09:45-10:45 – Spotlight on LRF and VCS connections
This session will focus on the relationships between LRFs and VCS organisations as we spotlight three areas of good practice and explore where strong LRF-VCS working relationships are having a positive impact in both emergency planning and response, as well as community resilience.
Staffordshire Civil Contingencies Unit: Bethan Morgan, Director of Civil Contingencies, and Michelle Cliff, Support Staffordshire Senior Development Manager, will share details of their newly-founded working relationship and the impact they hope to have in strengthening community resilience by enhancing their voluntary community sector role in the planning and delivery.
Local Resilience Forum cross-boundary working: Sam Samwell, British Red Cross Senior Emergency Response Officer North East, is joining us to talk about the Tri-LRF cross-boundary working of Durham, Cleaveland and Northumberland. Referencing the response to Storm Arwen but also how those relationships are maintained and preparedness/readiness is built-in when there isn’t cause for regular cross-collaboration.
Suffolk Resilience Forum: Ben Wilding, Suffolk Prepared Emergency Planning Officer, will speak of their approach to connecting with communities and building resilience from the ground up, particularly in attending the county Suffolk Show and explorative workshop with the voluntary and community sector for future working. As one of the seven selected for Stronger LRF programmes, they’ll also share some insights on their work in this space.
11:00-12:00 – Shared experiences from across the sector
After a short break, we’ll return with an open forum for participants to share the successes and challenges in their experience as we learn from and support each other, if you attended our Network Call on LRFs earlier this month, we will be continuing the conversation began there by framing our discussion around the 4 key features:
1. Dedicated VCS group(s) – a seat at the LRF table, co-chaired by Category 1 or 2 partners
2. VCS in LRF Training & Exercising programme – with opportunities beyond ER-specialists
3. Annually updated and shared VCS capabilities – moving beyond ER specialists to more dynamic mapping
4. Mechanisms to engage the wider VCS – push and pull of information, direction and insight from the widest possible population of VCS orgs
During the network call, a map of LRF regions rated based on the extent to which they deliver against the four features. We will spend time in regional breakouts to dig further into this, providing a space for open discussion, challenge and the development of actions.
There is one link to register for both sessions – though you’re welcome to still join even if you can’t attend the whole thing.