Over 300 Voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations and leaders from across Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen have come together to shape a manifesto for the sector. 

VCFSE leaders outline four areas that matter most to their organisation and their beneficiaries:

1. An Equal and Fair Lancashire

2. Community Wellbeing

3. A Thriving Local Economy, and

4. Adequate Resourcing for the Sector to Achieve its Goals.

The manifesto describes nine areas of ambition and action from tackling poverty to building green communities, from community and person centred models of public service to a creating safer Lancashire, from employment support to pioneering a Lancashire model of social prescribing, and from being an equal partner to creating an economic model that works for Lancashire.

“VSNW’s mission is to enable the sector to positively shape the future of the North West. The Lancashire VCFSE Manifesto is an important step in articulating the ambitions of the sector in Lancashire.  However, we now need to realise these ambitions, in an increasingly stark and challenging world for our communities, and this can only happen collectively.”  Warren Escadale, VSNW CEO.

Notes

1.       Thank you to all the organisations who contributed to the Lancashire VCFSE Manifesto, and in particular to those who made it possible: Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale CVS, Blackpool Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Blackpool Wyre and Fylde CVS, Community CVS (Blackburn), Community Foundation, Hyndburn & Ribble Valley CVS, Lancaster District CVS, Lancashire BME Network, Lancashire Independent Race and Equality Panel, SELNET, Spring North, Volunteer Centre – Blackpool, Wyre &Fylde and West Lancashire CVS.

2.       Key facts about Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen’s VCFSE (Lancashire) sector:

a.       There are over 10,800 local VCFSE organisations operating in and across Lancashire

b.       The sector employs just under 21,000 paid staff (20,895)

c.       Over 208,000 people volunteer once a month in Lancashire in some capacity with over 86,000 regularly volunteering for VCFSE organisations and contributing over 1.2million hours each and every month.

d.       The VCFSE Sector in Lancashire contributes over £609m to the Lancashire Economy each year.

To download a copy of the manifesto please click here