Free workshop on Fraud and Cybercrime (Hull)
Join us for yet another webinar with Devan Witter from ERVAS and PC Alistair Kennedy from the Humberside Police Cyber Crime Unit, for a webinar on Fraud and Cybercrime.
This session will cover all you need to know, to stay protected from fraudsters and cyber criminals during this time.
We will discuss the art of how criminals manipulate people to obtain personal information. It’s definitely better to be aware of these tactics.
When? Wednesday 28 October at 10 am Where? Via Zoom
S.E.N.D. Networking and Information Session
Do you work or volunteer in East Riding of Yorkshire with children or young people who have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (S.E.N.D.) or their families?
Do you want to find out more about how we can all work together to improve local services across the area?
If the answer to these questions is YES, then YOU are invited to this event.
When? Wednesday 21 October at 2 pm Where? Via Zoom
We are looking for volunteer Fraud and Cyber Awareness Champions for the Hull and East Riding area.
We are looking for passionate individuals that would like to reduce the number of victims in our area. Full training will be provided virtually. This role is aimed at anyone who is able to help out in their local area.
Covid 19 has brought into sharp focus the gap in know-how and access to technology for some people / organisations at a time when more and more is moving online.
We want to get a better understanding of what organisations are already doing to address digital inclusion and understand cyber security, whether there are gaps and what we can do to fill any gaps.
The information will be used as evidence about next steps for a coordinated response to digital and cyber needs within East Yorkshire.
Cyber Security is everyone’s business, and we want to ensure our support is reaching the people who need it the most.
HUGE WAREHOUSE SALE
LOADS OF BARGAINS
Clothing/Electrical/Bric a Brac/Crockery/Gardening/Tools & much more!
PPE – Visors/Masks/Hand Wash – all donations for our Covid Overseas Poverty Fund
Jacob’s Well Warehouse, on Swinemoor Lane SATURDAY 31st OCTOBER 2020
9am- 1pm
FREE PARKING
Funding Available for Firefighting Equipment
and Training Courses
Firefighting Equipment
We have been donated various pieces of new/still boxed firefighting equipment. These are available to local charities, non profit making organisations and community groups – free of charge
Workplace Safety Courses
We are also pleased to announce that we have scheduled some dates for the following workplace safety courses;
20th Nov – Fire Extinguisher
4th Dec – Manual Handling
17th Dec – Fire Marshal
7th & 8th Jan – First Aid at Work
15th Jan – Emergency First Aid at Work
Course places are free to local charities, non profit making organisations and community groups.
Then share it, along with our infographic describing the essence of what local infrastructure does to help their local voluntary sector and communities.
And let’s send a big THANK YOU to NAVCA members across the country for being the beating #HeartOfOurCommunity!
2020 Newton Charity Investment Survey
Newton Investment Management has published the findings from its annual Charity Investment Survey.
The findings cover topics such as the implications of the coronavirus pandemic for the activities, administration and fundraising abilities of charities, how environmental, social and governance issues have affected charities and their investment strategies and the progress towards greater diversity among charity trustee boards.
Emerging Futures Fund announces £2 million in grants to diverse communities across the UK
The National Lottery Community Fund has announced they have made 51 grants to diverse communities across the UK, funding practical activities that give new thinkers and storytellers the chance to share the worlds and communities they want to create and be a part of.
The Emerging Futures Fund was set-up to resource communities to process what they are going through, to listen across their shared and different experiences, to narrate and tell their stories and to imagine, together, what might now be possible.
New helpline launched to support prisoners’ families
A new helpline has been launched to support people in the North East navigating their way through the criminal justice system.
Nepacs has introduced the new initiative in September to offer information and support to individuals, their families and loved ones at the point of arrest, at court, throughout a prison sentence, and on release. Their friendly team of helpline volunteers are available to offer a listening ear to those who need someone to talk to, and provide important information about processes and next steps.
Steady on your feet
‘Steady On Your Feet’ is a campaign led by the NHS and local authorities to help increase confidence and reduce the risk of falls.
Their advice, guidance and resources are designed for anyone worried about feeling unsteady on their feet. They aim to equip people with simple tips to stay active, independent and safe during every day activities.
Updated Charity Commission Covid-19 guidance
The Charity Commission has updated its Covid-19 guidance for the charity sector. The guidance aims to help with running your charity during the coronavirus outbreak. The updated sections refer to AGMs and holding meetings online.
Charitable companies and Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) can hold AGMs and other members’ meetings online – this has been made possible by the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020. The section in the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 on holding meetings online has been extended from 30 September to 30 December 2020. For other types of meetings, or for any other type of charity, trustees need to check if their charity’s governing document allows them to hold meetings online or by telephone.
