Masbrough Family Fun Day
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Author: Laura
//Dinnington Family Fun Day
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Job Vacancy – Community Engagement Officer
//We are looking for a passionate and motivated Community Engagement Officer to play a central role in delivering the Open Arms project across Rotherham.
Location: Rotherham Borough
Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week (flexible, some evening/weekend work required)
Contract: fixed term until 31st March 2027 (initially) with further 2 years expected thereafter.
Salary: £26,362 per annum, pro rata
You will work directly with local communities to build trust, increase engagement, and support residents affected by the ongoing cost-of-living challenges.
This is a varied, people‑focused role, ideal for someone who enjoys working in community settings, developing partnerships, and making a tangible difference to people’s lives.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading the delivery and development of the Open Arms project in community venues
- Creating safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces through drop‑ins and community events
- Carrying out outreach to engage a diverse range of residents
- Providing information, advice and signposting around cost‑of‑living and financial wellbeing issues
- Working closely with Citizens Advice Rotherham and other partners to ensure joined‑up support
- Supporting and signposting volunteers to become active Volunteer Champions
- Collecting monitoring data and contributing to reports for funders and stakeholders
- Acting as an ambassador for the project within the community
About you
You will have experience of working with communities in a front‑facing or engagement role, with the ability to build positive relationships with people from a wide range of backgrounds. You will be organised, empathetic, and confident working both independently and as part of a team.
You will also have:
- Experience delivering or supporting community activities or projects
- Strong communication and listening skills
- An understanding of safeguarding and equality principles
- Confidence using digital tools such as Office 365 and online communication platforms
- A willingness to work flexibly, including occasional evenings and weekends
- The ability to travel across Rotherham Borough
What we offer
- A rewarding role making a real difference in local communities
- Supportive management and opportunities for training and development
- The chance to be part of a collaborative, values-driven project
This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS check.
How to apply
For further details and to request an application pack, please contact: Sarah Fletcher on 07538 625113 or email sarah.fletcher@rotherfed.org
Interviews are expected to take place in early July, however, will review applications as they come in and may invite candidates to interview earlier, with reasonable notice. This vacancy may close sooner than advertised if we receive enough applications.
Job Vacancy – Community Grants Support Officer
//Rotherham Federation are seeking an experienced Community Grants Officer to support Rotherham communities to grow and develop, building the confidence of local people to strengthen their communities.
Salary: £30,257 per annum
Hours: Full-time (37 hours per week)
Contract: 12-month fixed term (initially)
Location: Across Rotherham Borough
Responsible to: Community Grants Project Manager
About the Role
The Community Grants Support Officer will play a key role in supporting community groups through every stage of the grants process – from developing ideas and applying for funding, to delivering, monitoring, and evaluating their projects.
- Provide 1:1 support to groups applying for small grants, including eligibility guidance and application support.
- Recruit, train, and develop a resident-led grants panel.
- Deliver workshops, outreach sessions, and information events to promote funding opportunities.
- Support funded groups to manage their projects, monitor progress, and stay within budget.
- Collect monitoring information, case studies and evidence of impact.
- Build strong relationships with local partners and networks.
- Maintain accurate records of applications, funded projects and outcomes.
About You
- Experience supporting community groups or delivering community-based projects.
- Knowledge of grant processes including budgeting, eligibility and monitoring.
- Strong time-management and the ability to juggle multiple deadlines.
- Confidence in communicating with residents, partners and voluntary sector organisations.
- Ability to prepare simple budgets and summarise monitoring information.
- Commitment to inclusion, community empowerment and high-quality service delivery.
Additional Requirements
- Ability to work across the borough.
- Willingness to work occasional evenings/weekends.
- Full clean driving license and access to a car.
- Willingness to undertake an Enhanced DBS check.
How to Apply
For further details and to request an application pack, please contact: Sarah Fletcher on 07538 625113 or email sarah.fletcher@rotherfed.org
Closing date for applications: Monday 6th July 2026 @10am
Interviews will be held on: Thursday 9th July 2026
Job Vacancy – Community Grants Project Manager
//Rotherham Federation is seeking an experienced, motivated and highly organised Community Project Manager to lead the successful delivery of our Community Grants Programme, supporting Rotherham communities to grow and develop, and build the confidence of local people to strengthen their communities.
