From peer support groups for people suffering with arthritis to cycling support for children and families, voluntary sector organisations are beginning an important programme of work to help tackle health inequalities across North Tyneside.
A new Health Inequalities Grant Programme, developed by members of the Better Together group, has awarded grants of between £10,000 and £30,000 to fourteen Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector organisations. Funding has been provided by NHS North East and North Cumbria (formerly North Tyneside CCG) and North Tyneside Council, with the grant programme being administered by VODA.
All funded activities focus on delivering outcomes relating to the key themes of the recently published Equally Well strategy for North Tyneside – ‘Equal life chances for all’, ‘Thriving places and communities’ and ‘Maintaining independence’.
The grants programme aims to be more than just an offer of funding. In order to build an evidence base of what works and to help identify scalable solutions, all successful applicants will attend six-monthly learning and development sessions delivered in partnership with Goodlabs – a local management consultancy that helps charitable organisations to enhance their social impact.
Case Studies
Charity Commission Guidance Update
The Charity Commission has updated two key pieces of guidance for trustees: CC20, which covers fundraising responsibilities, and CC40, which relates to fundraising for emergencies. The updates come at a time when many charities are facing increased demand for services while needing to work harder to secure donations, making clarity around trustee duties particularly important. […]
The North East Fund for the Arts
The North East Fund for the Arts is now open for applications, offering grants of up to £2,000 to support communities to access high‑quality, professional arts activities. The fund aims to enable communities to engage with the arts on their own terms, whether that is experiencing arts activity for the first time, developing existing engagement, […]
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 […]
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.
The Playschemes Fund
The Playschemes Fund offers grants of up to £8,000 to support summer playschemes for children and young people across Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland. The fund helps organisations provide meals and activities for children who may otherwise miss out on holiday provision. The fund supports play schemes that cannot access government […]
Caremark Community Care Fund: Win £3,000 for Your Project
The Caremark Community Care Fund offers UK groups the chance to win £3,000 for a local project. The fund aims to support ideas that bring people together and create a clear, lasting benefit for the community. Projects can include equipment for inclusive sports or activity groups, improvements to a village hall or community centre, supplies […]
Cycling UK – Big Bike Revival Programme
Cycling UK is offering voluntary groups and not-for-profit organisations across England grants to deliver cycling projects aimed at adults who are either not currently cycling or cycling less frequently. Through the Big Bike Revival Programme, grants of up to £3,500 are available for groups to deliver events that use the ‘fix-learn-ride’ model to achieve the […]
Help the Homeless Grant Scheme
Help the Homeless is a small grant-making organisation with limited funding available to charities across the UK. It supports people experiencing homelessness in reintegrating into the community and rebuilding their lives. Applicant organisations must be registered with the Charity Commission in England and Wales or Northern Ireland, or with the Office of the Scottish Charity […]
Army Benevolent Fund
The Army Benevolent Fund offers grants to charities and organisations that support soldiers, veterans and their immediate families. These grants help organisations improve the lives of people in the Army community who may be experiencing need. The Fund focuses on six areas: family support employment education and training care of older people mobility; housing wellbeing. […]
Biffa Award Partnership Grants Scheme
The 2026 Partnership Grants Scheme is now open for Expressions of Interest for large‑scale projects seeking £250,000 to £1,000,000. Charities working within either the Built Environment or Natural Environment themes can apply at this stage. Built Environment projects should focus on restoring, modernising or improving facilities such as cultural, heritage or visitor centres. Applicants need […]
Work funded
- Tyneside and Northumberland MIND – support people with mental health problems to improve their physical and mental health and to manage their conditions through exercise.
- Whitley Bay Islamic Cultural Centre – creation of a new community gym.
- Linskill Trust – deliver community nutritionist led cooking sessions for parents and carers.
- North East Autism Society – support children and their families to address the health and care inequalities faced by autistic people.
- LD North East – support people with learning disabilities to access health services and overcome barriers to taking part in physical activities
- Versus Arthritis – set up a local volunteer-led support group for people with arthritis
- Quadrant Leisure CIC – offers opportunities, support, and advice to individuals to improve their lifestyles and to make informed choices about their health.
- Shiremoor Adventure Playground – support local children and their families to cycle to the adventure playground using the wagon-way. Will also offer cycling proficiency and maintenance sessions, bikes and equipment will be provided and at the end of the programme families will be able to access free, or low cost children’s bikes.
- Deaf Awareness NE – offer accessible health and fitness sessions to deaf and hard of hearing people.
- Smile Through Sport – provide disability specific sessions solely for autistic young people and work with recently disabled adults to fill a gap that has been created by the pandemic.
- MHA Communities North Tyneside – support older people who are referred from the local enablement service who are lonely and isolated. Volunteers will build a positive relationship with the older people, helping them access their community.
- Out of Sight – offer a range of social activities to reduce social isolation amongst the older people it supports, alongside healthy lifestyle support.
- Age UK North Tyneside – support hard to reach older people and those older people whose health is poor, or complex. It will work with four community venues to deliver singing, dancing, technology and cooking activities, setting up 12 new weekly groups.
- Support and Grow North East – set up 15 Cuppa Clubs across North Tyneside, where people experiencing loneliness, isolation and / or have mental health issues can access support.
- Peer Talk – develop more peer support groups for people with mental health problems.