This temporary amendment is in the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 and also applies to exempt charities that are community benefit or friendly societies. It was extended from 30 September to 30 December 2020 but may be extended again if the government thinks this is needed. We will update with any changes if they happen.
Note: temporary laws allowing charitable companies and CIOs to postpone AGMs and other members’ meetings end on 30 September. These charities can use the above advice.
For more information on the updated guidance click here.
Funding: Postcode Recovery Fund launches
The Postcode Recovery Fund has launched to support charities to address the many issues affecting people as society recovers from the effects of the pandemic.
The Postcode Recovery Fund will offer a total award fund of £3,000,000 for charitable organisations to deliver projects within Great Britain in 2021-2023.
Charities can apply for up to £1 million for a project that addresses a systemic societal issue related to the pandemic. The application form will be available to access from October 1st until October 30th.
Please click here to read the criteria and access the guidance notes. For more information and to apply click here.
NYA Update
The National Youth Agency are creating a brand new online career and opportunities platform designed by young people for young people. They want to create a space where young people (16-24 year olds) can go to understand more about themselves, their aspirations, their career dreams and how to get them.
With career experiences and training opportunities, they hope to support young people in reaching their full potential and building on their skills to progress into the workplace of their choice.
They would like young people’s help in designing the new brand and exploring content and opportunities that could be launched on the platform.
From this survey, they’re also looking for Platform Advisors who would sit on the Platform Development Group to work with the Design Agency to design, create and plan the brand, user experience, content and opportunities the platform would offer.
Complete the survey to apply for the Platform Advisor role.
Children England Update
#GiveMeABreak – campaign to fund respite for families of seriously ill children
Together for Short Lives has published evidence showing the value of short breaks to families of terminally ill children, and is calling on the Chancellor to create a ringfenced fund of £434 million for local authorities so they can fill the gap in social care services for disabled children. They say:
“Existing legislation and government policy is clear that local councils in England should make sure families can access short breaks. However, too many cannot, which is a serious health inequality. The way in which short breaks are planned, funded and provided is patchy and unsustainable. Local authority funding for children’s hospices was cut by 12% in 2019-20.
Isolated during the pandemic without access to many of the services they previously relied on, many families desperately need a break. Making sure that vulnerable families facing their worst nightmare can access the breaks they need is the very least we, as a society, can do.”
Online safety
The NSPCC has published a report setting out a series of tests that the upcoming Online Harms Bill must meet to protect children online. The six tests include: creating an expansive, principles-based duty of care with tech firms having a legal responsibility to identify harms caused by their sites and deal with them; tackling online sexual abuse; tackling legal but harmful content; and holding the tech industry to account with criminal and financial sanctions.
NYA Guidance remains at Amber level
** Following the Prime Ministers statement (22 Sept 2020) the NYA confirms that as an essential service, youth sector activity remains unchanged where COVID secure to NYA guidance standards. There are NO local restrictions in place across the whole of England. Bubbles of 15 in COVID Secure venues can continue**
COVID Secure venues required
Max bubbles of 15 (+ youth workers and staff)
Face coverings required for ages 11+
Social Distancing required of 1 metre plus
(Version 2)
Everyone should read the guidance and follow the recommended actions and requirements. This guidance is intended for use in England.
West Yorkshire Police flagged up the trend, which is also affecting other parts of Aireborough and Wharfedale, in a recent message to local councillors. more
Suspended sentence for Bridgend rogue trader
A rogue trader who took £6,000 from an elderly Bridgend County Borough resident has been found guilty following a doorstep crime investigation by Shared Regulatory Services. more
Man jailed for fraud offences against elderly victims
A man has been jailed for fraud offences committed against elderly victims.
Mohammed Koita, 22, of Clandon Road, Ilford, appeared at Bromley Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 23rd September where he pleaded guilty to two offences of fraud by false representation and was sentenced. more
SnapDragon founder and CEO Rachel Jones has launched BogusBuster, a new one-stop-shop to prevent online fraud which has been backed by Innovate UK. more
The email, which uses the Netflix logo, states “Unfortunately, we are unable to approve your payment for your next subscription cycle”, and you are then asked to update your payment information by pressing the button below. more
National campaign launched to prevent romance fraud
Police forces across the country are working together with partners to tackle romance fraud, with a combination of awareness raising and enforcement activity, co-ordinated by the City of London Police and Action Fraud.
