Trader applications are now OPEN for the May 4th Liverpool Alternative Bazaar and close at midnight on March 1st!
To apply, fill out the Google form in the bio. Please read it carefully. There is also a new website FAQ to check any queries you may have before submitting your application!
They can’t wait to see all your work!
Are you seeking ways to inspire creative learning and add value to your arts education programme?
To support your important work in community engagement, they’ve worked closely with cultural institutions to develop free-to-access resources that demonstrate how Arts Award can enrich your activities.
Arts Award gives young people recognition for their participation in creative projects while helping them develop valuable skills and knowledge. It also provides a clear framework to support your impact assessment.
Discover six free resources specially designed for cultural venues like yours:
Get your Resource Pack here
As part of our three year partnership with Barclays, they are offering grants of up to £1,000 to community-led initiatives aiming to champion and uplift LGBT+ communities in Liverpool City Region 🌈
Local groups and individuals are encouraged to submit their community-driven projects and ideas, with support and advice to apply available at www.lcrpride.fund.
They are particularly keen to hear from underrepresented groups, those working in the wider boroughs and initiatives not currently taking place in the region.
Be part of the Youth Dance Showcase during Leap 2025.
Event Information
The Youth Dance Showcase takes place on Sunday 4th May at The Capstone Theatre.
During the day, students will experience master classes and dance workshops from all dance disciplines, with a range of invited dance artists leading exciting sessions – last year they were joined by Joss La Porta (House of La Porta), Karl Newsam (MELT Dance), Melissa Collins (Funky Femmes) and The Lowry Centre for Advanced Training.
In the evening, your groups will perform in a 240 seater theatre. They encourage groups from diverse backgrounds and in a range of dance styles, to truly represent the Liverpool City Region.
How to Take Part
They are looking for 10 youth groups to perform at the event.
In order to secure your group’s place, you must complete the registration form and return along with the registration fee of £30 by 14th March.
If you would like your Youth Dance school or group to take part, download a registration form and return with your fee to: paul@leapfestival.co.uk.
More information about the festival and other opportunities at: https://www.leapfestival.co.uk/opportunities
For Leap 2025, they are Dancing at the Palm House to celebrate the amazing dance happening in local communities, and they’d love you to be part of it!
Event Information
The event takes place on Sunday 27th April at Sefton Park Palm House, and they’re looking for community groups from across Liverpool City Region to perform, and to lead workshops / taster sessions for other performers, and the general public.
This is a fantastic opportunity to see and sample other dance styles and to connect with others through dance. Last year, they held a similar event at Liverpool’s World Museum, and with this iconic venue they believe Dancing at the Palm House will be even more magical.
How to Take Part
If you’re part of a group that would like to perform at this event, they’d love to hear from you! Download the form, and send to paul@leapfestival.co.uk to register your interest.
More information about the festival and other opportunities at: https://www.leapfestival.co.uk/opportunities
In early 2025, Liverpool City Council are developing a new strategy and delivery plan to address community cohesion and strengthen communities, following the widespread disorder last summer. They want to invite local voluntary, community and faith groups to work alongside us in the strategy development.
In the lead up, they have been awarded £57,000 from HM Government to deliver some local projects, and we would like to invite the voluntary, community and faith sector (VCF) in Liverpool, to apply to run small projects within your local communities.
Liverpool based VCF organisations can apply for a one-off grant of any amount up to a maximum of £2,500. Eligibility criteria and a list of project examples are provided within the Grant Specification available here.
Organisations will be required to feedback what has been delivered, and they would like groups to commit to helping us develop the cohesion strategy during 2025 – this might be through a written submission, a survey, or an informal meeting/conversation, whichever suits your organisation and community. They are looking to work with both long-standing and also more recently established groups across the city.
The grants must meet one of the criteria specified below (these are determined by MHCLG HM Government)
Apply online here for the Communities Together Grant programme.
If you have a query that is not included in the Grant Specification please email communitiestogether@liverpool.gov.uk
DEADLINE: 14th February 2025
A Liverpool wellbeing hub is offering free wellbeing treatments to help those struggling with the cost of living crisis thanks to National Lottery funding.
