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Emergency First Aid Training for Volunteers - 10 July - Hart Eco Hub - Fleet

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Emergency First Aid Training for Volunteers - 10 July - Hart Eco Hub - Fleet

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We are pleased to be hosting the Emergency First Aid for Volunteers Course run by Hampshire Libraries at our Hart Eco Hub in Hart Shopping Centre on Friday 10 July.

About the course: This Emergency First Aid course is for anyone who wants to learn how to help in an emergency. In a small, friendly group, you’ll learn simple, life-saving skills. The course is hands-on, easy to follow, and gives you the confidence to stay calm and take action when needed.

Who is this course for? This course, funded by UK government is for Hampshire Residents aged 19+, looking to develop a stronger sense of community and who have little or no first aid knowledge. The course is designed to give the learner skills to be able to respond to everyday first aid emergencies, confidently and effectively. It is a practical course, so floor work for CPR/Recovery position is needed. Previous knowledge or experience: This practical based course is suitable for both complete novices as well as those wishing to refresh their skills.

To book a place, please go to this link.

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Hart Voluntary Action is pleased to announce that we are starting a new Menopause Support group from July, offering a course of 10 sessions in Yateley facilitated by a qualified counsellor providing support for women going through perimenopause and menopause. The cost of the course is £40.

Each week will focus on a different theme related to the emotional aspects of this stage of life.

The group will provide peer support for each other with an emphasis on compassion and respect.

Together, the group will explore the impact this transition can have on mood, identity, relationships, self-esteem, and overall mental health helping you feel heard, validated, and less alone.

To register to attend this group please visit this link.

Once registered we will contact you to let you know how to make payment and once payment has been received your place on the course will be confirmed. If you would like more information, then please email 121@hartvolaction.org.uk

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Community Screenings: People's Emergency Briefing, 31 May, 7 June, 15 June

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Community Screenings: People's Emergency Briefing, 31 May, 7 June, 15 June

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All are invited to one of three local screenings of the "People’s Emergency Briefing" – a non-party-political eye-opening film bringing together leading UK scientists and experts with the latest evidence on climate and nature and why it matters for things like:

Extreme weather

Food security

Health

Cost of living

After the film there will be a discussion about what it means for our community and what we can do locally.

Seats are free but limited, so please book in advance:
The Cross Barn, Odiham - Sunday 31 May 3.15pm (refreshments from 3pm)
buytickets.at/u3aodihamdistricteandc

St John’s Church, Hartley Wintney
Sunday 7 June 2.30pm (Refreshments from 2pm) stjohnshw.churchsuite.com/events/bx2up3mp

Winchfield Village Hall, Monday 15 June 7pm (Refreshments from 6.30pm)
buytickets.at/winchfieldpeb/2205821

The film is rated as 16+ and therefore not therefore suitable for children. Further details about the National Emergency Briefing initiative at this link

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Following the recent local elections in May, our 5 County Councillors for Hart are:

Cllr Stuart Bailey (Yateley East & Blackwater)

Cllr Chris Dorn (Odiham & Hook)

Cllr Steve Forster (Fleet Town)

Cllr Alan Oliver (Church Crookham & Ewshot)

Cllr Richard Quarterman (Hartley Wintney & Yateley West)

Each County Councillor receives an annual budget to support local projects, initiatives, or organisations within their Division. Organisations cannot apply for grants for the same purpose every year ie for the same project or event. Grant awards from the previous two years will be taken into account when applications are assessed. The County Councillors' grant scheme will re-open on 1 July. Minimum grant £100 and maximum grant £1000. Grant awards are one-off. Grant applications must demonstrate how the proposed project or initiative supports one or more of Hampshire County Council's four priority commitments in the Strategic Plan:

Keeping you healthy, well and independent

Giving your communities the best chance to thrive

Keeping you, your families, and friends safe

Providing innovative services you need and value

Please check the full guidance, and you must contact your County Councillor before making an application via the online application form. Full details at this link.

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Cream Tea for Carers @ Hart's Community Garden - 11 June

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Cream Tea for Carers @ Hart's Community Garden - 11 June

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A chance for carers to take a well deserved pause, enjoy our beautiful garden and connect with others in a calm and welcoming setting. Join the Hart's Community Garden team for a relaxed garden gathering as we recognise and support the incredible carers in our community. Take time to unwind, share experiences and enjoy good company surrounded by nature. Guests can take in the sights, sounds, and scents of the garden, spend quality time together, and simply unwind in a supportive community space. Cream tea is available for £5, please book now to reserve your space.

