VASWS
Annual
Conference
2025
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Our Conference in Numbers...
50+
attendees of the 2025 Annual Conference
97%
found the workshops useful and relevant
97%
found the speakers informative and helpful
93%
came away with new ideas to help their organisation
100%
would attend a future conference
"I found all workshops that I attended to be informative and thought provoking."
CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
"Thank you so much for an informative day – it was nice to see familiar faces and connect with new ones."
CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
"Informative, inspiring and I could have listened to the speakers all day."
CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
"It was a great day – a brilliant opportunity for networking again"
CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
Our Theme
'One Community'
We were pleased to announce that the theme of our 2025 Conference was ‘One Community’. The voluntary sector, and by extension our local community, had been faced with a number of challenges in recent years. From funding and service cuts, to struggles with volunteer recruitment, increasing pressures on voluntary, community and health services, our communities and voluntary organisations have had a lot to face, but the sense of resilience and cohesion in the sector remains. This event gave delegates the chance to explore how the charity and voluntary sector could overcome its challenges by working together to create a vision of ‘One Community’, and we shared our experiences to adapt to meet the needs of our communities.
The event allowed for a day of interesting discussion, debate and networking, with a line-up of expert speakers and workshop presenters. There was also an opportunity to visit our marketplace – a space where delegates had the chance to meet an array of businesses whose services supported the voluntary sector.
Schedule
The Annual Conference consisted of three main elements: guest speakers, interactive workshops, networking opportunities
Speakers
The crux of the morning programming consisted of a series of talks from a range of amazing guest speakers, starting with an opening address from Caroline Keith, one of our Joint CEOs. Our keynote speaker was Sam Hutchinson, Assistant Director for Community Services for Guildford and Waverley Councils, and we were lucky enough to also have presentations from Dr James Adams and David Rose alongside a panel discussion on the challenges of volunteer recruitment.
Workshops
Our workshops allowed delegates the opportunity to gain more specialist knowledge in a variety of areas, or indulge in something creative and different to their traditional work. We ran two sessions for workshops, and offered the choice of seven different workshops to attend.
Networking
As our conference was being attended by a variety of individuals in the Charity and Voluntary Sector, it provided a great opportunity for delegates to meet new individuals and network. We also ran a marketplace with a variety of stalls from organisations involved in the charity sector.
Speakers
View our brilliant speakers from our 2025 Annual Conference.
Sam Hutchinson
Assistant Director for Community Services for both Guildford and Waverley Councils, Sam has worked in local government for just shy of 20 years following 12 years in education - including teaching and curriculum design as well as creating new schools in the Middle East.
As the Assistant Director of Community Services, Sam is responsible for delivering services in partnership with the VCFSE sector as well as statutory agencies to help the communities of Guildford and Waverley live well for longer, feel safe in their community and empowered to support themselves and others to create healthy and vibrant neighbourhoods.
Sam and her team are responsible for a number of areas, including:
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VCFS grants and partnerships including Household Support Fund, Guildford Philanthropy, Waverley Thriving Communities commissioning fund, Guildford Lottery and Crowdfunding
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Community wellbeing for vulnerable people
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Family support
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Refugee resettlement
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Independent living - including care and repair, older people's services, community transport and meals, disabled adaptations in private properties, and Careline
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Community safety and Anti-Social Behaviour
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NHS Thriving Communities prevention work streams
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Emergency Planning Welfare
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Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Community Support
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Community buildings in council ownership
David Rose
For our 2025 Conference, we will be running a discussion session titled 'David Rose Interviews...', whereby VASWS's David Rose will discuss all things volunteering with three individuals whose successful organisations rely on volunteers.
David Rose is the volunteer co-ordinator for Voluntary Action South West Surrey, helping and giving advice to people who are looking to offer their time as volunteers. He is based at our office in the Old Millmead building at Guildford Borough Council’s offices. He promotes all things volunteer-based to people, groups and charities throughout Guildford and Waverley. His own volunteering includes playing guitar and singing in the Rhythm of Life Community Choir, which he helped to establish, and is a key organiser of the Joining In! Men’s Group that meets monthly to discuss and share knowledge of local and various other aspects of history and to enjoy each other’s good company.
Dr. James Adams
Dr James Adams was appointed at the Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as a Consultant Geriatrician in 2013. He holds an MSc in leadership and management and has a national reputation for applying quality improvement methodology to improve health and care systems for older people. He has held several leadership positions at the Trust including as Chief of Service for Medicine, the Clinical Director for Frailty Services and Director of Integrated Care for Older People in the Guildford and Waverley and most recently Chief of Service for Frailty and Community Services. He has worked nationally as a clinical lead within the Acute Frailty Network through NHS Elect and as part of the Clinical Quality Committee of the British Geriatrics Society.
