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12 swindonlink.com • December 2011
Council for Voluntary Services

has more important role to play
Volunteers and volunteering are now proclaimed as the saviour of the
government’s big society but it’s not a new idea in Swindon.
The town has a very long history
of volunteer commitment and Vol-
untary Action Swindon (VAS) next
year celebrates 80 years providing
information, advice and practical
assistance to organisations so that
they can help people in need.
Currently there are over 1,460
voluntary, community or charitable
organisations in the VAS directory.
For example there are 140 in the
West Swindon SN5 postcode and
107 in the North Swindon SN25
areas alone. called Third Sector organisations to
In those 80 years the demands strategically plan what they do. We
Foster for Swindon on voluntary organisations have also draw attention to the require-
changed enormously, with leaders ments upon them, for example, to
and managers now required to have proper risk assessments, up to
comply with rules and regulations date health and safety policies and
People Like You - Providing a Home and levels of staff management on CRB checks in place.
a par with businesses.
“Every organisation, however
At the same time funding support small, has to be run in a business-
for voluntary organisations is being like way, but we can provide the
drastically reduced in line with the back-up with information, advice
Make a big difference to children cutbacks in public spending. and training covering governance
and young people in Swindon. Foster. New director of VAS David and the role of trustees
Wray, above, said: “Part of our role “VAS is here to help people cope
is helping charities understand the with the red tape so that charities
01793 465700 changing world that the voluntary don’t lose sight of their aims and
[email protected] sector is in. It’s very tough finan- objectives.”
www.swindon.gov.uk cially for them, and our role is to To find out more call 538398.
work with charities and what’s www.vas-swindon.org.uk

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