This is an updated version of the piece which appeared on the Lancashire Post’s Viewpoint page in November.

It doesn’t need me to tell you that these are difficult times.

We may be, fingers crossed, slowly emerging from the pandemic now, but it has hit everyone hard.

Both the private and public sector have been badly affected and only now are beginning to recover from the devastating effects of both Covid and the resulting lockdowns.

And for the voluntary sector, things have if anything been even tougher.

As the name suggests, the sector relies on people giving up their own time to keep voluntary, community and faith groups alive and functioning, and when they are unable to even leave their homes, clearly that is a huge challenge.

And this of course is at a time when the services of such groups has never been needed more.

We know this only too well here at Preston Community Network (PCN).

We have seen at first hand how difficult it has been for voluntary, community and faith groups even to survive in these times, let alone flourish.

It is a testing task with many organisations serving the community facing cutbacks and being stretched in many cases to the limit.

And all this is at a time when the effects of the pandemic have exacerbated the issues, affecting the mental and physical health of individuals and, importantly, affecting the very economic fabric of Preston and shifting the accepted normality of life.

But let’s not sit back and bemoan the situation and instead work together to face the challenge and show everyone this is a great city and one which its residents can be proud of.

So what is PCN, and how can it play its part in helping to guide Preston to a brighter post-Covid future?

The organisation is a registered charity and after being formed back in 2002,  proved successful in uniting voluntary groups, playing vital part in setting up a range of bodies such as the Health and Wellbeing Forum and the Children’s Trust Forum.

New Lottery funding was secured early last year and I came onboard as Development and Communications Officer to work with the Trustees in relaunching PCN.

We were under no illusions as to the scale of the task facing us, especially in such testing times.

But we have been amazed by the overwhelmingly positive reaction from both our existing and new members, and just as importantly by the people of Preston.

Already a host of new members have been recruited, and we were privileged to meet many of them when we held a very successful relaunch event in November at the lovely setting of St Cuthbert’s Church Hall on Lytham Road.

For many of those attending, it was the first opportunity to meet and chat with voluntary sector colleagues since the start of the pandemic, and so there was a sense of relief to add to the general positivity.

But successful and uplifting as the event was, we and all those attending knew this was just the start and that a lot of hard work lies ahead.

So what ways can PCN help its members and the community in Preston?

Probably the most important is as a central point of support for our members.

If you have set up a small community group, perhaps even a single issue group dedicated to saving and maintaining a small playground, a church hall or a facility such as a football pitch or swimming pool well used by the community, the next step can be a daunting prospect.

Do I need to register as a charity?

Do I need a written constitution and when do I need to fix a date for an AGM?

What funding is available and how do I go about applying for it?

For all the above, we will do our best to help, and we are available to respond to emails, social media messages or phone calls.

As I said in our relaunch presentation, the answer to many queries at this stage from us may well be ‘I don’t know,’ but it will also be ‘but I’ll find out, or I’ll put you in touch with someone who does know.’

And importantly, we can also help simply by sharing information and resources.

For instance, if we hear of any training courses either being staged by a member themselves, or by an external body or Government agency, we’ll spread the word and get you the info and registration details you need.

In addition, if you need a projector for a presentation, or a van to transport equipment to an event, let us know and we’ll put the word out. A fellow member may be able to help.

Just as importantly, we also have channels of access to bodies such as Lancashire County Council and Preston City Council.

So if you are concerned about a particular issue, we can pass on your concerns, and we can also lobby for members collectively via the same channels.

Are they any other way PCN can help?

Yes, there are probably many more, and we would ask any groups in the sector and indeed the people of Preston to ask us what we can do for you.

Our website is now up and running, and our second newsletter is almost ready for publication, but there may well be other ways we can help.

Just let us know and we’ll see what we can do.

We all hope there’s a bright post-pandemic future ahead for the city. Let’s make the most of it together.

Tony Dawber

Preston Community Network Development and Communications Officer

You can contact Tony at PCN on tonyd@prestoncn.org