The multi-agency campaign, running throughout October, aims to raise awareness of romance fraud and provide clear and unambiguous protection advice to the public, following a 26 per cent rise in reports to Action Fraud in the past year.
Temporary Detective Chief Superintendent Alex Rothwell, from the City of London Police, said: “Romance fraud is a devastating crime that impacts victims both financially and emotionally. It is a crime that we in policing across the UK and are committed to tackling with help from key partners. Through this campaign we want to empower people to understand what to look out for and feel confident that if they have fallen victim to a fraud, to report it to us.
“Criminals are experts at impersonating people. They spend hours researching you for their scams, especially when committing romance fraud. We’re reminding everyone to stop and think: fall for the person, not the profile, it could protect you and your money.”
Romance fraud, or dating fraud, occurs when you think you’ve met the perfect partner online but they are using a fake profile to form a relationship with you. They gain your trust over a number of weeks or months and have you believe you are in a loving and caring relationship. However, the criminal’s end goal is only ever to get your money or personal information.
Between August 2019 and August 2020, Action Fraud received more than 400 reports a month from victims of romance fraud in the UK. Losses reported by victims during this time totalled £66,335,239, equating to an average loss per victim of just over £10,000.
During June, July and August 2020, Action Fraud received more than 600 reports per month of romance fraud, indicating people may have met, and begun talking to, romance fraudsters during the national lockdown caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
In Humberside, between April 2019 and March 2020, 75 victims of romance fraud across East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire lost £850,000, with one of the victim losing £260,000 to fraudsters.
Diana Fawcett, Chief Executive of the independent charity Victim Support, said: “Victims of romance fraud often blame themselves, but it is important to understand that this is an incredibly sophisticated crime, and that almost anyone can be targeted. Victims may feel they have not only lost money, but also a loving partner or relationship they thought they had.
“Lockdown restrictions meant people could not meet in person for a number of months, which led to many seeking to form new connections online. While using the internet can be a great way to meet people and form relationships, there’s also a great risk of being lured into a romance scam as fraudsters know how to take advantage of people’s desire for human contact.
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen that circumstances caused by coronavirus were in fact used by fraudsters as a ‘hook’ to extort money. For example, some have invented lies about needing medical treatment, or urgent travel expenses to leave a country, or funds to keep afloat after a bogus job loss caused by the pandemic.
“It’s important to be aware that not everyone is who they say they are.”
During October, the City of London Police, the national lead force for fraud, will be co-ordinating enforcement activity across the UK and overseas, to target, and ultimately arrest, criminals suspected of committing romance fraud.
Fraud cases can be reported to Action Fraud online. Anyone who finds themselves in immediate danger should call 999 as per any emergency.
Victims of fraud looking for help can find more information on Victim Support’s website.
Hull: Scam alert
The Hull Fraud Forum have been made aware of the following scam alerts circulating in
Hull:
Automated phone call from HMRC saying there is a fraudulent claim out against you, press 1 to continue, and if you don’t then a warrant would be out for you. SCAM!
A report has also been made on receiving a unplanned telephone call from Humberside fire and rescue who stated that they were coming to do a fire safety check on your property, they then don’t turn up at the arranged time. SCAM!
Fixed penalty scam email: warning for DVSA customers
The Neighbourhood Teams for Humberside Police have received two similar reports from members of the public regarding a scam relating to a false Fixed Penalty / Parking Charge Notices being issued against them.
In both reports the cyber criminals have made contact by email and used a phishing technique to try and obtain money from potential victims.
Phishing is where Cyber criminals use fake messages as bait to lure you into clicking on the links within their scam email or text message, or to give away sensitive information (such as bank details).
These messages may look like the real thing but are malicious. Once clicked, you may be sent to a non secure website which could download viruses onto your computer, or steal your passwords.
The emails purported to be from HM Courts and Tribunal Service and try to infer that you have been charged for using a vehicle in what they call a “charging area”.
There are three main things that identify this email to be fraudulent:
-Email Address: This is the strongest evidence that this email is fraudulent but it is not the most obvious. Whilst the display name of the sender shows as from HM Courts and Tribunals Service the actual email address is very different. Make sure to check the contact details by selecting the display name s and opening the contact details. This process will vary on what device you are using. ONLY CLICK THE DISPLAY NAME IN THE EMAIL HEADER AND NOT ANY LINKS WITHIN THE EMAIL ITSELF.
-No Vehicle Details: Legitimate parking enforcement companies contact DVLA to obtain registered keeper detail of vehicles using the Registration, Make and Model of your vehicle. They are only provided with a name and address and not email addresses or telephone numbers. If you had genuinely been issued a Fixed Penalty or a Parking charge Notice you would be contacted by post. If your vehicle has been parked in an area it shouldn’t the details of your vehicle will be recorded manually or by some form of electronic monitoring equipment.
