Celebrating Volunteer Managers
At CVST, we see every day how volunteering strengthens local organisations and brings people together. Behind every successful volunteer role is usually someone quietly making sure people feel welcomed, guided and encouraged often while juggling three conversations, a...
Spotlight on Young Minds and how CVST helped it begin
By Karen Barber The 10-Year Fight for Answers: After 10 years of exemplary promotions and appraisals in the civil service, I was dismissed due to poor performance caused by a disease that took a decade to diagnose. It was a relief to finally get that diagnosis. Even...
Volunteering Looks Like This
Volunteers Week 2026: Volunteering Looks Like This Volunteers Week is the time we pause, reflect and, most importantly, say a heartfelt thank you to all the people who give their time, skills and energy to support others across our community. At CVST, we see every day...
We provide the “hidden wiring” connecting Tendring
Behind the people, the services, and the organisations in Tendring sits a layer of support that often goes unseen, the “hidden wiring” that keeps everything connected and working smoothly. That hidden wiring is exactly the role CVST plays. Across Tendring, we work to...
Proud to be a Trustee
What a journey I have had over the last two years. I have always ensured I have given something back to the community I live in and have had several different volunteering roles in the past including being a chair of governors for a primary school and an Ambulance...
Why I became a trustee – and why you should too by Ali Blake
Why I, Alistair Blake, became a Trustee (And why you should consider it too) Eight years ago, I became a trustee, despite concerns I wasn't qualified enough or have enough time. Today I chair the board. How and why, I became a Trustee My journey with Summit Services...
Would you like a Safeguarding top-up at our next Trustee Forum?
If something went wrong in your organisation tomorrow… could you honestly say you’d done everything possible to keep people safe? For small voluntary and community organisations, it can be easy to assume that safeguarding is “someone else’s job” or only relevant in...
How to show funders you are getting results
Making Monitoring and Evaluation Count If your organisations or club is self-funded through memberships and donations then other than any legal reporting requirements then you don’t need to necessarily think about recording information about your activities – although...
Get ready to write your first funding bid
Getting ready to write your first bid Check who the funders are who fund the kinds of activities you are looking for support for. Think about how much money you will realistically need – there are a number of funders who will fund sums up to £1,000 which is often...
Is your charity or group bid ready?
Are you bid ready? So, you’ve got to the point where you’re thinking that getting a bit of additional funding in to deliver a new project or maybe you need to expand what you do to meet an emerging community need. Either way you’ll need to make sure that your...