Tackling Obesity in Adults: New Solutions to a Growing Problem – Webinar 12.08.25

Programme:

  • Learn about trends and drivers in obesity in adults globally and in the UK, the health, economic and societal consequences and impact on healthcare budgets and current UK, devolved and local government policy in this area
  • Understand the role of weight loss drugs in tackling obesity and how it is shaping government policy and the role of the NHS
  • Exchange views on the importance of prioritising prevention over cure and the dangers of weight loss drugs taking focus away from prevention
  • Develop long-term comprehensive national strategies for preventing obesity in adults  
  • Examine obesity in the UK in an international context and learn about best practice in preventing and tackling obesity in different countries
  • Promote public health measures for improving diet and preventing obesity, including through taxing unhealthy foods and subsidising healthy foods to make them cheaper
  • Implement plans to tackle the social determinants of obesity and reduce the gap in obesity levels between the richest and poorest regions of the UK
  • Consider the impact banning pre-9pm junk food TV adverts and online adverts of unhealthy food will have on obesity levels and whether much stricter regulatory interventions are needed to safeguard public health

To register for the briefing, please click here.

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Strengthening Child Protection Online: Webinar – 09.09.25

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) revealed in its 2025 annual report, published this April, that it received 245 reports of AI-generated child sexual abuse imagery that broke UK law in 2024 – an increase of 380% on the 51 seen in 2023, comprising 7,644 images and a small number of videos. The largest proportion of those images was “category A” material, meaning the most extreme type of child sexual abuse content that includes penetrative sexual activity or sadism, accounting for 39% of the actionable AI material seen by the IWF. The IWF also reported record levels of webpages hosting child sexual abuse imagery in 2024, with 291,273 reports of child sexual abuse imagery last year, an increase of 6% on 2023. Furthermore, according to data published by the NSPCC in November 2024, 19% of children aged 10-15-years-old exchanged messages with someone online who they had never met before in the last year; and over 9,000 child sexual abuse offences involved an online element in 2022/23.

In April 2025, Ofcom announced new rules for tech firms to keep children safe online. Social media and other internet platforms will be legally required to block children’s access to harmful content from 25th July or face large fines – and in extreme cases being shut down – under the UK’s Online Safety Act. Ofcom published over 40 measures covering sites and apps used by children, ranging from social media to search and gaming. Under the measures, the “riskiest” services must use “highly effective” age checks to identify under-18 users; algorithms, which recommend content to users, must filter out harmful material; all sites and apps must have procedures for taking down dangerous content quickly; and children must have a “straightforward” way to report content. Separately, the IWF has announced that it is making a new safety tool, called Image Intercept, available to smaller websites for free, to help them spot and prevent the spread of abuse material on their platforms.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, has said he that he is considering a social media curfew for children after TikTok’s introduction of a feature that encourages under-16s to switch off the app after 10pm. Kyle has also insisted that the Online Safety Act will not be a bargaining chip in any negotiations with the Trump administration over the threat of tariffs being imposed on British exports to the US, following criticism of the act, on free speech grounds, by US Vice-President, JD Vance.

Mark Jones, a partner at the law firm Payne Hicks Beach, argues that the new Ofcom regulations mark a “considerable sea change” in dealing with illegal or harmful content as they require tech companies to be proactive in identifying and removing dangerous material. However, online safety campaigner, Ian Russell, has said that the codes were “overly cautious” and put tech company profit ahead of tackling harmful content, stating: “I am dismayed by the lack of ambition in today’s codes. Instead of moving fast to fix things, the painful reality is that Ofcom’s measures will fail to prevent more young deaths like my daughter Molly’s.” Russell’s Molly Rose Foundation charity argues the codes do not go far enough to moderate suicide and self-harm content as well as blocking dangerous online challenges. The Children’s Commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza, has also criticised the measures and accused Ofcom of prioritising tech companies’ business interests over children’s safety; while the NSPCC wants tougher measures on strongly encrypted messaging services such as WhatsApp, although it describes the measures as a “major step forward”.

