Local grant making trust, the Inverclyde Community Fund (ICF), has awarded funds to the Inverclyde Anti Knife Group (IAKG) to cover the costs of a new marketing roller banner, which will be used by the group to raise its profile at future events.

The ICF awards grants of up to £500 to help small voluntary organisations, community groups and charities get their great ideas off the ground, to improve the lives of people and their local communities in Inverclyde. The IAKG has been granted £154 to purchase the banner in time for its next event, Build a Cairn and Barbecue, on Sunday 31 May from 6pm to 9.30pm at the Beacon Bistro. The event, which will bring together those affected by knife crime and help to further raise the group's profile, will invite people to write their loved one's name on a stone to be placed within the cairn.

The People's Vote 2019 is NOW CLOSED for the Voluntary Organisation of the Year category, sponsored by Inverclyde Life. Thanks to the people who voted in their thousands!

You'll have to wait until our Big Screen Awards Night at the Waterfront Cinema Greenock on Thursday 21 November, to hear the winner revealed. For now, here's more about our five finalists in this category ....

Compassionate Inverclyde – is an inspirational social movement helping to transform attitudes and everyday practices around loneliness, social isolation, death and bereavement across Inverclyde. Find out more at: www.facebook.com/CompassionateInverclyde/

Friends of Ardgowan Hospice – is a group of eight volunteer fundraisers who have collectively raised funds for Ardgowan Hospice through a wide variety of events over the past 40 year – including helping it to open for the first time 37 years ago. Without them there would be no Hospice. Find out more at: www.ardgowanhospice.org.uk/

Inverclyde Bothy – gives people the chance to walk or cycle more as part of their daily life, creating unique opportunities throughout Inverclyde that encourage everyone to exercise and get together, tackling isolation along the way. Find out more at: www.facebook.com/inverclydebothy

Inverclyde Tourist Group – has 56 members eager to promote Inverclyde to cruise ship passengers, and to promote the many positive aspects of the area to the local community through its wide variety of talks and tours. Find out more at: www.inverclydetouristgroup.co.uk/

Starter Packs Inverclyde – has been helping people since 2002; the homeless and others who have been given a tenancy and are having to start from scratch to obtain small household items needed to set up home and sustain a residency. Find out more at: www.starterpacksinverclyde.co.uk/

The overall strategic direction of CVS Inverclyde is determined by our Board of Directors who are unpaid volunteers and also Trustees for the purposes of charity law. 

Directors are elected from the membership at our AGM with one-third of Directors required to step down at each AGM, meaning there are at least four vacancies on the Board elected every year. Terms of office are usually three years. Board members who step down are eligible to re-stand. 

Office Bearers are elected annually from within the Board and serve for a one year term with a maximum of three consecutive terms.

Current Office Bearers are:

Karen Haldane, Chair - Karen is Executive Officer, Your Voice

Laura Reilly, Vice Chair - Laura is Manager, Belville Community Garden Trust

Board Directors are:

James Lamb is Secretary, Children in Poverty Inverclyde

Linda McEnhill is Chief Executive Officer, Ardgowan Hospice

Lorna MacDonald is Manager, Inverclyde Carers Centre

Willie Wilson is Manager, Branchton Community Centre

Directors are appointed at our AGM - usually around September/October each year. The Board also have the authority to co-opt up to two Directors on an interim basis between AGMs.

If you would like to become a Director of CVS Inverclyde, please contact Chief Executive, Charlene Elliott, in the first instance by emailing her directly on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..