Making Connections, Sparking Change, looks back at the difference we've made alongside charities, community groups, volunteers and partners across Somerset.
Over the past year, we supported 689 charities and community groups, delivered 119 training and networking events for 1,720 people, and helped organisations secure more than £1.5 million in funding. Through Spark a Change, our volunteering website, 1,550 new volunteers signed up and 423 volunteering opportunities were advertised.
Our lastest report also highlights our investment of more than £125,000 in local groups, our support for the development of Somerset’s Vision for Volunteering, and the ways we’ve brought people together through partnerships, peer networks and community projects.
Our Chief Executive, Katherine Nolan, said:
“Often, our work is not the most visible. It happens through conversations, introductions, shared learning and trusted relationships. We bring people together, help make sense of the complicated bits, and make it easier for organisations and communities to work together.
“In a year when many have felt stretched and under pressure, this has mattered more than ever. This report shows the difference that practical, trusted support can make. Charities and community groups feel more confident, volunteers feel valued, partnerships grow stronger, and communities are better equipped to respond to the challenges they face.”
The figures in the report are a snapshot of a much bigger story: people sharing their time, knowledge and ideas, organisations finding new ways to work together, and communities building their capacity to thrive. We’re proud to have played a part in that work and grateful to everyone who has helped make it possible.
“This report shows the difference that practical, trusted support can make. Charities and community groups feel more confident, volunteers feel valued, partnerships grow stronger, and communities are better equipped to respond to the challenges they face.”
Katherine Nolan, Chief Executive
