Lancashire
Head Office 61-63 St Thomas’s Road Chorley Lancashire, PR7 1JE T: 01257 233200 F: 01257 479012 E: admin@ageconcernlancs.org.uk www.ageconcernlancs.org.uk
Working in partnership with
27th April 2009 Dear Colleague
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Please find attached information relating to the Digital Switchover. Age Concern Lancashire working in partnership with:• • • • Age Concern Blackpool & District, 89 Abingdon Street, BLACKPOOL, FY1 1PP Tel: 01253 622812, Fax: 01253 751252 Age Concern Blackburn with Darwen, 4 King Street, BLACKBURN, BB2 2DH Tel: 01254 266620, Fax: 01254 266621 Age Concern Hyndburn, 24-26 Whalley Road, ACCRINGTON, BB5 1AA Tel: 01254 871010, Fax: Fax: 01254 396624 Age Concern Preston & South Ribble, Arkwright House, Stoneygate, PRESTON, PR1 3XT Tel: 01772 552850, Fax: 01772 552866
Is leading the sub region on a community engagement project for Digital Outreach. Attached is a letter explaining training and support; a booking form to book a representative Train the Trainer(s) for your organisation, flyer about available grants; a grant application form and the application criteria. It may be that you will also receive this information from one of our partnership Age Concerns as all Age Concerns will be delivering this support in their own area of benefit. Apologies if this happens, but unfortunately some duplication across the sector is inevitable. Yours faithfully
Brenda Ward Training Manager
Lancashire
Head Office 61-63 St Thomas’s Road Chorley Lancashire, PR7 1JE T: 01257 233200 F: 01257 479012 E: admin@ageconcernlancs.org.uk www.ageconcernlancs.org.uk
Working in partnership with
24th April 2009
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Ref: C:\Documents and Settings\js\Desktop\Digital switchover letter for website.doc
Dear Colleague, Digital TV Switchover in the Granada TV region will happen in two stages, November 4th and December 2nd 2009. Free Switchover training and grants are available. As you know the UK wide switch to digital TV is underway. This means that everyone must have converted or upgraded their TV to digital in order to continue watching TV after the switchover. In the Granada area, the TV signal is provided by the Winter Hill transmitter and its relay stations. They will all switch over on November 4th and December 2nd 2009: Serving Transmitter group (including relays) 4th November 2009 2nd December 2009 Stage one Stage two
Winter Hill
Liverpool, Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire and north Staffordshire
For many people television is an important source of entertainment and company and the process of changing from analogue to digital may be worrying. That’s why it is so important for us to work closely with charities and voluntary organisations to make sure everyone gets the support they need. Switchover Help Scheme Those aged 75 or over, who have lived in a care home for six months or more, get (or could get) certain disability benefits, or are registered blind or partially sighted, are eligible for support from the Switchover Help Scheme to convert one TV set to digital.
Every eligible person will be offered practical help, including equipment, installation and aftercare, to convert one of their TV sets to digital in the run-up to switchover in their region. The Help Scheme writes to all eligible people three times to let them know what help they can receive. It costs £40, or for those entitled to certain income-related benefits it is free. Digital Outreach Ltd Digital Outreach Ltd has been set up by leading charities to deliver the digital switchover community outreach programme on behalf of Digital UK, the organisation responsible for leading switchover across the UK. Some people not eligible for support via the Switchover Help Scheme, or who choose not to take it up, may also need help to switch. The outreach programme works through local charities and voluntary organisations to provide that support. Digital Outreach has appointed Age Concern Lancashire in partnership with Age Concerns – Preston & South Ribble, Hyndburn, Blackpool & District and Blackburn with Darwen as the lead local organisation in the Granada TV region. We would like to work with your organisation to deliver a range of activities to assist people. Booking your free training place Training sessions are available designed for those in your organisation who will raise awareness of switchover and the Help Scheme who then can cascade that information to your staff and volunteers. Sessions will be held at the following dates and locations. There is no charge to attend. All will start at 9.30am and finish at 2.30pm with a lunch provided. § § § § § § § § § 18th May 2009 20th May 2009 29th May 2009 2nd June 2009 3rd June 2009 4th June 2009 9th June 2009 10th June 2009 16th June 2009 Preston South Ribble Hyndburn Blackburn West Lancashire Blackpool Burnley Fylde Lancaster
Confirmation of your place and the venue will be sent to you on receipt of booking form. Grants, materials and other assistance Other support available through us includes: § § § § Small grants for new local switchover related activities or initiatives Speakers for presentations and meetings Good practice sharing and advice on local activities or initiatives Switchover and Help Scheme leaflets and materials
We believe that it is vital that people receive the right information and advice to make the switch to digital - and that those who most need it can look to a local organisation that they know and trust to provide it. Please help us to reach out to people in the community. Additionally an information pack from Digital UK has been designed to help your organisation share information about switchover with people in the community. The pack
will contain a DVD explaining everything in more detail, plus leaflets, a poster, some bookmarks and a CD-ROM containing factsheets that you can either print out or email on. The packs will be ready by mid May .but can be requested in advance. To request an information pack for your organisation, please contact me and I will ensure you are sent one as soon as they are available. For more information, materials or to book a free place at one of the training sessions, please contact either Brenda Ward bward@ageconcernlancs.org.uk or Susan Bailey sbailey@ageconcernlancs.org.uk or telephone either on 01257 233200.. Yours faithfully
Geraldine Moore Chief Officer – Age Concern Lancashire Digital Switchover Community Outreach Programme Project Coordinator
Train the Trainer - Community Outreach Programme
Course details The training will provide the attendee with A comprehensive awareness of the issues surrounding Digital Switchover in order for you, volunteers and colleagues to provide the support and advice to older and potentially vulnerable people within your community. This course covers the skills, knowledge and materials to equip participants to run outreach training sessions with colleagues, volunteers or other interested parties and therefore if you are attending this course, you should be capable and confident to deliver the information to others. Booking form (please insert the date and venue of your choice.) Date: Name of Participant: Contact Address: Post Code: Telephone Number: Fax: Signature: Email address Dietary requirements: Date: Venue: Organisation:
The training’s joining instructions will be sent to the contact address provided on booking form.
