News bulletin December 2025

Welcome to our new Programme Director

A huge warm welcome to Rachel Way, our new Programme Director. Rachel has already started in the role and is busy working with Sandie to make the handover as seamless as possible. Rachel has a wealth of experience working in and with the voluntary sector, and we are delighted she is taking on this role. Rachel will be at the December meeting to meet some of you, and you’ll be hearing much more from her very soon!

Meeting the new ICB leadership team

Another warm welcome to Pam Green, the Central East ICB Neighbourhood Director for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. A physio by background, Pam has worked in many senior health roles across the East of England, including Director of Commissioning and Director of Transformation and Strategy for North East Essex CCG and latterly Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) Alliance Director.

Pam is passionate about the voluntary sector and has a great vision for the potential of our sector to play a leading role. Pam is our link to the new ICB leadership team, and we look forward to welcoming her to a VSN meeting soon.

Tackling racism in the workplace

Following on from discussions about the ICB-led Strengthening Inclusion Framework and how the VCSE sector can improve the experiences of our workforce.

Three VSN members have shared what action they have taken, and we have compiled these and will be circulating them in our VSN Weekly email alert (whilst our webpage is being rebuilt). Please look out for these case studies and take a few minutes to read – there are some simple suggestions which won’t take long to do but can have a massive impact on the wellbeing of your staff and volunteers.

VCSE opportunities in the WorkWell programme

We’ve been told by our members that the opportunities for the VCSE within the WorkWell programme are not entirely clear. So, we have spoken to two VSN member organisations who have taken advantage of the WorkWell offer.

They tell us what they did and how this programme was of benefit to their clients, about what worked for them.

Again, we will circulate in our weekly VSN email. This is an offer that can really work for our sector, so again, please watch out for this and take a few minutes to read.

Working across the Central East ICB area

Changes within the ICB are now accelerating, as they move toward the new geographical area. We would like to reassure all our members and the wider VCSE sector that our views are being heard and we are actively contributing to the plans for future partnership arrangements.

We are confident that our good work will stand us in good stead for future working with the Herts and BLMK Health Alliances.

Goodbye from Sandie

All good things come to an end, and sadly, it is time for me to retire and take life a little easier (just a little mind!). It has been an honour and a privilege to work with so many truly amazing people in our local voluntary sector and wider.

Thank you for all your support – we could not have done any of this without you! I am very proud of what we have built here in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and I hope you are too.

We have a great foundation on which to build and work with partners. I am delighted to be handing over to Rachel – I know the VCSE future will be bright and wish every one of you the very best.

VSN meetings in 2026

Future meetings will include items on the new ICB arrangements and the Central East Commissioning Strategy. Keep your eye on the agendas as they come out. And don’t worry if you can’t make a meeting, there are always the notes and news bulletin items to help you catch up.

• 14th January 10 am-12 pm Teams
• 25th February 10 am – 12 pm Over Community Centre
• 1st April 2 – 4 pm Teams
• 20th May 1- 3 pm Allia, Peterborough

Further information

More information about all of the above, including the VSN Action Plan 2025-28, notes from previous meetings, newsletters and a range of health-related information, is on our VSN webpage.