VS6 Welcomes Liverpool City Region pledge to Build Back Better

The VS6 Partnership is pleased to hear the Metro Mayor today pledge to Build Back Better, with the release of an Economic Recovery Plan for the Liverpool City Region. This plan highlights the need to make our society fairer for everyone, providing employment, health and happiness for the most vulnerable in our community.

This report, which was produced in consultation with the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector, proposes a £25 million VCFSE Sector Resilience and Capacity Fund for the region. This will build on the sector’s unique access to and understanding of our most vulnerable communities which has put it at the heart of local pandemic response efforts. The VCFSE Resilience and Capacity Fund would provide cross-sector investment to develop the sector’s long term capacity and resilience and help VCFSE organisations to replenish and prepare for their ongoing role in mitigating the worst effects of the pandemic.

As highlighted in the report, the sector was quick to adapt to meet the needs of LCR communities during the pandemic. It had to simultaneously adapt its operations to lockdown, rapidly scale up activities and coordinate the work of an extra 5,000 volunteers. This has been a huge challenge and one that the sector has risen to with great success. For example, in May and June 2020 the Halton and St Helens VCFSE sector has supported 20,000 people, made almost 12,000 wellbeing calls and delivered food and essentials to more than 25,000 people. Sefton CVS has provided help and support to almost 5,000 residents, including help with shopping and medicines collection. Community Action Wirral has supported local partners to distribute over 16,000 emergency food hampers supporting almost 61,000 residents.

Ellen Loudon, Chair of the VS6 Partnership, said:

“We welcome the publication of this recovery plan and the recognition that it gives to the role that the VCFSE sector can play in helping the Liverpool City Region to Build Back Better. We in the VCFSE sector will continue to support our communities in whatever way we can and we are pleased to see that the report acknowledges the need for the sector to be properly resourced if this is to happen effectively.”

To download the Economic Recovery Plan for the Liverpool City Region visit here.

For more information on how the Liverpool City Region is Building Back Better visit here.