Salary: £36,274 per annum
Hours: Full time – 37 hours per week
Contract: 12‑month fixed term (initially)
Location: Across Rotherham Borough
Responsible to: RotherFed Project Manager
About the Role
The Community Grants Project Manager will be responsible for coordinating all aspects of the Community Grants Programme, ensuring that outputs, outcomes, and reporting requirements are met.
- Lead operational management of the project
- Oversee promotion, applications, assessments and monitoring
- Line-manage and support the Community Grants Support Officer
- Recruit, train and support a resident grants panel
- Provide guidance to community groups and partner organisations
- Maintain accurate monitoring systems and produce regular reports
- Build strong partnerships to maximise project reach and impact
- Organise workshops, information sessions and outreach activities
About You
We are looking for someone who can bring strong coordination, communication and organisational skills to a complex, multi‑stakeholder project. You will have:
- Experience managing community‑based projects
- Experience of grant management and monitoring
- Experience working with voluntary/community sector partners
- Strong analytical and reporting skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Strong time‑management skills
- Commitment to equality, inclusion and community empowerment
Additional Requirements
- Ability to work across the borough.
- Willingness to work occasional evenings/weekends.
- Full clean driving license and access to a car.
- Willingness to undertake an Enhanced DBS check.
How to Apply
For further details and to request an application pack, please contact: Sarah Fletcher on 07538 625113 or email sarah.fletcher@rotherfed.org
Closing date for applications: Monday 6th July 2026 @ 10am
Interviews will be held on: Thursday 9th July 2026
New Project: Maltby Decides
//Thanks to National Lottery players, Rotherham Federation of Communities has received more than £285,000 of life-changing funding from The National Lottery Community Fund. The funding will be used to deliver an inspiring, community-led programme that supports and empowers local residents to design and award small and medium grants that aim to enhance local services, build skills and confidence, and strengthen community life across Maltby.
This has been awarded from The National Lottery Community Fund’s new “You Decide” programme – involving communities directly in decisions about funding good causes. You Decide is key to the funder’s efforts to put community power, agency, and control at the heart of its funding in England – supporting communities to live happier, healthier lives. This truly life-changing funding has been made possible by National Lottery players.
We will establish a local grants panel that gives community members the power to decide how funding is allocated. A tiered programme of small and medium grants will be introduced, providing accessible opportunities for local groups to apply for funding that strengthens their communities. This participatory approach will deliver improved outcomes for residents, foster a sense of local ownership, enhance community-led support, and build stronger connections and resilience across Maltby.
Rotherham WOW Festival
//By The Ripple Effect Team, Sam Dixon
“WOW Rotherham celebrates women, girls, trans and non-binary communities of Rotherham.”
Since 2022, the WOW (Women of the World) Rotherham festival has brought the community together to celebrate women, girls, trans, and non-binary people. Open to individuals from all walks of life, the festival focuses its celebrations on culture, community, and entrepreneurialism.
The vibrant weekend featured a diverse host of activities, events, talks, debates, and live entertainment.
To bring people together through creativity, the Rotherham Ripple Effect joined forces with the team from REMA (Rotherham Ethnic Minority Alliance) to provide interactive, accessible activities for all attendees. The collaborative space was buzzing with energy as visitors decorated cakes, crafted stick puppets, and painted suncatchers. A talented Henna artist also joined the team, sharing positive energy and good fortune through stunning, bespoke designs.
We had a world map displayed where people could come and put a pin in the map of where they were from. Rotherham Ripple Effect was introduced lightly; one particular lady was interested in listening to what the project is about and said it sounded like it was a very good project and was needed. She was asked if she wanted to be involved at some capacity and stay in the loop about the project to which she was not overly enthusiastic about so I gave her a leaflet and told she could reach out if she had any more questions about the project. It seems the people who show interest in the work we are doing are on a spectrum. There are people who tell us the project sounds brilliant yet still don’t really want to be involved or stay in the loop about it. They just like projects like this exist and it gives them some sort of peace. Overall, the festival was a true reflection of what Rotherham can achieve when the community pulls together. It served as a powerful reminder of how vital it is to stand together, celebrate diversity, and support women and the issues that affect them every single day.
