Complete our impact survey for a chance to win a £50 voucher

If you are a community or voluntary organisation that we've helped in any way, we would appreciate your help with shaping what we do by taking our short survey. 

Your responses will help us improve the service we provide.

More than one person within your organisation can respond based on their interactions with our services - we would appreciate as much feedback as possible!

AND if you choose to share your organisation name, you'll be entered into a prize draw to win a £50 voucher.

Runnymede & Spelthorne Volunteer Awards 2026: Long Service Award Volunteers

In last month's newsletter, we featured our annual Runnymede & Spelthorne Volunteer Awards and all our incredible winners....

... Or almost all of them. We owe a huge apology to our Long Service Award winners, whose names were not featured.

So we'll feature them now! The Long Service Awards are given to volunteers who have been instrumental in supporting their communities for ten or more years. This year, we were able to recognise two inspiring people for over 80 years of service between them! Congratulations to Beaujolais Rood for 43 years at Citizens Advice Runnymede and Spelthorne, and Richard Batt for almost 40 years at 6th Staines Christ Church Scout Group.

Long service awards were also given to:

• Citizens Advice Runnymede and Spelthorne: Charlie Tomlins, Trevor Woolley, David Chatterton, John Turnbull, Richard Champness and Pam Unwin
• Spelthorne Walking for Health Scheme – Martyn Bevan, Lynne Bevan, Joan Gardam, Margrit Jukes, Roger Matthews, Geoff Brydon and Rob Gant
• Dee Harper – Parkrun
• Andy Kelly – Spelthorne Parasports Club
• Ross Getty – Odyssey Boxing Club
• Marianne Herne – TALK Surrey
• Jean Huggins – Daybreak Respite Care
• From The Haven Community Foodbank, St Saviour’s – Diane Minton, Sally Adams and Margaret Clark
• Evelyn Mitchell – Daybreak Respite Care
• Tanu Dhingra – TNR Community Events
• Michelle Hutchings – The Hub, Englefield Green
• Christine Mitchell – Spelthorne Archaeology and Local History Group
• Michelle Arnold – Ashford Youth Club, Ashford Revive, Ashford Wide and Ashford and Staines Rotary

It is always a privilege to celebrate these passionate, inspiring and dedicated volunteers, and we'd like to thank them for all they do for our communities.

Charity Networking Event - 18 September, 10am - 12pm

Join us for our next Charity Networking Event of 2026! Our first confirmed speaker for our September event is Zero Carbon Guildford, who will talk about practical ways organisations can reduce their carbon footprint.

We run these events quarterly to bring together charities and community groups across North Surrey to connect, share ideas, and gain valuable insights to support their work. It's a great opportunity to build relationships with fellow third-sector colleagues and potential funders. 

The event will take place at Enterprise in Egham between 10am and 12pm and you can book your place by completing a short form on our website. 

A busy summer out in the community

The VSNS team has had a busy summer getting out and about across North West Surrey, connecting with local charities, promoting volunteering, and raising vital funds for our Time to Talk befriending service.

In early June, we were at Shepperton Fair, Mark and Karen were at Strawberry Fair in Bisley on 28 June, while Clair and Jo represented VSNS at Egham Market. All these events built an interest in volunteering with new volunteer sign-ups.

Karen and Elaine also attended Teas on the Rec in Bisley on 25 June, a weekly summer fundraising event where local volunteers bring cakes, make refreshments and raise money for a nominated local charity. We had a lovely afternoon talking to people about Time to Talk, and were delighted to raise £560 for the service. Thank you so much to the Teas on the Rec organisers and volunteers!

We also entered Brenda the Befriender, our beautifully decorated duck, into the Midas Plus Big Duck Race at Staines Upon Thames Day on 28 June. Brenda raced against 119 other ducks on the Thames, finishing a respectable 30th. The day was a great opportunity to connect with people from other local organisations and raise funds for Midas Plus, a charity supporting people in need in Spelthorne.

