Voluntary Action South West Surrey

A member of the Ash & Tongham, Godalming, Cranleigh, Haslemere, Farnham, Guildford, Surrey Business and Surrey communities

About Voluntary Action South West Surrey

We are a local support and development group helping local voluntary and community groups develop and thrive.

We provide funding advice, we recruit volunteers, we run training and events and have projects to promote community involvement and encourage volunteering.

If you are a local community group needing more volunteers, some help with finding funding or with any other aspect of running you group please get in touch, our email is info@vasws.org.uk

Find us online

Visit our website at https://voluntaryactionsws.org.uk/

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Latest posts

Celebrate Volunteers Week with us

To thank you for all you do, you and your volunteers are welcome to join us for tea and cakes and come on a stroll led by our own staff member David Rose, who is also a local historian.

When: Monday, June 5, 2pm to 4pm

Meet at our Volunteer Centre, 39 Castle Street, Guildford, for a walk through the Castle Grounds and along the High Street and hear about some of the town’s rich history. We will return for tea and cakes.

When: Thursday, June 8, 2pm to 4pm

Meet outside Godalming Baptist Church in Queen Street, for a walk along the High Street and beside the River Wey in Phillips Memorial Park, to hear about the town and its people, followed by tea and cakes at the church.

The maximum numbers on each walk will be 25 people. To book you places on a first come, first served basis, please send an email to info@vasws.org.uk and please head it ‘Volunteer Week Walk’ and say which walk you would like to attend and how many people.

Dementia Action Week Grants – Applications now open

The McCarthy Stone Foundation’s annual Dementia Action Week Grant programme is now open for applications. Dementia Action week takes place from 15-23 May 2023, raising awareness and understanding of dementia and encouraging people to “Act on Dementia”.

The McCarthy Stone Foundation will be awarding 30 grants of up to £1000 to small dementia clubs and memory cafes across the country providing an invaluable service to people in the community. Applications close on Friday 26th May and recipients will be notified shortly afterwards.

To apply please visit: Who We Support | McCarthy Stone (mccarthystonefoundation.org)

Funding will be prioritised to grassroots clubs with annual income of less than £25,000 p.a. To qualify, your club must be independent, with its own constitution and bank account. Grants cannot be paid to individuals or profit-making organisations (you can read the Grant Making Policy on their website at Our Policies | McCarthy Stone (mccarthystonefoundation.org).

They are looking forward to reading about your work. If you wish to submit any supporting documents or images, please do so directly to their Foundation Coordinator julia.laister@mccarthyandstone-foundation.org.uk

Grants of up to £5,000 Available to Increase Employment Opportunities for Disadvantaged Adults

Grants of up to £5,000 are available to registered charities to support projects that equip people (18 or older in order) from disadvantaged groups with critical life skills necessary for employment.

Priority will be given to projects that target people experiencing multiple deprivation or other groups facing major hurdles to employment, especially; women, people with physical, mental, or learning disabilities, refugees and asylum seekers.

The funding is being made available through the Thomas Wall Trust. and to be eligible the applicants must:

  • Be a UK charity that has been registered with the Charity Commission for at least 3 years
  • Be a project or running costs for a charity that equips people (aged 18 and over) with the skills ready for employment
  • Have an annual turnover of between £10,000 - £500,000
The deadline for stage 1 applications is the 18th September 2023. Applicants successful at this stage will be invited to submit a stage 2 application.

For more information, visit their website.

NSPCC Childhood Day 2023

Child abuse has no place in childhood. The power to prevent it lies in communities across the UK.

Taking place every year on the second Friday in June , Childhood Day is the NSPCC’s national flagship day of fundraising and action that brings communities together and gives everyone away to help keep children safe.

Childhood Day collections will be taking place across the UK from 23 May – 12 June. They have a collection in Guildford on Friday 9th June, that they need volunteers for.

Will you play your part in keeping children safe by volunteering now? Sign up to your local CHD collection.

