Latest news

Amazon Literary Partnership 2025

One-off annual grants are available for not-for-profit literary organisations that empower writers, helping them create, publish, learn, teach, experiment and thrive.

Go! London Match. Trade. Grow Programme

Match Trading Grants are available for not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises that provide sports and physical activity for young people to help them boost their income and build financial resilience whilst investing in youth sports.

The Fore

Unrestricted grants are available to enable small charities to grow, strengthen or become more efficient or resilient.

Sport England – Movement Fund

Grants and other resources are available for community groups, local sports clubs, and grassroots organisations with ideas of how to tackle inequalities and help get more people active.

Veolia Environmental Trust

Grants for constituted, not-for-profit organisations and local authorities for projects that make improvements to community facilities and the natural environment that are located near a qualifying Veolia site.

Christmas Needs and Support

The Royal Borough of Greenwich would like to hear if your group / organisation has any specific Christmas needs.

Our Future Health

Our Future Health, the UK’s largest ever health research programme, has opened a mobile clinic in Charlton (Anchor & Hope Business Park).

Data and Marketing Association's Letter to Secretary of State Peter Kyle on Behalf of the Charity Sector

The Data and Marketing Association (DMA) has issued a letter to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology calling on the government to address a key amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill to support charity fundraising.

Lords to Consider Landmark Reforms to Mental Health Care

The Mental Health Bill will give patients enhanced rights to make decisions regarding their own care, ensuring their voice is heard throughout the treatment process.

Lisa Nandy Criticised by ex-Charities Minister Over Sector’s £1.4bn NICs Hike

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy has been criticised by former civil society minister Stuart Andrew over the government’s hike in employer national insurance contributions (NICs) in a debate in parliament yesterday.

Guide for Councils Published to Improve Commissioning Partnerships with Charities

New guidance has been issued to improve partnerships between local government commissioners and voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations.

Emergency Services Should Embrace the Voluntary Sector, says Charity Chief

The new government has already said it will review resilience arrangements and is majoring on cooperation between agencies which creates the ideal conditions for the emergency services to work more closely with the voluntary and community sector.

Healthier Greenwich Partnership Meeting in Public

12:00pm - 2:00pm, 11 December, Online.

How Charities Can Effectively Protect Data

1:00pm - 2:00pm, 23 January, Online.

G-HIVE Facilitation Skills Masterclass

10:00am - 1:00pm, 23 January, Woolwich Equitable House.

G-HIVE Public Speaking Masterclass

10:00am - 1:00pm, 20 February, Woolwich Equitable House.

G-HIVE Engaging with Communities, Structures, and Cultures

10:00am - 1:00pm, 20 March, Woolwich Equitable House.

Charity Policies and Procedures Templates

Robust policies and procedures should empower staff and increase consistency and fairness across an organisation.

How to Guide - Legacies

Your journey to a successful legacy campaign starts here.

Charitable Support Across Generations

Blackbaud recently surveyed over 1,000 individuals to identify the charitable habits and preferences of Gen Z, millennials, Gen X, and baby boomers. ​

The KFC Foundation

This is a small grant programme for registered charities, registered community interest companies, unincorporated clubs or associations or unregistered charities with a turnover of less than £300,000.

Foyle Foundation

Grants of between £2,000 and £10,000 are available to small charities with incomes of less than £150,000 working with the young, vulnerable, elderly, and disadvantaged or the general community.

Help The Homeless

Grants up £5,000 are available to organisations with a turnover of less than £500,000 to fund capital projects such as equipment, furniture and building costs to help homeless people off the streets and enable them to live healthy, independent lives.

People’s Health Trust

For community groups and not-for-profit organisations with income less than £350,000 per annum.

Winter Safety Message from the Royal Borough of Greenwich

The Christmas period is a wonderful time for celebration, but it is also important to be mindful of various safety issues that can arise.

Keeping Greenwich Clean and Tidy

The Royal Borough of Greenwich is consulting on how they keep streets and neighbourhoods clean.

Local Council Tax Support Scheme

The Royal Borough of Greenwich will soon be seeking views on how they can help residents on low income pay their Council Tax bills.

Foster A Child

The Royal Borough of Greenwich urgently needs more foster carers to provide children and young people with a safe and caring home while they are unable to live with their own families.

Vital Role of London’s Council for Voluntary Services

Take a look at the latest impact report from the London CVS Network which highlights the impact made by London’s Council for Voluntary Services in connecting, supporting, promoting, and representing London’s Voluntary and Community Sector.

Economic Abuse

Research, commissioned by charity Surviving Economic Abuse, found that, among the women who said they had experienced economic abuse in the past 12 months, over a third (36%) experienced mental ill health, including depression, panic attacks, and/or suicidal thoughts.

No Concessions for Charities on NICs Rise

Chancellor Rachel Reeves refuses to exempt or reimburse charities’ estimated additional £1.4bn tax bill arising from the increase in employer national insurance contributions (NICs).

UK Charity Week 2024

UK Charity Week 2024 takes place from 2nd December to 6th December.

VCS Emergencies Partnership and London Communities Emergencies Partnership Survey

This survey is an important opportunity to shape what VCS Emergencies Partnership and London Communities Emergencies Partnership do.

New Information Guide for Carers

The Royal Borough of Greenwich has co-produced a guide aimed to resources, support and information to help them in their caring roles.

