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
Unity Impact Grants
Unity Trust Bank Unity Impact Grants programme, the bank provides direct funding to eligible customers for community, social and environmental projects. In 2026 the funding pot doubled to £100,000, comprising 12 Unity Social Impact Grants of £5,000 and 4 Unity Environmental Impact Grants of £10,000. Funding can support projects, operational costs or capital expenditure. Eligibility […]
Sunrise Medical Community Fund
A new £5,000 fund is offering grants to individuals, families, community groups, charities, disability organisations and sports clubs across the UK for initiatives that increase independence, inclusion and opportunity for wheelchair users and disabled people. Funding can support sports equipment, community events, days out and experiences, personal challenges and local community projects that remove practical […]
The National Archives Project Grants
Community groups and heritage organisations across the UK can apply for grants of up to £30,000 to deliver collaborative heritage projects. The National Archives Project Grants programme supports partnerships between GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives and museums) or heritage organisations and community groups. The programme aims to strengthen relationships between communities and heritage organisations by supporting […]
Shoosmiths Foundation
UK-registered charities can apply for grants of up to £50,000 for projects that widen access to careers in the legal and business services professions for underrepresented groups. Funding will support initiatives that create career pathways, strengthen support networks, improve access to higher education and legal careers, and reduce systemic barriers to opportunity. Projects should demonstrate […]
Historic England: Heritage at Risk Capital Fund
Grants of up to £1 million are available for projects to repair, conserve and bring historic buildings and sites at risk across England back into use. Priority will be given to projects in areas of high deprivation and those that will deliver significant benefits for local communities. Applicants must have legal responsibility for the building […]
Scops Art Trust
Scops Art Trust is offering grants to registered charities and other constituted, not-for-profit organisations across the UK, to deliver projects and activities that help people to understand, participate in, and enjoy the arts, particularly the performing arts (music, drama, opera, and dance). In 2026, the Trust will continue to focus on one area of performing […]
The Arts Society
The Arts Society is offering grants of up to £3,000 for registered charities with an annual turnover of less than £1 million across the UK to deliver arts and heritage projects and activities. The theme of the Autumn 2026 funding round is ‘Community Engagement’. Proposed projects should meet all of the following criteria: Focus on […]
Children’s Alliance Grants
Supports UK non‑profit organisations including schools, charities, CICs and community groups with grants up to £15,000 for water‑based projects that improve children’s wellbeing through swimming lessons, hydrotherapy or water play. Prioritises children under 18 who cannot access aquatic activities due to financial barriers and focuses on measurable impact in confidence, competence and cognition. Deadline for […]
Garden’s Trust Community Grants
Supports volunteer groups across the UK with grants up to £10,000 for projects that protect, research or enhance historic designed landscapes. Applicants do not need to be charities but must show they are active volunteer groups with a clear plan. Funds seed-fund sustainable activity such as restoration plans, Friends group set‑up costs, research projects or […]
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 […]
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.