Inner Guru CIC’s ‘Community Roots’ project offers free classes and workshops including meditation, breathwork, yoga, sauna, ice baths, sharing circles and more.
With a centre in Kirkdale and a men’s mental health hub in Walton, Inner Guru CIC will soon be celebrating its 5th birthday. Since opening in 2020, they have helped improve the ‘mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing’ of many people in the region through a wide range of activities and treatments.
The Community Roots project will fund free spaces for classes or workshops throughout 2025 to help people during these times of financial hardship. There are many classes available including Meditation Mondays, Yin Yoga Tuesdays, Disconnect With Kev on Thursdays, a 5-Week Yoga Course, and a 6-Week Breathwork Course. The CIC also offers a men’s mental health group, family workshops and counselling for young people.
The funding is available to anyone who is struggling due to the cost of living crisis and spaces are available on a trust basis, without scrutiny or judgement. People can visit the Inner Guru website and nominate themselves or someone else. The centre will then get in touch to discuss the treatments, courses and workshops available to choose from.
Inner Guru CIC Founder Lewis Powell said: “We’re living in challenging times where mental health problems and suicides are on the rise. One of the key contributing factors to stress and unhappiness is financial problems and the cost of living crisis is leading to a great deal of suffering in society — thanks to the National Lottery funding we can help those who are struggling through a range of treatments.”
He continued: “We’ve been doing great things in the community for almost 5 years and we have an experienced team of highly qualified and skilled practitioners. We have a number of classes from meditation to yoga and transformational courses in yoga, breathwork and more. We may not be able to resolve people’s financial problems but we are able to help them cope and give them tools to deal with stress.”
A recent study from UK mental health charity Mind revealed that a staggering 2.7 million people have considered suicide because of financial pressure. Research published by Mind today shows the full impact of the cost-of-living crisis on the nation’s mental health, with three in every 50 (6%) people in England and Wales saying they have considered ending their lives because of it.
Other findings include that one in five (20%) people report worsening depression because of the cost of living, and one in ten (10%) developing disordered eating as a result. The statistics are alarming and Inner Guru CIC is aiming to bridge that gap in the Liverpool region in 2025 thanks to the National Lottery funding.
Lewis Powell summarised: “Our hubs are based in North Liverpool, with a great deal of poverty around us — with that often comes mental health struggles, addiction and other suffering. Practises such as meditation, yoga, breathwork, physical exercise, sauna, cold water therapy and sharing circles can work wonders on improving mental health and general wellbeing and we’d like to help as many people as possible.”
He continued: “We’re a really friendly team and have an inclusive, non judgemental and non clinical environment so please, don’t be afraid to reach out and take advantage of our free treatments. Whether you’re referring yourself or someone you know who is struggling, just get in touch and give one of our classes or workshops a try — it could change your life.”
Inner Guru CIC is also looking to work with more wellbeing practitioners and community groups in 2025 in order to widen its reach and help as many people as possible. Venue hire is kept to an absolute minimum just covering costs and there are large spaces, treatment and therapy rooms, a sauna, ice barrels and more.
Inner Guru CIC / 3 Efik House, 81 Walton Road, Liverpool, L4 4AF / 07482 871127
CLICK HERE TO REFER YOURSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE FOR FREE WELLBEING TREATMENTS
Fore more info about classes and what’s on visit the Inner Guru CIC WEBSITE
RAWD’s brand new wellness video series, designed to support adults who identify as learning disabled and neurodiverse through yoga, meditation and more!
The online sessions will be available on YouTube for FREE on 3rd February 2025.
Get ready to move, clear your mind and discover your inner calm!
See their website here
Are you a creative practitioner interested in exploring the agricultural heritage of the borough of Knowsley?
Feed Back are looking for people to carry out research and deliver workshops and engaging activities on this theme to community groups in Knowsley.
Email: lucy@feedbackglobal.org
The Reader’s dedicated community Upcycling Group, which has been running for more than five years, is looking to expand and is offering free workshops for members.
