Anniversary conference set to inspire charities and voluntary groups

By Amanda Wilkins - 20 March 2025

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Wiltshire Community Foundation has announced a special funding conference to inform and inspire charities and voluntary groups across Wiltshire and Swindon.

This event marks the Foundation’s 50th anniversary of supporting the local voluntary sector.

Taking place at the Corn Exchange in Devizes on 6 May, the conference will bring together a range of speakers covering topics such as understanding local needs, demonstrating impact and value, and managing risk. Attendees will have the opportunity to network over lunch with fellow voluntary organisations and a variety of funders, exchanging ideas and learning from each other.

There will be a variety of breakout sessions for attendees to join throughout the day, including a session run by Catherine Stevens, SW Funding Manager at the National Lottery Community Fund, who will deliver a workshop on the Fund’s new strategy to 2030. There will also be a talk from James Gare, partner at chartered accountants Monahans, and a session with Wiltshire Community Foundation Trustees and staff from Doorway Chippenham.

Margaret Firth, Wiltshire Community Foundation’s Director of Partnerships, and Rachel Hawley from OCSI, will also deliver a breakout session which introduces and demonstrates a new open access resource that can support local charities and voluntary groups to evidence need in their local area. There will also be a breakout session on measuring and demonstrating impact, with examples from projects funded through the Foundation’s Targeting Health Inequalities Wiltshire programme.

Wiltshire Community Foundation’s joint Chief Executive, Fiona Oliver, said: “We are pleased to host this Conference as we celebrate 50 years of working with the voluntary sector to identify and address local needs, improving lives in our communities.

“Collaboration and being informed are two of our core values, and we hope this conference reflects these principles through thought-provoking breakout sessions and valuable networking opportunities.

“We would like to thank our long-term supporters Gaiger, Wadworth and TH White for generously supporting this event.”

Tickets are £30 each, which includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day.

To book your tickets for the Funding Conference, please visit the Eventbrite page: @WiltshireCommunityFoundationEvent

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