Test, Learn and Innovate Programme

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Northamptonshire Community Foundation has opened the second and final round of its Volunteering for Health Test, Learn and Innovate Programme.

Grants of £7,500–£10,000 are available to small, local VCSE organisations in Northamptonshire to pilot new or adapted volunteering models that improve health and wellbeing and tackle health inequalities.
The fund particularly encourages community‑led approaches, increased volunteer diversity, and projects supporting underrepresented groups through volunteering in health and care settings.
Deadline: 18 May 2026, with projects expected to start from July 2026.

Community Action Northamptonshire (CAN)

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Community Action Northamptonshire (CAN) is a site where VCFSE organisations across West and North Northamptonshire can Advertise their volunteer roles.

The website is supported by SAWN (Social Action West Northamptonshire, the infrastructure partnership of VIN and SNVB and by (Aspire NN), the infrastructure collaborative for the North of the county.

To Find out more about CAN please visit: Community Action Northants – Volunteering opportunities in Northamptonshire

If you need more information and support in placing an advert please contact Sophie Negus at Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire:  Sophie.negus@voluntaryimpact.org.uk

If you have a great volunteering item or case study that you wish to share via CAN then contact Sophie and we can add this to the website New Items.

Sponsor a Beneficiary

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VIN is calling out to all VCFSE organisations across Northampton to support a beneficiary of their choice.

Everyone knows someone who could benefit from a Community Transport membership, so why not identify and support a resident of your choice.

For £60.00, you can offer someone free transport for a year. Imagine the independence such an offer would provide.

More information is provided here:

Better still, when thinking about your community-based funding applications, include some memberships in your bid. These memberships will assist in the alleviation of vulnerability and loneliness.

For an informal conversation please contact Russell Rolph, CEO of VIN on 07592 501770.

VIN seeks new Trustees

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VIN is anticipating some changes to its current board in the summer of 2026.

As a result, we are now actively recruiting for new Trustees.

Passion and enthusiasm for the sector and its challenges is seen as an important characteristic, as is working with the current board members.

More information can be found here: Being a Trustee at Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire

For an informal conversation in the first instance please contact the VIN CEO at russell.rolph@voluntaryimpact.org.uk

Crisis Resilience Fund (CRF)

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The Household Support Fund is being replaced by the Crisis Resilience Fund from the 1st of April 2026.

Whilst crisis and hardship payments will remain a part of the new approach, there are also further opportunities around both Crisis Residence and Community Co-ordination (known as segments 3 and 4).

Government guidance on the fund can be seen here: Crisis and Resilience Fund: Guidance for local authorities in England (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029) – GOV.UK

West Northamptonshire Council are required to submit their overall plan for all 4 segments by the 1st July 2026 and will concentrate on the operation of hardship payments in the first instance.

The Cabinet Paper can be viewed here at item 448: https://westnorthants.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=143&MId=2735&Ver=4

Further local guidance will be issued in due course.

Introducing the New Toolkit, Strategy and Charter from Volunteers for Health, Northamptonshire

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Good Practice Volunteer Management Toolkit
We are pleased to share our new Toolkit, created to help local organisations strengthen their volunteering and increase their impact.
The Toolkit is free to access and designed for organisations of all sizes across Northamptonshire.
Access it here.
 
Volunteers for Health Strategy Launch
The new Volunteers for Health Strategy for Northamptonshire sets out a shared approach to strengthening volunteering across the county. It focuses on improving access, inclusion and volunteer experience, based on feedback from partners and volunteers. Read the full strategy and download the summary here.
Volunteers for Health Charter
Volunteer Charter developed by the Volunteering for Health (VfH) Northants Steering Group, sets out a shared framework for volunteer engagement across our system, supporting consistency, inclusivity, and strategic alignment with ICS ambitions.
The Charter outlines our collective values, commitments, and expectations for volunteers and organisations, and alongside the VfH Strategy Document, and the Good Practice Volunteer Management Toolkit, it will support the VFH’s delivery of its strategy.
We invite you to look at the attached summary and full Charter, and to consider how it can support your organisation’s volunteer practices. Your endorsement and engagement are key to building a unified and impactful volunteering system across Northamptonshire. View it here.
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For more information please contact Project Lead, John Soto – john.soto@voluntaryimpact.org.uk

Volunteers for Health – Year 2 Conference

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Sign up via eventbrite – here 

State of the Sector Survey 2025

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In the Autumn of 2025, SAWN (the Infrastructure Partnership of VIN and SNVB) surveyed the West Northamptonshire VCFSE and has produced a report entitled What’s happening in your World.