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HVA HCG 2026 Carers Week - Poster 05.03.26

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In 2026, the Festival will take place on Oak Common, Hartley Wintney, on Saturday, June 13th, from midday to 5 pm - please reserve the date in your diary! The Hartley Wintney Village Festival is widely praised as a "brilliant" and "proper" community event, offering a traditional, family-friendly atmosphere. Held annually on the village common and organised by Hart Rotary Club, it features a wide range of offerings, including charity stalls, arts and crafts stalls, local crafts and a funfair. Food options such as the beer tent, traditional afternoon tea, Belgian beers and a variety of food choices including pop-up eateries. There will also be a Battle of Britain Flypast by the RAF. Further details and a link to the new Festival App here.

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Hart District Council - Countryside Community Grants 

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Hart District Council - Countryside Community Grants 

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Local organisations can now apply for funding from Hart District Council's Countryside Community Grants programme aimed at looking to run and develop countryside projects that align with the Council's corporate priorities. Small, medium and large grants are available up to the value of £10,000.

Applications for the 2026 round of funding are open and close on 17 July.

Annually there are eight grants available:

£1,000 – small grant x five available

£5,000 – medium grant x one available

£10,000 – large grant x two available

Project applications will be scored accordingly:

Biodiversity enhancements: is the environment left in a naturally better state than it was before? How will local wildlife and habitats benefit from the project?

Health and wellbeing: how will your project improve the health and wellbeing or quality of life of those affected by it?
Value for money: does the application include details on expenditure and are these realistic?
Educational benefit: how will the project improve educational awareness and reach as many people as possible?
Method: is the project plan clear and considered? Does it include detail on how each element of the project will be executed and who will be responsible for it.
Sustainable: how will the project be managed to maximise future benefits? Is the project carbon friendly? Have sustainable methods been implemented e.g. use of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood.

Further detail including information about which organisations were sucessful in the previous funding round at this link.

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Community Matters is a charitable giving scheme that runs throughout John Lewis and Waitrose stores. Over £2 million in total is donated every year through Community Matters. This fund makes donations to charities and community organisations local to stores. The group’s shops select three organisations to help every three months. Customers vote for the organisation that they would like to support using a token. Every shop has £3,000 per quarter to donate. Local charities and not-for-profit organisations can contact the Champion for Community Giving at their local Waitrose store, or the Community Liaison Co-ordinator at their local John Lewis store. Alternatively, email community.matters@waitrose.co.uk.

John Lewis nomination forms can be downloaded from: www.johnlewis.com/our-services/helping-our-community

Waitrose nomination forms can be downloaded from: https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/content/about-us/charities/community-matters

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Aerobility - Picnic by the Planes - 13 June 

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Aerobility - Picnic by the Planes - 13 June 

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Picnic by the Planes - Saturday 13 June 2026

18:00 - 22:00 - Aerobility, Blackbushe Airport, Blackwater, GU17 9LQ. Further about ticket bookings on the Aerobility website.

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Following on from the Baton of Hope Tour 2025, Inclusion Education are proud to announce that Basingstoke will be the location of one of four new "Hope Hubs". See more from Marie Greenhalgh below:

I’m incredibly proud to share that Hope Basingstoke will be managed by Inclusion Education, following our role in hosting Baton of Hope Basingstoke during the 2025 Tour. What began as a single day has grown into something permanent, community‑led and rooted in care, compassion and hope.

Hope Basingstoke will focus on:

Promoting open, safe conversations about suicide and mental health

Supporting local communities and early intervention

Strengthening partnerships across education, health, business, sport and the voluntary sector

Championing the Baton of Hope pledges and national campaigns

We’re now inviting people to get involved. As we take this next step, we’re looking for individuals who would like to be part of:

A small Steering Group, helping hold the vision, values and direction

Working committees, supporting specific areas such as community engagement, youth, workplaces, events or communications

Our work will include:

Project Iris: Growing Hope - Continuing and expanding the Chatty Bench -

Supporting The Baton of Hope workplace Pledge and the BSI Standard: Suicide at Work

And we are planning at least two events in the coming months:

Goal for Hope Football tournament (August)

Hope Anniversary Event - 25th September 2026

If you would like to be involved, please let me know. And please share widely with anyone and everyone!

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Join lots of our HVA member organisations for the Frogmore Fete at the Darby Green & Frogmore Social Hall in Yateley on Sunday 4 June between 1 and 4 pm.

