Arts and culture are at the heart of a major new regional programme to reduce loneliness – with an ambition to help over 4,000 people to feel less isolated over the next two and a half years. Launching with events across the region throughout the week of the 23 rd March – including a musical bus in the Mendips – All Together Now is a new initiative bringing arts, culture and creativity to ‘forgotten postcodes’ and communities across the West of England. It aims to help people in these communities to feel a stronger sense of belonging, while also creating more than 100 roles for freelance creatives. The new programme is being led by the St Monica Trust and delivered by a consortium of local partners led by Bristol Beacon. Bristol Beacon will work alongside local organisations to help connect residents with creative activities and remove barriers to participation. The first-of-its-kind programme will run until July 2028 in six communities identified as having a higher risk of loneliness. This includes four geographic communities covering both urban and rural areas – Stockwood, Charfield, Somer Valley and the Mendip Villages – as well as older people from Global Majority backgrounds and disabled young people. Creative activities will take place in locations ranging from local community centres to shopping centres, churches and village halls to pubs and train stations. The activities will include things like music, theatre, storytelling, visual arts, movement, photography and creative writing. Each community will shape its own programme, deciding what activities they want and how they happen locally. Critically, the programme will also support skills development in the region and provide employment to local artists, musicians and creatives. All Together Now is the flagship programme of the West of England Impact Alliance, a collaboration of more than 50 organisations including health, culture, councils, universities, funders and community groups, working together to address loneliness with long-term regional impact. The £1.1 million in funding comes from St Monica Trust, Arts Council England, The West of England Combined Authority, Bristol Beacon, the Grateful Society, and Sirona Care & Health. Between now and 2028, All Together Now intends to: Help over 4,000 people to feel less isolated Support around 1,300 people to take part in regular creative activity Train 90 volunteers Create 18 paid trainee roles Provide paid opportunities for over 100 freelance creative practitioners David Williams, chief executive of the St Monica Trust, said: “The challenge of making meaningful change within our communities is highly complex and cannot be achieved by a single funder, organisation or sector. Through the St Monica Trust’s partnership with local communities, charities and other organisations, initiatives like All Together Now can address the causes of loneliness and maximise our impact, rather than individual grants acting as a sticking plaster for societal issues.” Simon Wales, chief executive, Bristol Beacon, said: “Arts and culture have a powerful role to play in bringing people together. Recognising the creativity and talent we have in our region, this programme will support communities, artists and practitioners to build new connections through music, art and shared experiences, and participate in cultural activities that they have helped to shape so they reflect their own identities and interests.” Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: “Loneliness and isolation have a devastating effect on people across our region. This fantastic programme aims to show the power that partnership, innovation and creativity have to strengthen social connection, improve wellbeing, and build more connected communities. Regional funding is supporting All Together Now, helping young people into training and providing new opportunities for more than 100 local creatives.” Phil Gibby, area director, Arts Council England South West, said: “We are pleased to award £250,000 in Place Partnership Funds to St Monica Trust as the lead partner of All Together Now, an ambitious crosssector initiative designed to tackle social isolation and strengthen the region’s future creative workforce. From Stockwood to Somer Valley, Charfield to the Mendip Hills, this investment - combined with the expertise of partners across culture, health, and wellbeing - will ensure those most at risk of loneliness are supported across the south west.   “All Together Now demonstrates placebased working at its most effective: cross-sector innovators uniting to confront societal challenges and create lasting change. It’s thanks to National Lottery players that the Arts Council can invest in programmes like this across the country – and we hope this is just the start of a more inclusive future here in the West of England.” Find out more: https://impact-alliance.org.uk/all-together-now

Building healthier communities across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Community health services play an essential role in helping people of all ages stay healthy and live well. Across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire, HCRG Care Group is responsible for community health services on behalf of the NHS. These services are for everyone, from birth through adulthood and into old age. Demand for community health services continues to grow as more people live longer and manage ongoing conditions. Across the region, partners from the health and care sector, local authorities and voluntary and community organisations are working together to make it easier for people to get the support they need to live well for longer. From 1 April 2026, community health services for the NHS across the region will operate under the name Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Community Health. Making community health easier to understand and access Community health services are delivered by medical, care and support professionals within local communities. They help prevent health problems from becoming more serious and support people to manage long-term conditions or other challenges affecting their health, as well as helping people return to independent living after a hospital stay. These services form part of the wider NHS support available to local people and sit alongside care provided by hospitals and GPs. Support may include a