Community First - Wiltshire & Swindon

19/05/2026

🌼 Celebrate Carers Week with Carers Together Wiltshire! 🌼

Carers Together Wiltshire is hosting a free Creative Workshop for Carers – a relaxed and welcoming session where you can take some time for yourself, get creative, and connect with others 💙

✨ Learn how to create beautiful paper roses using recycled and natural materials

📍 The Art Space - Salisbury Art Centre, SP1 3UT
🕑 12th June 2026 - 2:00pm – 4:00pm
🍵 Refreshments provided
♿ Fully accessible

This is a free event as part of , but places are limited, please book early to avoid disappointment!

📞 To book your place, please call 01380 710 300 (Option 2)

Looking forward to seeing you there 🌷

14/05/2026

We are pleased to share that six new associates have started at Amazon Swindon through the Careers 4 All programme, supported by Phoenix Enterprises, Building Bridges, Amazon, BASE and Swindon Down's Syndrome Group.

This is the second cohort supported into roles at Amazon, following positive outcomes from the first group. The group has begun onboarding and training with Aleks, Mikaela and Joel from the Amazon Learning Department, alongside Building Bridges Employability and Education Mentors Martina and Emma, with Employability and Skills Manager Gayle, providing in‑work supported employment practitioner guidance.

The Building Bridges programme has recently secured funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to support the continuation of this work across Swindon and Wiltshire until March 2029.

12/05/2026

We are delighted to announce that the Building Bridges Programme has been awarded grant funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, enabling us to continue supporting people across Swindon and Wiltshire until 2029.

For almost 10 years, Building Bridges has delivered a trusted employability and education programme designed to help local residents who face barriers to develop their skills, build confidence, engage with their communities, gain qualifications and move closer or into employment.

We would like to thank The National Lottery Community Fund which has been part of the Building Bridges story since the launch of the programme in 2016. We would also like to thank our fantastic team for the ongoing support they offer to participants and we are looking forward to the next phase of the programme.

For more information, visit: www.buildingbridgessw.org.uk

07/05/2026

A new Voice It, Hear It report on Direct Payments has been published, sharing key learning from lived experience and support in practice. See the post below to find out more and a link to download the report.

The Voice It, Hear It team has published a report focused on Direct Payments.

The report brings together learning and insights from engagement with people who receive direct payments and those who support them. It outlines key issues raised, practical barriers, what works well, and areas where change could improve how direct payments are used in practice.

Thank you to the individuals, carers, and professionals who supported this project by sharing their lived experiences through one-to-one conversations, alongside professional knowledge and insight gained through direct delivery and support work.

To hear the voices of those with lived experience, download the full report on our website:

🔗 https://www.communityfirst.org.uk/project/direct-payments/

06/05/2026

We were pleased to sign a new Partnership Framework with Our Wiltshire (Wiltshire Council) as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting people and communities across the county. Well done to everyone involved in supporting this important step forward in collaboration and partnership working.

28/04/2026

The Voice It, Hear It team is carrying out a programme of engagement on behalf of the NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB and Our Wiltshire (Wiltshire Council) to better understand the experiences of people living in rural communities with long-term conditions. Organisations, groups, and community networks who support these residents are invited to join a short session to hear more about the work and explore how you can get involved. Find out more using the link below.

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/communityfirst/2186583

17/04/2026

Community First is looking for a Rural Housing Enabler to work with rural communities across Wiltshire, helping to bring forward small‑scale affordable housing that meets local need. This is a part‑time role (20 hours per week) with hybrid working between home and our Hopton Park office, and flexibility for job share or associate working.

The post is fixed-term until March 2027, with a salary of £32,164 FTE (£17,624 pro rata). For more information about the role, please visit our website:

https://www.communityfirst.org.uk/vacancies/

01/04/2026

Easter Opening Hours 🐰🐣

The Community First office will close for the Easter bank holiday at 5pm on Thursday 2nd April 2026 and will reopen at 9am on Tuesday 7th April 2026. All voicemail messages and emails will be returned after Easter.

On behalf of the team, wishing you all a pleasant and relaxing Easter break.

23/03/2026

Community First is looking for an Alternative Provision and Outdoor Education Instructor to support young people who struggle in mainstream education. You will deliver engaging 1:1 sessions as part of our Alternative Provision programme, with opportunities to lead wider outdoor and heritage activities.

The role is part-time (minimum 10 hours per week with opportunity for additional hours) and based at Oxenwood Outdoor Education Centre, with some outreach delivery at alternative venues including Linkenholt Countryside Adventure Centre.

An Enhanced DBS is required.

For more information and an application form, please visit: www.communityfirst.org.uk/vacancies

22/03/2026

Thank you for joining us during . This week, we have highlighted how village halls and community buildings (both locally and nationally) play an important role in keeping communities connected to health and wellbeing. Village halls offer a safe, warm and inclusive space for people to come together through exercise and physical movement, volunteering, crafts, learning and more.

It is important that we recognise the contribution village halls make to wellbeing in rural communities and continue to support and champion them, so people of all ages and abilities can benefit from staying connected, healthy and well in our wonderful village halls!

21/03/2026

As part of , Community First held a village halls networking event for members of Wiltshire Village Halls Association.

We had a fantastic turnout, with nearly 50 attendees who took full advantage of the opportunity to network with fellow village halls and enjoy some well-deserved tea and cake. We welcomed presentations from the Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust, ARC Thermal Heating Solutions and our very own Wiltshire Association of Local Councils (WALC).

In addition, we facilitated a productive discussion session focused on volunteer recruitment and succession planning, which generated some valuable ideas and insights. TJB Funding were on hand to answer funding enquiries, and the blood pressure team carried out 9 blood pressure checks.

Codford Village Hall were wonderful hosts who made sure everything was set up and cleared away for us by their Thursday Club volunteers.