Our 2026 Volunteer Celebration Fund is all set to launch this week, giving Action Together member organisations the opportunity to apply for up to £500 to celebrate and strengthen their volunteer offer, whether that’s:
- Saying thank you to their volunteers
- Recognising their impact and commitment, or
- Recruiting new volunteers to grow their teams
Are you looking to apply this year, and planning a celebration for your organisation? Read on for inspiration as we share with you some of the examples from last year where groups across Rochdale paid tribute to their amazing volunteers.
You can also see details of every group who received a grant from the Volunteer Celebration Fund in Oldham last year HERE.
Chadderton Together
Chadderton Together runs Lydia’s Tearoom, a not‑for‑profit café in Foxdenton Park, Chadderton. The café relies entirely on its dedicated volunteers, who generously give their time to keep it open five days a week.
After receiving funding from the 2025 Volunteer Celebration Fund, Chadderton Together organised a celebratory meal at a local restaurant to recognise the hard work, commitment, and countless hours their volunteers contribute to both the organisation and Lydia’s Tearoom.
"We arrived early to be around as everyone arrived... but all our volunteers were already sat down and waiting for us! We think that this indicated how excited everyone was to be having a get together with friends and fellow volunteers.
Overall the event was very successful. Everyone expressed their gratitude to Oldham Action Together for providing the funding for our celebratory meal.
My only feedback is to say how comfortable it was to complete the application process and to provide feedback using this form." - Graham Taylor
Northern Lily
Northern Lily is a social enterprise based in Failsworth, Oldham, built on the belief that gardening should be accessible to everyone. They run horticulture workshops designed for people of all ages and abilities, creating welcoming spaces to learn, grow, and connect.
To recognise their volunteers, Northern Lily used their funding to organise a day trip to RHS Bridgewater. Volunteers explored the gardens, enjoyed a guided tour of the site, and relaxed together over refreshments, a chance to celebrate their contribution and spend meaningful time as a team.
The volunteers shared their reflections on the day:
- “Absolutely brilliant day. Loved the gardens, and it was nice to spend time together as a team.”
- “So inspiring - got lots of ideas from the day and can’t wait to put them into practice at our community garden.”
- “Thank you for a lovely day out. Nice to celebrate all that we have achieved together.”
Oldham Pride
Oldham Pride thanked its volunteers by taking them on a group trip to Manchester Pride, celebrating their commitment and giving them the chance to be part of a much larger LGBTQ+ community event. For those who couldn’t make the trip, Oldham Pride held a separate celebration shortly after the main Oldham Pride event, ensuring every volunteer felt appreciated for the hard work that made the festival such a success.
A standout moment of the project was bringing a group of volunteers to Manchester Pride. For many, it was not just an exciting day out but a powerful experience of belonging. One volunteer summed it up beautifully: “I've been before as a spectator but being involved with tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ people and allies gathering to march through the city for equality and seeing how everyone just got on was something else.”
Apply for the 2026 Volunteer Celebration Fund
The application window will remain open for two weeks from Tuesday 21 April 2026 to Tuesday 5 May 2026.