nurse or therapist visiting someone at home, an exercise class at a community centre for people with heart issues or specialist care at a local clinic. Community health teams also work with people to support recovery, maintain independence and promote long-term health and wellbeing. Shaping future community health services Over the past year, patients, carers, local communities and partner organisations have helped shape how these local services will develop. Their feedback continues to guide how services are delivered, and some important changes come into effect from 1 April 2026. These changes will make it easier for people across the region to access NHS care that’s local and organised around their needs – supporting the NHS’s regional and national goals to provide more care closer to home, make better use of technology and prevent ill health. Working with our Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise partners We know that our voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) partners support some of the most vulnerable communities across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire. We would be grateful for your help in sharing this information about the upcoming changes to Community Health Services. We have been working closely with many of you to shape these services, so they better meet the needs of our seldom‐heard communities. Thank you for your continued input and support. We recognise that our collaboration must continue to ensure that Community Health Services remain as accessible and inclusive as possible. By continuing to work closely with the voluntary and community sector, local authorities and NHS partners, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Community Health will support healthier communities across the region. One point of contact for easy access to the right care From 1 April, local people will be able to access community health services through a single point of contact – online, by phone or in writing. Whether someone contacts the service directly or another healthcare provider refers them, they’ll get faster, more consistent responses from Community Health Navigators. This dedicated team, now open 15 hours a week longer, will assess all referrals to make sure the individual gets the level of care they need – from self-help resources to more specialised support. And because services are being brought together, they’ll only ever need to tell their story once. The service’s website – www.bswcommunityhealth.co.uk – is also being refreshed. It will provide easy access to health information and self-help resources at any time, including ways to connect with other local support services, helping people take control of their health and wellbeing. New digital referral forms will modernise how people access services, making it faster and easier to get the right help at the right time. Crucially, the forms will allow people to refer themselves directly to Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Community Health – without visiting a GP or waiting for an appointment. This includes children and young people who’ll have a dedicated form they can complete themselves or with the help of a trusted adult. Non-digital options will still be available for anyone who prefers or needs them through our single point of access. Working together around individual needs As well as simplifying access to services, neighbourhood teams will improve the way professionals work together to understand and support people’s individual circumstances across physical health, mental health, wellbeing and everyday life. These Integrated Neighbourhood Teams will bring together professionals from health, therapy and wellbeing to provide coordinated, personalised support for people with a wide range of needs. By sharing information, using the same systems and working closely together, teams can look beyond a single condition and consider what really matters to the person and their carers. This joined-up approach means they can step in earlier, manage ongoing conditions proactively and prevent problems from becoming more serious – helping people live well and independently for longer. Supporting healthier communities across the region Together, these changes will make it easier for local people to access community health services and connect with the support available in the area. Over time, this approach will bring more care closer to home, reduce pressure on the NHS and help everyone get the right care sooner so they can live well for longer. As locally delivered NHS services, community health plays an important role in supporting the wider health and care system and improving health outcomes for local communities. Commenting on the developments, Val Scrase, Regional Director – South West, HCRG Care Group, said: “Bringing community health services together across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire in 2025 was an important step forward for local people. Every day, our teams are already making a real difference – supporting children to get the best start in life, helping people stay well for longer and enabling more care to be delivered safely in the community. “This next phase will build on that strong foundation. It strengthens our ability to help people stay healthy and live well, while making care easier to access and better to experience. It also supports the NHS’s ambition to move more care closer to home and prevent ill health. “We’ve reached this point thanks to the invaluable support of our local communities, the voluntary sector and our NHS and local authority partners. By working together, we’re creating a community health service that’s designed around people’s lives and capable of supporting healthier communities for years to come.” How to contact Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Community Health From 1 April, the team can be contacted on 0300 247 0200. The line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with routine support available for adults between 8am and 8pm and dedicated support for children and young people available from 8am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday. For support and advice at any time, the service’s website – www.bswcommunityhealth.co.uk – offers health information, self-help resources and online referral options for individuals and healthcare professionals.

