Cheshire West Voluntary Action

We are proud to have been supporting the local community since 1914. Our vision is 'Championing the community sector – building trust, influencing, inspiring'. We work with community organisations, as well as partners in other sectors, across west Cheshire. Our staff have extensive knowledge and skills to help community sector organisations thrive, supporting with things like governance, good practice, volunteering, funding, training, networking and more.

CWVA will be hosting a series of Volunteer Managers Network Meetings throughout 2026. These meetings are open to staff AND volunteers, community sector OR public sector, who are involved in recruiting, managing, and coordinating volunteers within their organisation. They are a key chance to network, learn from one another, and share information about what is happening within the sector.&nbsp; Tea, coffee, and biscuits will be available throughout.

The Joshua Tree

<h1>The Summer of Appreciation project is delighted to offer the following...</h1> Discovery Tour - an hour long tour exploring the highlights and rich history of Chester Cathedral, followed by the opportunity to enjoy a refreshment in our Refectory. Participants will need to be comfortable with walking for the duration of the tour. This free event is only open to people who formally volunteer with a registered charity, community group, or charitable company which is a member of Cheshire West Voluntary Action, and based or operating in Cheshire West. Please be aware that your personal data will be shared with the organisation running this event. You can <a href="https://cwva.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Summer_of_Appreciation_Privacy_Statement-1.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> to read the full privacy statement for this project on our website.

Holiday support to a local School

Chester Catherdral

This session will equip volunteer-involving organisations with the tools and information they need to safely involve volunteers with criminal convictions. Delivered in partnership with the Probation Service, the workshop will cover: <ul><li>Awareness of potential barriers to volunteering for people with convictions</li><li>Information and 'myth-busting' regarding disclosure of spent and/or unspent convictions</li><li>How volunteer managers can create a supportive and nurturing environment for volunteers with convictions</li><li>The practical steps organisations should take to safely accommodate volunteers with criminal convictions</li></ul> In accordance with priorities championed by the <a href="https://cwva.org.uk/visionforvolunteering/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">Cheshire West Vision for Volunteering (2025-2030)</a>, this is a great opportunity to look at new ways of expanding the reach of your volunteering programme, and its social impact. Any staff or volunteers are welcome to attend. Tea, coffee, and biscuits will be available throughout.

Supporting Volunteers with Criminal Convictions

Hoole Community Centre

<h1>The Summer of Appreciation project is delighted to offer the following...</h1> Hosted by the incredible pan-disability charity, Live! Cheshire, volunteers from across Cheshire West are invited to take part in a sunny day of BBQ, games of boccia, and adapted bicycle rides! For more information about Live! Cheshire, please visit the link below.<a href="https://livecheshire.org.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Home - Live Cheshire</a> Come and meet the amazing volunteers at Live!, mingle with people from other charitable organisations, an enjoy the very best of what Summer has to offer. ﻿This free event is only open to people who formally volunteer with a registered charity, community group, or charitable company which is a member of Cheshire West Voluntary Action, and based or operating in Cheshire West. Please be aware that your personal data will be shared with the organisation running this event. You can <a href="https://cwva.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Summer_of_Appreciation_Privacy_Statement-1.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> to read the full privacy statement for this project on our website.

Live! Cheshire

<h1>The Summer of Appreciation project is delighted to offer the following...</h1> All aboard! Enjoy a river cruise from the foot of the iconic lift, courtesy of the Canal and River Trust. Our fully accessible, covered trip boat provides the opportunity to see the Anderton Boat Lift from a unique perspective. Take in the scenery of the Weaver Navigation, once a busy commercial waterway and now a haven for wildlife. River cruises are dog friendly (at the boat crew's discretion). Approx 50 minute experience. Guests need to arrive around 30 minutes before the start time. The Canal and River Trust are committed to making your experience as accessible as possible. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/things-to-do/museums-and-attractions/anderton-boat-lift-and-visitor-centre-cheshire/access-at-anderton-boat-lift. We have 2 wheelchair spaces available. This free event is only open to people who formally volunteer with a registered charity, community group, or charitable company which is a member of Cheshire West Voluntary Action, and based or operating in Cheshire West. Please be aware that your personal data will be shared with the organisation running this event. You can <a href="https://cwva.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Summer_of_Appreciation_Privacy_Statement-1.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> to read the full privacy statement for this project on our website.

Anderton Boat Lift Visitor Centre

<h1>The Summer of Appreciation project is delighted to offer the following...</h1> Storyhouse tours offer a chance to explore the backstage areas of our building and discover the history and stories behind it. Whether you have a love of theatre, cinema, history or architecture, there's plenty to enjoy. It's a great way to get an insider's look at everything Storyhouse has to offer. Please meet in the main foyer just before your tour is due to start, where you will meet two of our volunteers running the tour. You can spot them wearing stripy tops and red lanyards. This free event is only open to people who formally volunteer with a registered charity, community group, or charitable company which is a member of Cheshire West Voluntary Action, and based or operating in Cheshire West. Please be aware that your personal data will be shared with the organisation running this event. You can read the <a href="https://cwva.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Summer_of_Appreciation_Privacy_Statement-1.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> to read the full privacy statement for this project on our website.

