Nominations Open for The King’s Award for Voluntary Service 2026

Nominations for The King’s Award for Voluntary Service 2026 are now officially open as of Monday 1 September 2025.

This prestigious honour is the highest award given to voluntary organisations across the UK, and is considered the equivalent of an MBE for volunteer groups. It recognises outstanding work carried out by local volunteer-led groups that benefit their communities.

Who Can Be Nominated?

To be eligible, nominated groups must meet the following criteria:

  • Consist of three or more people
  • Be based in the UK, Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man
  • Have been in operation for at least three years
  • Have over half of its volunteers eligible to reside in the UK
  • Be volunteer-led, with more than half of its members being volunteers
  • Provide a specific and direct benefit to the local community

Celebrate Local Excellence

Note: Winning groups for 2025 will be announced on 14 November 2025.

How to Nominate

Deadline for nominations: Monday 1 December 2025

Let’s celebrate the power of volunteering and shine a light on the groups making a real difference in our communities.


Training Opportunities for people involved with running their local Village Hall

Hallmark 1 – Focuses on the management and administration of the charity

Focuses on the management and administration of the charity. The aim is to achieve best practice, Charity Commission requirements and encourage trustee collaboration, shared knowledge and management committee development.

Who is it for?: Ideally all and at least more than one member of your committee should join this event.

Halls that achieve the standard will be awarded an ACRE Hallmark 1 Certificate, recognising their commitment to good governance and effective management.

Benefits:

Many village hall insurers offer up to 10% discount on insurance premiums for halls that reach this standard. When all trustees participate in the Hallmark 1 session, it significantly enhances team cohesion and shared understanding, leading to more confident, collaborative, and effective management committees. Expect a little homework after this session before certification sign off!

When: Tuesday 23rd September 2025

Where: Online

Time: 10 am – 12 noon

Booking link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1437507546769?aff=oddtdtcreator

Hallmark 2 – Health, Safety, Security & Licensing

Hallmark 2 supports village hall management committees in achieving best practice in health and safety, security, and licensing. It helps ensure compliance with legal requirements while fostering collaboration, shared knowledge, and the ongoing development of the management committee.

Who is it for? Ideally, all committee members should take part to ensure a shared understanding and collective responsibility.

Benefits:

Halls that meet the Hallmark 2 standard will receive an ACRE Hallmark 2 Certificate, recognising their commitment to good governance and safe, effective management. Committees can be more confident that:

· Legal compliance is being met

· Users, volunteers, and staff are better protected

· Risks are reduced, helping to minimise trustee liability

The knowledge and confidence gained through this process contribute to a safer, more resilient, and well-managed community facility.

Expect a little homework after this session before certification sign off!

When: Tuesday 21st October

Where: Beech Hill Memorial Hall, Wood Ln, Beech Hill, Reading RG7 2BE

Time: 11.00 am – 1.00 pm

Booking link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1437740312979?aff=oddtdtcreator

Hallmark 3

This workshop empowers management committees to actively engage with their community — including beneficiaries, users, and key stakeholders. It focuses on effective consultation, active listening, and responding to local needs. Participants will also explore strategies for marketing the hall and raising its profile as a vibrant hub at the heart of the community.

Who is it for?: Ideally all and at least more than one member of your committee should join this event.

This session helps management committees understand how meaningful community engagement contributes to the long-term sustainability of their hall.

Benefits:

Committees that reach this level demonstrate an outward-looking approach — they are visible, approachable, and responsive to the evolving needs of their community. By actively listening and aligning their activities with those needs, they ensure their Charitable Objectives are fulfilled in the most impactful way.

Halls operating at this level are often vibrant, well-used spaces with strong, positive relationships between the management committee and the wider community.

When: Tuesday 25th November 2025

Where: Sutton Hall, Church Rd, Stockcross, Newbury RG20 8LN

Time: 9.30 am – 12.00 pm

Booking link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1437958966979?aff=oddtdtcreator


Community Buildings Advice Service: Supporting Halls Across Berkshire 

by Kate Meads, CBAS Advisor

This month (August), David and I have been out and about offering support to community halls, and we’re thrilled to share some exciting progress at Arborfield Village Hall.

Thanks to funding from the Platinum Jubilee Fund, Arborfield Village Hall is making great strides in implementing recommendations from our 21st Century Community Halls consultation. The consultation identified key areas for improvement, including:

  • Insulation and heat loss
  • Accessibility
  • Overhaul of toilet facilities

We’re delighted to report that building work is now well underway at this charming 1931 hall.

Recent upgrades include:

  • Maximised loft insulation to improve energy efficiency
  • Insulated ceiling in the boiler room to reduce heat loss
  • Touch-free door systems installed at the front entrance and accessible toilet for improved accessibility

Next on the agenda: solar panel and battery storage installation, scheduled to take place in the coming month or two – another step toward sustainability.

