Cheshire Fire Authority has launched a consultation on its precept (its share of council tax) for the forthcoming 2026/2027 financial year.

A legal duty to set a balanced budget means the Authority must match its income with its outgoings. These include paying staff wages, purchasing firefighting vehicles and equipment, improving and maintaining its buildings and paying for things like energy and fuel.

This survey is open until Monday 26 January 2026.

St Helens CGL are excited to let you know that their St Helens service, currently based at Lincoln House, will be relocating to a new building from Monday 2nd March.

Their new address will be:

St Helens Integrated Recovery Service Century House Hardshaw Street St Helens WA10 1QU

What does this mean for the service?

They will continue to provide services at Lincoln House until Friday 27th February.

Urgent appointments and high-risk commitments will remain their top priority throughout this period.

Maximum Edge CIC is proud to mark 10 years of supporting individuals and communities to improve wellbeing, confidence, and life opportunities. Since launching in 2016, the organisation has stayed true to its mission—helping people overcome barriers and fulfil their potential—even amid major sector changes, reduced funding, and the impact of Covid.

The Autism Wellbeing Project are excited to share their January 2026 Newsletter with you.

It’s packed with updates, including news of their exciting new project for autistic young people in Halton.

St Helens Concert Band have received funding to perform a limited number of concerts for charity and community groups in the Merseyside area in 2026.

If your group has an event in 2026 where you think a live concert and would help please get in touch to discuss.

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service have teamed up with the RNLI to deliver their Waterside Responder Scheme in Cheshire. So far, they’ve trained 125 people and issued 18 throwlines, delivering sessions to local businesses and community groups.

The scheme is open to waterside businesses, door staff, restaurant staff, wardens, waterside community members, and anyone who works near the water.

Following the success of last year, the maximum funding available has been increased to £3,000, meaning there is now even greater opportunity to grow or begin new community ideas. Whether you want to expand on something you’ve already started, or have a brand-new idea you’d like to bring to life, there is space for anyone in Parr to apply.

Closing Date: Monday 2nd February

The Gambling Harms VCSE Prevention Grant Fund is now open for applications, with a deadline of midday, Friday 6 February 2026.

The fund is for VCSE organisations working to help prevent gambling related harm.

Closing date: 6 February 2026, 12:00pm (Midday)

Halton Borough Council is providing a fifth round of the Our Halton grant programme to enable Halton based voluntary and community organisations in their work to support asylum seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrants. 

The main focus is areas for integration so it's not necessarily about new activity but more how can you encourage members of our settled Refugee groups, Syrian, Ukrainian and Chagossion communities to come along to existing activities and social groups you deliver.

Closing Date: Friday 30th January 2026.

Grassroots organisations, charities and voluntary groups can bid for grants of up to £5,000 to fund projects which promote diversity, equality and inclusion and are designed to foster greater understanding between different communities.
 
Around 20 grants will be available for projects which have a focus on improving community cohesion, raising awareness of the impact of hate crime and challenging harmful attitudes towards other people.
 
Closing Date: Friday 13th February.

The next Halton VCSE Response meeting will be on Thursday 5th February from 9.30am. 

The meeting will be held at Halton & St Helens VCA, St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes, WA8 6DB.  

We will hear from sector representative, VCA staff team, HBC staff members, and more. The forum is the perfect stage to showcase your organisation and hear about what else is happening in the borough.

Join us and take time to engage and update one another on projects and  activities, as well as touching base with the local Council and NHS organisations. 

The meeting will run till 11am, and the space will remain open giving you the chance to network over a hot drink.

Join us for our February 2026 Voluntary Sector Forum — a space where ideas spark, connections grow, and the St Helens VCSE community comes together with purpose.

Get ready for an energising morning at the St Helens VCSE Forum, filled with opportunity, collaboration, and that unmistakable community spirit that drives our borough forward.

We’ll ease into the day with a warm welcome and time to catch up with colleagues old and new over coffee from 9:30am — the perfect moment to settle in, share updates, and start the conversations that matter.

We are pleased to announce a further date for Listening and Communication Training.

Do you want to:

• Understand effective listening and communication?
• Recognise the importance of conversation flow and inclusive dialogue?
• Identify verbal and non-verbal cues in communication?
• Appreciate the role of lived experience in supporting others?

If the answer is yes, then this is the right course for you!

When: 4th February, 2026 from 10:00 AM to  1:00 PM

January is cervical cancer awareness month, and St Helens Public Health team would like to take this opportunity to promote a free cervical screening service coming to community locations within the borough.

Following a successful pilot, a mobile clinic will be available in the form of a bus for people to be able to have their cervical screening appointments. It is hoped that this removes barriers for women and makes screening appointments more accessible.

Halton Libraries, Halton Cancer Support, and Halton & St Helens VCA are continuing to work in partnership to offer a bereavement café in Halton throughout 2026.

This informal, peer led group is an opportunity for Halton's bereaved adults to get together to chat and support each other.

The groups are held in two venues:

St Marie's, Widnes, and Halton Lea Library, Runcorn

Join the Soroptimst International Widnes, in collaboration with Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, at a Love your heart event.

Know your numbers with Blood Pressure Testing, Heart Rate, Cholesterol, and BMI Checks.

When: Saturday 14th March 2026, 11am to 3pm

Where: Widnes Masonic Hall

Arts in Libraries have a series of workshops coming up for Voluntary Arts groups in St Helens. The workshops include, funding, marketing, welcoming new members, creating marketing on Canva and much more.

They have partnered with regional and national partners to deliver these sessions including Uncover Liverpool and Creative Lives (formerly known as Voluntary arts network).

Angel Dust Holistic CIC are now taking bookings for a new programme of activities for 2026.

Some of these activities are fully funded, and the rest part subsidised. 

Activities are based at Optimum Fitness, Widnes, 

Fortuna Female Society and Halton and St Helens VCA are hosting an International Women’s Day event.This years theme is Balancing the Scales.

When: Friday 6th March, 4pm-8pm.

Where: St Marie's,Widnes, 

There’s a warm invitation to attend Chain Lane Community Centre AGM (Annual General Meeting) on Thursday 29th January 2026 at the Centre. You can attend either in person or by ZOOM.

The AGM is a chance to:

Hear about their impact over the past year. Learn about their plans and priorities for the year ahead. Meet trustees and volunteers. Have your say and ask questions.

It’s a great opportunity to make a difference, develop new skills, and help shape the future.

The Halton Health Improvement Team are pleased to share a range of free training and awareness sessions designed to improve understanding of men’s mental health and wellbeing.

These sessions are open to adults aged 18+ who live or work in Halton and are relevant for carers, community members, and professionals who support others.

Registered Office: St Maries, Lugsdale Road, Widnes, WA8 6DB