The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has added a new ‘COVID-19 achievement’ award category to its annual awards programme.

Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) has joined forces with architects and funders to publish a highly illustrated, practical guide to reopening community buildings.

The CFM Group will hold an online meeting on November 11 2020 to discuss managing pandemic response in charity workplaces. We will hear from charity FMs about how they have sought to manage safety and risk, and how they have prepared their offices and premises for a return to work.  

The Centre For Retail Research estimates that 13,867 shops have pulled down their shutters for the final time this year. The coronavirus pandemic and the switch to online retailing are transforming the high street, and thousands of shops closing down - probably forever.

The COVID-19 Digital Response fund is offering expert support and grants of up to £60,000 to charities in England looking to develop their online capabilities. The fund will provide £1.75m in grants to charities, while the remaining £3.2m will fund support from advisors.

The new £10 million fund will offer grants to charities that need financial help for existing programmes and their day-to-day work. It will not finance expansion or capital projects.

The Charity Shop Reopening Pack (PDF) provides guidance for charities reopening their shops after a period of closure.

The Trust says it will open nearly 30 sites. More locations are expected to follow in the coming weeks.