-Location: The location for the alleged offence. The only information provided about the alleged offence is that it occurred in the United Kingdom. Legitimate Parking Companies or Law Enforcement would state the exact location, date and time.
If you have received an email which you are not quite sure about, forward it to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS): report@phishing.gov.uk
What stem4 learned from the Tech for Good programme
Teenage mental health charity stem4 worked with the Tech for Good programme to create an app to help young people suffering from depression. We discover what they learned.
How leadership has changed during COVID-19
Writing in Charity Digital, Zoe Amar examines how the pandemic has shaped leadership – and what qualities will distinguish the successful charity leaders of the future.
NAVCA Digital Update
Emphasising the digital in your strategy
If you are in the middle of strategising at the moment, then it may be worth taking a look through this article from Charity Digital about the benefits of incorporating digital into the heart of that strategy – something that over half of charities don’t do.
This year has seen a significant shift to digital – for obvious and understandable reasons – but this looks set to remain for the foreseeable future.
The 10 funniest things on the internet (possibly)
Here’s our attempt to lighten your mood – a group of Australian comedians listing their favourite funniest moments on the internet.
Personally, I would head straight to number 8 and watch a seven-second clip which I have now seen over 20 times and still brings tears to my eyes. Pure internet gold.
As part of our new campaign ‘Healthy Minds in East Riding’, launching in October, we want to know what good mental heath means to you. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey.
Around 40 firefighters battled a severe fire at Haltemprice Crematorium and managed to stop the flames spreading into the main chapel, four engines were sent to Easington gas terminal to contain a hydrogen leak and Hull crews spent a week containing a fire at a waste management and energy plant.
Supporting what we do, week in week out, are our plans which review our risk and ensure we are heading in the right direction.
We are now consulting on these and we would be interested in hearing your views. There’s only around a month left to do so and the response so far has been very
encouraging.
We are consulting on these documents from 12 noon Wednesday 9 September to 12 noon Wednesday 11 November 2020.
Message Sent By
Jonathan Clark (Fire and Rescue Service, Public Safety Communications Manager, Humberside)
Additional Dates – Effective Support for Children, Young People and Families In The East Riding of Yorkshire:
Thresholds, Referrals & Consent Briefing
Due to demand we have added additional sessions to support the implementation of the revised Effective Support Offer. It is important that practitioners and operational managers have an understanding of the revised threshold guidance.
Aims:
To introduce you to the updated Threshold of Intervention and Need Guidance and how to use it to help inform your decision making.
To inform you how to make requests for service to the new Early Help Locality Hubs and the Children’s Safeguarding Hub when additional or intensive support is needed for children, young people and their families or you have a safeguarding concern.
To help you understand when consent is needed to discuss a child’s situation or make a request for service.
To Book a place chose a session below and apply by emailing your details to the ERSCP as detailed below.
Sessions: All will be delivered via Teams on the dates below via Microsoft Teams
The East Riding Crime Reduction Fund has been established by the East Riding Community Safety Partnership, with funding provided by the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner and aims to provide grants for projects that will provide sustainable solutions to help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
Projects must help to meet at least one of the three aims in the Police & Crime Commissioner’s Police and Crime plan:
To deliver increasingly self-sustaining and safe communities in the Humber area
To build public confidence in the agencies involved in creating safer communities
To provide services to victims and the vulnerable that meet their needs.
Size of grants: Grants are available of up to £20,000
When to apply?
Applications to this fund will be assessed on an ongoing basis subject to available funds. Decisions on awards in 2020/21 will be made in September 2020, December 2020 and March 2021.
Deadlines for applications to be considered at each meeting will be:
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner Annual Report
Last week the PCC presented our Annual Report 2019/20 to Humberside Police and Crime Panel. This highlights improvements in Humberside Police and shows how the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has achieved against its Delivery Plan, as well as what we commission for the area and some case studies.
The Architectural Heritage Fund – Cultural Recovery Fund
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a sudden and substantial impact on the heritage sector, and we want to support organisations who have been directly impacted and are now severely at risk. This programme aims to help previously sustainable organisations that care for, work with, or manage historic buildings to fund consultancy support to develop new operating models and business plans, where the impact of COVID-19 means the organisation is at risk of no longer trading viably by March 2021. We will provide funding which will enable organisations to achieve a clear plan towards future financial viability and help them remain resilient in a demanding external environment.