The Report can be seen here: Sawn-State-of-the-Sector_Final V4 February 2026

It is clear to SAWN that our VCFSE is fragile and struggling with the triple bottom line of increased demand, extra costs, and reduced funding. It is also clear that many of our VCFSE realise the changing times and landscape we are involved with, and are looking to partner differently, work differently, and organise themselves differently.

SAWN asked a series of questions – What do you want to do more of, what do you want to do less of, and what do you want to do differently.

The answers reveal the complex nature of the sector and the transformation programmes taking place within West Northamptonshire.

What is clear is that more infrastructure support will be required, and that will be difficult on a limited Local Authority budget. Likje most other VCFSE Partnerships, SAWN will have to examine the landscape and supplement its infrastructure offer where it can.

 

Alcohol and Drug Services in Northamptonshire

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West and North Northamptonshire alcohol and drug services will be disaggregating on 1 April 2026, which means there will be some changes for residents of Northamptonshire.

From this date, Turning Point will deliver the new service in West Northamptonshire, called Inspire, working alongside key partners including Bridge, Family Support Link, Double Impact, and Framework.

Inspire will operate from two central hubs in Northampton with satellite sites including Daventry, Towcester, Brackley and Brixworth.

Turning Point will also deliver Inspire Young People, the new alcohol and drug service for young people in West Northamptonshire.

Change Grow Live will be continuing to provide services in North Northamptonshire from their current bases in Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough and are partnering with Forward Trust, Family Support Link and Release to deliver the new service.

Young People’s services in North Northamptonshire will continue to be NGAGE with Aquarius.

Some Changes coming from 01.04.2026:

Over the next few months, CGL and Turning Point will be working closely to handover the existing service in West Northamptonshire, to ensure a smooth and seamless transfer.

There will be further communication nearer the time of the launch providing information about the new contact details for Inspire including new telephone numbers and website and details about how to refer.

Change Grow Live will be working with their new partners to transition to the new North Northamptonshire Service. The current CGL contact details will remain the same post April this includes referral routes via the website and main contact number. From 1st April 2026 this will be only for residents of North Northamptonshire.

Up to and including 31st March 2026, the services, contact details and referral routes will continue as they are.

Partner communication and engagement events are as follows:

Tues 3rd March 2026 between1pm-2:30pm: All partners and online.

Weds 11th March 2026 between 9:30am-11Am: All partners and online.

You can book your space here: https://forms.office.com/e/mdyDBKypKN

Maintaining continuity for the people who use these services is a key priority for involved organisations during this time. They are working hard to ensure that users are informed about the upcoming changes and what this means for them and their care.

If service users would like a contact, please direct them to the service user involvement lead: Russell.Kennedy@cgl.org.uk

NHFT meets the VCFSE 28th January 2026

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On the 28th  January 2026, Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) Executive and Operational Directors met with the VCFSE to begin a discussion on how closer connections can be forged around the issue of Neighbourhood health.

The event was organised by SAWN (the Infrastructure Partnership of West Northamptonshire) and chaired by the VCSE Assembly; it set out how  NHFT currently works and where the touchpoints with the VCFSE could be now and in the future.

Our Aspire colleagues from North Northamptonshire were also in attendance.

The Presentations from the session can be downloaded below:

  • NHFT presentation explaining the NHS 10-year plan.
  • Exploring the NHS 10-year plan – this presentation places the VCFSE and NHFT in a county context and explains what “Place” and “Neighbourhood” mean.
  • Mental Health Northants Collaboration (MHNC) presentation – referring to an example of how a collaboration between the VCFSE and NHFT developed.

Table discussions focussed in on how NHFT and the VCFSE could work in a more streamlined, focussed, and effective manner, and what the key priorities for Neighbourhood working should be.

The event was held at Kings Park Conference or Action Centre and was attended by over 60 Individuals.

The table notes for this event will be compiled by VIN in due course and circulated to all attending delegates.

SAWN will be looking to build upon this event with a further West Northamptonshire gathering in Spring 2026.

Russell Rolph, the CEO of VIN, states:

It was great to see NHFT come out in force at Director level to showcase their work. There was a real willingness from NHFT to work with the VCFSE and value them as true partners. I hope we can build upon the momentum we have created and look forward to a further gathering, hopefully around April of 2026. This will be West Northamptonshire-centric as our Infrastructure Partnership (VIN and SNVB) supports over 1660 community organisations across this geographical area. I would like to personally thank all NHFT who made the effort to communicate, engage, and understand in a refreshing inciteful manner.