This is where you’ll find all of the latest news from VODA.
Volunteers’ Week in North Tyneside: Could You Spare a Bit of Time?
Volunteers’ Week (1–7 June) is a UK-wide celebration of the incredible contribution volunteers make to their communities, and a chance to say thank you for the time, care and energy they give. In North Tyneside, volunteers support neighbours, community groups and local charities in many different ways. Their efforts help create a kinder, more connected borough and enable organisations to reach more people and respond when extra support is needed.
North Tyneside Community Garden Crawl 20 June 2026
The Great Community Garden Crawl returns on Saturday, 20 June 2026, inviting people to explore North Tyneside’s community green spaces. Now in its third year, the event continues to grow and attract new visitors each summer. What Is the Community Garden Crawl? The Community Garden Crawl is an open garden day that celebrates community gardening across the borough. On the day, five local gardens will open their gates to the
North Tyneside Volunteering Update
Explore the variety of volunteering opportunities in North Tyneside. Whether you want to enhance your skills, make a community impact, or connect with like-minded individuals, there is something for everyone.
You can search for all available volunteering opportunities on our online database, or take a look at our round-up below.
Urgent Call For Volunteers: Could You Be A Good Neighbour?
We are urgently looking for new volunteers to support the Good Neighbours Project across North Tyneside. Every day, Good Neighbours volunteers step in to help residents with tasks that have become difficult due to age, disability or changing circumstances. By giving a small amount of time, volunteers help people remain safe, independent and confident in their own homes. Importantly, volunteering with Good Neighbours is flexible, local and designed to fit
Trustee Recruitment: Barriers and Opportunities
Recruiting charity trustees has long been a challenge, but recent research suggests the scale of the problem may be even greater than many in the sector realised. A new survey, highlighted by Civil Society in its article Most people would not consider being a charity trustee, research finds, shows that the majority of people would not consider taking on the role at all. According to the study, just 6% of
Celebrating Volunteers’ Week 2026: Tips for VCSE Organisations
Volunteers’ Week (1–7 June 2026) is a great time to celebrate volunteering, thank your supporters, and encourage new people to get involved. It is also a useful opportunity to raise your profile and share the impact of your volunteers. How to get involved Download Volunteers’ Week resources Visit the Volunteers’ Week Resources page for free Canva templates, suggested social media posts, a volunteer story template, a press release template, media contact tips, event-planning
Updated Policies & Procedures from NTSAB
North Tyneside Safeguarding Adults Board (NTSAB) has completed a review of a number of key safeguarding policies, procedures and briefings to ensure guidance remains current, clear and effective. These updates reflect learning from practice, audit activity and national developments, and are intended to support professionals working with adults with care and support needs. All previous versions should now be replaced with the updated documents linked below. Person in Position of
Spring Family Volunteering Challenge
We’re pleased to share a new Spring Family Volunteering Booklet created by VODA volunteer Ellie Avery. It offers simple, enjoyable ways for families to spend time together while supporting the local community. The booklet includes a mix of indoor and outdoor ideas such as making cards, creating friendship bracelets, building bird feeders, making seed balls, litter picking, and visiting Little Libraries. Each activity is designed to be easy to follow
Crawford Park Crowned Bowls Club of the Year 2025
There was national recognition for North Tyneside this weekend as Crawford Park Lawn Bowls Club in Monkseaton, Whitley Bay was named Club of the Year 2025 at the Bowls England National Awards, held in Leicester. Chosen from more than 2,400 clubs across England, the award celebrates a club that is not only thriving on the green, but making a real difference in its community. A proud moment for the North
Governance Blog: Updated Guidance on Reporting Serious Incidents
The Charity Commission has updated its guidance on reporting serious incidents to reflect changes under the Charities Act 2022. This updated advice is essential reading for trustees and charity leaders to ensure compliance and maintain transparency. The duty to report The Charity Commission requires charities to report serious incidents promptly, fully and honestly. If such an incident occurs, your charity must disclose what happened and explain how it is being
Article: Practical AI and Ethics – Lessons from Our February Workshop