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Tesco's Fruit & Veg grants programme will ensure even more young people can continue to thrive and the physical and mental health of children and young people across the UK remains a priority for us all. From providing nutritious food in fun ways like smoothie classes through to learning how fruit and veg grows, applications are welcomed that use healthy food to support nutritious diets of children and young people across the UK. Groundwork/Tesco welcome applications from schools, registered charities and not-for-profit organisations supporting children and young people to apply for funding. More detail at this link.

PS – Schools can also get involved with the The Giant Fruit & Veg Challenge that invites pupils to create their own fruit‑and veg‑packed dish, encouraging creativity, practical food skills and engagement with ingredients in a positive and accessible way. One winning recipe will be developed for school menus and served in over 1,500 schools across the UK, giving pupils the opportunity to see their ideas shared more widely. The challenge is supported by JB Gill alongside nutritionists from the British Nutrition Foundation, who will visit the winning school to host a cooking session and bring the activity to life. The Giant Fruit & Veg Challenge is open to school‑aged children across the UK and is free to enter.

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Applications for the Christmas Challenge 2026 are now open. As the UK’s biggest match funding campaign, the Christmas Challenge helps charities double donations and unlock significant additional funding  during the festive period, bringing together public donors, charity supporters, and Champion funders to multiply impact at scale.

The Christmas Challenge utilises a Pledge Model of match funding. This model allows supporters of participating charities to have their donations doubled with match funds provided by the charity’s own supporters (pledgers) and Big Give’s Champion partners.

To take part, a charity must secure a portion of their match funding pot from their pledgers. If eligible, they can be awarded up to the same amount again from a Champion funder, creating a combined match pot which is used to double public donations made through Big Give’s platform during the campaign week.

Applications now open.

Deadline to apply: 3 July

28 August: Pledge deadline

7 October: Offer deadline

1 – 8 December 2026 (midday): Campaign

It is strongly encouraged to make early submissions to allow plenty of time to secure pledges. Don’t leave it until the last minute - find out more and apply via the Christmas Challenge page.

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Screenshot 2026-05-19 at 15-54-16 News Big Give's Christmas Challenge 2026

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Cash for Kids is a grant-giving charity helping the children that need it most across the UK. Their grant rounds support children from birth up to and including 18 years of age who are affected by poverty, illness, neglect or who have additional needs. Value of grants for organisations are typically between £1000 and £3000, and are currently available under 2 headings:

Impact Grants - which covers

Poverty – bedroom items, clothing, school uniform, white good*, laptop/tablets for study, baby equipment, sensory room/equipment, before/after school activities clubs

Mental Health and well-being – Therapy* including counselling, music/art therapy, speech/language, physiotherapy, bereavement support, sensory equipment.

Sport and Physical well-being

Disability or life limiting illness – Specialist equipment

Education and essential skills – Educational materials School trip/residential*, volunteer training, swimming/sport/uniformed organisation subs for disadvantaged children.

Diversity and inclusion – Projects that promote equality, diversity and inclusion.

Holiday Hunger Grants

This funding is specifically to provide disadvantaged children and young people who have a lack of access to food AND activities in the school holidays. Projects must focus on outcomes that encourage children to eat more healthily and be more active during the school holidays. Full details about all of the grant options (including for individuals and families) at this link.

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Stagecoach Giving for Good Community Fund

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Stagecoach Giving for Good Community Fund

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Up to £500 for small, local charities and community groups based in the areas where Stagecoach operates. Funding supports projects that promote health and wellbeing, young people’s skills and employment, loneliness and social isolation, and accessibility and opportunity. Applications are reviewed monthly. Closing date to apply via the Neighbourly online platform is 31 July. Please note that you will need be to registered with Neighbourly before applying.

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Advice First Aid Training with Citizens Advice Hart

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Advice First Aid Training with Citizens Advice Hart

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Citizens Advice Hart's "Advice First Aid" (AFA) programme is an opportunity to upskill volunteers and staff working on the frontline to support vulnerable people in the community. You may come into contact with people for a whole range of reasons in your role, and you might realise they have a problem or that they need help, but you don’t know what to do about it. If so, we can help. This programme is exactly like ‘first aid’ – you identify the problem, provide some

initial, basic help, but also know when, and how, to call in the experts when you need them. The programme comprises three strands:

1. Face to Face Training for frontline workers (volunteers or staff)

2. Easy referral opportunities to get those in need quick access to our advisers

3. Ongoing support for you in delivering advice first aid

The remaining training half-day dates for 2026 are:

Wednesday 24th June 2026

Wednesday 7th October 2026

Wednesday 2nd December 2026

If you would like to find out more or book a training course place - please contact Marcia afa@citizensadvicehart.org.uk (01252 227014).

