Our Work
VCSE Networks and Groups

VCSE Networks and Groups

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We facilitate a variety of networks and groups that aim to strengthen our sector and support the people who work and volunteer at local VCSE organisations.

Here’s a quick introduction:

  • Connecting Wakefield - our regular networking space for VCSE colleagues
  • VCSE Voices Network – regular meeting of VCSE Advocates and others to share information from strategic boards and provide feedback to influence decisions
  • Volunteer Managers Network – monthly meeting of colleagues who work with volunteers to share best practice and host workshops
  • Community Anchors Network – peer support, information sharing, collaboration and businesses development support for Community Anchors
  • Third Sector Framework – membership of VCSE organisations interested in our fair, open and transparent way of distributing funding
  • Wakefield District Funders Forum – opportunity for Nova members and funders to come together to discuss funding priorities for the district
  • WYCAS Finance Forum - quarterly meetings for VCSE colleagues to get together to discuss finance and accounting issues

These networks will feed into the new Wakefield District VCSE Collaborative, a group of senior leaders across the VCSE and statutory sectors responsible for the VCSE strategy for Wakefield District. Read about what this will look like.

Organisation

Framework Tier

Phone Number

Email Address

Ackworth Community Library

3

01977 625617

info@ackworthcommunitylibrary.org.uk

Age UK Wakefield District

1

01977 552114

admin@ageukwd.org.uk

Aphasia Support

1

01924 562443

info@aphasiasupport.org

Bless Community Support

3

07747 561575

info@bless community support.org

Blossom Training and Development

3

WhatsApp via website

enquiries@blossom-uk.co.uk

Bring Me To Life Women's Wellness CIC

3

N/A

catherine@bringmetolife.co.uk

Calder and Colne Rivers Trust

1

N/A

talk@calderandcolneriverstrust.org

Care to Talk (Wakefield) CIC

3

07826 657682

info@caretotalk.org

Carers Wakefield & District

1

01924 305544

info@carerswakefield.org.uk

Castleford Heritage Trust

2

01977 556741

info@castlefordheritagetrust.org.uk

Christ Church South Ossett

3

01924 263311

christchurchsouthossett@gmail.com

Citizens Advice Wakefield District

1

01924 234001

districtoffice@wakefielddistrictcab.co.uk

CoActive Arts

2

N/A

info@coactive.org.uk

Conexus Healthcare CIC

1

01924 677987

contact@conexus-healthcare.org

Crafting4Good CIC

3

07860 371975

creativehub@crafting4good.org

DIAL Wakefield

2

01977 723933

advice@dialwakefield.co.uk

DSY at Denhale CIC

3

01924 372382

N/A

Dominion Employment Training Services Ltd

1

01924 210195

enquiries@dominiontraining.org.uk

Dream Time Creative CIC

2

07733 180416

hello@dreamtimecreative.org

Eastmoor Community Project Ltd

1

01924 361212

info@eastmoorcommunity.co.uk

Empath Action CIC

3

01924 682665

hi@empathaction.org

Enable Unity CIC (t/a Sensory Planet)