If you think your project is eligible and fits with our funding priorities, or you would like further advice, please contact us via culturalrecovery@ahfund.org.uk and one of our team will get in touch. When you are ready, please complete the online application form at http://ahfund.org.uk/england
The deadline for applications is 12pm, 9th November 2020. Decisions on grants will be made in early December 2020.
The Heritage Funding Directory
Managed by The Heritage Alliance and the Architectural Heritage Fund, the Heritage Funding Directory is a free guide to financial support for anyone undertaking UK related heritage projects.
This is a useful starting point for navigating funding sources in the sector and it is recommended that you visit the funder’s website directly to explore the latest information.
Thanks to support from the Historic Houses Foundation, The Heritage Alliance and The Architectural Heritage Fund combined their funding directories to provide around 400 updated listings detailing sources of grants from trusts and foundations, as well as organisations offering loan finance, awards, scholarships and other ‘in kind’ resources. Visit https://www.heritagefundingdirectoryuk.org/ for more information.
The Prince’s Countryside Fund is now open to applications, with a closing date of 3rd November at 12 noon.
You should apply for as much as you need to complete your project, to a maximum of £10,000 (an average grant would be in the region of £8,000)
The theme is Rural Community Resilience – applications should build on some of the amazing projects that came about as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic this year, and the effect that this had on rural communities. Projects should protect or boost community assets and enterprises, or otherwise strengthen the sense of community.
Examples could include:
• A village shop that moved into food or medicine delivery and has realised that this is of real benefit to the community but now wishes to take this a step further, or to continue the service.
• A community may have discovered some hard to reach households within their community that have now started to engage – our grants could facilitate some exciting projects to continue and improve that engagement.
• You may need to reinvigorate a rural transport scheme to tackle isolation in the countryside.
Please note that whilst we are able to fund some capital items, we cannot provide funding towards the costs of purchasing buildings or land (including associated costs such as planning permission). We are able to fund revenue costs for your project.
Who?
Applications are welcome from locally-focussed, legally-constituted not-for-profit bodies, concentrating on the following:
• Communities in remote rural areas, specifically areas of Locality Related Deprivation
• Communities with an ageing population or with a limited number of working age people in the area
• Communities with a population of under 3,000 residents, with a drive time of over 30 minutes to a settlement of 10,000 or more
Open to applications from across the UK, but particularly in areas which score highly on the indices of rural deprivation.
Funding for projects for one years’ duration, but all projects must be complete by 31st March 2022.
More Than a Pub Programme Re-opens with £2.2m in New Funding for England
Community organisation in rural and urban England that want to take control of their local pub for the benefit of the local community can apply now for a support package.
Funded by Power to Change and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and led by the national charity, the Plunkett Foundation, this new £2.2 million round of ‘More than a Pub’, makes a range of support and funding available until December 2020.
Eligibility:
Applications will be considered from organisations that are incorporated or intend to incorporate and which are using, or planning to use, one of the following legal forms:
Community Benefit Society
Co-operative Society
Company Limited by Guarantee
Community Interest Company (large membership)
Closing Date:
Applications will be accepted at any time and are assessed at Panel meetings on the second Thursday of every month. Applications must be submitted by the 28th of the previous month.
The programme will run from 19 August to December 2020.
Emergency funding available for residents struggling financially due to COVID-19 pandemic
East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s emergency assistance scheme aims to help residents of the East Riding who are in need at a time of crisis.
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the government have made available a limited amount of funds for residents of the East Riding who are in need at a time of emergency or crisis. This money is to help support residents where they have had a reduction in their income as a result of coronavirus and urgently require assistance with food and essentials.
Awards will be made where there is no alternative means of meeting the need, this includes help from universal credit and other benefits payable.
Woman charged over Heathrow Airport cash seizure
A woman from Yorkshire has been charged with money laundering after almost £2 million in cash was seized by Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport.
Chair’s speech to the Charity Commission Annual Public Meeting 2020
Baroness Stowell highlights the lessons from COVID-19, including that meeting the standards people expect of charity – humility, decency, dignity, commitment, accountability – is vitally important to the future of the sector.
Amazon launches new Military Talent Pool
Amazon have launched a new Military Talent Pool, enabling members of the armed forces community to register their interest in working for Amazon.
Cadets: Kal Singh
Kal Singh explains why he loves doing his bit to help young people in his community.
Our mailing address is:
East Riding Voluntary Action Services (ERVAS) Ltd
Morley’s Cottage, Morley’s Yard
Walkergate
Beverley, East Riding HU17 9BY
United Kingdom Add us to your address book