VONNE's North East and North Cumbria VCSE Research Partnerships support programme provides a single point of contact for researchers and VCSE organisations who are interested in collaborating on health and care-focussed research. 

This support is made possible through funding from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), and includes advice on engaging communities in research, brokering introductions with potential research partners, and sharing opportunities for research collaborations with our networks.

Francesca Morland joined the organisation in April as Health and Wellbeing Research Partnerships Coordinator, and shares this blog reflecting on her first few months in post

As part of Fran's work on the NENC Research Partnerships programme, an upcoming 2-year workplan for the project has been developed in collaboration with key stakeholders, which outlines the activities we plan to deliver and what we hope to achieve. It is vitally important that we ensure this work aligns with what VCSE organisations need to form successful and mutually beneficial research partnerships, and that you have the opportunity to contribute, inform and help shape this work as it develops.

Fran is hosting an online Workplan Engagement session taking place on Tuesday 9th September, 10am – 11am, for people working within the VCSE sector with an interest in collaborative research. It will be an opportunity to hear about the draft workplan, offer your views and ideas, and ask any questions you may have.

Going Green Together is a partnership between VONNE and the VONNE Climate Action Alliance, Genee, SmartCarbon, Cumbria CVS and Cumbria Action for Sustainability. Now in phase 2, the programme is designed to embed the environment at the heart of what you do and ensure a greener, fairer future for your communities.

Applications are now open and we are very excited to welcome you in! Join up for free to access to our new Sustainability Pathway and support programme. Just click on the link below and create a log in. 

Your organisation will benefit from:

- Access to our tailormade online sustainable pathway - guiding your organisation through planning and implementing environmental change

- 1-1 organisational support from our team to help you on your journey

- 12 months of subsidised access to the Investors in the Environment framework and the SmartCarbon calculator

- A network of peers for sharing support and knowledge including regular events, workshops and training from the team at Going Green Together

- Monthly newsletters that include regional funding opportunities and events to enhance your work

Prime Minister, Sir Kier Starmer, has said that the government is considering how it can support charities facing financial challenges, including potential changes to business rates. Speaking at a recent Liaison Committee hearing, the PM was asked by culture select committee chair Caroline Dinenage what his government would do to support charities facing increased overheads and demand for their services, as well as declining donations.

In response, the PM said: “It is important. I think over half of charities have been exempted from the national insurance rises. We are looking at what we can do on business rates etc for charities and to put in the support that they need.”

However, the Prime Minister once again ruled out a total exemption for charities from the recently introduced rise in Employer National Insurance Contributions, which is set to cost the sector an estimated £1.4bn a year.

Read the full Civil Society article to find out more.

The Nuffield Foundation has launched a strategic review in order to fund research and innovation that addresses some of the UK’s most urgent social and economic challenges. It is backed by a £150 million spending commitment.

Acknowledging that this review is in response to the current global and domestic pressures that are reshaping UK policy and politics, for each of the next five years the Foundation will grant £30 million annually “to generate rigorous evidence on, and shape solutions to” intersecting problems that impact UK society which are holding back the country’s future prosperity and wellbeing.

Read the full UK Fundraising article to find out more.

Charities do some excellent work. We plug the gaps in public services, protect the environment and our heritage, campaign against injustice and often give a voice to those who need support. But are the public aware of the work that charities do and what we can achieve, or the challenges faced by charities and the third sector?

In this article for DSC, Tania Mason argues for greater visibility and communication of the sector’s achievements, calling on charities, regulators, and the media to do more to showcase their impact and correct damaging misconceptions.

The Government’s Employment Rights Bill is taking its final steps toward becoming law. Landmark changes delivered through the Employment Rights Bill including sick pay for up to 1.3 million of the lowest earners and day one rights to parental and paternity leave will be introduced for the first time from early next year.

Employers need to prepare for the legal changes introduced by the Bill and understand the roadmap and timings behind it's roll out. Acas have shared a webinar for employers which was recorded on 23 July 2025, covering:

• important dates for parts of the Bill becoming law
• the proposed law changes and how they will impact employers

You can view the recording here, or visit the Acas website to find out more.

In the latest Third Sector Podcast, Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Nicole Sykes, director of policy, communications and research at the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales.

