Make a Difference Awards for 2025

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VINs Volunteer Car Scheme has been nominated in the Community category in this year’s Award.

The scheme provides community transport for elderly and disabled people, living in Northampton (Postcodes NN1 – NN5).

It enables registered members to travel with ease, convenience, and peace of mind, allowing them to maintain their independence for longer and helping to prevent social isolation.

Last year our volunteer drivers took passengers to 10,000 medically related appointments. They averaged 930 voluntary hours of journeys per month.

Russell Rolph states:

 

It’s fantastic that the team have been nominated for this award. Just to be nominated demonstrates the commitment, hard work and skill required in delivering such a project. I would like to personally thank all the team and volunteers that perform this vital work and support our communities.

 

More on our Car Scheme can be found here: Volunteer Car Scheme | Voluntary Impact Northampton

 

More on the Make a Difference Awards can be found here: BBC – Make a Difference Awards

Learning, training, and skills for residents

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West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is inviting local Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations to apply for grants to support initiatives that provide learning, training, and skills for residents.

Eligible organisations can apply for funding between £500 and £10,000 to deliver learning and training initiatives that help residents gain work-related skills in efforts to boost employment opportunities.

For further information please see here Local voluntary and community organisations invited to apply for funding to support employability initiatives | West Northamptonshire Council

Family Hubs

Families across West Northamptonshire are encouraged to have their say on where new Family Hubs should be located, as part of a consultation that closes on Sunday 6 July.  Following the successful launch of the first Family Hub in Towcester, new sites are being proposed in Daventry, Northampton town centre, and other local areas.

To take part please view here: Families encouraged to share views on new family hub locations before 6 July | West Northamptonshire Council

Healthwatch England to be abolished

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As part of the upcoming NHS 10 Year Plan Healthwatch England is to be abolished.

It is understood that local Healthwatch CEOs and Chairs were contacted on Friday 27th June 2025.

The Healthwatch England Team have issued a response on LinkedIn, which recognises the enormous value of the work undertaken by  staff and volunteers over the past 12 years.

VIN understands that around 150 local Healthwatch branches will also be closed, with functions expected to move to ICBs and Local Authorities.

For hard pressed Infrastructure organisations that have diversified into this arena to stave off disinvestment, its a bitter blow.

The VIN CEO states:

I am deeply concerned over the potential risk of losing the  independence, local presence, and statutory footing that have made Healthwatch effective. Without its statutory footing, we fear this function could be defunded or deprioritised, weakening the power and agency of communities to influence the systems that serve them. 

Return to our What’s New section to find out how this story develops over the coming months.

vsl learning logo

Free and discounted training

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vsl learning offer GDPR,Cybersecurity, safeguarding. If your turnover is £100,000 or less the training will be free.

See the leaflet for more information on how to take advantage of this offer.

Director of Public Health Report – West Northamptonshire

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This year’s report focuses on the importance of healthy ageing and the collaborative work taking place across West Northamptonshire to ensure that older adults have the opportunities and support they need to age well. The Local Authority is working towards a shared vision of ageing that promotes good health, mobility, and dignity enabling more of our residents to live independently in their own homes for longer.

 

With the number of residents aged 65 and over projected to rise by nearly 24% over the next decade, this report outlines a system-wide approach to supporting older people, with a clear aim to reduce health inequalities and improve quality of life.

 

Key highlights from the report include:

  • A strong focus on prevention and early intervention, supported by a Council-wide strategy to help residents before health issues develop or escalate.
  • Community-led initiatives, such as the “Get Up and Go” strength and balance classes, falls prevention programmes, and local wellbeing groups, which are helping hundreds of older adults stay active, connected, and purposeful.
  • Partnerships with voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations, including innovative work in Brackley and Northampton to reduce social isolation and improve mental health.
  • A commitment to joining the World Health Organisation’s Age-Friendly Communities network in 2025, reinforcing our ambition to create inclusive and supportive environments for all older residents.

The report states:

This progress is only possible thanks to the tremendous partnership efforts across our organisations. We are proud of what has been achieved so far and look forward to continuing this journey together to make a lasting difference in our communities.

 

You can read the full report here: full report 

charity management health checks

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Charity Excellence have 8 free online charity management health checks, including fundraising & governance, quick and simple to use, with a huge range of free help and resources.

LawWorks

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LawWorks is a charity working in England and Wales to connect volunteer lawyers with people and VCSE organisations in need of legal advice.

The Not-for-Profits Programme brokers legal advice to small not-for-profit organisations on a wide range of legal issues, to support the continuation and expansion of their services to people in need. The advice is given for free (pro bono).

LawWorks also develops resources which provide general information for not-for-profit organisations on specific areas of law, to enable them to spot and avoid potential legal problems. These resources include:
Free Talk Videos

Free Talks are short online videos presented by solicitors about common legal issues faced by small not-for-profit organisations.

The videos are all free to watch and aim to help you when making important decisions.

They also produce a range of resources.

Guidance notes

These legal resources help to answer some frequently asked questions that we receive from charities and not-for-profit organisations.

Running an organisation – Templates and Policies

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These templates and samples, created by VIN or found online, provide a practical starting point for your group’s documents.

Employing people

ACAS offers free templates for workers and employers, including:

  • letters
  • forms and HR templates
  • policies

 

Data Protection

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Data protection legislation controls how your personal information is used by organisations, including businesses and government departments.

In the UK, data protection has been governed by the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

However on the 19th June 2025 the Data Use and Access Act 2025 (DUAA) came into force. The changes in this will be phased in between June 2005 and June 2026.

Who are the regulators

In the UK, the GDPR will be overseen by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). They are an independent public body set up to uphold information rights in the public interest. The ICO sit independently of government,

The following information is based on the situation before the 19th June 2025.

Data principles

Everyone responsible for using personal data has to follow strict rules called ‘data protection principles’ unless an exemption applies.

How to handle Data Breaches

If you think you’ve had a personal data breach – perhaps an email has been sent to the wrong person, a laptop was stolen from a car or you’ve lost files because of a flood – and you’re worried about what to do next, take a look at this guidance on the ICO.

New to Data Protection?

The ICO has produced a Getting Started with Data Protection: a step by step guide. They also provide a video introducing Data Proection.

Lloyd’s Bank Foundation – funding for Deaf and Disabled Peoples Organisations

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Lloyd’s Bank Foundation have launched a programmed aimed to support registered charities, CICs and CIOs which are led by and working for Deaf and Disabled people. Organisation must have an income between £25,000 to £500,000. All grant are three-years and unrestricted £75,000.

The programme closes at 5:00pm on the 4th September

More information can be found

https://www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk/funding/deaf-and-disabled-peoples-organisations-fund/

We will be holding a live webinar on 16 July 2025 to talk through the programme. This will include eligibility and shortlisting criteria. There will be an opportunity to ask questions live. You can learn more and sign up for this webinar by clicking here.

If you still have questions after reading the guidelines and completing the eligibility quiz, you can book a meeting to speak to someone from our team before you submit an application.