https://lnkd.in/e_ECFKh4 #funding #grant #cornwall #womenandgirls #mentalhealth #givingcircle

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How can we accelerate the UK's transition to net zero? Nesta’s UK 2040 Options consulted leading energy and net zero experts to debate and test 10 ways to get back on track with carbon budgets - including collective switching to low carbon heat, agricultural land reform and legislative targets for climate adaptation

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I have just signed this open letter to the Chancellor, and I urge all leaders of charities and voluntary organisations to do the same. Charities are increasingly struggling to make ends meet. Many have had to reduce services, make job cuts, or even close their doors entirely. At the same time, the expectation from central and local government seems to be that we will continue to take on the heavy burden of providing essential, and often life saving services to vulnerable people, because statutory services are no longer able to do so. It seems incomprehensible, therefore, that the government, would further increase the financial pressure on charities by failing to include an exemption to the increase in employers NIC, as they have done for public sector organisations. This short-sighted approach is going to cost even a smaller charity such as Trauma Breakthrough many thousands of pounds per year, and medium to large charities are facing five and six figure increases to their wage bills. This is something we simply cannot afford. It means that more charities will go under and many more will have to reduce or close services. The government has proclaimed loudly that it wants to form a new covenant with 'civil society'. These are fine words, but the government needs to understand that unless it makes immediate practical changes to its policies, the voluntary and charity organisations that make up civil society may not be around long enough to participate.

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Charities and Government Excellent Research from Pro Bono Economics who have published a very useful free resource for charities https://lnkd.in/e_a8ybFN . This says "The 2024 General Election brought 335 new MPs into the House of Commons. For the many charities that seek to influence parliamentarians, this creates a significant challenge. That’s 335 new MPs to research and sift through to try and understand if they might be inclined to support a charity’s cause. "Many small charities cannot afford parliamentary monitoring systems or expensive agencies to do that sifting for them. If hundreds of organisations all undertake the same research into those MPs’ backgrounds, it means massive amounts of duplication and wasted time for already time-starved organisations. Also see https://lnkd.in/ebSvCG_Y which explains that "Experience in the charity sector has accelerated the most dramatically of all with this new Cabinet. #Starmer has appointed eight #Cabinet members who have previously worked within the charity sector. That is a quadrupling of charity experience at the top of government." CFG : Charity Finance Group Charity News Association of Charitable Foundations Association of Chairs The Resource Alliance Charity Excellence - a FREE one-stop-shop for everything a non-profit needs.

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We're excited to invite SMEs to our exclusive webinar on Tuesday, 9th July from 10am-11am. Hosted by the LSBU Apprenticeship Team, this session will delve into government funding opportunities, £1,000 apprentice incentives, and the benefits of levy transfers. Date: Tuesday, 9th July Time: 10am-11am (45-minute session + 15-minute Q&A) Platform: Teams (via Eventbrite) Why Attend? - Access Government Funding: Learn how to support your business growth. - Apprentice Incentives: Discover eligibility for £1,000 incentives. - Levy Transfers: Maximise your training budget and support workforce development. Register now to secure your spot and gain valuable insights to enhance your business operations and invest in your workforce's future. 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dbBegBpB For more information, contact us at [email protected]. hashtag #SMEs #Webinar #GovernmentFunding #Apprenticeships #LevyTransfers #LSBU #BusinessGrowth #WorkforceDevelopment

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Do the UK public know their EPCs as well as their ABCs? In March the Department of Energy released its latest data on the public’s awareness and understanding of climate change issues, green heating, and low-carbon choices. Nesta has delved into the data for a temperature check on the public’s awareness of the transition to green heating and whether there are signs of change. From growing awareness of heat pumps to a better understanding of EPC ratings, these are their five key findings:

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*** 2024 GRANT FUNDING NOW OPEN *** Cornwall Women's Fund is now accepting applications for our 2024 grant funding! We aim to support community projects in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly supporting women’s mental health. For this round of funding projects with a focus on perinatal mental health will be given preferential consideration. In 2021, a team from Oxford University undertook in-depth research into the needs of women and girls across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. They considered existing research where it was available and interviewed charity and community leaders, and women from across the county to get a true picture of what really mattered to them and which areas it was difficult to find funding for. (Read the report here: https://bit.ly/3QLpgdv) One of the 4 key areas in their report “Understanding what matters to women and girls in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly” was women and girls mental health, identifying a particular lack of support for those accessing perinatal mental health services. Our Members have voted the area of Women and Girls Mental Health for our 2024 grant funding and we are now accepting applications. Grants range from £500 to a maximum of £1,000 Our grants are administered by Cornwall Community Foundation and you can find more information and details of how to apply here: https://lnkd.in/gY3Ryzy

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Pleased to be quoted in People Management magazine today on Over half of business leaders report staff absence due to problems accessing public services, TUC reveals. More than half (59 per cent) of business leaders say staff have had to take time off in the last year because they struggled to access public services, a poll by the trade union congress (TUC) revealed. The survey of more than 500 business leaders further explored the specific challenges faced by employees, finding that more than a third (35 per cent) had staff absent from work due to delays in receiving hospital treatment. To read article in full click 🔽 https://lnkd.in/ejJjwUcg 10Eighty #socialcare #business #economy #privatehealthinsurance #staffabsences #affordablechildcare #workingparents #privatehealthcare #flexibleworking CIPD

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Great op ed in CityA.M. this morning on how impact investing could help an incoming government address its social and environmental priorities. Stephen Timms, former Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, explains how, "a strategic partnership between Government and the impact economy is essential to mobilising the resources, expertise, and innovation to drive transformative progress." He highlights the power of using public money to attract private capital, so there is more investment going where it is most needed - into communities across the UK, housing, and green energy. At the Impact Investing Institute, we work to accelerate this approach to investment. We partner to come up with fresh solutions that help private finance address societal challenges like preventative health, left-behind neighbourhoods, and a fair transition to net zero. There are plenty of models for how we can do it, and plenty of appetite to do more of it. A new government needs to harness this opportunity, and embed and extend this way of working to unlock resources towards shared goals at scale.