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Join Fleet Phoenix for their charity quiz night at the Alento Lounge on 15 June. £5 per person for teams of up to 6 people. Email Charlotte Tickner for tickets or more information.

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Saturday 4 July 2026, 7.30pm - Victoria Hall, Hartley Wintney. Hart Voices invites you to celebrate summer with an evening of choral song that moves effortlessly between the elegance of Renaissance madrigals and the warmth of much loved folk melodies. This thoughtfully curated programme evokes long evenings, pastoral landscapes, and the shared joy of music-making. Hart Voices is conducted by Roy Rashbrook (Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, London) and will be joined by pianist Angelina Palmblad, whose sensitive and expressive accompaniment brings added richness to the programme. Join Hart Voices for a relaxed and atmospheric summer concert full of poetry, humour and heart — the perfect soundtrack to a July evening. Tickets: £20 (Under 16: £5). Ticket price includes refreshments and a complimentary programme. On sale now at: www.hartvoices.org.uk/summer-songbook

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Launch of Hampshire & IOW Dementia Alliance

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Launch of Hampshire & IOW Dementia Alliance

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Hampshire & Isle of Wight Dementia Alliance launched during Dementia Awareness Week (18 – 24th May 2026) to strengthen local support for people affected by dementia. Partners across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are coming together to be part of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Dementia Alliance, a collaborative network designed to improve support, strengthen connections between services, and make it easier for people affected by dementia to access the help they need. The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Dementia Alliance brings together people with lived experience, carers, community organisations and local partners from across the region to improve how dementia support works in everyday life.  By taking a more joined-up approach, the Alliance aims to connect people to the right information, , strengthen community-based support, and make services easier to understand and navigate. The Alliance is built on a shared commitment to achieve better coordination and collaboration across the region. Its work focuses on:

Bringing people and organisations together

Sharing information and good practice

Improving signposting to support

Helping shape more joined-up local services

By creating stronger links between services and communities, the Alliance aims to ensure that people affected by dementia – whether living with a diagnosis or supporting someone who is, can more easily find the right help, at the right time, in their local area.

Brogan Rehill, Head of Strategy, Partnerships & Community Impact at Age Concern Hampshire and spokesperson for the Alliance said:

“The launch of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Dementia Alliance during Dementia Awareness Week reflects our shared ambition to improve everyday support for people affected by dementia. By working together across organisations and communities, we can make a real difference to how people experience and access support locally.”

The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Dementia Alliance connects people, organisations and services to make support easier to find. To find out more or to get involved with the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Dementia Alliance, please contact: supporters@ageconcernhampshire.org.uk

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Come and join the Hook, Odiham and Hartley Wintney Lions for their 7th annual show and enjoy 5 hours of fun and entertainment on Sunday, 5 July at Hartletts Park in Hook. See the full programme and ticket booking information at this link.

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Hart Voluntary Action was very pleased to be a recent recipient of a grant award from the Happiful Foundation for our Walk and Talk Counselling service. The Happiful Foundation are supporting charities that offer counselling and talking therapies as they believe that everyone should have access to support when they need it.  The Happiful Foundation is made possible by the Counselling Directory.

The Counselling Directory provides a nationwide database of qualified counsellors and therapists, including the following:

An advanced search tool that allows you to filter your search according to your needs and location (or if you’d rather receive support remotely, you can find a therapist offering online or telephone services).

Full profiles of each counsellor including their background, qualifications, fees and availability.

A thorough approvals policy which means all counsellors provide evidence of professional body membership before they can be listed, so you can be sure of contacting a credible professional.

A detailed library of fact sheets featuring useful information about how counselling might be able to help with what’s worrying you.

An FAQs section that looks to answer any questions you may have.

Additional resources, such as events, where you can find workshops and courses, and articles, where experts share their knowledge on a variety of subjects.

See announcement from the Happiful Foundation here.

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Hart & Rushmoor Voluntary Sector Forum - 6 July, Fleet

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Hart & Rushmoor Voluntary Sector Forum - 6 July, Fleet

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Save the date! We are just putting together the programme of speakers for our next Voluntary Sector Forum. Hart Voluntary Action will be hosting the Forum on Monday 6 July (10.00-12.30) at Hart Civic Offices in Fleet. More detail to follow shortly.