Volunteer for Childhood Day 2023 |NSPCC

Take to the streets across the UK this May and June and help them collect donations for the NSPCC.

Joining them on the streets will be great fun, you will get to meet lots of new people and will be supported from the moment you sign up. Join them in three simple steps:

  • Sign up online
  • Enter your postcode and pick a time and venue that suits you
  • Take to the streets!


  • Together, we can protect children and prevent abuse.

    Sight for Surrey Vacancies

    Community Engagement Coordinator/s

    32 hours a week or job share considered (FTE £21,000)

    (Mileage to be paid at 45p per mile)


    Are you looking for a new role where you can make a difference every day? Do you want to work for a charity using your skills and experience to make a real impact in the local community?

    They are looking for one/two Community Engagement Coordinators who will promote Sight for Surrey by working with various partner organisations and groups within the community. You will support the work undertaken by the community and adult services teams at a borough/district level by visiting community centres, networking with local organisations, arranging small social inclusion events, including a regular monthly event, and providing talks to local community groups.

    Sensory Project Officer

    Full time one year fixed term contract - £25,000

    (Mileage to be paid at 45p per mile)

    They are looking for a Sensory Project Officer to join the Community Engagement team to research and contact local businesses such as heritage properties, train stations, local highways agencies, museums, and many more to deliver accessibility and inclusion advice as appropriate. You will support the work undertaken by the community engagement and adult services teams by giving seminars and talks internally and externally, networking with local community organisations,and people with lived experience, to better understand and highlight barriers faced by people with sensory loss, and to give bespoke advice to organisations across Surrey to tackle these barriers.

    Closing date for applications for both roles is 31st May 2023.

    For an application pack for the above posts, please contact Sandra Chenery by email: schenery@sightforsurrey.org.uk,Tel. 01372 869962, Fax: 01372 360767. Alternatively you may download the forms and job description from Sight for Surrey website: https://www.sightforsurrey.org.uk/about-us/work-us/

    Please send your completed application form and equal opportunities form to Sandra Chenery, email address as above or by post to Sight for Surrey, Rentwood, School Lane, Fetcham, Surrey KT22 9JX.

    Sight for Surrey is an equal opportunities employer and accredited as Disability Confident.

    Website: www.sightforsurrey.org.uk

    Registered Charity No: 1121949, Company No: 06309405

    Volunteer as a Dose of Nature Activity Group Leader

    Dose of Nature are looking for empathetic, compassionate individuals with a love of the outdoors to run a weekly outdoor group activity. The right person would be happy to hold a session once a week, sharing a skill or passion of theirs in a closed group setting for clients and volunteers.

    You do not need any specific qualification to lead a group, just an enthusiasm for a particular activity, talent or skill and joy sharing it with others while spending time in nature.

    What does the role involve?

    As a Dose of Nature Activity Group Leader your role is to hold space for clients as they participate in an activity while immersed in nature. Group activities can include mindful walking, knitting, poetry, art, gardening, music, creative writing, bird watching and more, all in nature. They provide all materials and equipment, so all the group leader needs to bring is their knowledge, passion, and time.

    Time commitment: 1-2 hrs a week. Timing is completely flexible and depends on the activity itself.

    How to apply:

    Please email melissa@doseofnature.org.uk and they will contact you to discuss the next steps.

    Any questions?

    Contact Melissa on melissa@doseofnature.org.uk or on 07774 157028 if you have any questions before applying.

    The Power of Music

    The Loop are delighted to offer this FREE Dementia Music Therapy Awareness Session for Unpaid Carers on Thursday 29th June 2023, in West Clandon.

    This session, for those who care for a loved one, friend or neighbour, who is living with dementia, will raise awareness of the Power of Music. At the session, run by a trained music therapist, carers will be introduced to the benefits music has and will learn some basic techniques to give them the tools to use music in their day-to-day caring.