2

01709 919036

info@sensoryplanet.co.uk

Enabling Youth And Motorcross CIC

2

07482 106237

info@enablingyouth.co.uk

Evergreen Active CIC

3

01924 677123

hello@evergreenactive.co.uk

Featherstone Rovers Foundation

1

01977 702386

foundation.admin@featherstonerovers.co.uk

Friends of Featherstone Community Centre

3

07824 394163

friendsoffeatherstonecc@gmail.com

GASPED

1

01924 787501

resourcecentre@gasped.co.uk

Glasshoughton Bowling Club

3

N/A

lee.a8@sky.com

Groundwork Yorkshire

1

0300 303 3292

leeds@groundwork.org.uk

Grow Wakefield

1

07971 098510

andy@grow-wakefield.co.uk

Havercroft and Ryhill Community Learning Project

1

01226 727824

faith@rycroftcommunity.co.uk

Hemsworth Miners Welfare FC CIC

2

N/A

HMWFC-1981@hotmail.com

Home Start Wakefield & District

1

01924 251205

admin@homestartwakefield.org.uk

Horbury Churches Together

2

01924 275859

horburybreakthrough@gmail.com

Horbury Civic Society

3

01924 374293

info@horburycivicsociety.org.uk

IAspire2 CIC

2

07747 168024

iaspire2@mail.com

ISpace 5

1

07469 249162

contact@ispace.org.uk

Inspire North

1

N/A

development@inspirenorth.co.uk

Inspiring Community

2

01924 676852

amyadams@inspiringcommunity.co.uk

Just Transition Wakefield

3

N/A

info@justtransitionwakefield.org.uk

Learnest CIC

1

N/A

info@learnest.co.uk

Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange

1

0113 240 2444

contact@leedsgate.co.uk

LonGBoaT Wakefield CIO

3

07903 576664

general@longboatwakefield.org

MHA Communities Wakefield and District

2

01977 695006

wakefield@mha.org.uk

Memory Action Group

3

07963 568892

memoryactiongroup@gmail.com

Mid Yorkshire Community Foundation

3

01924 265637

info@mycommunityfoundation.org.uk

Mindful Movers

3

07742 428216

runwalktalkmm@gmail.com

Muziki Community Music

3

07468 699843

muzikiroadsafety@gmail.com

NLY Community Sports

3

0791 2934417

info@nlycommunitysport.co.uk

National Coal Mining Museum for England

1

01924 848806

info@ncm.org.uk

One Ummah Community CIC

3

074496 86844

oneummahcommunity@outlook.com

Open Country

2

07426 716677

wakefield@opencountry.org.uk

Penderels Trust

1

01924 898136

wakefield@penderelstrust.org.uk

Portobello Community Forum

3

07388 356008

infopcfwakefield@gmail.com

Portobello Craft and Camera

3

N/A

Contact at drop-in or Facebook and Instagram

Progressive Talent CIC

3

N/A

progressivetalentcic@gmail.com

R-YOUTH CIC

3

07790 3323465

amrannazir@r-youthcic.org.uk

Red Roof Centre CIC

2

01977 610931

rlucas@kinsley-fitzwilliam.org.uk

Reflections Yorkshire CIC

2

01977 804484

info@reflectionscic.com

Refugee Council

1

N/A

info@refugeecouncil.org.uk

Rycroft Leisure

1

01226 723659

youth@rycroftleisure.com

SACK (Springfield Allotment Community Klub)

3

07517 676379

sackhemsworth@gmail.com

Second Chance Headway Centre

1

01924 366735

rehab@schc.co.uk

Solace

2

0113 824 6796

info@solace-uk.org.uk

Sparkle (Community Media CIC)

3

07828 613061

blogupnorth@gmail.com

Spectrum Community Health CIC

1

01924 311400

business.development@spectrum-cic.nhs.uk

Spectrum People

1

07720 899781

spectrumpeople@spectrum-cic.nhs.uk

St Catherine's Church Centre

2

01924 211130

enquiries@stcatherines-wakefield.org.uk

St Georges Lupset

1

01924 369631

info@stgeorgeslupset.org.uk

St Giles Church Pontefract

2

01977 790448

stgileschurchpontefract@gmail.com

St Giles Trust

1

0113 819 5919

info@stgilestrust.org.uk

St Mary's Chequerfield Community Project

1

01977 705341

stmarys@stmaryscommunity.co.uk

St Peter's Church, Stanley

3

01924 835746

churchoffice@stpeters-stanley.org.uk

Star Bereavement

2

N/A

info@starwakefield.org.uk

Sustainable Communities Alliance

3

0113 368 1798

info@suscom.org.uk

Teacher Assist Training CIC

3

0113 2254952

info@teacherassisttraining.org

The Art Exchange CIC

3

07751 578801

theartexchangewakefield@gmail.com

The Art House

1

01924 312000

info@the-arthouse.org

The Exodus Project

1

01226 718899

theexodusproject@msn.com

The Prince of Wales Hospice

1

01977 708868

contact@pwh.org.uk

The S.M.a.S.H Society CIC

2

07867 514031

smashsociety@outlook.com

The Well Project

3

01924 895634

michelle@thewellproject.org.uk

The Youth Association

1

01924 333400

info@youth-association.org

Theatre Royal Wakefield

1

01924 211311

development@theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk

Think Cre8tive Group CIC (Wakefield)

3

N/A

wakefield@thinkcre8tivegroup.com

Touchstone

1

0113 2718277

sharonb@touchstonesupport.org.uk

Turning Lives Around

1

0113 276 0616

info@turninglivesaround.co.uk

Turning Minds Around

3

07419 202312

info@turningmindsaround.com

UNEF (Upton & North Elmsall Community Forum)

