Voluntary Sector Newsletter - September 2026 Issue

Richmond Council is committed to supporting the voluntary and community sector in Richmond. You are receiving this email as you have opted-in to receive these mailings. To stop receiving these emails please follow the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this email.

View in browser

Voluntary Sector Newsletter

September 2026

Welcome to the September edition of the Voluntary and Community Sector Newsletter. Please find information below on a range of funding and training opportunities, as well as local updates and events from across the borough.

Please email voluntarysector@richmond.gov.uk with any newsletter feedback or comments.

Funding Opportunities

Freemason’s Charity funding 

Registered charities supporting disadvantaged children and young people in England and Wales can apply to the Freemason’s Charity’s rolling grants programme.

Funding priorities include children affected by domestic abuse, early years, and children with special educational needs and disabilities. Two levels of funding are available:

• Small Grants: £1,000 to £5,000 per year for up to three years, for charities with an annual income of £25,000 to £500,000
• Large Grants: £10,000 to £60,000 over one to three years, for organisations with an annual income above £500,000

Applicants must check their eligibility and submit a brief online Expression of Interest.

Successful applicants will be invited to complete a full application. Visit the Freemason’s Charity website for further information and to apply

Vaughan Williams Foundation - Next Deadline 3 September 2026

The Vaughan Williams Foundation is inviting applications for projects that support the performance, commissioning or recording of music by professional composers. The Foundation aims to support fellow composers and promote wider public access to music. Grants are available for a range of projects, including performances, festivals, commissions and recordings. Awards typically range from £2,500 to £3,000, with funding available for up to 50% of a project's total budget.

There are three funding rounds each year, with the next deadline on 3 September 2026 for projects taking place from December 2026 onwards. Applicants are normally notified of decisions within 12 weeks of the deadline.

Organisations and individuals planning future music projects are encouraged to apply early. Visit the Vaughan Williams Foundation website for full eligibility criteria and application details.

Triangle Trust for Girls & Women - Expressions of Interest open 10 September

The Triangle Trust is offering grants of up to £50,000 per year for projects supporting young women aged 17 to 30 who are involved with, or at risk of entering, the criminal justice system. Funding is available for projects lasting 18 months to three years, including through-the-gate support, resettlement services and support for mothers before and after custody.

Eligible organisations must be either led by and for women and girls or have specialist expertise in one of the programme's priority areas.

Expressions of Interest open on 10 September and close on 15 October 2026.

For full details and eligibility criteria, visit the Triangle Trust website.

Active Thames Fund - Applications Close 27 September 2026

The Active Thames Fund is now open for applications, offering grants to support projects that encourage participation in watersports, physical activity and use of the Thames Path and connected waterways across Greater London, Kent and Essex.

Funding is available for projects that increase participation among under-represented groups, develop the skills of volunteers and staff, improve health and wellbeing, and strengthen local communities. Grants are typically around £5,000, with larger awards available for organisations able to deliver wider impact.

The fund particularly welcomes projects supporting children and young people, ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQ+ communities, disabled people, people with long-term health conditions, and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

For full details and to apply, visit the Active Thames Fund website.

Richmond Council Challenge and Innovation Fund - Apply by 6 September 2026

Richmond Council has launched a new round of the Challenge and Innovation Fund, offering grants of up to £5,000 for small-scale cultural projects that increase participation in arts and culture across the borough. Funding is available for projects that engage underrepresented communities, support children and young people, develop new partnerships, or test innovative approaches to cultural activity.

Training, Learning, Research and Events

Live Safeguarding Q&A for VCSE, Faith and Sports Organisations - 6 October

The Kingston and Richmond Safeguarding Children Partnership (KRSCP) is hosting a free online Q&A session for voluntary, community, faith and sports organisations. 

Find Out More About RWCDAS - Online Open Day Taking Place on 28 September

Richmond and Wandsworth Community Drug and Alcohol Service (RWCDAS) are holding a virtual open day and are inviting all professionals working with individuals affected by substance misuse to join and learn more about the service and the support available.

The session will provide an opportunity to hear about RWCDAS's approach to addiction treatment, explore referral pathways, and ask questions directly to the team.

Date: Monday 28 September

Time: 1.00pm to 2.00pm

Location: Online via Microsoft Teams

For more information about joining the event, a link to the event poster has been provided below.

New Hampton North Social Club Launches This September - 8 September 2026

Residents are invited to celebrate the launch of the new Hampton North Social Club, a welcoming community group created by Multicultural Richmond. The club is open to everyone, including local residents, newly arrived communities and sanctuary seekers, and aims to provide opportunities to connect, socialise and help shape future activities.

Date: Tuesday 8 September 2026

Venue: Active Hampton, 32 Tangley Park Road, Hampton, TW12 3YH

Ahead of the launch, Multicultural Richmond hosted a taster session and is continuing to gather ideas from local people about the activities they would like to see at the club.The new Social Club offers a great opportunity to meet others in the community, build connections and get involved in a friendly and inclusive local initiative.