Two friendly and open weekly volunteer group sessions committed to restoring or ‘upcycling’ furniture and other items meet every Friday at The Coach House – one of the Liverpool charity’s spaces in Calderstones Park, in the same courtyard as the Ice Cream Parlour and The Storybarn. They take place between 10am-1pm; and 1-4pm.
Thanks to new funding from Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA) the Upcycling group is able to offer three free workshops for volunteer upcyclers in January and February.
Designer and upcycler Nicky Cash, who runs Done Up North, a Wirral-based upcycling business, and has appeared on the BBC’s flagship upcycling programme, Money for Nothing, as an artisan, will be leading workshops on Wood Revival and Restoration; Upholstery skills and Metallic design.
Lesley Worswick, Chief Executive of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority (MRWA), said: “This is an outstanding project, and I extend my gratitude to everyone involved in its successful delivery. By empowering people with the skills to repair and refurbish items, this initiative promotes a circular economy by reducing waste and unnecessary consumption.
“The workshops are inspiring, demonstrating the value of keeping usable furniture out of the waste stream and ensuring it continues to serve its purpose within our communities. I strongly encourage the development of similar initiatives that divert valuable furniture from the waste stream and ensure it continues to serve its purpose within our communities.”
The Upcycling Group is also looking for new members on a Friday, as well as announcing plans to establish a second group on a Saturday, with thanks to further funding from Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority and launching an appeal for furniture donations which could be upcycled.
No upcycling experience is required by anyone interested in joining the group, and the group has projects ready to be worked on. It receives support from volunteer leads and members of staff from The Reader, who will train members to use equipment when necessary.
Mary Crotty, Engagement Manager at The Reader, the UK’s largest Shared Reading charity, which runs more than 490 shared reading groups across the Liverpool City Region and rest of the UK, said: “Our Upcycling Group is a friendly and dedicated community of volunteers. The drop-in group – which has morning and afternoon sessions – is incredibly welcoming and keen to get stuck into new projects and ideas.
“They add such a unique string to our bow of community wellbeing groups. I’d strongly encourage all who are curious to get in touch and have a go.”
Members of the group restore second hand, antique or vintage wooden furniture by sanding, re-varnishing, waxing or painting. They make repairs as needed, upholster and re-purpose older pieces of furniture or household items.
Projects can vary from turning an armchair, an old bike and standard lamp into a pedal-powered reading-light-chair for children in The Storybarn to repurposing bookcases and picture frames.
An upcycled piece of furniture can be returned to the owner, sold to raise funds towards The Reader’s charity work, created for use within the charity or sold to partner organisations, such as housing associations at a discounted rate, ensuring furniture goes to go to those most in need.
Anyone who has a potential item they would like to donate should email programmes@thereader.org.uk including a photograph of the piece. Furniture may be in need of minor repairs. The group is unable to collect furniture from people’s homes.
Anyone who would like to join the upcycling group or like some more information can email Mary at programmes@thereader.org.uk.
CASESTUDY
Hilda Kiernan, from the Wirral, came to attend a Shared Reading group at The Reader after the pandemic around three years ago and ended up joining the charity’s community Upcycling Group.
A creative and former medical secretary, she has a degree in fine art and literature while also volunteers for Heart4Refugees on the Wirral, running art therapy for Syrian refugees.
She said: “I am very much into recycling and upcycling. It is so satisfying to create something new out of something which would have been thrown away.
“I did up a couple of piano stools and am currently sanding down a rocking chair – what I like about that is being in the fresh air of the park surroundings, chatting to the dog walkers. It’s very rewarding especially when someone likes what you’ve made and buys it.
“It’s lovely to see creativity around you and we are guided and supported by The Reader’s Operations and Facilities team.
“There are half a dozen of us in the Friday morning group and they are all absolutely lovely people. We are a mixed group from all walks of life but everyone is welcome. Outside of the group we have a meet up lunch and over Christmas both groups we all went to a pub for a Christmas lunch together which was great.
“We’re all looking forward to the upcoming workshops.”
Find out more at thereader.org.uk.