This symposium will provide stakeholders, including children’s services, schools, police, central and local government agencies, with an invaluable opportunity to review regulations, legislation and government policy relating to online child safety and to discuss options for better protecting children and reducing risks online. It will also enable delegates to formulate collaborative measures to support victims of online abuse and raise levels of digital literacy to help children thrive online.

Programme

  • Learn about and assess Ofcom’s new safety measures for protecting children online and evaluate how they could be strengthened
  • Examine UK government policy relating to the protection of children online and develop a comprehensive national strategy for child online safety
  • Evaluate the robustness of the Online Safety Act in protecting children and explore avenues for improvement
  • Exchange views on whether rules placing restrictions on social media use by children should be introduced 
  • Promote the role that schools can play in teaching children how to stay safe online
  • Discuss the role that of multi-agency cooperation in enforcing the duty of care for online platforms and the role that technology companies can play in strengthening online protections, monitoring and reporting
  • Share best practice in promoting digital literacy and awareness of online risks, working collaboratively to protect children from online harms, and supporting young victims among parents and guardians, schools, children’s services, and the police
  • Propose measures to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to tackle perpetrators of online harm against children, increase the reporting of online abuse and harmful content with the police, and better support victims

To register for the briefing, please click here.

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Forthcoming Events for Volunteer Management Professionals

The Association of Volunteer Managers (AVM) is an independent membership body that aims to support, represent and champion people in volunteer management in the UK regardless of field, discipline or sector.

We run a variety of events throughout the year which we thought may be of interest to you and your team, as well as other volunteer organisations that you work with.

Innovating Volunteer Recruitment – From Challenges to Solutions: Thursday 24 July 2025 | Online

*Last chance to book*
Explore what works in volunteer recruitment — and how to make it work for you.

In the first part of this session, you will discover some practical recruitment strategies, understand the current challenges when recruiting volunteers, and learn from a successful project where volunteer numbers were doubled.

The second part of the session will involve an interactive workshop where we’ll flip the traditional recruitment model and explore how to make your organization become truly “the volunteers” organisation, by putting volunteers at the heart of the experience. 

Find out more

Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers – Peer Learning for Inclusive Volunteer Management: Thursday 18 September 2025 | Online

What would it look like if inclusion wasn’t just a value, but something we practiced, and built together?

To mark National Inclusion Week we have invited some guest speakers to share insights on creating and developing peer learning opportunities that drive meaningful inclusion in workplaces and communities.

This session will explore how we can bring people together, share best practices, and drive real change including:

  • Creating inclusive volunteering spaces: a culture of inclusion and psychological safety
  • Addressing microaggressions and unconscious bias in volunteer teams
  • The role of peer learning in fostering connection
  • Managing diverse volunteer teams effectively.

Find out more

AVM Conference 2025: Wednesday 15 & Thursday 16 October 2025 | Online
­We’re thrilled to announce that tickets are now officially available for the annual Association of Volunteer Managers Conference.

The role of volunteer managers is ever evolving, and this year’s conference will provide you with the opportunity to delve into key aspects of our profession, providing you with the opportunity to gain insights from leading voices and learn about best practices alongside peers from across the sector.

Each day of this online event will feature:

  • An informative keynote
  • A selection of interactive workshops
  • An insightful panel discussion.

