Lancaster District CVS

Lancaster District CVS We support voluntary organisations across the Lancaster District in their work to make a difference.

Lancaster District CVS is the city-wide infrastructure organisation for the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector; providing specialist information, advice, development support and opportunities for influence and collaboration. We do this by providing advice and support around governance, fundraising, policies and strategies, building and promoting networks and partnerships, running the district's volunteer centre, advising volunteer involving organisations and providing DBS checks, and offering financial services such as payroll and independent examinations. Our Bay Foundation works in partnership with business and the public sector to get money where it is needed in our communities. Funds open for applications include Street Aid (helping people with a history of street homelessness and vulnerable housing), The Eric Wright Charitable Trust Fund (up to £500 for projects in small organisations), The Lancaster Community Fund (up to £1,000 for grass-roots projects which create a more sustainable district), and the Nat Merriman Fund (offering access to arts and cultural experiences for young people).

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us this morning at The Torrisholme Methodist Church for our MP Questions event.I...
09/10/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us this morning at The Torrisholme Methodist Church for our MP Questions event.

It was fantastic to see such a strong turnout from leaders and colleagues across the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector. The room was full of passion, honesty and commitment to making a difference in our communities.

We had insightful and thought-provoking discussions on a wide range of topics, including youth work, education, health, housing, funding, devolution and much more. There were powerful questions, genuine emotion and a shared determination to improve outcomes for local people and our communities.

Our special thanks to Lizzi Collinge MP and Cat Smith MP for giving their time, engaging with us and responding so openly and thoughtfully to the questions raised. Your support helped ensure that the voices of people working on the frontline of our communities were heard and valued.

Most importantly, thank you to everyone who attended and contributed. Events like this demonstrate the strength, expertise and passion that exists across our sector and the importance of continuing to work together to create positive change.

🌱 From a very wet morning to a beautiful warm day! We had a brilliant visit to Food Futures Summerhouse Community Farm ...
30/09/2026

🌱 From a very wet morning to a beautiful warm day!

We had a brilliant visit to Food Futures Summerhouse Community Farm in Lancaster, joining colleagues to find out more about the work taking place and the networks helping to support food, people and ideas across North Lancashire.

We heard about the growing Food Champions network who help connect people with groups, support local ideas and bring together a wonderfully diverse range of people - from farmers and local food groups to community organisations and local residents.

At the heart of this is creating space for ideas, dreams, collaboration and passion helping to build a local food system that is healthy, resilient and fair, while also benefiting our communities and environment.

Summerhouse Community Farm is a really inspiring space. 🌱

With beautiful views and a real sense of tranquillity, it also has an exciting vision for the future creating more opportunities for schools and young people, different community groups, training and development, and space to test and learn, try new ideas, inspire others and grow food that benefits many people.

What really came through was the growing ambition to create a movement and an alliance bringing together people and organisations who care about food, communities and our environment and working together to achieve change.

A big thank you to Anna and everyone at FoodFutures: North Lancashire for inviting us, making us so welcome and hosting great conversations. It was fantastic to learn more about the vision for North Lancashire and explore how the voluntary and community sector can play its part.

And we’re delighted to officially say that LDCVS are now Food Champions too! 🌱🙌🏽

https://foodfutures.org.uk/

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Transformative Conversations training, delivered in partnership with RISE Yo...
29/09/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Transformative Conversations training, delivered in partnership with RISE Young Lancaster District.

The sessions grew from conversations across our district about how we respond to complex conversations and how we can feel more confident having difficult conversations within our communities.

It was great to bring people together to explore how we can listen, challenge, reflect and engage constructively, particularly when people hold very different views from our own.

A huge thank you to Dr Temidayo Eseonu from Lancaster University for facilitating both sessions and creating such a thoughtful and engaging space. Temidayo is a Lecturer in Politics and Policy, with work including participatory and deliberative approaches to policy and social justice.

And, most importantly, thank you to everyone who took part, shared experiences, asked questions and contributed so openly.

Difficult conversations aren’t going away but perhaps we can all become a little better equipped to have them.

💡 Got an idea for a Your Pots project? There’s still time to get some helpful feedback before you take it further.A few ...
24/09/2026

💡 Got an idea for a Your Pots project? There’s still time to get some helpful feedback before you take it further.