3

01977 649317

unef21703@gmail.com

Umbrella-Family Centre CIC

1

01924 965540

info@umbrellafc.org.uk

Wakefield Autism Leisure Club

3

wakefieldautismleisureclub@gmail.com

Wakefield Civic Society

3

07967 516841

info@wakefieldcivicsociety.org.uk

Wakefield District City of Sanctuary

3

07800 605397

info@wdcos.org.uk

Wakefield District Sight Aid

2

01924 215555

admin@wdsa.org.uk

Wakefield Hospice

1

01924 331400

enquiries@wakefieldhospice.co.uk

Wakefield Trinity Boxing Club CIC

3

07891 161407

info@trinityboxingclub.co.uk

Wakefield and District Housing Ltd

1

0345 8507507

onecall@wdh.co.uk

Group-Based Family Wellbeing Programmes - £20,000

Read more

Live Well Small Grants (Round 15) - £59,808.98

Read more

Community Grants for Climate Activity - £233,312

Read more

Adult Social Care Grant - £80,000

Read more

Open Access Youth Provision - £240,000 each round

Read more

Prosper and Nova Core Grants - £230,000

Read more

Community Mental Health Provision Fund - £69,500

Read more

Live Well Small Grants (Round 14) - £133,591.98

Read more

Me and Menopause - £3,188 per organisation

Read more

West Yorkshire Core20PLUS5 Community Connectors: Supporting Pregnant Asylum Seekers & Refugees - £58,500

Read more

Live Well Small Grants (Round 13) - £88,326

Read more

Thinking Differently Development Fund - £225,000

Read more

Future Selph Wakefield (16-25 Mental Health Project) - £774,798

Read more

Connecting Communities (Hospital Discharge Model) - £660,000

Read more

1

2

3

4

5

6

How do I apply?

1

2

3

4

5

6

Rebecca Dunford
Social Prescribing Services Manager
Shannon Simpson
Service Coordinator
Jasmine Evans
Service Coordinator
Caroline Sylvester
Service Coordinator - Maternity Leave
Adele Spaven
Social Prescribing Advisor
Gemma Naylor
Social Prescribing Advisor
Fareeda Mir
Social Prescribing Advisor
Dave Harrison
Social Prescribing Advisor
Gemma Newman
Social Prescribing Advisor
Helen Hackney
Social Prescribing Advisor
Paul Boyd
Self Management Service Administrator
Dawn Gzella
Senior Social Prescribing Advisor - Wakefield North
Justyna Banks
Social Prescribing Link Worker – Pontefract & Knottingley
Andrea Vickers
Social Prescribing Link Worker - Five Towns
Jazz Johal
Social Prescribing Link Worker - West Wakefield PCN
Sharon Kennedy
Social Prescribing Link Worker - Wakefield Health Alliance South
Hawwa Tabassum Pervaiz
Social Prescribing Link Worker - Trinity Health Group
Joanne Bratby
Social Prescribing Link Worker - Brigantes
Ellen Harrison
Core20PLUS5 Social Prescribing Project Lead
Katty Keyhani from Alzheimer’s Society
The Health and Wellbeing Board
Sharlene Featherstone from Second Chance Headway
The Health and Care Partnership
Amaina Elzoubir from One Ummah Community
Health Inequalities Steering Group
Ross Grant from Wakefield & District Society for Deaf People
The People’s Panel
Jenn Bravo from Turning Lives Around
Housing Health and Social Care Partnership
Steven Busfield from Empath Action
The Children and Young People’s Partnership and Early Help Board
Anna Blight from Pontefract Reads
The Early Years Strategic Partnership Board
Chris Bingham from Pontefract Reads
The Early Years Strategic Partnership Board
Eleanor Bradbury from Rycroft Youth Centre
Wakefield Safeguarding Children Executive
Madeleine France from Blossom Training & Development
The Safer Together Partnership
Louie Stafford from Learnest CIC
Hate Crime Strategic Group
Suzanne Gardiner from Well Women Centre
The Safeguarding Adults Board and The Domestic Abuse Management Board
Tamsin Lim from Well Women Centre
The Domestic Abuse Management Board
Dick Davies from Wakefield District City of Sanctuary
Wakefield Multi-Agency Asylum Meeting
Ali Robinson-Rowe from CoActive Arts
Learning Disability and Autism Partnership Board
Duncan Smith from Trinity Church
Wakefield Carers Strategy Implementation Group
Jane Walton from Yorkshire Mentoring CIC
The Employment and Skills Strategy Group
Julius Olutokun from Dominion Training
The Employment and Skills Steering Group
Mick Harrison from Enabling Youth and Motocross
Not in Education, Employment, or Training Strategic Board
Niraj Mistry from Gasped
Combatting Drugs Strategic Partnership
Paula Appleton from Evergreen Active
CYP Healthy Weight and Nutrition Group
Stephanie Gillis from The Prince of Wales Hospice
The Transformation and Delivery Collaborative
Marie Rafferty from Compass
Teenage Pregnancy Strategy Group