One of the highlights of the summer was meeting a volunteer at one of our events whose story really stayed with us. She first signed up with VSNS as a flexible, one-off event volunteer - perfect for someone who couldn't commit to a regular role at the time. Through that first step, she was introduced to several local charities, including White Lodge, where she immediately felt welcome and at home. What began as helping out at a single event quickly grew into something much more: she joined White Lodge's volunteer events group FOWL, became a familiar face at their events, made new friendships and gained real confidence. She says volunteering has given her a sense of belonging and purpose, something that is just for her. She is grateful to VSNS for helping her take that first step, and to White Lodge for making her feel so valued. Her story is a powerful reminder that offering flexible, low-commitment volunteering opportunities can be the gateway to something life-changing.

Supporting groups with volunteering

Since joining the VSNS team in June, our new Volunteer Development Manager Mark has been visiting groups to talk about volunteering, their challenges and how VSNS can support them in future. Mark is helping groups identify the volunteer support they need, creating adverts to attract volunteers and advising them on how they can best support their volunteer teams. 

Through this second half of 2026, we will gather feedback from groups and volunteers to understand how they feel about the support they've received from us in the past and to help us shape training, resources and networking opportunities to meet their needs in future.

If you have any questions, feedback or would like to arrange a call or meeting to discuss how we can support your volunteering activity, please contact mark@voluntarysupport.org.uk.

DBS checks for volunteers

DBS is highlighting the support available to organisations through free Standard and Enhanced DBS checks for eligible volunteer roles. The campaign aims to improve awareness of volunteer eligibility criteria and common misconceptions around unpaid roles, trainee positions, and work placements.

DBS does not charge for eligible volunteer checks - although many organisations administering checks do charge a separate administration fee.

Find out more from the DBS. 

Contribute to PhD research into corporate volunteering

Paula Glover is conducting PhD research into employer-supported volunteering (ESV). She's investigating the nuance in ESV by listening to what employees, employers, and voluntary sector organisations actually want and value from these partnerships. Where do motivations align? Where do they diverge? The findings will be relevant for anyone designing, participating in, or receiving support through ESV. She'd love to hear from the following:

• UK-based employees who have volunteered over the last 12 months through their company
• CSR manager/volunteering managers in UK-based companies that run employee volunteer schemes.

Read more about Paula's research and how you can support it.

Surrey Health and Wellbeing Strategy: 2026 Update

The recently published refresh of the Surrey Health and Wellbeing Strategy (2026 to 2030) recognises progress and developments over the past four years and continues the focus on reducing health inequalities throughout Local Government Reorganisation and wider system changes. Revisions to the strategy include: 

• making more explicit the inclusion of babies, children and young people
• updating the Priority Populations (including the Key Neighbourhoods) based on new evidence and recent JSNA chapters (for example, the inclusion of those living in or at risk of poverty and experiencing multiple disadvantages)
• articulating more clearly the shared Principles for Working with Communities and Outcomes. 

For more information, email the Health and Wellbeing Strategy team (Public Health). 

New referral form for carers

Action for Carers has introduced a new single form to make it easier to refer or register carers aged 5 to 99. The new form is shorter and simpler to complete.

Once submitted, the form is sent directly to the triage team, who will review the information and contact the carer to complete their registration and arrange the right support.

GPs and other Surrey health professionals should continue using the Carer Prescription system. All other professionals, as well as carers themselves, should use the new referral form.

Runnymede and Spelthorne Older People's Forum – 17 September 2026

Our quarterly Runnymede and Spelthorne Older People's Forum will next meet on Thursday 17 September, 11am–12:30pm. Venue and speakers are to be confirmed.

This event is for anyone based in or operating across Runnymede or Spelthorne who works for an organisation with a connection to older people (there’s no defined age but approximately 55+), whether your focus is tackling isolation, age-related physical or mental health or another service.

If you’re interested in attending, please contact Elaine for more details.