We are thrilled to be welcoming Rob Wicke into the 3SG team this week. Members may know Rob as the project worker for Radstock & Westfield Big Local over the past 12 years, overseeing £1m Lottery funding for the area.  To ensure this good work is not lost to the community as the project comes to a close, the Radstock & Westfield Big Local CIC Directors and Partnership Board agreed to support two years' funding for Rob to come over to 3SG as part of our wider team.  Both Rob and Becky (3SG's Director) will be reporting into a Big Local Steering Group to ensure the work continues in a similar vein, including delivering the popular Dragons' Den annual event. There will also be an additional, wider focus on other areas of the Somer Valley as part of this offer. For 3SG, we look forward to supporting Rob using our wider team, connecting some of our current projects to his existing work and strengthening our offer in Radstock, Westfield, Midsomer Norton and surrounding areas.  We would like to thank the Big Local for their dedication to Radstock & Westfield over the past decade and for trusting our organisation to give Rob a base for the next two years. Welcome, Rob! Rob's official first day was last Wednesday, so our Operations and Comms Manager, Emma, took the opportunity to ask a few questions to find out more about Rob and his motivations behind joining 3SG. You can read the full Q&A below: What are you most looking forward to as part of your role with 3SG? "Having team meetings with colleagues! I’ve been working solo for six years so I’m really excited about being part of the lovely 3SG team. They have such a wealth of knowledge and experience, and a passion for all things third sector; I can’t wait to learn from them and also contribute my perspective and skill-set. 3SG are at a pivotal moment in their development, expanding their team and their projects, as well as moving into a brilliant new space that will connect with the 3rd sector community in productive and innovative ways, so I don’t think I could have joined at a better time!" Tell us a little bit about yourself "I’m a village boy at heart, having grown up in one in Hampshire, and moved to another in the Somer Valley about ten years ago, after a detour through the energetic city of Bristol to study Sociology. It’s the countryside, the slower pace of life and the fresh air that does it for me! I’ve got so many hobbies and interests it’s hard for me to keep track of them, or get good at the ones that require skill… the list includes painting, gardening, music, footy, growing mushrooms, beekeeping, travel, meditation, qigong, walks, and cat parenting!  I’m also a fully qualified health-pain-stress coach, and I love creating spaces (online or in person) for people to step back from their busy or difficult lives and experience something different for a moment." What interested you about working for 3SG? "I’ve worked in the third sector for the past twenty years, with the majority of that time spent within Bath and North East Somerset. My most recent role was for the Radstock & Westfield Big Local, where I supported their residents to invest over £1m in the local community projects they wanted to see grow. Naturally my path crossed with 3SG on many occasions and they often supported our Community Dragons’ Den events by supplying a friendly Dragon - both Becky and Toni have undertaken the role to perfection. In my new job I get to expand my patch to include the rest of the Somer Valley, and continue the best parts of my previous role - connecting with local people, supporting local groups and charities, and finding ways to make a positive impact in the community for the good of all." Tell Us a Fun Fact About Yourself? "I get withdrawal symptoms if I haven’t had my chilli fix… breakfast, lunch, dinner - it doesn’t matter when or what, it will get drenched in chilli sauce!" ------------------------------------- To get in touch with Rob Wicke, Third Sector Somer Valley Development Manager, contact rob@3sg.org.uk

3SG BaNES is a thriving, independent membership network for the charity, social enterprise, faith and voluntary sector operating in Bath and North East Somerset. Click here to learn about our latest co-op programme - Social Economy West. Earn a Voucher Worth Up To £60! Mediation Training: Handling Conflict with Confidence in Volunteer Management Event Date: 22/04/26, 08:30 This session will give you some practical mediation tools that you can use even if ‘conflict resolution’ isn’t in your job title. View Event Short job description shows here....typing some extra text here to show how a line return looks in the repeater, before the data is loaded from the data set, before the data is loaded from the data set, before the data is loaded from the data set, before the data is loaded from the data set, before the data is loaded from the data set, before the data is loaded from the data set, before the data is loaded from the data set. Visit this Member's Website Member Name from Dataset Most Recent Job Posted Latest News from 3SG New £1.1 million creative programme launches to address loneliness in the West ofEngland Arts and culture are at the heart of a major new regional programme to reduce loneliness – with an ambition to help over 4,000 people to feel less isolated over the next two and a half years. Launching with events across the region throughout the week of the 23 rd March – including a musical bus in the Mendips – All Together Now is a new initiative bringing arts, culture and creativity to ‘forgotten postcodes’ and communities across the West of England. It aims to help people in these... Read Story Member Spotlight Head of Finance Close Date: 26 April 2026 Quartet Community Foundation The Head of Finance is responsible for the financial systems and accounting of Quartet to ensure the sound financial management of the organisation. View Position Networking Groups Part of 3SG BANES' charter is to facilitate communications between the third sector organisations in the area. To that end, we support a number of networking groups that meet regularly to share successes and best practices in a variety of different disciplines. Check out the Networks/Groups page to view these learn more about other Networking opportunities in & around Bath. Go to the Networks Page Next Planned Event Calling all 3rd sector organisations based, or working, in BaNES! We have launched our annual Third Sector Survey 2022/23, and invite you to complete it by the 30th of November! Every local third sector organisation* is encouraged to respond to the short survey, even if they are not a 3SG member. As a thank you, you'll receive a free gift** worth up to £60! Complete Survey Click here to view all upcoming events Click here to view all our job postings Click here to view all 3SG News Click here to view all 3SG Members Follow us on Facebook , LinkedIn and Instagram or connect with other charities in BaNES here. This is the place to find local third sector news, events, jobs and support around BaNES. It’s very quick and easy to join and benefit from being a member. You can either sign up now or get in touch as we’d love to speak with you. Learn More Join Us 3SG is a membership network of over 200 charities, social enterprises and community groups in Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES). Have a question to ask other local Third Sector organisations? Click here to post a question in our new 3SG Forum!

