News featured in this round-up:

• Thames Valley Police’s Hidden Harm campaign
• Blaser Mills partners with the Chiltern Cycling Festival
• Bucks Mind to tackle barriers to IT for people with mental health problems
• Nick Wilson takes part in Bike Tours for the Wounded
• Chiltern Brewery sells charity ale to #SupportSophieEdes
• Blaser Mills holds art competition for students
• Buckinghamshire Business First’s Finance Director runs miles for charity
• Voluntary sector partnership group launched

Thames Valley Police’s Hidden Harm campaign

The second phase of Thames Valley Police’s Hidden Harm campaign focuses on online child abuse.

The campaign aims to raise public awareness of online crimes such as grooming and sexual exploitation, highlighting the signs to look out for, and signposting to help and support services. The police will also be sharing practical advice and tips on how to help keep children safe online.

More information on the campaign, and the signs of online child abuse, can be found at www.thamesvalley.police.uk/hiddenharm.

To host an NSPCC O2 online safety workshop for parents at your work, community venue or school email parentworkshops@nspcc.org.uk.

Blaser Mills partners with the Chiltern Cycling Festival

Blaser Mills Law is delighted to be an official partner of the Chiltern Cycling Festival for a third year running. As well as sponsoring the Corto Fondo ride and the King and Queen of the Chilterns, the local law firm will be offering complimentary sports massage, food and refreshments and face painting in the Blaser Mills Law tent.

In return, they will kindly ask for donations to help raise money for their chosen local charity, Chiltern Rangers. Chiltern Rangers work with local communities to provide practical habitat management of the woodlands, chalk grassland, commons, ponds and chalk streams in the Chilterns’ area. The money raised will help the charity to enhance local communities and improve the environment. The Chiltern Cycling Festival will take place on Sunday 15th July 2018.

Bucks Mind to tackle barriers to IT for people with mental health problems

Buckinghamshire Mind has received a grant of £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund to deliver a Digital Inclusion Project to remove barriers to Information Technology that can disadvantage people with mental health problems.

Data from the Citizens’ Advice Bureau suggests there is low use of the internet among people with mental health problems due to low confidence, anxiety and complex social and health issues. Other factors are lack of appropriate skills support, access to Wi-Fi and money for mobile data due to precarious social income.

Buckinghamshire Mind will provide supportive Digital Inclusion sessions for its mental health service users in its High Wycombe, Chesham and Aylesbury premises. The aim will be to remove the fear of using IT and increase accessibility.

Nick Wilson takes part in Bike Tours for the Wounded

Each year Bike Tours For The Wounded strives to provide the opportunity for 52 servicemen, servicewomen and veterans to be taken on a motorcycle tour of Route 66 or an amazing tour of the Wild West as a pillion. These tours can be both mentally and physically challenging, yet have been proven to be extremely beneficial to those who have taken part whilst at varying stages of their rehabilitation process.

This year, Nick Wilson was lucky enough to be invited by Bike Tours For The Wounded to accompany them for 10 days travelling the iconic Route 66 highway in America.

Follow his progress here: http://workingmindsmatter.co.uk/route66/

Chiltern Brewery sells charity ale to #SupportSophieEdes

Sophie Edes is the 3 year-old grand-daughter of a retired member of The Chiltern Brewery team. Her daughter and son-in-law, Liz and Mark Edes, from Berryfields Aylesbury, were left devastated when Sophie was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome, an illness which means she will be unlikely to ever speak or walk.

The Chiltern Brewery were very keen to help Sophie’s cause and used their annual charity beer to help raise awareness and much needed funds. Every pint of the new ale sold raises 5p for the JustGiving campaign which will help the Edes family buy specialist eye-gaze equipment for Sophie and vastly improve the quality of all their lives.

Blaser Mills holds art competition for students

Blaser Mills Law held an art competition with Chesham Grammar School for pupils in years 8 and 9. The theme was local life, and they were asked to submit either a photograph or painting. They received some fantastic pieces of art and managed to whittle it down to 8 winners.

The prize for winning the competition was a £50 One4All gift card, with a £20 One4All gift card awarded for 2nd place. The top two will also have their art work hung in Blaser Mills’ High Wycombe office for a year.

Buckinghamshire Business First’s Finance Director runs miles for charity

Buckinghamshire Business First’s own Alan Field has raised just over £500 for the British Heart Foundation after running a marathon in Stratford. Alan completed his run in just under 4 hours, and all of his colleagues are very proud of him!

Buckinghamshire Business First held a bake sale recently to help Alan raise funds, with nearly £150 raised on the day thanks to all the delicious treats on offer.

You can see Alan’s Just Giving page, and donate to the cause, here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/alan-field1

Voluntary sector partnership group launched

A new strategic working partnership has been formed with senior leads across the voluntary & community sector (VCS) in partnership with Buckinghamshire County Council.

The working group includes leaders of The Clare Foundation, LEAP, Action4Youth, Community Impact Bucks (CIB) and Heart of Bucks, and has been created to enhance the awareness of the work and opportunities across the voluntary and community sector in Buckinghamshire.

Nick Phillips, Chief Executive of CIB, said: “Despite the many pressures facing the sector I’m excited about the future and can see many opportunities and benefits to come from working in this strategic way with our partners.”