Surrey Heath Mental Health Forum – 23 September 2026

Our quarterly Surrey Heath Mental Health Forum will next meet on Wednesday 23 September, 10.30am–12noon. Venue and speakers are to be confirmed.

This event is for groups based in or operating across Surrey Heath with a connection to mental health, whether that's through tackling isolation, age-related mental health or disability.

Each meeting has one or two speakers, followed by a roundtable session where people can give an update on their service and share anything new for discussion.

If you’re interested in attending, please contact Alison for more details.

Charity Networking Event - 18 September, Enterprise House Egham

Our next Charity Networking Event will be held this September in Egham.

These events are designed to bring together local organisations and community groups. This event is a great opportunity to share what your organisation does, connect with others in the sector, and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

Speakers for our September event will include Zero Carbon Guildford, who will talk about ways organisations can reduce their carbon footprint.

Social Media Marketing and Remarketing for Community Building - 21 September 2026

This workshop explores how to strategically use social media to attract, engage, and retain audiences through authentic community building. We will look at what is a reasonable expectation from your efforts, what kind of goals to set and how to achieve them. We will also cover the technique of growing an email list from your social media and website, and the fundamentals of remarketing, leveraging repetition and targeted messaging to really engage followers and subscribers  

By the end of the course, you will understand how to integrate social media, email marketing, and remarketing strategies into a cohesive system to nurture relationships and boost their engagement.

Key Topics: 

• Designing social media content that captures your target audience 
• Achieving engagement and building an online community  
• Growing and managing an email list effectively 
• Creating remarketing campaigns that reinforce brand awareness through repetition 
• Nurturing closer connections and longer-term relationships 

Charity Mash-Up 2026

24 September, 9am - 2:30pm, Woking

This year's Charity Mash‑Up by Surrey Community Action takes the theme of No Charity Left Behind, bringing together Surrey’s voluntary sector at a moment when the pressures have never felt sharper. As local government reorganisation and the mergers of CCGs reshape long‑standing partnerships, charities are navigating shrinking funding opportunities, rising operational costs, and surging demand for vital community services. This conference presents a space to connect, collaborate, and strengthen the sector so every organisation—large or small—can continue delivering the support Surrey's communities depend on.

Speakers include Maddy Desforges OBE from NAVCA, Kat Wayne from The National Lottery Community Fund and charity consultant Vic Hancock-Fell.

Early bird tickets are £25, available until Friday 31 July (or until sold out). Standard price after that: £30

Dementia awareness course

Monday 5 October, 10am - 4.15pm, St Peter’s Church, Frimley

A one-day dementia awareness course, "Lighting DARC" (Dementia Awareness Reaching Communities), has been commissioned by the Rotary Club of Camberley. Led by dementia care specialist Dr Gemma MM Jones, the course is designed for families, carers and professionals who want to deepen their understanding of dementia, covering everything from early signs and symptoms to challenging common myths and recognising changes in behaviour.

The course costs £26 per person, which includes a small donation to Alzheimer's UK. Participants will receive a course book and a Certificate of Attendance.

To express your interest, email Jenny.thornton@rightathomegf.co.uk or camberleyheights.clm@averyhealthcare.co.uk.

Recruiting and Manager Volunteers
8 October, 10am - 3pm

This workshop is aimed at voluntary organisations who want to improve how they recruit and manage volunteers, and establish good practices to help retain the volunteers that they have.

Areas covered during the workshop are:

• Evaluating and planning the recruitment process
• Advertising and promoting your volunteer opportunities
• What should be included in a volunteer policy/agreement
• Understanding what motivates and de-motivates volunteers
• Methods of recognising and rewarding volunteers.

Training and Networking Events 2026

Runnymede and Spelthorne Older People's Forum - 17 September, 11am - 12.30pm

Charity Networking Event - 18 September, 10am - 12noon

Social Media Marketing and Remarketing for Community Building - 21 September, 9.30am - 12.30pm

Surrey Heath Mental Health Forum - 23 September, 10.30am - 12noon

Recruiting and Manager Volunteers - 8 October, 10am - 3pm