Tameside

Tameside

Women and Girls Small Grants Scheme

Aims/Priorities: The new small grants scheme has been set up to support local organisations to help more women and girls' cycle in Greater Manchester. Projects must be delivered within Greater Manchester and focus on encouraging women and girls to cycle. This is a short‑term, one‑off fund linked to the Women and Girls Summer 2026 campaign. While some flexibility is possible, It is expected that funded activity will take place soon after funding is awarded, ideally between June and September 2026.

BFBS Big Salute

Aims/priorities: The funding is for purpose-driven projects that address the unique challenges faced by the military community in the UK and overseas.

Beneficiaries of BFBS Big Salute grants must be related to one of the armed services, either regular, reservist, veteran, or family member.

Who can apply? Applications will be accepted from charities registered with the Charity Commission or the OSCR.

To be eligible, applicants must:

LandAid - Young Futures Fund

Aims/priorities: The Young Futures Fund provides grant funding to organisations supporting young people who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness. The fund focuses on projects that increase access to safe, secure, and affordable housing, alongside the support needed to sustain tenancies and progress towards independent living.

Who can apply? Applications are open to UK-based charities and not-for-profit organisations working with young people aged 16-25 who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

The UK Youth Fund

Aims/priorities: UK Youth and Pears Foundation have launched a new £10 million fund to champion an approach that works: providing multi-year, unrestricted funding alongside targeted capacity-building support to small youth organisations.

The aim of the Fund is to strengthen the financial resilience and capacity of small youth and outdoor learning organisations across the UK.

We aim to achieve this through two key outcomes:

Celebrating volunteers across Tameside

Silver Cord

Silver Cord is a befriending service available to anyone in Tameside and Glossop who is experiencing the distressing effects of social isolation and loneliness. The service is free to those in need and is provided by trained, DBS-checked volunteers from partner churches across Tameside. 

Silver Cord wanted to recognise and celebrate the invaluable work and dedication that their volunteers provide and were successful in applying for The Volunteer Celebration Fund last year.

Volunteers were invited to a celebration evening which also included beneficiaries who were able to share their stories of how support from Silver Cord has positively impacted their lives.

“Hearing the stories from the beneficiaries was a highlight for all as we have never had that before at a volunteer event.

One beneficiary shared their experience of how much the calls through lockdown, the doorstep visit on Christmas Day with a meal, gifts, and now feeling welcomed at The Living Room has meant to her. She encouraged us all that it may not seem like much to the person volunteering, but how big and profound an impact it has. She closed with 'I can't thank you enough, you've made such a difference.

Thank you for making the application so straight forward and for enabling and encouraging us to celebrate our volunteers in this way.”

Debs Peyton | Silver Cord

Silver Cord Vols

Droylsden and District Foodbank

Droylsden and District Foodbank is a project founded by local churches and community groups, working together towards stopping hunger in our local area.

Everyday people in the UK go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income. A simple box of food makes a big difference, with foodbanks helping prevent crime, housing loss, family breakdown and mental health problems.

Volunteers are the driving force behind foodbanks. There are thousands of volunteers across the UK, helping The Trussell Trust Foodbank Network get emergency food to people in crisis. 

Droylsden and District Foodbank volunteers undertake a variety of roles such as ensuring that food is in date, working in the warehouse through to informal chats with clients over a cup of tea, to discuss their situation and signpost them to further support. 

These volunteers make a real difference to the life of someone in crisis.

In 2025 the Foodbank applied to the Volunteer Celebration Fund to host a celebratory meal for 25 of their volunteers. It was an opportunity to thank them for another busy 12 months and to spend some relaxation time enjoying each other’s company. 

“Droylsden & District Foodbank was founded in 2013 and may of our current volunteers have been working with us over that time. We have also gained new volunteers over the years and enabling all of our active volunteers to be able to get together to celebrate their work and spend time together gives new energy to our Foodbank project.”

Pat Catterall | Droylsden and District Foodbank

Foodbank Vols

Ambitions (Tameside)

Ambitions is a voluntary community organisation serving adults with learning and physical disabilities in Oldham, Tameside and North Manchester. They are dedicated to fostering a supportive community where adults with learning and physical disabilities can thrive through engaging social activities. 

Their team of passionate volunteers are at the heart of Ambitions, working tirelessly to create inclusive and engaging activities for the community. Their dedication ensures that every event is a step towards a brighter future for adults with learning and physical disabilities. To show their appreciation, Ambitions organise volunteer social events twice a year.

In 2025 they were successful in their application to The Volunteer Celebration Fund. A social bowling night was arranged at King Pins Manchester. This was an opportunity to bring volunteers together from different boroughs who rarely met in person. The event included bowling, curling, shuffleboard and food, in a private area, ensuring everyone celebrated together. 

“Amid rising living costs and financial pressures in the social care sector, it's harder for members to join regular activities. The celebration fund helps support our volunteer events without straining our finances, which is crucial during challenging times”.

Jonathan Griffiths-Barnes | Ambitions

Ambitions Tameside

The Volunteer Celebration Fund 2026

The application window will be open for two weeks from Tuesday, 21 April 2026, to Tuesday, 5 May 2026.

Apply for the Volunteer Celebration Fund 2026
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