VAL Blogs


  • New Year resolutions for the local VCSE sector

    Helen Oparinde, Development Officer in VAL’s Voluntary Sector Support team looks forward to 2021 and considers what New Year resolutions we may want to consider.

  • UK Charity Week 2020 – Time to Celebrate and Donate

    Helen Oparinde, Development Officer in VAL’s Voluntary Sector Support team, reflects on 2020 in terms of charity fundraising, looking at how UK Charity Week can help raise the profile of the local Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector as it continues to provide support during the pandemic into 2021.

  • Trustees Week 2020 – What’s new to read and action

    Helen Oparinde, Development Officer in VAL’s Voluntary Sector Support team, took time out to chat virtually with Nick Mott Head of Guidance & Practice of the Charity Commission about their plans to launch some new trustee guidance during Trustees Week.

  • Charity Commission Annual Public Meeting 2020 – what should we action?

    Helen Oparinde, Development Officer in VAL’s Voluntary Sector Support team takes time out to listen to the recording of the Charity Commission’s annual public meeting and considers what learnings the local VCSE sector can take from it.

  • Being a charity trustee – your contribution will make a difference

    Linda Jones, the Chair of VAL's board of trustees, talks about how the role of a charity trustee can be a rewarding experience as well as a vital one for charities.

  • Flexible Furlough during local lockdown

    Helen Oparinde, Development Officer in VAL’s Sector Support team re-examines the government’s coronavirus job retention scheme and the relevance in local lockdown.

  • What does the UK Civil Society Almanac tell us about a post-pandemic charity sector?

    James Smalley, Development Officer for the Economic Impact project, explores what insight the latest set of national charity data from NCVO can give us into a post-coronavirus charitable sector.

  • Exploring micro-volunteering

    Anna Barrow, Volunteering Development Officer for VAL, talks about what micro-volunteering is and how it can be beneficial to both volunteers and organisations.

  • Social media for charities – the basics

    Phil Welsh, VAL's Marketing and Communications Manager, gives some basic tips for charities and community groups to get started with social media.