A few online slots are still available on Tuesday 29 September for a free, informal 20-minute chat with Jez Hall from Shared Future CIC. Pitch your idea, ask questions and get some independent pointers to help strengthen your project.

📅 Tuesday 29 September
💻 Online via Zoom
🎟️ Free - booking required

https://www.trybooking.com/uk/event/119380

☕ Coffee, creativity and good company are back in Morecambe...The Dukes’ Creative Coffee Mornings return this Thursday, ...
21/09/2026

☕ Coffee, creativity and good company are back in Morecambe...

The Dukes’ Creative Coffee Mornings return this Thursday, offering Morecambe and Heysham residents aged 50+ a relaxed place to meet new people, have a brew and try something creative along the way.

There’s no pressure to be an artist - just come along, have a go and enjoy the company. The sessions are completely free and now have a new home at More Music, Morecambe.

📅 Thursdays from 24 September
⏰ 10:30am–12pm
📍 More Music, Morecambe
💷 Free for Morecambe & Heysham residents aged 50+

And over in Lancaster, The Dukes’ Prime Time sessions also return on 24 September and are currently welcoming new participants aged 60+.

Whether you fancy getting creative in Morecambe or getting involved with Prime Time in Lancaster, it could be a good week to try something new.

For Creative Coffee Morning enquiries:
📧 [email protected]
📞 01524 598 508

Find out more about Prime Time at The Dukes: https://dukeslancaster.org/get-involved/prime-time

Absolutely brilliant! 👏 A huge well done to Cat and Yak on completing the 10K and lovely to see Ryelands families there ...
20/09/2026

Absolutely brilliant! 👏 A huge well done to Cat and Yak on completing the 10K and lovely to see Ryelands families there cheering them on along the way.

They’re so close to reaching £1,000 for the new playground now. If you can, please give them a little extra push and help them achieve their target for Ryelands! 👇

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ryelands-playground

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ This weekend our Chief Officer Yak Patel and local Cat Smith MP are lacing up their running shoes for Ryelands!...
19/09/2026

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ This weekend our Chief Officer Yak Patel and local Cat Smith MP are lacing up their running shoes for Ryelands!

On Sunday, Yak and Cat are taking on the Morecambe 10K to raise money towards an ambitious £150,000 project to transform the playground on the Ryelands estate.

Ryelands Residents’ Association has spent the past four years bringing people together and working to make the area a better place for local families. Now they want to create a safe, modern and inclusive playground where children of all abilities can play, make friends and thrive.

The Residents’ Association is working to secure grant funding towards the project, while Cat and Yak’s run is one of a number of fundraising efforts helping to provide match funding and keep the momentum going.

For Yak, who is himself a Ryelands resident, it’s a cause particularly close to home.

“Local residents haven't just talked about making things better, they've been building the foundations to make it happen.”

Now Cat and Yak are doing their bit - 10K at a time! 💪

Can you get behind them?

Every donation, big or small, takes Ryelands another step closer to a playground its children and families can be proud of.

👉 Sponsor Cat and Yak and help make the new Ryelands playground a reality:
https://justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ryelands-playground

Good luck, Cat and Yak - we’re all right behind you! 👏

🎉 What a fantastic afternoon at the BIG Swop Shop 2026! 🎉A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at More Music and he...
18/09/2026

🎉 What a fantastic afternoon at the BIG Swop Shop 2026! 🎉

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at More Music and helped make this such a positive, inspiring and valuable event.

It was brilliant to see so many local businesses coming together to share their knowledge and expertise with the district's charities, community groups, social enterprises, and faith organisations.

From funding and governance to HR, legal, finance, insurance and much more, the conversations taking place across the room showed just how strong and collaborative the Lancaster district can be is.

We're especially grateful to our exhibitor and discussion facilitators who generously shared their expertise, and to our partners at the Lancaster & Morecambe Chamber of Commerce for helping bring the event to life.

The best part? The ideas, contacts and recommendations shared today will continue to benefit organisations across Lancaster District long after the event has finished.

Thank you for being part of it. Together, we're building stronger organisations, stronger partnerships and stronger communities. 💙

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Lancaster
LA11PX

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+441524555900

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