Find out why so many organisations have joined 3SG and learn more about each members' social impact. Why Become a 3SG Member? 3SG is an independent charity that has a membership network of over 200 Third Sector organisations (see all of them below) working across Bath & North East Somerset (BaNES). Membership is free for organisations with very low income and for larger organisations, we base the membership fee on your annual income. Below you can view all of our current members, as well as the benefits and how to join. Discounted jobs advertising . Free / discounted tickets to events. 1-1 support with the 3SG Director Knowledge sharing & networking via our networks and groups. Platform to share your news & ev e nts with other 3SG members. Nominate or stand as Trustee. Have your logo on our membership page with a direct link to your website. Opportunities to request or co-host events. An exclusive members page with free resources - Funds Online access, Community Venue Directory, Events Archive & more! Become a Member Current Members 3SG Member Organisations 69th Bath Scouts Ablaze Affordable Family Law Company Community Interest Company Age UK BANES Al Jarryah Foundation Alexandra Park Friends All Cycle Bath & West Alzheimers Society American Museum & Gardens Bath & Counties Archaeological Society Autistic Eye CIC Avon Needs Trees Avon Wildlife Trust B in Bath B&NES Parent Carer Forum BANES Carers Centre BCVS Homes Bath Ethnic Minority Sr. Citizens Assoc. BHAS - Keynsham Abbey Working Group BWCE Fund BaNES Enhanced Medical Services Bath & Bristol Parenting Hub Bath & North East Somerset Faith Foundation Bath Abbey Bath Allotments Association Bath Area Play Project Bath Artists' Studios Bath Arts Collective Bath Astronomers Bath Autism and Neurodiversity Spectrums CIC Bath BID Bath Bridge Bath Carnival CIC Bath Cats & Dogs Home Bath Child Contact Centre Bath City FC Foundation Bath City Farm Bath College Bath Community Kitchen Bath Community Transport Bath Cricket Club Bath Disability Trust Bath Festivals Bath Gateway Out & About Bath Industrial Heritage Trust Ltd Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases Bath Mencap Society Bath Mind Bath Orchardshare Bath Organic Group Bath Philharmonia Bath Preservation Trust Bath Pride Bath RFC - Bath Rugby Ladies Bath Radio Bath Recreation Limited Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution Bath Rugby Foundation Bath Skate Collective Bath Sound Bath Spa University Bath Spa University Students' Union Bath Trams Group Bath Unlimited Bath Welcomes Refugees Bath Women's Fund Batheaston New Village Hall The Belay Foundation Ben Saunders Foundation Black2Nature Blooming Whiteway Blue Coat School Foundation Boys in Mind, Girls Mind Too Butterflies Haven Carents Room CIC Challenge Africa ChangeMakers Changes Bristol Chat-e-Cycle Chew Valley Performing Arts Chew Valley and Keynsham Befrienders Children's Hospice South West Chiltern Music Therapy Citizens Advice B&NES Claverton Pumping Station Trust CIO Clean Slate Training & Employment CIC Climate Hub B&NES Community Managed Libraries National Peer Network Connect Bath Connect Community Church Corston Community Orchard Curo Developing Health & Independence (DHI) deafPLUS Designability Dorothy House EcoTogether Ltd Ecowild CIC Energy Volunteers CIC Evolve Music Fairfield House Family Action On Climate Emergency FareShare South West Film Bath 1st Impressions First Steps Bath Focus Counselling Forest of Avon Trust Forget Me Not Familiar Friends CIC Freeways Friends Of Bathampton Meadows Riverside Friends of Lyncombe Hill Fields CIC Friends of Sandpits Friends of the RUH Bath From The Land Frome's Missing Links Gardening Together C.I.C. Genesis Trust Bath Gesture Global ARRK Golden-Oldies Charity GrandFriends Great Western Credit Union Grow Batheaston Grow For Life Headway Bath and District High Littleton Recreation Ground Trust The Hive Community Centre Holburne Museum Home for Good Homeshare West Humanitarian Technology Trust I Am. We Are. I Can and I Am Jamie's Farm Julian House JusticeISNow KS2Bath Keynsham & District Talking Newspaper Keynsham Action Network Keynsham Community Hub Keynsham and District Mencap Keynsham and Saltford Dementia Action Alliance Kidical Mass Bath