In addition to the building improvements, Arborfield Village Hall is also benefiting from community-focused initiatives:

  • A small grant from the Police & Crime Commissioner is supporting the popular Saturday board games club (re-starting after a summer break)
  • New storage facilities have been added for the Local History Club, which regularly hosts engaging history displays in the hall

A huge well done to Paul and all the trustees for their dedication and hard work in maintaining and enhancing this vital community space. Your efforts are truly making a difference!


Funding Opportunities in August

Hays Travel Foundation

About Us: We strive to help and improve the communities where we work and live, and this is something we believe we have a strong track record of accomplishing.
Criteria: The funding is intended for local groups which operate or have an impact in an area in which Hays Travel have a branch and whose project helps young people up to 25 years of age develop in at least one of these areas: education, prevention of poverty, health, arts, culture or sports.
Grant Size: Up to £15,000
Deadline: 28th September 2025

The Hilden Charitable Fund

About Us: The Fund’s aim is to address disadvantages by supporting charitable causes which are less likely to raise funds from public subscriptions or statutory sources.
Criteria: We do not fund individuals, only organisations. To be eligible to make an application your organisation must be based in the UK and be one of the following:
Registered Charity
Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
Charitable Company (NB you must be registered both as a charity and a company)
Excepted Charity.
Grant Size: Usually between £5,000 – £7,000
Deadline: 3pm on 21st August 2025

McCarthy Stone Foundation

About Us: Our vision is a society where older people are valued, connected and engaged with their communities.
Criteria: Registered charities, constituted community groups and Community Interest Companies (CICs) limited by guarantee with an annual income of less than £250,000 can apply for grants for projects to reduce loneliness and isolation for people over 65 living in the more deprived areas of England, Scotland and Wales.
Grant Size: up to £7,500
Deadline: Opens 1st August and closes 5pm on 29th August 2025

Music for All

About Us: Music for All is dedicated to changing lives across the UK by improving access to music making. We are a passionate, focused and ambitious UK charity helping disadvantaged music makers experience the joys and far-reaching benefits of making music.
Criteria: We’re delighted to be offering financial support to community projects and individuals in the following categories: Physical mobility or accessibility needs, Mental health and loneliness/isolation, Choral groups, Working with early years aged children and Descant recorder pack and music pack.
Grant Size: up to £2,000
Deadline: 12 noon on Wednesday 24th September 2025

Veolia’s Sustainability Fund

About Us: Transforming local communities and environments.
Criteria: Any not-for-profit organisations, community groups or individuals can apply to the Sustainability Fund. We welcome projects that strengthen the local community, including but not limited to: employment support programmes, rehabilitation projects, and youth development initiatives.
Grant Size: up to £1,000
Deadline: 30th September 2025

Arnold Clark Community Fund – Cost of Living Support

About Us: We want to give back to the communities that we serve.
Criteria: Applications for the Arnold Clark Community Fund Cost-of-Living Support are only eligible if the organisation falls in one of the following categories: foodbank, accommodation, poverty relief and where people/communities in the UK are the primary and immediate focus of investment. Applications are also only eligible if they’re made by an organisation that are based/operates solely in the UK and are located within 50 miles of an Arnold Clark branch.
Grant Size: up to £2,500
Deadline: Rolling programme

The Fat Beehive Foundation

About Us: The Fat Beehive Foundation is an independent UK grant-making charity that supports small charities to improve their digital presence.
Criteria: We support UK-based charities with an annual turnover of under £1 million, offering funding for a wide range of digital projects. Whether that’s building a new website, developing online resources, or improving digital accessibility, our aim is to help you reach more people, raise more funds and deliver more impact.
Grant Size: up to £2,500
Deadline: Rolling programme

Woodroffe Benton Foundation

About Us: The Small Grant funding round will focus on projects that improve the quality of life and social engagement for people with severe physical and/or learning disabilities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Criteria: The Foundation provides grants to officially recognised charitable organisations within the United Kingdom only in respect of:
Relief of persons in need, hardship or distress by reason of disaster or as a consequence of social or economic circumstance.
Provision/Maintenance of care and accommodation for the sick and elderly.
Promotion of education – in particular within the Derbyshire region.
Environmental Conservation/Preservation/Protection/Improvement – in particular where this would encourage the provision of access by members of the general public.
Human physical well-being – but applicants should note that funding in this area is proactive and the trustees will not make grants in response to unsolicited applications
Grant Size: £500 to £2,500
Deadline: 31st August 2025 or when 150 applications have been received

Rewilding Innovation Fund – Rewilding Britain

The Rewilding Innovation Fund aims to remove barriers to rewilding across Britain. Whether your site or project is in the early planning stages or looking to try out a new approach, you can apply.

