Setting up

Over the last seven years we have helped establish a great number of new community groups associated with protecting, conserving and enhacing the environment, ranging from friends of parks groups to more formal environmental groups/charities with legal structutes. Based on our experience, as well as being able to draw upon experience across the charitable sector, we can help and support you to develop your ideas.

If a you are looking to organising smaller, more straightforward community activities, a useful tool kit has been developed by our insurers http://www.mycommunitystarter.co.uk/ and we can help alongside this.

We have developed some guidance to help set up a "Friends of" parks and green space groups, see "Friends of" groups.

We can help you with all aspects of establishing a group; getting people together, governing documents/consitutions, working with and linking with the the Council, raising funds, buying tools, getting insurance, develop policies and proceedures etc. 

An unincorporated voluntary association or a not for profit company can apply for charitable status, but this must be approved by the Charities Commission. For models for charities, see the Charities Commission For charities that will have an annual turnover of less than £5000, see Charities Commission, less than £5,000

For several publications for setting up groups, published by BTCV and other bodies, visit SWLEN's library.

Above all, our best advise is for you to give us a call or email. We are also very happy to come and meet with you and hear your ideas.