Our vision

is for strong, vibrant communities that are open, inclusive and at the heart of local life

Supporting the voluntary sector in Richmond

We are an independent infrastructure organisation, providing dedicated support to the many Voluntary and Community Sector organisations in the borough of Richmond upon Thames.

Our mission is to provide strong effective leadership to:

Work for the community, supporting a robust and sustainable voluntary sector which provides locally needed quality services

Facilitate positive partnership working

Strengthen, support and enable volunteering and community action

Empower community groups and individuals to influence and contribute to their community

We are funded by Richmond Council to deliver three support contracts for the sector, under the branding Community Connections Richmond:

Strategic Leadership, Voice and Representation – supports voluntary groups to have voice

Richmond Volunteer Service - supports local people to volunteer in their community

Capacity Building Service - helps voluntary groups to develop and thrive

Additionally we:

provide the Strategic Lead function for the children and young people’s voluntary sector and offer specific support for organisations working in this area

run a Community Involvement service which works with individuals who use local health and care services to inform and shape service design and delivery

We receive grants and fees from a range of bodies and use these to achieve our charitable objectives and deliver a range of services to support member organisations and the voluntary sector as a whole.

Membership of Richmond CVS is free and open to charitable, voluntary and community groups working in the borough of Richmond upon Thames. Our Board of Trustees is elected by our members.

We are a member of the South London CVS Partnership alongside counterpart organisations in Kingston, Merton, Sutton, Croydon and Bromley.

Respect for Diversity

Richmond CVS is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and opposes discrimination in all its forms for service users, staff and volunteers.

Respect for diversity and difference underpins Richmond CVS’ vision of a fair, open and inclusive society that encourages and supports voluntary and community sector activity.