In this episode, they discuss some recent research by Lloyds Banking Group that found charities are the second-most trusted source of financial advice after family members. They also consider how charities can best respond to the finding and why it should be a cause for celebration, and cover a range of other topical issues affecting the sector, from the emergence of the impact economy to the need for charities to adapt to new ways of finding information with the advent of AI.

The Government’s public procurement consultation proposes changes that could significantly impact the way voluntary organisations deliver public services. These proposals could open up more opportunities or create new barriers for charities that deliver public services or work with other providers to add social value.

Key proposals include:

• mandating public bodies to set direct VCSE spending targets
• focusing social value requirements on jobs and opportunity for high value contracts
• taking a more standardised approach to social value
• clarifying where a full competitive procedure is not required for services that support people the government defines as ‘vulnerable’
• excluding providers who can’t demonstrate they pay invoices within 60 days.

The government is asking for feedback on its proposed changes to public procurement. NCVO is preparing a response and wants to reflect the views and experiences of organisations across the sector via a survey.

Please complete this survey by 9am on 18th August 2025 if your organisation:

• delivers public services for public bodies
• adds social value for government suppliers.

The survey asks questions about your organisation, how competitive tendering affects your work and how the government could improve its approach to social value.

International Day Against Nuclear Tests – 29th August

The International Day Against Nuclear Tests is a UN observance held every August calling for increasing education and awareness of the devastating effects of nuclear weapons testing. It is the hope of the UN that one day all nuclear weapons will be eliminated and the world works towards promoting peace and security.

Zero Waste Week 2025 – 1st - 5th September

Zero Waste Week is a grassroots annual awareness campaign that takes place online and on-the-ground. It helps householders, businesses, organisations, schools, universities and community groups reduce landfill waste to help save money, preserve resources and protect the environment.

Second Hand September – 1st – 30th September

Second Hand September is an annual campaign by Oxfam encouraging us all to come together to choose a more planet-friendly way to shop. This September, take a stance against the environmental impact of fast fashion by shopping second hand, and dress for the world you want to see.

Ipsos and the Patient Information Forum (PIF) have released a short film exploring the impact of health misinformation in the UK. Topics covered include access to health information in the UK, the rise of misinformation, and how we can help to tackle it.

The film builds on recent research by PIF and Ipsos, which revealed inequalities in access to health information and the impact of misinformation across the UK. Knowledge is Power offers insights on information access, trusted sources, communication with health care professionals, and the impact of misinformation. 

Eight innovations have secured more than £500,000 of funding to produce new and improved methods of finding and diagnosing cancer at an early stage across the North East and North Cumbria.

Projects include using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help detect prostate cancer in Gateshead; raising awareness of skin cancer in rural and farming communities in County Durham; and encouraging patients to attend hospital appointments in Northumberland, North Tyneside and North Cumbria.

The grants come from an Unmet Need Call launched by Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria (HI NENC), in partnership with the Northern Cancer Alliance (NCA), with the aim of diagnosing 75 per cent of cancers at an early stage when treatment is more likely to be successful.

Wednesday 24th September – 5.30pm – 7pm – Durham University, DH1 3LE

Join Dr Monique Botha for their end of fellowship public lecture discussing why autism isn't what you think it is, and why that matters.

Autism has been a subject of scientific study for over a century, and a topic in the public imagination for the past 40 years. In that time, interest in autistic people has grown dramatically, both in academia and the media, creating a booming industry that puts us under the microscope. Yet despite this attention, public attitudes toward autistic people remain overwhelmingly negative, and our life outcomes continue to be poor. This isn’t just a gap in understanding: it’s a crisis with real-world consequences.

Over the past four years, Dr Botha has used their research fellowship to ask a series of uncomfortable but urgent questions: Why do harmful attitudes toward autistic people persist?  Why are researchers so often implicated in our dehumanisation? Why does this matter—and what can we do about it?

Around 5.6 million people in the UK volunteered in 2024, according to the 2025 UK Giving Report. However, this figure has declined by 1.5 million since 2023, making it the lowest amount recorded since 2016. This volunteering decline is a considerable challenge for charities who face uncertain finances at a time of rising service demand.

Attracting, managing, and retaining volunteers does not demand a one-size-fits-all approach. It is essential that volunteering programs are designed with inclusion in mind, to enable as many people as possible to support a cause they care about, with consideration given to their needs and demands on their time. This resource from Charity Digital looks at some common barriers faced by volunteers, when participating and how charities can overcome them.