Energy Know How
//By The Energy Know How Team, Sharon Smith, Lynn Clarkson and Madiya Shokat
We met an attendee of the Rawmarsh foodbank. It was confirmed that there were also a partner and two young children living in the council property. The attendee has anxiety and depression. They pay for utility bills by direct debit and confirmed that at the moment they have debts, we discussed The Citizens Advice bureau (CAB) who may be able to assist. The attendee was happy to be referred to CAB at the foodbank. We discussed energy saving measures and Green Doctor services. The attendee confirmed that they have draughts from the windows and would like any help or advice with this. The attendee was happy for me to send her contact details to Green Doctors. We also discussed Rotherham Councils (RMBC) newly launched crisis scheme where Rotherham residents could get between £80 and £200, subject to criteria. The attendee consented to contact details been sent to RMBC crisis scheme team for contact.
Time was spent trying to get to know the attendee and the family circumstances as well as discussing energy and how they could save energy and money by adopting some measures discussed like not leaving electrical items on standby. The family have health struggles as well as financial and they were referred to Citizens Advice and RMBC Crisis scheme to offer further support.
Rotherham Ripple Effect
//By The Ripple Effect Team, Sam Dixon
Mental health doesn’t exist in a vacuum; it impacts every layer of our daily lives, influencing how we think, feel, and connect with the world around us.
Mental health challenges can affect everything from physical wellness and sleep patterns to a persons’ ability to maintain employment, pursue education, and navigate daily life. The collective mental well-being of individuals in a community shapes the strength of it. When mental health needs go unmet, communities experience deeper social fragmentation, increased pressure on local healthcare and support services.
Around the national mental health week staff and volunteers from REMA and the Rotherham Ripple Effect supported community sessions to help individuals recognise how their community can support better mental health. These sessions also show another example of the things that bring us together rather than divide us.
Yoga session and coffee morning. – Yoga uses a combination of movement, controlled breathing and meditation that helps to promote better sleep and improve stress levels. This session concentrated on breathing and relaxation, showing participants techniques they can use in their everyday to re-focus and re-centre themselves.
Pilates session – Pilates is a form of exercise designed to engage with and improve core muscle tone, which helps improve posture, ease back and joint pain and boost flexibility. Alongside mindful breathwork this activity will help to reduce stress. The session covered exercises that could be replicated at home with firm reminders to never over stretch yourself beyond what is comfortable, and the importance of warming up and cooling down.
Walk with Ladies group – Ladies who attend Fridays toddler walk as well as other ladies from the community attended this walk. It was great to see the ladies bring along their toddlers in pushchairs and take part. The walk was full of life with everyone chatting away. It was a good way to interact with women and get to know them on a better basis. A Sudanese Lady Neelam spoke to was sharing her child’s love for biryani, a Pakistani Asian dish so we talked around this. She shared with Neelam her story about how her husband travelled by boat to this country and how she had to wait 12 days to receive news from of his safety. She explained how she didn’t know if he was dead or alive which is exactly the kind of heart touching stories we are looking for on Rotherham Ripple Effect project. I told her about our project and hinted at if she wanted to be involved in any way, maybe telling her story. She was ecstatic about wanting to share thing so I will keep that rapport with her and see how and if she can and wants to be involved and how to do this in the most comfortable way.
Rother Valley Country Park – Two trips were lucky enough to visit the local reserve at Rother Valley. But they had very very different experiences. The first group experienced temperatures of around 13 degrees and winds, it was “freezing”, whereas the second group had a lovely sunny day and no coats were required.
Engaging in these trips has given Neelam and Sam a chance to get to know the groups better as well as them getting to know us. This was successful with the Kashmiri women’s group as all the ladies were receptive to us and talked to us about many different things and we build rapport with multiple ladies who we hadn’t known before.
The first trip with the ladies’ group from the Unity Centre focused on a walk round the lakes for those that were able, shared food and a Tai Chi session that helped all attendees feel relaxed.
Unfortunately, the same level of rapport wasn’t quite possible with the Kurdish group although we got to know the leader of the group a little better which is good as she has a good connection with the group. The group seems very closed off and enjoy staying in their own bubble and celebrating their own culture. The language barriers also make it hard to talk to many of the ladies as they know very little English. It was still worth going as lots of ladies still saw us and will hopefully recognise our face in the future and know who we are when we put more events on.
