We are thrilled to announce that Bexley Voluntary Service Council (BVSC) has been awarded a grant as part of the £10 million Volunteering for Health Programme, which aims to harness the power of volunteering for health and social care nationally and locally.
Bexley Voluntary Service Council has been awarded a grant as part of Volunteering for Health - a £10 million programme being delivered in partnership by NHS England, NHS Charities Together and CW+, the official charity of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Volunteering for Health aims to maximise the benefits of volunteers as a vital resource in delivering health and social care nationally and locally, whilst strengthening volunteering infrastructure.
The programme is part of NHS England’s response to the NHS Volunteering Taskforce which brought together health charities, volunteers, clinicians, civil servants and policy makers. The Taskforce published its recommendations in June 2023, concluding that more can be done nationally and locally to maximise the benefits of volunteers and volunteering in the NHS.
BVSC was one of 15 partnerships across the UK to successfully bid for funding. Partnerships are made up of voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, NHS Trusts, integrated care boards (ICBs), local authorities (LAs) and NHS charities.
Grants were awarded to applicants who were able to demonstrate how they intended to break down barriers, test new models and develop guidance and best practice that can be shared across the NHS and beyond.
We will be hosting a role that throughout the project will support the co-design of pathways and build a volunteering infrastructure to streamline volunteering processes and eliminate duplication in health services. Our collective approach will enable us to offer more diverse volunteering opportunities with a ‘passport’ that enables individuals to move flexibly across placements, breaking organisational silos. We will also deploy a single volunteer register to reduce barriers for flexible volunteering.
In addition, we are committed to creating opportunities that support individuals from underrepresented groups and communities. By offering tailored support, we aim to make volunteering more accessible and inclusive, helping to reduce health inequalities and foster a sense of belonging for everyone involved.
Louise Partridge, Volunteer Development Lead at BVSC, said:
“We are delighted to have been awarded this grant as part of the Volunteering for Health Programme. Through this programme, we will focus on breaking down barriers to volunteering and creating opportunities that are accessible, meaningful, and rewarding for individuals from all walks of life. By empowering volunteers with the right support and resources, we aim to enhance their experience, build their confidence, and highlight their vital role in shaping better outcomes for patients, staff, and the wider community. We are excited to champion the power of volunteering and celebrate the impact it can have on everyone involved.”
The grant will be paid in instalments over the next three years, until the end of June 2027. BVSC will receive an initial payment for the development phase, with an ambition to begin delivering the programme by March 2025.
Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said:
“There are currently more than 300 ways that people can volunteer for the NHS, ranging from running a hospital radio show to helping combat loneliness. This programme will further harness the power of volunteering for the benefit of patients, staff and communities.”
Search ‘NHS Volunteering’ or visit volunteering.england.nhs.uk/volunteer to find out more about how to become an NHS volunteer.
The partners:
- King’s College Hospital Charity
- Greenwich Volunteer Centre
- Community Links Bromley
- Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
- Guys and St Thomas' (GSTT)
- South London and Maudsley (SLaM)
- Oxleas Lewisham and Greenwich FT
- South East London Integrated Care System
- Bexley Voluntary Service Council (Volunteer Centre Bexley)