    The power musichas for people living with dementia cannot be underestimated. It has the power to bring people together in the here and now, providing a way to reconnect with memories again, musical moments to share with loved ones. Research shows that music can help reduce some of the distressing symptoms of dementia, such as agitation, apathy, and anxiety. Music therapy engages healthy parts of the brain to address many of these symptoms and some of the knock-on effects of dementia, such as loss of confidence and self-worth, low mood and feelings of frustration, irritability, isolation, and confusion.

    There are limited places on the session. To book a place, or for more information, contact Ingrid at The Loop.


    Telephone: 01483964638

    Email: hello@theloop.org.uk

    This session will take place from 9:30 to 12:30 at the West Clandon British Legion, The Street, West Clandon, GU4 7TD.

    Ample parking is available on site and the venue is a 5-minute walk from Clandon Station.

    Refreshments will be served before and during the session.

    This session is kindly funded by a grant from the Power of Music Consortium, that is made up by Dementia for Music, National Academy of Social Prescribing, and the Utley Foundation.

    Music In The Park

    Enjoy the best of British popular music in the picturesque grounds of National Trust venue Hatchlands Park National Trust.

    Date: Sunday 11th June 2023

    Venue: Hatchlands Park, East Clandon GU4 7RT

    Arrive: Set your picnic up from 5.30pm

    Time: Concert starts at 6pm

    This is an outdoor event on the lawn, set against the stunning backdrop of the National Trust's Hatchlands Park House. Pack your picnic and bring your chairs and blankets for an evening of amazing musical talent. The music featured this year will be celebrating the 'Best of British'. An event not to be missed!

    This event is generously being organised by Guildford Lions Club.

    Tickets are a bargain at just £25 per person (under 16's go FREE).

    To book your tickets, please visit their website.

    Become an Appropriate Adult

    The Surrey Appropriate Adult Volunteer Service offers support to vulnerable adults and young people who find themselves detained in Police custody.

    The role of the Appropriate Adult is not to provide legal advice but to offer impartial support and be a friendly face in the absence of a family member or carer to people who may be feeling frightened, bewildered, and confused in an unfamiliar situation.

    Being an Appropriate Adult is a challenging, fulfilling and often rewarding role. You don’t need previous knowledge of legal procedures or social work.

    All sorts of people become Appropriate Adults and bring different skills to the teams. The one thing each of them has in common is an excellent ability to communicate and a willingness to donate their free time to help others.

    Every Appropriate Adult is DBS checked and given training before joining a team. Each team covers one or more of Surrey’s custody suites. Although Appropriate Adults work independently, Team Leaders are on hand to provide support and guidance; ongoing training is given on a regular basis. The service SAAVS provide is 24 hour 365 days of the year and each volunteer is responsible for a regular weekly time slot of approximately 8 hours.

    So far Appropriate Adults have supported more than 25,000 vulnerable people in the county of Surrey since its inception in 1995 and the service received the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

    Interested? Visit their website for more information.

    Training: Guildford Volunteer Mentor course

    Join the Mentoring team for a three session training course explaining how to be a Surrey Care Trust Volunteer Mentor.

    When: Wednesdays 7th, 14th & 21st June 2023. 5.30pm-8.00pm

    Where: Astolat, Coniers Way, New Inn Lane, Burpham, Guildford, Surrey, GU4 7HL

    Other details: All sessions must be attended.

    Have an hour a week to spare? You can use your desire to help and your life experiences to support vulnerable young people and parents change their lives.

    Mentoring combines personalised, long-term support with integrated skills-training ensuring young people can thrive once our support has ended.

    Trained and supported by our dedicated Mentor Coordinators, mentors can bring a huge amount of skill and expertise to each relationship: knowledge of guidance and research, a wealth of community resources, ability to support different vulnerabilities, and shared experience and learnings from other services.

    Young people and adults find it much easier to open up to an independent person, someone outside of the ‘system’. Knowing someone was there for them helped them to see their value and make changes.

    This free, seven and half-hour course is delivered over three days and covers everything you need to become a volunteer mentor.

    To book or for further information contact Orla on 075934 38142 or email orla.stleger@surreycaretrust.org.uk.

    Click here for more information on volunteering and mentoring.