This is where you’ll find all of the latest news from VODA.
Help Protect Our Coastline: Join the Nurdle Clean-Up Effort
Following the recent spill of approximately one billion nurdles into the River Tyne, volunteers across the North East have been working tirelessly to protect our coastline. Nurdles are small plastic pellets used in the manufacture of plastic products. Since the spill, they have washed up on beaches stretching from Northumberland to North Yorkshire. More than 6,000 hours of volunteer time have already been logged, with residents, community groups, local authorities
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.
VODA Awards 2026 Open for Nominations
Celebrate the people and organisations making a difference across North Tyneside. Nominations are now open for the VODA Awards 2026, recognising the outstanding contribution of North Tyneside’s Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector. Every day, local organisations, volunteers and trustees work tirelessly to support residents, strengthen communities and improve lives. The VODA Awards are an opportunity to celebrate those achievements and recognise the individuals and organisations who go above
10 Tips for Nominating for the VODA Awards
10 Top Tips for Nominating for the VODA Awards Each year, the VCSE Awards shine a light on the people and organisations who make North Tyneside a better place. We know there are many inspiring stories out there – but sometimes the nominations don’t capture the full picture. Here are our 10 top tips to help you write a strong nomination: Read the category description carefully. Make sure your nomination
Family Volunteering Guide Helps Children Give Back This Summer
Looking for ways to keep children entertained over the summer holidays while making a positive difference? VODA volunteer Ellie Avery has created a free Family Volunteering Guide packed with simple ideas to help families support their local community and environment together. The guide includes activities such as making cards for people who may be feeling isolated, creating wildflower seed balls, completing random acts of kindness, donating unwanted books and toys,
Refugee Week 2026: Growing Your Volunteer Team by Welcoming People Seeking Sanctuary
Refugee Week 2026 is a timely reminder of the value people seeking sanctuary bring to our communities. This year’s theme, Courage, reflects the strength it takes to rebuild life in a new place, and the many ways people can contribute when they have the opportunity to get involved. This Refugee Week, we’re highlighting how your organisation can welcome people seeking sanctuary as volunteers. Volunteering can be a positive and rewarding experience for
Using Your Voice: Si’s Story and Why Trustees Matter
Volunteers’ Week is a time to recognise the many different ways people give their time and experience to support their communities. While many volunteering roles are visible day to day, others take place behind the scenes, helping shape organisations and ensure they can continue their work. Trustees are a vital part of this. They are volunteers who help guide charities, make decisions and support organisations to achieve their goals. Without
One Decision. A Lifetime of Experiences. Ray’s Volunteering Story
Most people who volunteer at an event expect to help out, meet people and be part of something for a short time. That’s exactly what Ray thought, too. What he didn’t expect was that one decision would take him across the world, introduce him to lifelong friends and lead to national recognition. A journey that started with one event “When I first started volunteering, I never imagined where it would
Starting Young: Building Confidence Through Volunteering
Volunteering is often seen as something people do later in life, when they have more time or experience. But across North Tyneside, young people are already making a real difference in ways that are shaped around their needs, interests and experiences. For many young people, the barriers to volunteering can be significant. Confidence, lack of experience or simply not knowing where to start can make opportunities feel out of reach.
Good Financial Health Starts With Good Financial Habits
In this issue of the Governance Blog, we are highlighting a recent Charity Commission blog, Good financial health starts with good financial habits, which explores how charities can strengthen their financial resilience. The blog reflects the ongoing pressures facing the sector, including a challenging funding landscape, reduced donations, and rising operating costs. In this environment, strong financial management is more important than ever to support sustainability and long-term impact. The Charity
Big Heart, Small Commitment: The Power of Micro Volunteering
What if you could make a genuine difference to someone’s life in the time it takes to have a cup of tea? That is the idea behind micro volunteering: flexible, accessible, often short bursts of help that add up to something meaningful. No long-term commitment, no rigid schedule, and in many cases, no need to even leave home. Just a small action that makes a real impact. For many people,
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
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
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