Voluntary Sector Network (Health – Cambridgeshire and Peterborough)

The network holds monthly meetings, alternating online and face-to-face in locations across Cambridgeshire & Peterborough.  We amplify the voice of the sector and strengthen our partnership with the NHS by supporting members to take seats at the regional partnership and local neighbourhood board level.

Programme Director, Rachel Way, said:

Our focus is on ensuring that the VCSE voice continues to be heard in all the right places – championing our shared priorities and strengthening our collective influence. We are always looking for new people from any voluntary or social enterprise, big or small, and faith groups to join the membership and get involved.

Benefits of the VSN:

Steel Bones joined the Voluntary Sector Network (VSN) to collaborate with like-minded organisations, share learning, and ensure amputee families have a voice in wider conversations about health and inclusion. Emma Joy- Staines, CEO Steel Bone:

As a small charity, it’s especially important for us to feel welcomed, accepted, and treated as an equal—and the VSN has consistently offered that.

Unlike some networks that focus primarily on larger organisations, the VSN recognises the value of grassroots voices and ensures all members are heard. We’ve always felt that our contributions matter, which is vital for building confidence, sharing expertise, and working together to drive real change.

Current Focus

Representing the sector through the current NHS changes

The VSN are working closely with colleagues in the health services through the current changes, providing regular updates from our representatives to our members.

Using Data to Strengthen the Sector

To help us better understand and support our communities, Cambridge CAB is leading a project to gather data from voluntary and community organisations. This will create a shared data catalogue to help shape services and priorities.

Health leaders are interested in how this data could be used alongside health information — especially at a local neighbourhood level — to make a bigger impact where it matters most.  The first stage of this project is for organisations to share the data headings that they collect to inform us of shared data sets.