Storyhouse

<h1>The Summer of Appreciation project is delighted to offer the following...</h1> Discovery Tour - an hour long tour exploring the highlights and rich history of Chester Cathedral, followed by the opportunity to enjoy a refreshment in our Refectory. Participants will need to be comfortable with walking for the duration of the tour. This free event is only open to people who formally volunteer with a registered charity, community group, or charitable company which is a member of Cheshire West Voluntary Action, and based or operating in Cheshire West. Please be aware that your personal data will be shared with the organisation running this event. You can read the <a href="https://cwva.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Summer_of_Appreciation_Privacy_Statement-1.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> to read the full privacy statement for this project on our website.

Chester Cathedral

This webinar is designed for community sector organisations that want to better understand local need and inequality. It will introduce the latest English Indices of Deprivation and demonstrate how this powerful dataset can be used to identify areas of greatest disadvantage, strengthen funding bids, and support the planning and delivery of services.&nbsp;Delivered by Cheshire West and Chester Council's Insight and Intelligence team, the session will cover:<ul><li>an introduction to the Indices of Deprivation, including the different dimensions of deprivation they measure</li><li>how the data can be used alongside other sources of information to better understand local needs, build the evidence base for funding and service development, and help target resources and services</li><li>a detailed exploration of what the data tells us about communities across the borough, using a publicly available interactive dashboard.</li></ul>

<h1>The Summer of Appreciation project is delighted to offer the following...</h1> Our Visitor Engagement volunteers are based at key locations around the zoo, to answer visitor queries, help them connect with our animals and share our conservation campaigns. This session will include a walk round part of the zoo to see some of the volunteer locations, led by our visitor engagement volunteers. Learn about our zoo animals and conservation campaigns. There will also be a chance to sit down with a hot drink and chat to our volunteers. A free hot drink will be provided, but please bring your own lunch, or there are catering facilities on site. Scooter hire is available, please email volunteers@chesterzoo.org if ou will require a scooter. Further accessibility information for the Zoo is available here:https://www.chesterzoo.org/tickets-membership-experiences/plan-your-visit/accessibility This free event is only open to people who formally volunteer with a registered charity, community group, or charitable company which is a member of Cheshire West Voluntary Action, and based or operating in Cheshire West. Please be aware that your personal data will be shared with the organisation running this event. You can <a href="https://cwva.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Summer_of_Appreciation_Privacy_Statement-1.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> to read the full privacy statement for this project on our website.

Chester Zoo 

Thank you for registering for this online training. We'll be back in touch closer to the training with joining instructions.

Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA) is providing training for community sector organisations that are interested in using Plinth as their community impact system. Plinth has been used by CWVA since the start of 2025, offering a wide range of features, such as case management, event bookings, outcome measurements, surveys and forms, and much more. Community sector organisations linked to CWVA are able to use Plinth for free. This training will provide an overview of the system, how community sector organisations can take advantage of the different features, and how CWVA is planning to use Plinth to aggregate data and show the collective impact being made by the sector.

Please note that we do require attendees to pay a £10 deposit to book on. This will be refunded upon attendance, or cancellation with three working days notice. This qualification is typically delivered over 1 working day. It is designed for those working in lower risk workplaces, or higher risk workplaces with a lower number of staff and visitors. The course fits the following criteria:<ul><li>Regulated qualification</li><li>Meets H.S.E requirements</li><li>6 guided learning hours (1 day)</li><li>Valid for 3 years</li><li>Certificate included</li><li>Assessed by MCQs and practical observation</li></ul> This qualification has been developed to meet the first aid training requirements outlined by the H.S.E. The course includes:<ul><li>What is first aid?</li><li>First aid in the workplace</li><li>Responsibilities of the first aider</li><li>Primary survey</li><li>Unconscious casualty management</li><li>Resuscitation</li><li>Choking</li><li>Shock</li><li>Wounds and bleeding</li><li>Minor burns</li><li>Seizures</li></ul> Schedule for the session:<ul><li>8:45am - arrival</li><li>9am - start and registration</li><li>10:15am to 10:30am - BREAK</li><li>12:15pm to 12:45pm - BREAK</li><li>2pm to 2:15pm - BREAK</li><li>3:30pm - short written assessment and questionnaire</li><li>4pm - departure</li></ul> If you have any additional learning needs or adjustments required, please do contact michael.mitchell@cwva.org.uk.

Headquartes of Cheshire Football Association

Cheshire FA

CWVA will be hosting a series of Volunteer Managers Network Meetings throughout 2026. These meetings are open to staff AND volunteers, community sector OR public sector, who are involved in recruiting, managing, and coordinating volunteers within their organisation. They are a key chance to network, learn from one another, and share information about what is happening within the sector.&nbsp; This month, we will be hosted by St Luke's Hospice in Winsford. Tea, coffee, and biscuits will be available throughout.

Cheshire West Voluntary Action

CWVA Volunteer Managers Network

Chester Cathedral: Discovery Tour

Supporting Volunteers with Criminal Convictions

BBQ, Boccia and Bikes!

Anderton Boat Life River Trip

Storyhouse: Backstage Theatre Tour

Chester Cathedral: Discovery Tour

English Indices of Deprivation webinar

Chester Zoo Tour

Plinth online demo

Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work

CWVA Volunteer Managers Network