Artificial Intelligence is changing how charities and community organisations work. Our Practical AI Implementation and Ethics workshop on 11 February 2026, led by Kate Watson of AskMrsWatson.com, helped local charities and community groups understand how to use it safely, responsibly and with confidence. The session mixed live demonstrations of tools such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot with open discussions about ethics, privacy, and digital wellbeing. Participants saw how these tools can help reduce
Blog: Stronger Together – The Voluntary Sector’s Role in Health and Wellbeing
The voluntary and community sector is at the heart of healthier, more connected communities. In this new blog, Birju Bartoli, Chief Executive of Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust, shares how local charities and groups are helping tackle inequalities, inspire young people, and support local jobs. These partnerships show the power of working together to create lasting change. Stronger Together: The value of the voluntary sector to the health and wellbeing of
Mental Health Alliance Networking Event Highlights Collaborative Working
The North Tyneside Mental Health Alliance welcomed more than 50 attendees to its annual Networking Event, held in November at The Exchange in North Shields. Despite snowy weather conditions, the event brought together Alliance members, partners and stakeholders for a positive and engaging day focused on collaboration, learning and shared progress. Strengthening Connections Across the Alliance The event included a lively speed networking session, giving attendees the opportunity to connect
Did you miss our Countdown to Kindness?
Did you miss our Countdown to Kindness? There’s still time to get involved. Article by VODA volunteer, Ellie Avery Why not make volunteering your New Year’s resolution for 2026? Each day between Christmas and New Year, we shared a range of volunteering opportunities as part of our Countdown to Kindness on the North Tyneside Volunteer Centre Facebook page – highlighting roles to suit different interests, skills and availability. Below is
Small Charities Under Pressure: What the Third Sector Trends Report Tells Us, and How Training Helps
The latest research from the Third Sector Trends report show a clear challenge for the voluntary and community sector. Small charities are seeing the biggest drops in trustee and volunteer numbers. Organisations working with very limited budgets now face real risks to governance, service delivery and long-term stability. While larger charities may be seeing some recovery, many grassroots groups continue to struggle to recruit and retain the people they rely on.
Driving Gnome for Christmas – A Sector Connector and NT LIFE Collaboration
Sector Connector has coordinated a creative festive volunteering project that brought three organisations together in support of NT LIFE, North Tyneside’s Recovery College. Volunteers from BT, EE and North Tyneside Council took part in micro-volunteering days designed to offer both practical help and positive wellbeing activities. Across three sessions, 17 staff from BT and EE and two members of staff from the council produced 58 handmade Driving Gnomes for Christmas.
Warm Welcome Venues Open Across North Tyneside
North Tyneside Council’s Warm Welcome scheme is now live, providing residents with free, comfortable spaces to relax, connect with others and access support throughout the colder months. The programme forms part of the Council’s Household Support Fund and offers warm, safe locations where people can enjoy hot drinks, activities and company without any need for referral or assessment. A full list of venues and opening times is available on the
Safeguarding Adults Week 2025: Building Safer Organisations Across North Tyneside
Safeguarding Adults Week runs from Monday 17 to Friday 21 November 2025, and this year’s theme – prevention – is particularly relevant for the North Tyneside VCSE. Why Safeguarding Matters in the Charity Sector Every organisation that delivers charitable activities has a duty to safeguard volunteers, staff members, participants and donors. This isn’t just about compliance – it’s about creating organisations where everyone feels safe and protected. The Charity Commission has made clear that safeguarding is important for
VODA’s Telephone Number Has Changed
From 17 November 2025, VODA’s telephone number has changed. You can now contact us on 0191 323 2040.
Third Sector Trends 2025: Challenges and Positives
The first report of Third Sector Trends 2025, facilitated and co-funded by Community Foundation North East, shows important shifts in how voluntary and community organisations work together and with the public sector. Key concerns include a drop in formal partnership working (now at 27.6%) and a reduced sense of being informed or involved by the public sector. The research also shows a fall in interest in public sector contracts, particularly