Ukrainian Independence Day Festival - 5 September 

Join one of London’s largest celebrations of Ukrainian culture at the Ukrainian Independence Day Festival in Twickenham on Saturday 5 September. This free, family-friendly event will transform Orleans Gardens into a vibrant showcase of Ukrainian music, dance, art, food and community spirit.

Visitors can enjoy live performances, cultural activities, creative workshops, authentic Ukrainian cuisine and entertainment for both children and adults. The festival offers a unique opportunity to experience Ukraine’s rich heritage, meet new people and celebrate the strength and diversity of the local Ukrainian community.

Date: Saturday 5 September

Time: 12pm to 9pm

Venue: Orleans Gardens, Orleans Road, Twickenham TW1 3DG

Cost: Free admission

Whether you come with friends and family or on your own, everyone is welcome to enjoy a day of culture, creativity and community in the heart of Twickenham. Link to here: Join us for a celebration of Ukrainian culture - London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

Join Thamesians Women’s Rugby

Thamesians Women’s Rugby is welcoming new players aged 18+ to join the team for the upcoming season. Whether you are an experienced player, returning to rugby after a break, or completely new to the sport, the club offers a friendly and supportive environment to develop skills, improve fitness and be part of a thriving community.

The team is keen to hear from women of all abilities. Enthusiasm, commitment and a willingness to get involved are all that is needed. Players can take part in a range of weekly training sessions focused on technical skills, strength and conditioning, tactical development and team play.

Training takes place across Twickenham and Hampton throughout the week, providing plenty of opportunities to get involved, meet new people and enjoy the benefits of team sport.

For more information about the club, training sessions and how to join, visit the Teams website.

Shape Digital Inclusion & Showcase Your Best Practice – Learning Disability Services Monday 14 September 2026, 2pm – 3.30pm (online)

If your organisation supports residents with a learning disability, you’re invited to join the next London-wide online conversation and feed into the work of the London Health Mission Board.

The programme will feed into the work of the London Health Mission, who's aim is to reduce health inequalities through innovation and digital transformation. This is a chance to share experiences, discuss what’s working in tackling digital exclusion, and help shape future priorities and approaches. 

GLA colleagues, policymakers, researchers and funders are also invited. If your organisation is running a digital inclusion project, they would love to hear in advance, to potentially share as a best practice example. Find out more about the programme and book below.

Advice and Support 

New Adult Activity Courses at Active Hampton

Looking to stay active, meet new people and try something new this autumn? Active Hampton is launching a range of new six-week courses starting in September, with activities designed for adults of all abilities.

Choose from popular sessions including Walking Football, Badminton Coaching and Pickleball Coaching for those aged 50+, all delivered in a friendly and supportive environment.

For more information on their activity programme and how to book, click the link below or email Active Hampton at: activehampton@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

Employment / Development Opportunities 

Help Launch Richmond’s New Community Energy Co-operative - 16 September 2026

Richmond Council and Community Energy London are inviting residents to help shape the future of local renewable energy by becoming founding members of a new Richmond Community Energy Co-operative.

Community energy projects enable local people to invest in and benefit from renewable energy schemes, helping to reduce carbon emissions while supporting community initiatives.

Residents are encouraged to join an information event taking place at Patch, Twickenham on 16 September, from 5.30pm to 7pm, where you can learn about the benefits of community energy and how to get involved. For more information Click the link below.

For further information about community energy projects in Richmond, or to register for the event, please contact ClimateChange@Richmond.gov.uk or visit the Council’s community energy webpages.

Autumn Training for Volunteer Coordinators

Whether you’re a trustee, staff member or volunteer in our borough who is responsible for recruiting and managing volunteers, or who is thinking of using volunteers to support their work, it’s always important to get the basics right when it comes to volunteer recruitment, selection, support and supervision. Registration is open through Richmond CVS for two bitesize online sessions to help you do just that.

Useful Information

STILL TIME TO BOOK: Richmond’s Food Partnership Meeting – 28 September 2026

This group aims to strengthen the network of voluntary and community organisations in the borough that deliver activity relating to food provision and environmental sustainability.  

Register to join the in-person meeting if your work involves food, sustainability, cost‑of‑living support, supporting residents who use food services, or other food-related activity. It’s an opportunity to help develop the local Food Poverty Action Plan, as well as to network and connect with colleagues in the sector.

Help Shape Richmond’s Health & Wellbeing Network

If you work or volunteer with a local health-related organisation, please feed into the short survey which has been circulated by Richmond CVS.  As they plan future meetings, they want to make sure they reach and involve everyone relevant, and provide a valuable space for all those who attend.  Whether you’re a regular attendee or have yet to go along, they would really appreciate your thoughts.