Forums
Born out of our work during the Covid-19 pandemic our forums are now the established voice of the community and used by government and other bodies to consult the community. If you are interested in joining any of our forums and for more information, please email [email protected]
Disability Forum
We meet regularly and share important information and discuss issues affecting disabled people, their families and carers.
Recent projects
Local disability issues
Working on local disability issues such as accessible transport, wheel chair provision and changing places. Particularly the significant investment in the redevelopment of Peterborough Station Quarter, ensuring needs of the disabled community feed into the planning and implementation process through to March 2025.
Keep in touch with Latest News – Peterborough Station Quarter
Ask Don't Assume Campaign
Supporting the national Ask Don’t Assume Campaign
Disability History Month
Taking part in awareness campaigns with partners supporting Disability History Month through Reasonable Adjustment and Socially Accessible (now online) exhibitions.
Last Disability Forum Meetings
18 July 2024
Discussed latest engagement with the Station Quarter project team and the gearing up for wider public consultation. Great news that our forum Chair Michelle King, now has a seat at the Peterborough City Council Equality, Diversity, Disability & Inclusion Board.
Updates on the various Changing Places toilets projects and plans for the Dementia Resource Centre.
12 September 2024
Forum members attended a Station Quarter consultation at PCC offices in Sandmartin House. The event was tailored to focus on accessibility issues. Amongst the many issues raised were, disabled parking including WAVs (wheelchair accessible vehicles), provision of changing places toilets, accessibility aids in proposed new routing from the station including tactile wayfaring and street furniture.
12 November 2024
Discussed a variety of issues including impacts of the latest Autumn Budget and its impact on both charities and disabled people. The challenges with finding support for over 16s who require support as they transition to adulthood. A number of local topics including the installation of a new changing places toilet on the 11th floor of Queensgate, car parking in the city centre and the move of the Dementia Resource Centre to Bretton Library.
9 January 2025
The main focus of the meeting was the proposed Station Quarter Redevelopment. The forum was joined by representatives from PCC, ARUP and LDA Design to share the latest planning assumptions in advance of submission of the full business case. Some of the key points discussed were, access through to Cowgate via the proposed new routing from the station, the rationale for not having improved access via the Bourges Boulevard bridge into Queensgate, changing places toilets, disabled parking facilities, tactile way finding and segregation of cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. The project agreed to set up an onsite meeting to enable users of the proposed new facilities to feedback practical insight on the plans, prior to finalising the business case.
13 March 2025
Those who attended the February Station Quarter redevelopment site visit with representatives from Peterborough City Council and the project fed back on how it went. The forum will continue to engage with the project as they move from full business case to implementation.
In addition the group discussed potential approaches to discussing the Assisted Dying Bill, has presentation from Jo Henderson from Kidney Research UK on their current work strands , including a Peterborough focussed project – Peterborough takes a stand against kidney disease with new community project – Kidney Research UK. We heard about the challenges around Child Mental Health, in particular the long delays in accessing counselling services and during the course of the meeting news broike about the the decision to abolish the NHS.
Next Disability Forum
Wednesday 7 May 2025 11am – 1pm – online
Domestic Abuse Forum
We aim to develop and keep a consistent approach to supporting Domestic Abuse Survivors in the City.
The forum has carried out a mapping exercise of organisations offering support for survivors and have been sharing policies, best practise and training experiences.
News
Supporting local 16 Days of Activism events – Peterborough City Council worked with partner organisations and local charities Impakt, Peterborough Women’s Aid, Peterborough Rape Crisis Care Group and Living Keys to develop a short film showcasing lived experiences of Domestic Abuse victims to recognise White Ribbon Day.
The film can be viewed at: Domestic Abuse Stories
Recents projects
Supporting local 16 Days of Activism events
Consultation in the county strategy
Organised Peterborough Pull together conference
Attended the Local Authority's Domestic Abuse conference.
Last DA Forum Meetings
16 July 2024
With the support of Gateway Films and John Clare Theatre, the forum held a showing of “Provoked” the 2007 film telling a fictionalised story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, whose case led to a change in the legal definition of provocation in cases of domestic abuse. We hope to build on the success of this showing and provide additional opportunities to use film to reach wider audiences to “provoke” a wider discussion of domestic abuse, healthy relationships, honour-based violence.
22 October 2024
Discussed a variety of topics including on the recent announcement to house domestic abuse specialists in police control rooms, a pilot is being run in 5 counties. Talked about services and support to under 16s and what plans members had in place for the 16 days of action. Started to explore themes for next year’s International Women’s Day and agreed to convene a working group to develop plans.