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If The Labour Party wants to transform British energy, they need to focus on the grid, not generation. Here's my take, published in the Financial Times today. £200 billion of projects are waiting in the grid connection queue, which is 5 years delayed on average according to Ofgem and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Generation also only represents ~30-35% of electricity bills - costs from transmission and distribution are likely to increase, given significant upgrade requirements to accommodate renewables and electrification of transport and heat. Focusing on supporting nascent technologies, planning reforms and the grid could help far more than funding projects that private investors are already waiting to build. Subscribe for more updates from me on energy and ESG at https://lnkd.in/expN3mWH #GreatBritishEnergy https://lnkd.in/e74u7gqK

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🦔 🦋 🐝 Hedgehogs, daddy long-legs, bees, butterflies, wasps. They were all common in my suburban garden when I was growing up but I’m seeing fewer of them every year. Yes, even wasps. UK Government statistics show that biodiversity has declined 19% since the 70s, cementing Britain firmly in top 10% of the world’s most nature-depleted countries. Construction and engineering has a massive role to play in changing the narrative - creating environments that aren’t just human centric but nature centric - putting livable wild spaces ahead of tidy plots of concrete and tarmac. BAM has a lot of work to do to educate our people, our industry and our clients about how we can do things better. But our industry isn’t alone, as our research shows. Our survey is a wake up call for UK businesses and the role they can play in helping to reverse catastrophic biodiversity loss. I’m not going to sugarcoat it, the more you read about the subject, the more frightening it becomes. It’s not too late to make a difference but the worst thing we can do is ignore it. Thanks to the incredible work from Sara Henriksson with help from YouGov to get this report across the line.

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Decision-making for charity trustees (CC27) - "It's Your Decision" On the 23rd of September, The Charity Commission refreshed its guidance, CC27. The updated guidance note ‘CC27’ provides advice on measures trustees can implement to upgrade their charity’s finances and safeguard against potential economic challenges, and the appropriate steps that should be taken if their charity faces insolvency. The revised CC27 emphasises the importance of trustees acting within their legal powers, prioritising the charity's best interests, managing conflicts of interest, and documenting important decisions. By following these key principles, trustees can ensure compliance with their legal duties and maintain responsible governance. It will not only protect the charity's reputation but also help to achieve its mission and objectives more effectively. #charitycommission #guidance #charitytrustees #decisionmaking #responsiblegovernance #cc27 #socialeconomy #compliance #governance #charity #trustees

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𝐆𝐁 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲...𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥 It was great to spend time with Chair of Great British Energy Juergen Maier CBE FRS FREng this morning, hearing first hand his perspectives on GBE’s scope, ambition and challenges. I was able to share details about the Chamber, our work on behalf of members and role in the regional economic partnership. And to reinforce that the globally unique energy eco-system in the North-east of Scotland is already progressing the transition agenda and stands ready to support GBE in turbocharging our future energy ambitions. Of course, I caveated this by discussing the potential ‘gap’ that was being caused by current oil & gas fiscal policy and rhetoric that risks seeing the capital, people, supply chain businesses and equipment needed to accelerate clean energy projects in the North Sea being lost overseas or perhaps altogether. We discussed our submission to the Great British Energy Bill Call for Written Evidence and the work being led by British Chambers of Commerce on securing the long-term future for North Sea energy production. I reiterated that the AGCC team is here to support GBE in any way we can. From convening the supply chain to communicating key messages through our media channels. From sector research to providing collateral to attract staff to relocate here. And from playing a role in inward investment activity to advising on future office accommodation. On the latter point, I was delighted to hear Juergen confirm his commitment to support our efforts to reenergise and repopulate Aberdeen city centre by locating the GBE HQ there. All done over a cup of coffee and butteries. Energy transition, on a roll, powered by Aberdeen. Europe’s clean energy capital. Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce #Aberdeen #AGCC #Energytransition

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Government is currently going out to public consultation to inform the development of a new industrial strategy, Invest 2035 – The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy: Shaping the Response for the East Midlands. Government's proposed plan is to ease the investor journey and create long-term, inclusive, secure and sustainable growth. The final industrial strategy will be published in spring 2025, alongside the multi-year spending review. The consultation closes on the 24 November. East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire) have three event opportunties to hear a precis of the main elements of the Industrial Strategy Green Paper and provide an opportunity to gather evidence that the Chamber can provide to Government when submitting our response. For all the details and to reserve your place, please see the three opportunities below: 11 November - https://lnkd.in/eZvFgsMx 18 November - https://lnkd.in/eGeBjr43 20 November - https://lnkd.in/eZGSwjb3 Its never been more important to emphasis the business voice - I hope to see you there.

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