Under his leadership the Trust has developed an integrated system for older people living with frailty including an integrated care hub delivering proactive care, and acute frailty service, iOPAL (inpatient Older Peoples Advice and Liaison), a frailty Same Day Emergency Care service, Single Point of Access, Urgent Community Response and Hospital at Home. The Acute Frailty Service is nationally renowned becoming a finalist in both the HSJ and BMJ awards and winning the NHS Elect Patient Experience and Quality Improvement Award in 2020. He is the author for the Ageing Well and Frailty Strategy in Guildford and Waverley and established the Frailty Academy in 2021, successfully expanding this through a bid for funding through United Surrey Talent.
For our 2025 conference, Dr. Adams will be delivering a talk entitled "Unlocking potential: Redefining Our Integrated Approach to Community Care", where he will explore the common challenges facing both sectors, drawing on lessons from successful integrated care systems and his own experience in transforming care for older people. He will highlight potential ways forward to improving partnership working and strengthening the bond between the voluntary sector and health—unlocking the potential of true integration and shared action for better community care.
Panel Discussion
We are very happy to be running a panel discussion at our 2025 conference, hosted by VASWS Joint CEO, Caroline Keith, focusing on the question: Thinking about your organisation’s current priorities and challenges, has this changed the way you look at your volunteer offer and equipped you with new opportunities?
Caroline will be joined by Becky Jeffrey (Citizens Advise South West Surrey), Tanya Stafford and Mandy East (Brigitte Trust), Joe Nicolson (Carer Shore), who will bring their experiences of managing challenges around volunteering in their organisations.
Opening address from Caroline Keith, Joint CEO at Voluntary Action South West Surrey.
Workshops
View our diverse options of workshops from our 2025 Annual Conference.
How to bring trauma-informed principles to volunteer management?
Maria McEvoy, Inclusive Volunteering
Organisations across the third-sector are all working to bring trauma-informed care into the way we interact with service users but it’s often rare to see these policies extend to staff and volunteers. In volunteering we are often supporting volunteers with lived experience so it’s just as important to have these practices within volunteer management.
Join our Trauma-Informed Practice in Volunteer Management Workshop, where we’ll explore the 6 key principles of trauma-informed care and how they can be integrated into your volunteer onboarding and management processes.
This workshop will help you:
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Ensure safety: Learn how to create environments that prioritise the physical, emotional, and psychological safety of your volunteers.
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Build trust: Develop transparent processes that foster trust and open communication with your team.
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Provide choice: Empower volunteers by giving them a say in their roles and responsibilities.
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Collaborate effectively: Work alongside volunteers, valuing their input and experience to shape your organisation’s future.
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Amplify empowerment and voice: Create space for volunteers to feel heard and in control of their journey.
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Foster cultural inclusion: Develop anti-oppressive practices that celebrate diversity and create a welcoming environment for all.
About the facilitator
Maria McEvoy has been working in the voluntary sector for 10 years but her life as a volunteer is much longer. She has led volunteering programmes at the Sea Cadets, London Fire Brigade, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline and The Kids Network. She now leads the Grandmentors programme at Volunteering Matter supporting Care Experienced Young People through volunteer mentoring and has just launched her own company Inclusive Volunteering to share what she has learned about making volunteering accessible, inclusive and trauma-informed with the rest of the sector.
The changing landscape of volunteering
Alice Sheppard and Kate Jones,
Voluntary Action South West Surrey
Since the covid pandemic the landscape of volunteering has changed considerably. Our workshop will address the nationwide drop in volunteering. We will explore and discuss as a group the possible reasons why and collectively look for solutions.
About the facilitators
Alice Sheppard and Kate Jones’ roles with VASWS are as staff members of its Volunteer Connections project, which is focused on increasing volunteering in South-West Surrey. They do this by offering 1-2-1 support to organisations and volunteers, providing volunteer coordinator training, networks and working with marginalised groups to diversify the volunteer workforce.
Previously Alice coordinated VASWS’s Welcome to Volunteering supported volunteering project. Alice has returned to us after working for Surrey Community Action, supporting asylum seekers. Alice has volunteered in various roles over the years and enjoys it being part of her life.
Kate previously worked for us as a social prescribing link worker for the East Guildford area. She has a wealth of experience working for charities, including the National Centre for Domestic Violence, and has worked in a school as a home-school link worker and its safeguarding lead, as well as in private health care and the NHS.
Fundraising in the current climate
Helen Stanley,
Eclipse Fundraising
Charities are currently battling their way through the trickiest and most volatile financial climate that the sector has seen for decades; funds are reducing, demand is rising and fundraisers are working harder and harder to keep their organisations going. This workshop is here to help with some fundraising tools and TLC. Together we will explore the current fundraising market, arm you with some essential tools for fundraising success (from pipelines to cases for support) and most importantly, give you some top tips for caring for your both your donors and yourselves.
