Inaugural CMPP Woking meeting

It was with much anticipation that I attended the inaugural CMPP Woking meeting at the Borough Council offices last week. After an initial meeting with Christie and Sylvie I knew it was the right thing to do and requested budget for the project at last months management meeting. And so there we all were. Waiting to find out more. We are Partners from large organisations such as Asahi UK, down to sole traders with all sizes of business in between including me representing TVision Technology Ltd.

Giving something back

community CMPP Woking

As an employee of a Woking business, I think it is really important to get involved with this exciting community innovation project – CMPP Woking. I’m so pleased that TVision are involved, and this is why I nominated us to be on the Steering Group. As a steering group member I will be able to add valuable input into making any decisions and witness first hand what actions are being taken to impact my local community.

I have lived in Woking since 2002, but Surrey all my life, I work here, and my children go to school here. I think it is high time I gave something back – and if that also means supporting the health and wellbeing initiative of Woking Council – than I’m really pleased to be an active member of this project and dedicating time to it.

What is the CMPP?

teamwork CMPP woking

This Woking based project is borne of a love of community engagement from a successful template already running in Farnborough. Tracy Jarvis explained the way the project was set up and what has been done to date and how much money has been raised. It’s staggering. But it just goes to show that if a group of like-minded people come together then anything is possible.

Community project organisers can apply for funding once the fundraising pot is large enough. But before then local community action groups will be able to apply for Partners to volunteer at “Give and Gain” days. So long as the project can sit under the banner of “Health and Wellbeing” a group of volunteers will be able to offer their time, often using it as a team bonding day offsite. Working together offsite with your colleagues will being you closer together when you’re all helping to paint a fence at a riding stables, or helping a school who needs a flat area on their field to lay an all weather running track.

Next steps

We spoke about what commitment was required, and who would be willing to volunteer their time to be on various committees. With my experience I nominated myself for the Marketing and PR sub-committee, as well as offering to be a representative on the main Steering Group. With our first meeting due to take place in the next fortnight, I think it will be a great to provide a strategic collaborative approach to fund specific projects and carry out fundraising on a wider scale due to the number of partners involved.

First fundraiser

The first fundraising event is “Dress Down for Woking” on Friday 20th April. But given that we have a relaxed dress code at work, maybe I’ll make everyone dress up!

By Danusia Jolliffe – Marketing Manager