We are learning from our experiences from this project that communities that come from historical backgrounds of prejudice and persecution have a harder time opening up to outsiders and view services with distrust. With these communities it is important that we recognise these facts, try to learn and understand the background, and spend time engaging with activity with no specific pressures.
Energy Know How
//By The Energy Know How Team, Sharon Smith, Lynn Clarkson and Madiya Shokat
We first met Mr O in March 2026 at the social supermarket in Rotherham, where he previously volunteered and now attends because he cannot afford enough food.
During a general conversation about saving energy, he mentioned arrears on his British Gas account. We emailed him a link to the British Gas Energy Trust so he could apply for support. Later that day, Mr O replied asking for help to complete the application, which we agreed to provide. We then arranged a further meeting for the following week.
Mr O is a tenant of Rotherham Council and had always had prepayment meters for his energy, he limited his consumption to what he could afford whilst maintaining a debt repayment on his electricity. Back in December 2024 his gas meter was replaced with a new meter which he assumed would offer the same prepayment facility however although it appears from the photograph, to be a prepayment meter, it is not in prepayment mode, and his in-house display confirms this.
Mr O has attempted to get this sorted and made a few calls to British Gas. Mr O has several health issues including a disability which makes using the telephone very difficult for him and he cannot always get his message across clearly – his speech difficulties means that face to face contact is easier. He also has a hole in his heart and suffers from anxiety which is being exacerbated by his current situation.
As a result of the meter not being set up (and still not working) in prepayment mode, Mr O now has gas arrears of over £1200.00 which he cannot afford to pay.
He receives Universal Credit but gets no additional money for his health issues as he is considered fit enough to work. He receives less than £350 per month for his Universal Credit Allowance after rent and water – due to a court order and water arrears – are deducted from which to pay his energy bills, food and all other household expenditure.
He has had financial difficulties before but worked hard to clear these and had only water arrears and electric until this issue with his gas.
He is receiving phone calls almost every day about his outstanding balance and this is impacting on his anxiety. He has asked the operatives at British Gas to remove the gas supply to stop the calls, this cannot be an acceptable resolution.
We have undertaken the following actions to try and help improve Mr O’s situation: –
- We have applied on his behalf to British Gas energy trust for help to clear his gas arrears and are awaiting a decision on this which could take 6-8 weeks.
- We have also applied to Yorkshire Water Community trust fund to ask for his remaining water arrears to be cleared which would stop the deduction for water arrears and give him an extra £20.00 per month on which to live. He currently has only £30.00 per week for food and if he needs any clothing or shoes, this must also come from this food budget so he cannot afford both.
- We have applied to the center for sustainable energy to request some free top up vouchers that he can use on his electricity prepayment meter to alleviate a little pressure on his financial situation and am awaiting their decision.
- A formal complaint has been made to British Gas and we have asked them to explain why the meter was not set up in prepayment mode and why after several requests it still hasn’t been done. We have also asked them to refrain from contacting Mr O until the outcome of his British Gas Energy Trust application is known.
He has tried to switch to an alternative provider to get a prepayment meter that works so he can ration his usage to what he can afford – this switching request has been declined, and he cannot currently afford a repayment plan.
He is on the priority services register and has multiple health issues, and his health is deteriorating because of this situation.
Due to our support:
- The center for sustainable energy granted 3 x £49.00 top up vouchers to enable him top up his electricity meter and take a little pressure off his finances
- Yorkshire Water trust cleared his arrears of £80 allowing the deductions to stop from his universal credit for water arrears
- British Gas gave £200.00 as a ‘goodwill gesture’ however this was deducted from his gas arrears, and they then proceeded to send his debt to a debt collection agency causing him more stress, This was recalled after our intervention.
- British Gas Energy Trust paid off his arrears of £1,104.00 on 30th May 2026.
All that is left to sort is to request (again) that Mr O’s prepayment meter be put into prepayment mode to allow him to top up his gas going forward and to prevent this situation from arising again. British Gas have been emailed this request, and we are awaiting their response.