About the facilitator
Helen has spent the last 21 years working as a Senior Fundraiser, mainly at Management and Director level, which has involved managing communications and fundraising teams, writing successful funding proposals, running social media and crowdfunding campaigns and developing community fundraising and individual giving programmes. She has successfully secured and managed funds for UK and Overseas NGOs from a wide range of statutory and non-statutory funders including The Henry Smith Charity, The Masonic Charitable Foundation, Children in Need, FCDO, The National Lottery and Heritage Lottery Funds, The Ministry of Justice, Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner Surrey, Whitley Fund for Nature, NEXT PLC, Landfill trusts, Community Foundations, Coles-Medlock, The Betty Riseley Trust, Bernard Sunley Foundation, the Mercury Phoenix Trust and a wide range of other charitable trusts, along with running five successful Big Give Christmas Challenge campaigns raising over 200K for her clients.
Helen runs her own consultancy, ‘Eclipse Fundraising’, with clients ranging from overseas development, youth mental health, women's empowerment, community venues and wildlife NGOs to UK primary and SEN Schools. Helen is also currently the Fundraising Manager at RASASC (Surrey). In addition, she is an Institute of Fundraising Mentor, highly experienced in project management and development and delivers fundraising training and project development advice to third sector organisations. Apart from that, she is an experienced open water swimmer, swim teacher and beginner triathlete and spends most of her life in the sea or running along the promenade where she lives.
Guildford-based digital marketing agency Delivered Social will be offering tips and good practice to get the best out of social media to help charities and organisations promote themselves.
Expect an insightful, no-nonsense session filled with actionable takeaways, designed to empower charities to make the most of social media, content marketing, and branding—without the need for big budgets.
About the facilitator
Jonathan Bird is the Founder and Managing Director of Delivered Social, an award-winning digital marketing agency dedicated to helping businesses and charities grow through innovative social media, branding, and digital strategies. With a passion for making marketing accessible to all, Jonathan has worked with hundreds of organisations, from local non-profits to global brands, delivering creative campaigns that drive engagement and real impact.
Known for his dynamic and engaging approach, Jonathan has become a recognised voice in the digital marketing space, frequently speaking at events and providing expert insights on social media trends, content marketing, and brand storytelling. His commitment to community-driven marketing has led Delivered Social to establish a social impact programme, offering free marketing support and training to charities, ensuring they have the tools to amplify their message and connect with the right audience.
Diana will be running a Paracise class workshop inclusive to everyone, which can also be done seated.
Her 3 Golden Wellbeing Rules will increase your chances of having a relatively trouble-free and independent old age:
1. Become fitter - even if you already have one or more long-term conditions.
2. Actively reduce your risk of developing disease (through leading a healthy lifestyle).
3. Adopt a positive attitude to life, its problems and opportunities.
What is Paracise?
Gentle on the joints yet effective, Paracise flows smoothly through movements designed to improve posture, balance, mobility and flexibility, whilst improving your muscle memory. Exercise to fabulous music leaving you feeling refreshed and invigorated.
About the facilitator
Diana is a Health and Wellbeing Coach who has worked in wellbeing for several years as she enjoys chatting to people from all walks of life to help them identify areas of their lives where they may benefit from making some positive changes to enhance their wellbeing, lifestyle, enjoyment, and connection. She also runs FUN seated and standing exercise classes for seniors to fabulous music. She is passionate about keeping everyone active to help us live longer and feel better and prevent in an inclusive community.
Workshop Content
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Keeping trustees engaged
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Identifying new trustees
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How to prevent issues arising
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Managing board meetings and relationships
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Unauthorised trustee benefit and conflicts of interest
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Disaster Planning
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Reporting obligations.
Delivered through a mixture of slides, discussion, case studies and workshops
About the facilitator
. Helen is a specialist charity solicitor with a commercial background who has worked for two of the major southeast regional law firms. She has specialised in charity law for nearly 30 years. She acts as advisor to a wide range of charitable trusts, associations, companies, mutuals and schools on a national and international basis, as well as for many social enterprises and community interest companies. She has acted as trustee, director and governor of several charities, social enterprises and independent schools. She regularly presents on charity issues, publishes articles in the third sector press and runs training events and Away Days, both externally and in-house. Increasingly she provides one-off governance reviews and Away Day training tailored to individual clients.
The Charity Commission says that "Protecting people and safeguarding responsibilities should be a governance priority for all charities. It is a fundamental part of operating as a charity for the public benefit.” But it’s not always easy to know that you’re getting right. This workshop will help you think about your current approach, whether you have considered the risks specific to your organisation, and whether what you have in place is appropriate, proportionate and fully up-to-date.
To note, this is not a safeguarding training session - that’s for another time. But it will help you consider the different types of safeguarding training and what could be right for your organisation.
About the facilitator
Ben Collins is a Surrey-based, independent social worker and consultant, with over 30 years experience of working within the voluntary and community sector.
Gallery
Enjoy some of the highlights of our 2025 Annual Conference!