Please send back your booking form to: Age Concern Lancashire, 61-63 St Thomas’s Road, Chorley, PR7 1JE. Tel: 01257 233200 Fax: 01257 479012 Digital Outreach, Outreach Programme Train the Trainer is delivered by Age Concern Training, Martindale, Hawks Green Lane, Cannock, Staffs WS11 7XN. (Reg Charity No. 261794)
Digital Outreach grant application form - up to £500
Grant Ref. No: Assessor: Date Received:
Name of organisation or group applying for funds Address for correspondence: Post code Contact name Telephone Email What is the grant for and how will it help raise awareness of switchover? How many people are expected to be contacted or engaged through the activity? Date of event/s (proposed or actual) Grant amount requested
Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms/Other:
If your application is successful, payment will be made by cheque. Cheque to be made payable to: _______________________________________ In compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998, Digital Outreach and Age Concern Lancashire may need to transfer some of this information to organisations commissioned to administer the Grant Programme. By completing this form you are giving your consent for this to go ahead. Further details are available on request.
Digital Outreach Grant programme: Guidelines for applicants
Digital Outreach is providing a Grant programme to enable local organisations and groups to increase awareness of the switchover from analogue to digital television by running events or other activities in connection with switchover. Age Concern Lancashire has been appointed by Digital Outreach to be the lead organisation in the areas covered by the Granada TV region transmitters. We are managing and administering the Grant Programme in these areas. Please contact Geraldine Moore, at Age Concern Lancashire if you would like to discuss elements of your application or how we can support you in delivering, coordinating or publicising your planned activities. Project Coordinator Name: Email: Phone: Post: sbailey@ageconcernlancs.org.uk 01257 233200 Age Concern Lancashire 61-63 St Thomas’s Road, Chorley, PR7 1JE. Fax: 01257 479012
We expect that most grants will be for amounts under £500. The maximum grant is £3,000.
Our criteria
Who can apply? Any community group or third sector organisation can apply for a Digital Outreach Grant. The fund is not available for private companies or individuals. Organisations applying for more than £500 should use the longer application form and enclose a copy of their constitution with their application. What types of events, activities or services can be funded? The one requirement we have is that the grant should be to help engage people, fund activities or raise awareness of switchover in a way that adds value to what is already planned. We want to help local organisations to include digital switchover information in local events, meetings, presentations and visits with the target groups we need to reach. Digital Outreach is encouraging groups to come up with innovative or unusual ways of raising awareness and understanding about the digital switchover. The fund is only for fund activities that can demonstrate that they can engage: o Older people o People with sensory, mobility or dexterity impairments o People with learning difficulties o People who have experienced mental health problems o People whose first language is not English o People who may be socially isolated.
Examples of activities are: o Including a session on digital switchover in your regular event – e.g. lunch club, meeting or coffee morning, where you incur additional costs o Holding a digital switchover awareness day in your area o Holding a series of meetings or drop-in centres on digital switchover o Transporting people to/from switchover events when without that assistance they could not have attended o Home visits o Providing training on the switchover to volunteers and advice workers. We will not fund activities that involve commercial activities or are not focused on digital switchover. When can the activities take place? Activities must take place in the six months leading up to the switchover in your area. Activities outside of this time period cannot be funded by the Digital Outreach Grant. Applications need to be in advance of the planned activities. There is only a limited amount of funds available, so we advise you to apply early if you can. The grant process takes approximately one month from application to payment. Payment must be via the applying organisation’s bank account – if your organisation does not have its own bank account, alternative arrangements can sometimes be made via Age Concern Lancashire.
What are the conditions for the Digital Outreach Grant? The terms and conditions for a Digital Outreach Grant are: 1. The amount awarded must be used to fund only the activities that are described in the application. 2. Age Concern Lancashire must be notified of any changes that will prevent the activities from going ahead as soon as possible, and this must be confirmed in writing 3. Any amount that remains not spent after the switchover goes ahead in your area must be returned immediately to Digital Outreach. 4. Feedback must be provided to Age Concern Lancashire within 2 weeks of the activity being completed. Please see appendix A for details on the data required.
How to complete the application form
The form can be completed either on a computer or by hand. You may attach additional A4 sheets if the extra information is important for your application. Applying for up to £500 For sums up to £500, apply using the one-page Grant Application Form – up to 500. Email or post your application to Geraldine Moore (contact details are on page 1). If you have any queries about your application please contact Geraldine Moore to talk them through. Applying for over £500 For sums over £500, apply using the Grant Application Form – over 500. You will also need to include a copy of your constitution. Email or post your application to Geraldine Moore (contact details are on page 1). Prior to submitting your application to Digital Outreach, Geraldine Moore will contact you to talk through your plans and discuss how Age Concern Lancashire and Digital Outreach can help support your activities. If you have any queries about your application please contact Geraldine Moore to talk them through.