Now for more details on each network and how they can benefit you:

Connecting Wakefield

Can you join: yes, open to all VCSE colleagues

How often they meet: every other month, in person

The aim of the group is to aid communication and collaboration across our sector, bringing us together so that we can better serve each other and our communities. There's lots to gain from these meetings - from personal development to getting the word out about your organisation.

Find out how you can make the most of Connecting Wakefield and what to expect at each meeting on the event pages:

VCSE Voices Network

Can you join: yes, open to all VCSE colleagues

How often they meet: every other month, in person

Come together with VCSE Advocates who’ll share information about district wide strategic decision-making and how it connects to the work of our sector. Be part of the wider VCSE voice and influence key decisions by sharing your feedback, ideas and information with Advocates to take back to board meetings.

Read more about the benefits of attending and find out what’s planned for the next meeting on the event pages.

Volunteer Managers Network

Can you join: yes, open to any VCSE colleagues working with or supporting volunteers

How often they meet: monthly, alternating between online and in person

The meeting is a friendly and welcoming peer space, run by the sector for the sector. The network shares best practice, provides information, and hosts practical workshops around all things volunteering –such as volunteer policies, management and practice.

We're currently reviewing this network and will release the dates for 2025 soon!

Community Anchor Network

Can you join: this is a closed group, get in touch if you’d like to join

How often they meet: monthly, alternating between online and in person

Community Anchor Network (CAN) aims to enable community-based organisations to be the best they can at delivering social change in the Wakefield District.

Community Anchors are trusted organisations that meet the need of their local community, working for local residents and particularly those affected by health inequalities. Anchors deliver services and also provide a host base for other local groups and service deliverers. Examples include food pantry access, credit union and Citizens Advice services, alongside community activities for the whole age spectrum.

The network’s informative and relaxed meetings focus on identifying partnerships with key agencies, opportunities for consortium funding bids and contracts, along with developing the network. For more details, contact our Adviser Team at info@nova-wd.org.uk.

Third Sector Framework

Can you join: Yes

How often they meet: not currently applicable

The Third Sector Framework is a fair, open and transparent way of allocating funding to locally rooted VCSE organisations in Wakefield District. As the Framework develops and membership grows, more funders are committing money and supporting this innovative approach. We offer exclusive workshops to Framework members and plan to provide networking opportunities. Find out it you’re eligible and apply to join the Framework.

Wakefield District Funders Forum

Can you join: closed group for funders or those with an involvement in funding distribution

How often they meet: quarterly

We bring together funders and those involved in how funding is distributed to the VCSE sector to discuss how to work collaboratively towards: positive changes to VCSE funding; attracting greater investment into the district; increasing the capacity of VCSE organisations to demonstrate the need and impact of funding; coordinating funding to maximise its impact towards local priorities.  

The forum was convened in response to a report by the National Lottery Community Fund that identified the Yorkshire and Humber region as having proportionally the lowest level of voluntary sector funding of any region in England. And within Yorkshire, funding into Wakefield District was half of the regional average.

If you have something you'd like to forum to discuss or would like further information, please contact Contracts & Grants Manager Scott at scott.copeland@nova-wd.org.uk

The next dates that the Forum is meeting are:

  • Wednesday 11 December, 1pm to 4pm

WYCAS Finance Forum

Can you join: Yes, this is a free finance forum for community groups/organisations based in West Yorkshire

How often they meet: quarterly

The regional WYCAS Finance Forums provide an opportunity for people who volunteer or work in the voluntary and charitable sector to get together on a quarterly basis to discuss finance and accounting issues.

If you work (paid or unpaid) in finance in the voluntary and community sector and would like to join the WYCAS virtual Finance Forum, they'd be very pleased to welcome you. These meetings are not organised by Nova, please contact our partner WYCAS for any details.

The next date that the Forum are meeting is Thursday 12 December, 10am to 12pm

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