From business plans to feasibility studies, community engagement to trialling the latest technology, Rewilding Britain funds works that could potentially unlock further funding for you or move you up the rewilding scale.

They choose the projects they consider will have the highest impact on people and nature, on land and sea, with opportunities for shared learning with the Rewilding Network.

Projects have two opportunities to apply for funding through the Rewilding Innovation Fund each year, in the new year and summer. The 2025 summer round is now open.

You can apply for up to £15,000 and the deadline for applications is 29 August 2025.

Music for All

Financial support to community projects and individuals is available in the following categories:

Physical mobility or accessibility needs (groups and individuals)
Mental health and loneliness/isolation
Choral groups
Working with early years aged children
Descant recorder pack and music pack
You can apply for up to £2000 and the deadline for applications is 24 September 2025.

Community support small grants – Trusthouse Charitable Foundation

Single year grants between £2,000 and £10,000 are available to charities and not for profit organisations for core costs, salaries, running and project costs. Projects must have a focus on Community Support and address urban and rural deprivation in the UK.

if you are located in a rural area, you must be in the bottom 50% most deprived areas according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation. Your annual income must not exceed £250,000 and you can secure 50% of the total project costs.

This is a rolling programme with no deadlines.

Bernard Sunley Foundation grants

The Foundation offers grants in the categories of Community, Education, Health or Social Welfare.

They offer three levels of grants. These are large grants of £20,000 and above; medium grants of up to £20,000 and small grants of £5,000 and under. Grants can be used for:

Capital projects which include new buildings, extensions, refurbishments and recreational spaces.
New minibuses and other vehicles that provide a vital service to those most in need in their local community.
Churches and other places of worship with a strong, secular community focus.
Charities or CIOs (Charitable Incorporated Organisations) registered in England and Wales.
Certain organisations with exempt status such as specialist schools, scout and guide groups, housing associations, cooperatives, and community benefit societies.
Applications are accepted all year round.

Barclays’ Female Tennis & Cricket Coaches for Girls Fund

About Us: We want to grow participation at every level and have grants dedicated to getting more women qualified across the UK to coach girls’ football at a grassroots level.
Criteria: This fund is available to all clubs and groups that run football, cricket or tennis activities for girls and aspire to get more female coaches qualified.
Grant Size: up to £200
Deadline: 22nd August 2025

Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund

Grants are available for local authorities, combined authorities, charities, research organisations and consortiums to support new, locally delivered, highly tailored and targeted interventions that meet the needs of digitally excluded people in England.
Application deadline: 10 September 2025 (15:00)

Warburtons Community Grants

About Us: provides small grants up to £400 to support charitable organisations towards broader activities which improve Health, Place or Skills for families in their community.
Criteria: Not-for-profit organisations/Charities/CICs, or Warburtons volunteers/employees in a capacity. Projects must deliver direct benefit to families and align with at least one theme:
Health: improving physical health and/or wellbeing

Place: creating safer, greener, more inclusive community spaces

Skills: developing useful skills for life or employment

Grant Size: up to £400
Deadline: 4 November 2025

With thanks to Rural Services Network, Slough CVD, West Berkshire Volunteer Centre and Bracknell & Wokingham InVOLve for the information contained in this article.


Success for Berkshire Village Halls: Funding Secured for Community Improvements

We are delighted to announce that three Berkshire village halls have been awarded grants from the Platinum Jubilee Village Halls Fund.

The successful halls are:

Bradfield Village Hall
Midgham Village Hall
Arborfield Village Hall


These grants will be used to make much-needed improvements to the halls, helping to ensure they remain warm, accessible, and well-equipped spaces for their communities.

Kate Meads, Community Buildings Advisor at CCB, said:
“We’re delighted to be supporting Village Hall Charities in enhancing these valuable community assets. Thanks to this funding, the halls will be more comfortable, easier to access, and better suited to the needs of local residents.”

The Platinum Jubilee Village Halls Fund is distributed by DEFRA through ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England), and aims to support the long-term sustainability of rural community buildings.

Trustee Reactions
The news has been met with enthusiasm and gratitude from the halls’ trustees:

“Woohoo!! We’re over the moon. Thank you SO much for the big part you played in this. We’ll invite you to our Open Day (tentatively early November).” – Eva

“The level of detail in the feedback we received was truly impressive. Your support and expertise are much appreciated.” – Nigel

“A huge thank you for the support, advice, and guidance you provided while we were putting the grant application together. A great example of teamwork—and as we all know, teamwork makes the dream work!” – Jon

“Thank you both for all your help. Looking forward to seeing the work done!” – Paul

CCB looks forward to seeing the transformation of these halls and sharing updates as the improvement works progress.

For more information about the Platinum Jubilee Village Halls Fund click here.