Kinder Kitchen Komedia Bath LUX Youth Project Leonard Cheshire The Life Project (Bath) Little Lost Robot CIC MHA Communities Mendip MV Balmoral Fund Ltd Make A Move Mentoring Plus Mercy In Action Mid-Somerset Festival Middle Ground Growers Midsomer Norton & Radstock Dial a Ride Midsomer Norton Community Trust Mighty Girls CIC Moorland Road Community Library More Trees For B&NES Museum of Bath Stone The Museum of East Asian Art Music For Miniatures Musicians South West CIC NICU Support National Trust Neuroversal Adventures CIC New Oriel Hall Oasis Hub Bath Off The Record BANES Orchestra of Everything Foundation Partis College Peasedown Community Trust Peggy Dodd Centre Percy Community Centre Play Build Play Quartet Community Foundation Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP West) RUHX Radio Bath Radstock & Westfield Big Local CIC Radstock Museum Radstock and Midsomer Norton Lions ReMind UK ReNature ReConnect CIC Read Easy Bath RefYouMe Roman Boxing Gym Root Connections CIC Roseberry Road Studios CIC Rotary Club of Bath Rotary Club of Somer Valley Royal Life Saving Society Avon and North Wiltshire Branch Royal Osteoporosis Society SOMER VALLEY TENNIS The SU Bath SWALLOW Charity SWAN Advice Network SWEDA Ltd Second Step Share and Repair Shared Lives Small Stuff Baby Bank Somer Valley Foodbank Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Soroptimist International Bath & District Sound Church Sound Vision Soundwell Music Therapy Trust Southside Spaice Sporting Family Change Foundation St John's Foundation St Michael's Church St Michaels Without St Monica Trust St Saviours Junior School PTA Stand Against Racism & Inequality (SARI) Steps to Liberation Stroke Association TEDxBath TOP UK Tech4Good South West Teen Yoga Foundation The Art Cohort Community Project CIC The Bird of Prey Project The Care Forum The Community Farm The Diversity Trust The Goodhub Foundation The Guinness Partnership The Hartfield Charitable Trust The Mayor of Bath's Honorary Guides The Meadow CIC The Nest Project The Peer Partnership The Roman Baths Foundation The Urban Garden (Bath) CIC The Wisdom Space Theatre Royal Bath Three Ways School Time Bank Plus Ltd Transition Bath Trauma Recovery Centre Twerton Village Hall Twin Wave VOICES Voices for Life Voices of Aphasia WECIL We Get It Together CIO We Hear You (WHY) West of England Rural Network Weston Village Gardening Club Wiltshire Service Users' Network Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance Charity Wiltshire and Bath Independent Living Trust YMCA Brunel Group Young Bristol Young Carers Development Trust Your Park Bristol and Bath Youth Connect South West

8893a657-63d1-47b9-9d06-1311aed271ce Bath Organic Group Brief Description of Organisation Bath Organic Group promotes organic growing and runs a demonstration garden. We welcome volunteers, beginners and experienced gardeners, to maintain this beautiful, productive fruit and vegetable garden. This is a supportive, sociable place, and volunteers also share in the produce. Visit Website Full Description of Organisation Bath Organic Group’s garden opened in 1990 as a demonstration garden for organic methods. The garden, which is run by volunteers, is open on Saturdays and Tuesdays between 10 am and 1 pm. Visitors are welcome to visit and look around, have a cup of tea and a chat. Volunteers, both beginners and experienced gardeners, help maintain this half-acre of beautiful, productive and (reasonably!) well-maintained fruit and vegetable garden. Some people join us for the company and the chance for activity in the open air. Others are focused on the gardening skills, including compost making and soil care. We run occasional workshops for those who want to further develop their skills, but there is always someone on hand to work alongside or to give advice. An essential part of every volunteer session is the tea break with tasty cakes! Bath Organic Group Brief Description of Organisation Bath Organic Group promotes organic growing and runs a demonstration garden. We welcome volunteers, beginners and experienced gardeners, to maintain this beautiful, productive fruit and vegetable garden. This is a supportive, sociable place, and volunteers also share in the produce. Visit WebSite