A new nature recovery project near Hadrian’s Wall is set to transform over 11,000 acres of farmland and forest into a thriving, connected landscape for wildlife, people, and climate resilience.

The Hadrian’s Wall Wetland Landscape Recovery project covers an area four times the size of Kielder Water. Following a two-year development phase, Northumberland National Park aims to secure long-term public and private investment for a 20-year delivery programme, making this one of the UK’s most significant landscape-scale recovery efforts. The venture will restore and reconnect rare habitats, supporting species like curlew, otter, osprey, and water vole, while helping farmers adapt to climate change.

Read the full Cultured. North East article to find out more.

The Next Door Nature Project has recently celebrated its first year working to empower people to take action for wildlife across Northumberland, from the Hauxley Wildlife Discovery Centre at Druridge Bay, to Berwick-upon-Tweed in the north of the county.

The team is working with students from the Berwick branch of the Northumberland Recovery College, supporting individuals navigating challenges such as isolation, anxiety, and stress through learning, skill-building, and activities that promote wellbeing. 

When a crisis hits, the instinct is often to shout loudly – and shout everywhere. But trying to be present on every social media platform can quickly become overwhelming. The question we should be asking isn’t “are we on all the big channels?” but “are we in the right places, at the right time, with the right message?”

In this Charity Comms article, James Armstrong and Mel Berry from Social Firefly share their tips and what they’ve learned about when to post, where to post, and why it matters.

Digital or online hate involves language or actions that target a person or group of people in the virtual space. Online hate takes various forms, including harassment, cyberbullying, online threats, doxxing, and the spread of hateful content targeting race, gender, religion, sexuality, disability, or other aspects of identity.

This article from Charity Digital explores the rise of misinformation and disinformation, examines forms of regulation and self-regulation around hate speech, and will provide simple steps to help you combat online hate.

Thursday 21st  August  – 2pm – 2.30pm –  Online

Join Acas for this free webinar where we will delve into the latest legislative updates affecting flexible working requests. This 30-minute session is designed to provide clear definitions of flexible working, set out the benefits of flexible working and explore a case study outlining the implications for the employer if they choose to accept or refuse the request.

Thursday 21st August  – 3pm – 4pm –  Online

Join The Saltways team for this free, hour-long workshop for charities to learn how to create effective & high quality content on your phone. Learn how to plan your films to get the best results possible, technical tips on how to improve your footage and sound and have an introduction into editing and how to build a campaign around your film.

Wednesday 3rd September  – 1pm – 3pm –  Online

Join Connected Voice for this free online session.

Do you struggle with how to measure and describe the impact of your work? This session will be delivered online via Zoom, and will take you through the key practical steps involved in setting up monitoring of the work of your project, and how you can use evaluation to demonstrate its impact.

Wednesday 10^th September  – 1.30pm – 2.30pm –  Online

Join Durham Community Action for this Virtual Funding Information Session for representatives of voluntary and community groups across County Durham. BBC Children in Need will be providing information on the various funds they have currently available, how to apply and there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions. 

£28,665

Newcastle Cathedral is seeking a Deputy Head Verger to play an integral role in upholding the dignity of the Cathedral as a place of worship, and be responsible for the overall care of the building. This is a complex, demanding, and rewarding role that requires flexibility, initiative, and strong interpersonal skills.

Deadline – Friday August 22nd 2025

£32,073 - £34,000

Deaflink has recently restructured and is seeking a Service Manager to support their development. The ideal candidate will be a knowledgeable manager who is experienced, organised and able to ensure that delivering the crucial work of the charity is managed to the highest standard. D/deaf awareness training will be provided if required.

Deadline – Monday August 25th 2025

£15 per hour

Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery is looking to recruit a Museum Coordinator who can work with volunteers and the community to support its business process. The successful candidate will be an experienced administrator who is self-motivated, highly professional and a completer finisher who can work effectively and efficiently with a wide range of people.

Deadline – Monday August 25th 2025

£15,840 actual salary

The Young Women’s Film Academy are seeking an inspiring, enthusiastic and experienced Programme Manager to join the team at this exciting time of growth for their charity. The post holder will develop, manage and lead engaging programmes and activities for girls and young women in the North East.

Deadline – Friday August 29th 2025