About BELS
The Baby Equipment Loan Service and Toy Library (BELS & TL) is a charitable incorporated organisation based in Wallsend, North Tyneside. The charity provides a loan service for essential baby and safety equipment to families in need across North Tyneside as well as facilitating toddler groups, stay and play sessions and a fantastic Toy Library which allows families across North Tyneside to join for a small fee and access over 4000 toys and games.
A Long Relationship of Support
The charity (in its previous and current form) is over 30 years old and has benefitted from VODA’s support on a range of issues since our inception in 1993. Describing the support which VODA has provided over the past 3 decades, Treasurer, Carol Dennison commented: “At VODA, everybody is so approachable, supportive and knowledgeable in their role.”
Key Assistance from VODA
The assistance has included advice and guidance when changing status from an unincorporated association to a charitable incorporated organisation. As well as support with volunteer recruitment and policy formation. BELS &TL describes this guidance as “so useful. Especially for organisations which do not have the relevant expertise in house…to be able to call on VODA to assist is just great.”
VODA has also provided Payroll and Accounts services to BELS&TL for many years now. BELS & TL describes this help as “lifting a huge burden” from their Management Committee.
Notably, BELS & TL has taken part in VODA’s regular Funding Fairs and has benefitted from regular guidance from our former Funding Advisor, Frank Gillender, which enabled them to secure what they described as ‘essential’ funding streams. These include grants from the Barbour Foundation, William Leech Charity, Awards for All and BBC Children in Need who has donated £10,000 for each of three years starting in April 2022.
The Future for BELS & TL
BELS & TL is looking forward to a busy 2024 when they will be calling on VODA’s support to update their policies and procedures, assist them with an organisational health check and to help them win some key funding bids to ensure the charity continues to thrive and help those families most in need. For more information regarding BELS & TL, please visit their website.
If you would like to benefit from support, advice and training for your VCSE group from VODA, please contact VODA’s Core Services Team by telephone on 0191 643 2626 or by email on development@voda.org.uk.