3rd February 2025
The Domestic Abuse Forum members met on the 3rd of February. In a busy agenda we discussed topics ranging from Purple Flag accreditation, the future of the forum post closure of the recovery project, the DA mobile advocacy/outreach service, the role of DA Champions in Peterborough, and associated training needs and the management of disclosures.
Our next meeting is Monday 3rd March 10am – 1:30pm where we will be meeting in person to re-visit mapping who does what in Peterborough. To explore the connections between us. And to work out a plan for the future.
3rd March 2025
The theme of the meeting was to look at the role and purpose of the forum, particularly in the context of the decoupling of the combined authority. The uniqueness of Peterborough, what services are provided, where are the gaps and challenges and how the group can work more effectively. We agreed to revisit the current terms of reference of the forum and undertake a mapping exercise of services across the city and then discuss and agree at the next meeting.
Next Domestic Abuse Forum
Thursday 24 April 11am to 12:15pm
Food Poverty Forum
We meet regularly to discuss the issues around food poverty within the city, the difficulties experienced and how we may come together and try to resolve them.
The forum is working towards overcoming the problems of increasing demand, shortages in the supply of fresh food and recruiting volunteer helpers.
Last Food Poverty Forum
Over recent months the focus has been around sustainability and funding.
Next Food Poverty Forum tbc
Recent Projects
On 19th August, in collaboration with PCC colleagues, we hosted an event themed around “Building Sustainable Hubs”, where representatives from hubs, were able to share their thoughts of what was working well and what wasn’t, raise concerns and identify what was needed to build a more sustainability.
Following on from this event we have been running a number of sessions led by Ali Lyons, a small charity income specialist, covering:
- The reality of charity funding – the challenges and opportunities
- The essential steps to improve your funding position
- Finding the right funding for your organisation
- Identifying the next steps
Health and Wellbeing Forum
The newest of all the forums, we were formed from the former Mental Health Forum. Meetings take place online within the context of a fast-developing health agenda.
Last Health and Wellbeing Forums
20 May 2024
In response to the many changes falling out of the introduction of the Integrated Care System (ICS), the forum arranged an event in Allia Future Business Centre Conference room, bringing together a wide range of health-related organisations to help the VCSE sector better understand how things fit together.
10 September 2024
Project leads from the NHS Work Well project joined us to explain how the 18-month pilot was to be implemented in Peterborough. WorkWell’ pilots are intended to provide tailored support for people in their local area so people can stay and progress in work. It aims to strengthen work already in place. All about integration and holistic support. There will be 4 locality hubs – Peterborough, Huntingdon, Fenland and the south of the county. They will host the Heath & Work coaches.
5 December 2024
Colleagues from YMCA joined us to deliver a workshop for members “Understanding Self Harm”, featuring the ward winning film “Ask me how”, co created with Cambridgeshire young people. The event was both well attended and well received.
4 March 2025
The focus was around Wellbeing, weight loss, getting active etc. Dr Modha from Thistlemoor Medical Centre led a session on “Medications to Support Weight Loss”, outlined the key to weight loss was “putting the right things in and exercise”. However, there is support via medication (not prescribed by the NHS) via injections (self-administered) or tablets to achieve weight loss. A good discussion ensued around both the benefits and potential downside impacts of the medication.
This was followed by 3 very informative presentations from Living Sport, Healthy You and Vivacity around the array of services on offer and how clients could access them.
Next Health and Wellbeing Forum
Date to be confirmed
Future Forum
We meet as needed to discuss various subjects important to local Voluntary Community Sector organisations.
Last Future Forum (January)
Our last Future Forum was on the subject ‘Making the Case for Peterborough.’ sharing examples of good practice and discussing what is good (and what could be great) about Peterborough. Gill from PCVS showed the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough insight portal which stores lots of data sets. PCVS also presented the health inequalities data. As examples of good practice locally Ali Lyons presented the evaluation of PCVS’ Recovery Project forums, and Sarah Haythornthwaite from Peterborough Presents gave an overview of their work and evolution of approach over that last 10 years.
The attendees discussed the opportunities that the inequalities in health and deprivation offered the sector in the city to show their worth, and what they perceived as barriers to being able to make the most of this. They also discussed what is good in the sector in the city which could be great, and what else needs to be addressed by the sector in the city.
Next Future Forum tbc