Shropshire’s voluntary and community sector organisations

Left to right: bottom left: former chair of the VCS Assembly, Sonia Roberts, top left: new chair of the VCS assembly Jackie Jeffrey, Chief Executive of Shropshire’s Citizens’ Advice, top right: Mike Hyatt, Head of Strategy, Research and Performance, Shropshire Council, bottom right: Helen Heritty, Chair of Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group.

Over 120 representatives from the voluntary and community sector came together on Wednesday 24 April to discuss common issues, reflect on the achievements of the last year and agree priorities for the future.  The event was organised by Shropshire Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Assembly.

Shropshire VCS Assembly brings together around 300 voluntary and community sector organisations delivering services in Shropshire.

The Annual Assembly, the largest voluntary sector event of the year, took place at Greenhous Meadow Stadium and included the welcoming of a new Chair for the VCS Assembly. After two years as chair of the Assembly, current chair, Sonia Roberts handed over the honour to Jackie Jeffrey, Chief Executive of Shropshire’s Citizens’ Advice.

Jackie said:

“The AGM  is an important date in the our calendar where we can all come together as an assembly and celebrate our achievements over the last year and look to our priorities in the next.  Particular thanks go to Sonia for all her hard work over the last two years as Chair of the Assembly.”

Highlights of the event included updates from VCS Forums of Interest (groups of organisations working together to address common issues) and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding setting out key principles for partnership between the VCS Assembly, Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group and Shropshire Council.

Other presentations included an overview of Welfare Reform from Jackie Jeffery and Steph Jackson from Shropshire Council, and a presentation on the work of the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) from Helen Herritty, CCG Chair.

For more information on the Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly, please contact:

Telephone: 01743 25 2740

Email: VCSAssembly@shropshire.gov.uk

Website: http://vcsvoice.org/