Impact of Financial Pressures on Young People

This briefing uses insights from 2023/24 Childline counselling sessions and NSPCC Helpline contacts to explore how financial pressures are affecting young people.

Sparkle In The Park

4:30pm - 9:00pm, 28 November to 1 December, Charlton Park.

New Style METRO GAVS Info Update

METRO GAVS, as part of the wider digital transformation programme, have gone live with their new e-bulletin software which changes the way we produce and distribute our weekly and ad-hoc e-bulletins.

‘Growing Space for Connection’ – Why Charities are Finally Moving to Bluesky

Charities, their leaders, and many other social media users have joined social media platform Bluesky this month, with several leaving X (formerly known as Twitter) in the process.

Charities Urged to Consider Reputational Risks of Not Campaigning

Charities have been encouraged to consider the potential risks to their reputation of not campaigning to advance their cause.

Healthy Communities - Understanding and Evaluating the Impact of Community Champion Approaches

12:00pm - 1:00pm, 12 December, Online.

London Engagement Collaborative December Session

10:00am - 12:00pm, 4 December, Online.

Addressing Mental Health Inequalities for Black and Mixed Heritage Children in Primary Schools

South East London Integrated Care Board (ICB) is looking to commission local grassroots voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to work in partnership with Black Thrive.

Fundraising Platform Becomes First to Accept Cryptocurrency

JustGiving has announced it will begin accepting cryptocurrency donations, making it the first UK fundraising platform to do so.

Branching Out Fund

Grants of between £250 and £2,500 are available for tree and hedge planting projects taking place during the 2024/25 winter planting season.

Cash4Clubs

Grants of up to £2,000 are available for community and voluntary sports groups delivering activities for a social purpose to under-represented communities.

Britford Bridge Trust

Grants of up to £50,000 are available for registered charities involved in the prevention or relief of poverty; the advancement of education; the advancement of health or the saving of lives; and the advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or science.

Greenwich Giving Launch

6:00pm - 8:00pm, 3 December, The Forum (Greenwich Peninsula).

December 2024 G-HIVE Voice and Influence Conference

1:00pm - 4:00pm, 12 December, Woolwich Equitable House.

Royal Borough of Greenwich Budgets 2025-2026

Have your say on how the Royal Borough of Greenwich manages its budgets April 2025 to March 2026.

Royal Borough of Greenwich Cleaner Streets

The  Royal Borough of Greenwich is consulting on how we keep streets and neighbourhoods clean.

Shape the Future of Sickle Cell Care in South East London

Sickle cell services across South East London are changing.

South East London Integrated Care Board Engagement Toolkit

The engagement toolkit has been developed by the South East London Integrated Care Board (ICB) to support all staff undertaking engagement work and projects across south east London.

Safeguarding and Child Protection Self-Assessment Tool

The NSPCC has a free self-assessment tool to help organisations audit current safeguarding and child protection arrangements.

What Are Your Thoughts on this e-Bulletin?

We want to make sure the information posted each week helps you and your organisation.

G-HIVE Co-Creation, Co-Development, Co-Design, and Co-Production Training

1:00pm - 4:00pm, 4 December, Woolwich Equitable House.

Are you on X (Twitter) and Facebook?

Follow METRO GAVS to keep up to date with our latest announcements, events and opportunities for voluntary and statutory sector organisations in the borough.

Who Does What at METRO GAVS

If you or your organisation requires support, the METRO GAVS Team can provide this within each of their portfolios.

Concerned About Something?

METRO GAVS often finds that groups and organisations come to us when a small issue has become a big problem.

Communications and Community Coordinator

Greenwich Giving is looking to recruit for the vacancy of Communications and Community Coordinator.

Unlocking Networks Toolkit

Unlocking Networks is a hub for social movement-makers, community managers, and local group leaders to unlock the power of successful peer networks.

Voluntary and Community Organisations and International Development Jobs

You can find jobs being advertised in the Voluntary and Community Sector and within International Development at a range of other locations too.

Fundraising Support

METRO GAVS can support you with your fundraising bids.

Greenwich Giving Development Workshop

METRO GAVS would like to invite you to attend a community workshop to feed into the design of Greenwich Giving.

Invitation to Co-Design South East London Women and Girls' Health Hub

The South East London ICS are excited to invite stakeholders to an in-person co-design workshop aimed at shaping the future of women and girls’ health services in South East London.

London Engagement Collaborative Reflection and Learnings Report (2023 - 2024)

The London Engagement Collaborative (LEC) are so pleased to announce that their Year 2 report is now published online.

Have A Role To Advertise?

If your organisation has a job opportunity and is a METRO GAVS member they can advertise within the METRO GAVS Info Update for free.

Service Support Officer

METRO GAVS are looking to recruit a Service Support Officer.

Our New CEO Tony Wong

METRO GAVS are delighted to announce the appointment of our new, permanent CEO, who will be joining us from the 16 September 2024.

Royal Borough of Greenwich Community Engagement Panel

The Royal Borough of Greenwich are seeking representatives from the Voluntary and Community Sector to sit on their Community Engagement Panel.

Royal Borough of Greenwich Community Resource Strategy

The Royal Borough of Greenwich recently published its new Community Resource Strategy.

Community Safety and Support

METRO GAVS are deeply saddened by the recent horrific attack in Southport and the violence, racism and Islamophobia that has escalated.