Grants awarded from the Rochdale Volunteers Celebration Fund
Volunteers’ Week is a time to say thank you for the fantastic contribution volunteers make. During another difficult year, people from all walks of life have taken the time to volunteer & made a huge difference to people & their communities.
Our Volunteering Strategy sets out our 'Vision for Volunteering' across each of our boroughs. A key strand of the Strategy is focused on Awareness & Appreciation; ensuring that the impact of volunteers is recognised & that the public are aware of the volunteering opportunities available to them & how they can get involved.
Through the Volunteer Celebration Fund, we gave groups the opportunity to say thank you to their volunteers, recognising the importance of their contribution & commitment. The fund may also be an opportunity for groups to focus on recruitment of new volunteers & in particular to consider how they might look to diversify their team of volunteers by engaging with under-represented communities.
Grants of up to £500 were available for events and activities that include one or more of the following priorities:
- Recruit - Involving new volunteers to help run your group or support your organisation, which are inclusive & flexible to meet the diverse communities across Oldham, Rochdale & Tameside.
- Retain - Creating opportunities for your volunteers to feel connected, valued & supported.
- Recognise - Celebrating your volunteers, their achievements & the difference they make within communities across Oldham, Rochdale & Tameside – particularly during the Cost of Living crisis.
Projects funded Volunteer Celebration Fund 2025:
| Member Organisation | Amount Awarded | Investment Projects |
| Deeplish Community Centre | £500 | We are planning a two-part volunteer event focused on appreciation, recruitment, team-building, and wellbeing. The first part will be held at Deeplish Community Centre and will include a celebration event to recognise and reward our current volunteers. The second part of the event will be wellbeing and planning trip to the Peak District. |
| New Life Community Church | £500 | We want to honour our amazing army of volunteers with a ‘What A Team’ party afternoon! There will be a soft drinks reception, followed by music and buffet, then a gift giving presentation as well as photograph opportunities. |
| Soul Sisters | £500 | We aim to use this grant for recruitment across our local community in Middleton and Rochdale. We will organise and advertise regular monthly pop-ups to recruit new volunteers to support our plans to improve and grow our services within the Rochdale Borough. |
| Kashmiri Productions | £500 | We will be presenting the 4th edition of the PAK Film Festival on 4/8/25 to locals and people out of Rochdale. This application is to apply for Rochdale Volunteers Celebration Fund as we would like to acknowledge our dedicated and hardworking volunteers. |
| Nigeria Community Association | £500 | The primary objective of this event is to express our heartfelt appreciation to our volunteers who have dedicated their time, skills, and energy to support our cause. Volunteers will be treated to a delightful dining experience at Cosmos, a renowned restaurant known for its diverse and exquisite cuisine. The evening will offer a relaxed atmosphere where volunteers can connect with each other, share their experiences, and celebrate their collective achievements. |
| Lamet Habayeb Association | £500 | We would like to hold a volunteers’ celebration as a thank you for the efforts our volunteers do during the year. Volunteers will be invited to a restaurant to socialise and enjoy a meal together. We try our best choose a time that suits everyone, but in case some volunteers cannot make it, gift cards will be purchased will and handed to them. Certificates will be handed during the celebration. |
| Healthwatch Rochdale | £492 | By hosting this event it gives our current volunteers an opportunity to connect with each other as well as for them to know that we appreciate all they do for us. Within this event we will also be presenting our volunteers with certificates of thanks and encouraging them to have lots of selfies and enjoy themselves. There will be a Healthwatch Rochdale quiz for them to take part in with a voucher for first prize winner of this. |
| North West Community Connection | £500 | NWCC Rochdale Volunteer Celebration and Info Event is all about bringing people together to recognise the amazing work of our volunteers and inspire others in the community to get involved. We’ll be hosting a warm and welcoming event right here in Rochdale, where we’ll:
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| Springhill Hospice | £500 | We wish to host a joint Volunteer Thank you and Service Award event on Friday 6th June to coincide with National Volunteers’ Week. This is to thank our volunteers for everything they do for our Hospice and to recognise their invaluable contribution. We will also reward our volunteers with 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 year service badges. |
| Maverick Lab | £500 | A celebration summer BBQ party to honour our dedicated volunteers and express our gratitude for their invaluable service. Volunteers and their families will be invited to join us for a day of festivities, recognition, and community spirit. |
| Future Directions | £500 | We will send all of our volunteers a thank you card and gift during Volunteers Week to recognise the contribution they make volunteering with us. In line with the 2025 Volunteers Week theme, we will hold an event on the theme of ‘Connecting You: Connecting Communities’ at the community café and hub that Future Directions manages in Milnrow, Rochdale. |
| Rochdale AFC Hope Football | £300 | We are proposing a Volunteer Thank You Celebration Meal and the provision of official Hope Football hoodies. This event will bring together all our volunteers – including coaches, committee members, and behind-the-scenes helpers – for an evening meal where we can publicly thank them, reflect on their achievements, and celebrate the positive impact they make. |
| Serving Humanitee | £420 | We would like to take our volunteers out for a meal to recognise all their selfless hard work and continued support of our organisation and service to the community for the past 5 years. |
| Kirkholt Pantry | £330 | As a token of our appreciation, we are delighted to treat all our volunteers to an all-expenses-paid meal—a small gesture to celebrate their incredible work and show just how valued they are. Additionally, each volunteer will receive a personalized gift, thoughtfully chosen to express our heartfelt thanks for their continued support and dedication. |
| Darnhill Food Pantry | £262 | A shared meal for approx. 10 volunteers after the busiest time of the year (Nov/Dec ) for us and to enable us to have the rare opportunity to sit down together, reflect on the past year, enjoy some nice food and chat together. |
| Masking in the Middle | £270 | We would love to be able to purchase individual hoodies or t shirts for our volunteers so that the children can easily identify them and for them to feel included and part of the team. |
| Recovery Republic | £323.87 | We would like to recognise our volunteers for all their hard work with a treat to Piece Hall Christmas Markets in Halifax to celebrate together. We would book onto the Rothwell's coach trip on the 15th November returning the same day. |
| Kate's Training | £500 | We would like to empower our volunteers, give them practical skills, knowledge and confidence to deal with emergencies. Our volunteers then will help with free community events, which will empower other members of community. |
| Bangladesh Association and Community Project | £500 | We are planning to hold an open community event at our centre with a view to celebrate volunteering. The event will have the threefold objectives of:-
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| CCC House of Praise | £496.60 | We intend to have a comfortable day in our premises where refreshments and music will be available Certificate/merit award will also be issued to our volunteers to say thank you. This will be a point of more motivation to the volunteers in extending their strength in the services provided towards the accomplishment of the goal of the organisation. |
| Kirkholt Community Church | £300 | If successful in securing funding, we plan to take our 10 volunteers out for a meal, buy them a gift, and show our love and appreciation for their hard work and reliable support to us as an organisation. |