SAWN facilitates the first West Northamptonshire VCFSE Engagement Group
Social Action West Northamptonshire (the Infrastructure Collaboration including VIN, SNVB and Daventry Volunteers) held its first VCFSE Engagement Group on the 7th of August 2025.
SAWN set the scene of a landscape ever changing with a new political administration in Reform UK, a Place based reset within the Local Authority, an ICB clustering with both Leicestershire and Rutland, a new approach to Integrated Care within Neighbourhoods (ICN) and a revised NHS Long-Term Plan.
All these changes are of incredible interest to the VCFSE, all of whom can provide solutions to system wide delivery issues.
The Group felt that the idea of meeting regularly (every 8 weeks on average) was compelling and that the timing was right (given the current level of change and transformation).
The Group also felt a further session in September 2025 would be useful, and that a focus on Shared Values would be an ideal starting point for the Group to develop.
The VCSE Assembly were also in attendance.
SAWN wants to use the Engagement Group as a point of focus for system wide VCFSE statements, a learning and knowledge exchange and an opportunity for Guest Speakers to impart the latest thoughts, ideas, and practices.
It was felt that guest speakers should include as a bare minimum:
A speaker from the ICB on the NHS Long Term Plan.
A speaker from the ICB on Commissioning for Value.
The Deputy Chief Medical Officer on Integrated Care in Neighbourhoods.
A representative from West Northamptonshire Council on Place Based Reset.
The Leader of the Council on Reform UK and their approach to the VCFSE.
Whilst the Group want to use some of their time in networking and sharing best practice, it was felt that opening conduits for discussion with statutory partners around the pivotal issues of Co-Production and Commissioning were vital.
Russell Rolph of VIN states:
It was great to see so many people in attendance even though we are deep into the holiday period. I hope that this group will go from strength to strength, and it needs to, as there are many system issues which people need to address and many challenges within the VCFSE. We are a wide and diverse sector, which is a strength but also a weakness when it comes to communicating our views. My hope is that this Engagement Group can deliver joint strategic and systemic statements on how and why the VCFSE can solve issues which ultimately assist our statutory partners and deliver real value for money benefits into our communities. We will focus in on Co-Production and Commissioning because it’s the right thing to do. Anyone who works in the VCFSE can come to the meetings: There is no Board and no Governance. Individuals can join, leave, and return, if they think it’s right for them.
You can contact the following SAWN representatives if you wish:
Russell.rolph@voluntaryimpact.org.uk
carella@daventryvolunteers.org.uk
To view the meeting notes, please click here.
