Following the nomination period over the summer the team are pleased to announce the nominees for this years awards, we once again had a huge number of nominations with a number of names being nominated a number of times from within the community, clearly demonstrating the appreciation felt by people for the services provided by groups and individuals across the city. This year’s awards will once again take place at the Holiday Inn at The Coldra on the 15th October. Awards wi

GAVO Newport is supporting a study with Macmillan Cancer Support to better understand how cancer and food insecurity affect people in Newport. A cancer diagnosis can place significant pressure on finances, making it harder for some people to access affordable, nutritious food. This study will explore these experiences and gather ideas on how Macmillan and local partners can provide better support. All feedback will be anonymised. Get Involved We would like to hear from: Peopl

Cwtch Communities is a Wales-wide grant programme funded by Comic Relief and delivered by WCVA. It has been created to support small, grassroots organisations that play a vital role in strengthening their communities. The programme recognises that meaningful and lasting change often begins at a very local level, where community groups understand the needs of local people and can respond quickly and compassionately. Through grants ranging from £15,000 to £35,000, Cwtch Communi

Join us at V-Fest 2026! The One Beat Voluntary Sector Showcase returns on Wednesday 28 October 2026, from 10.00am to 3.00pm at Blackwood Rugby Club, Glan-yr-Afon Park, Hall Street, Blackwood, NP12 1NY. This free community event is open to everyone and offers a fantastic opportunity to discover the wide range of services, activities and support available across Caerphilly County Borough. Visitors can explore information stands, watch live demonstrations, and purchase products

Before joining GAVO, Bethan was a primary school teacher. So how did she go from teaching in schools across South Wales and Bristol to supporting volunteers and representing the Third Sector in Monmouthshire? Her journey into the voluntary sector began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she found herself looking for a different path. She joined Barnardo’s, supporting families through parenting programmes, before eventually finding her way to GAVO. And, as Bethan puts it, she

GAVO Blaenau Gwent Weekly Update brings together the latest community news, events, opportunities, and updates from across the third sector in Blaenau Gwent. From local activities and funding opportunities to training, wellbeing support, and community projects, this page helps keep organisations and residents connected with what’s happening across the county borough.

Our Trailblazer Volunteering officer Gareth, from Blaenau Gwent team joined local partners in Llanhilleth this week for a community litter pick, bringing organisations together to help improve the local environment. The litter pick was organised alongside Keep Wales Tidy and Gwent Wildlife Trust, with Councillor Helen Cunningham, Local Environmental Quality Officer John Mewett, Debbie Cox from Keep Wales Tidy, Angela Thompson-Roach from the health board and local PCSOs also t

PAWB Arts CIC was the vision of Hollie Withers, who wanted to bring engaging and immersive arts activities to the local community in Abergavenny through affordable art and design workshops - because art is for everybody. After a successful first year, Hollie wanted to offer people more opportunities to get creative outside of formal classes. How GAVO helped Our community development officer Jo, supported Hollie to explore funding opportunities and put her in touch with the Na

Latest grants, funding opportunities, and support for Blaenau Gwent community groups and organisations.

Want to stay up to date with the latest opportunities, events and news from across the voluntary and community sector in Gwent? GAVO's newsletters are designed to help community groups, charities, volunteers and third sector organisations stay informed and connected. Our local newsletters feature: Funding opportunities Volunteering opportunities Training and events Community news and updates Partnership opportunities We also offer Health, Social Care and Wellbeing newsletters

Following the appointment in of Cllr Debbie Harvey as the city's new mayor earlier this year and the announcement that GAVO Newport, along with St. John Ambulance Cymru Newport Division as the chosen charities for the mayor's term we are keen to share the details of the fundraising activities taking place all of which will help raise funds for the two charities over the coming months. Further details of upcomign events will be listed in the Table below along with posts on our

The latest network event took place at The Hive, a relatively new community space provided by CODI at the bottom of Stow Hill in the City centre. All 25 available spaces were booked for the event from across a wide range of community organisations as shown below to discuss a range of topics at our summer meeting, click the arrow below on each section to read more about the outcomes and next steps from the meeting: Changes to Funding Surgeries Following some insight in the num

Application packs will be available by contacting GAVO. What’s on Offer? Grants of £1,000 up to £25,000 are available to support projects that: Enhance community facilities Improve green spaces Strengthen pride in place across Blaenau Gwent This funding is designed to support practical, lasting improvements that make our communities more sustainable, accessible, and vibrant. Funding Levels Up to £25,000 – Ebbw Fawr and Upper/Lower Ebbw Fach valleys Up to £10,000 – Sirhowy Val

Who has inspired you? Who can Wales be proud of? The St David Awards recognise and celebrate the exceptional achievements of people from all walks of life in Wales and abroad, nominate now. Nominations close on 23rd October 2026. Each year there are 11 St David Awards, the first 10 of which are nominated for by the public: Business Bravery Community Champion Culture Environment Innovation, Science and Technology Public Service Sport Volunteer Young Person First Minister's Spe

Volunteers are the backbone of our communities. Nominating a volunteer or a community group is a great way to show your appreciation. The annual awards, taking place in autumn, will celebrate the incredible work of volunteers in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Newport! Nominations in Blaenau Gwent & Caerphilly close on 7th of August! Newport nominations for Family Champion and Health and Wellbeing Categories only are open until 7th of August! You can nominate as many volunteers

There is still time to submit an application to GAVOs 'Youth Volunteers Fund, supported by the WCVA. Newport, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent are offering funding of up to £2,000 to community and voluntary groups This is a youth-led grant designed to inspire young people (aged 14-25) into volunteering and help develop youth-focused community services across Gwent. 📝 Apply Now! Monmouthshire- Closed to applications Caerphilly deadline- 1st September 2026 Blaenau Gwent- Open f

For the first time in history, the Tour de France is coming to Wales, and you could be part of this once-in-a-generation sporting event The men's peloton will arrive in Wales on Sunday, July 4, 2027, as the grand finale of the UK Grand Départ. Stage 3 will be a gruelling 223 km route beginning at Powis Castle in Welshpool and finishing in Cardiff, bringing thousands of spectators to communities across Wales. Become a Tour de France Joy Maker To help deliver this world-class e

Do you know an individual, volunteer or organisation making a real difference in your community? Organised by WCVA, the awards highlight the outstanding contribution charities, community groups, volunteers and not-for-profit organisations make to improving people's lives. Award categories: Volunteer of the Year (26 and over) Young Volunteer of the Year (25 and under) Fundraiser of the Year Champion of Diversity Use of the Welsh Language Most Influential Small Organisation Hea

As part of National Volunteers' Week, we're celebrating the incredible difference volunteers make in communities across Monmouthshire every day. On Friday 15th May, employees from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) took part in a Corporate Volunteering Day with Friends of Bailey Park in Abergavenny. Between 2pm and 4pm, the team worked alongside local volunteers to help maintain and enhance this much-loved community green space. The group got stuck into a variety of g

Volunteers' Week is a UK-wide campaign held each year from 1–7 June to celebrate and recognise the incredible contribution volunteers make to our communities. Across Gwent and beyond, volunteers give their time, skills and energy to support local organisations, community groups and charities. What is Volunteers Week? Volunteers’ Week is an annual UK-wide campaign held from the first Monday in June to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers, the campaign highli