Find out more

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Addressing Cold Weather Planning & Fuel Poverty: How to Reduce Preventable Cold Weather-Related Deaths & Ill-Health

Webinar: Thursday, August 14th 2025 

Programme

  • Learn about fuel poverty trends and drivers and the impact of these on public health and the NHS
  • Evaluate the government’s Adverse Weather and Health Plan for 2025 and 2026 and exchange views on how this should be built upon and improved to further reduce preventable cold weather-related deaths and ill-health
  • Determine the impact of ending winter fuel payment pensioner universality, the adequacy of cold weather payments and assess wider government energy policy aimed at supporting households
  • Assess the merits and viability of introducing a social tariff to reduce energy bills for vulnerable households, paid for by energy companies  
  • Develop strategies to fully insulate the UK’s housing stock and exchange best practice on home insulation and energy efficiency measures among local authorities, housing providers and private developers
  • Formulate comprehensive plans to tackle affordability and discrimination in the energy market  
  • Consider the wider policy reforms required to reduce health inequalities and protect those most at risk from the impacts of adverse weather
  • Exchange views on how to improve multi-agency collaboration, integration of health and social care and use of digital technology in cold weather planning and protecting the most vulnerable and promote best practice

To register for the briefing, please click here.


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Tackling the Housing Crisis Webinar – 29.07.25

Programme

  • Understand the trends in and the drivers of the UK’s housing crisis and the impact on ordinary people
  • Learn about and assess the extent to which the government’s plans for building more homes and supporting renters will tackle the UK’s housing crisis
  • Exchange views on the role that rent controls, raising housing benefit and increasing the construction of Council housing could play in fixing the UK’s housing crisis
  • Evaluate how greater local authority devolution can help ensure housing needs are met locally  
  • Understand the reforms to planning policy and the housing sector required to build the homes needed to meet the needs of a growing population
  • Consider how empty homes could be brought back into use to increase access to housing
  • Develop a comprehensive plan for reforming the UK’s housing model in order to eliminate homelessness and rough sleeping and ensure good quality, affordable housing for all  
  • Promote the roll out of higher density, mixed use developments as a means of meeting the UK’s housing needs and creating vibrant, walkable, more affordable, and more sustainable communities

To register for the briefing, please click here.

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The Future of UK Charities: Fixing the Funding Crisis Facing the Charity Sector

Webinar 28.08.25

Programme

  • Understand the key trends, challenges, and opportunities that will define the UK charity sector in the coming years
  • Assess the impact of government policy relating to charities and promote avenues for improving government support for the sector  
  • Evaluate what an effective Civil Society Covenant should look like and how to improve the way government and charities work together
  • Prepare for the UK cuts to international development aid on charities and those they support and formulate plans for how the sector can meet this challenge
  • Promote a long-term vision for how to place UK charities in a position to help drive the government’s ambition for a decade of national renewal
  • Exchange best practice on recruitment and retention in the charity sector
  • Develop strategies designed to make charities more financially resilient and sustainable, individually and as a sector
  • Exchange views on how charities can take advantage of digital and AI to increase fundraising, drive efficiency and improve delivery, while mitigating any risks

To register for the briefing, please click here.

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Eliminating Homelessness & Rough Sleeping in the UK: Designing a Comprehensive Strategy to Tackle an Escalating Crisis – Webinar, 20.05.25

This symposium aims to offer stakeholders – including policymakers, local authorities, charities, and social housing providers – an opportunity to examine the current state of homelessness and rough sleeping in the UK, assess the new Labour government’s plans to eliminate homelessness and the ability of local authorities to support vulnerable households, and discuss avenues for reversing the UK’s escalating homelessness and rough sleeping crisis.

Programme

  • Learn about and assess current trends in and drivers of homelessness and rough sleeping in the UK, the different approaches taken to tackle thee across the UK and the new Labour government’s plans in this area
  • Assess the role that the Renters’ Rights Bill could play in tackling homelessness and rough sleeping and how the bill could be improved
  • Exchange views on what a new national strategy for ending homelessness should look like     
  • Understand how local authorities, charities and other stakeholders can work together to support rough sleepers into accommodation
  • Consider the roles that increased devolution can play in assisting local authorities, combined authorities, and regional mayors in tackling housebuilding and rough sleeping
  • Evaluate the varying roles that rent caps, increased housebuilding, empty homes, Council housing, social housing and housing benefit could play in addressing homelessness and rough sleeping
  • Assess the state of local homelessness prevention services and the additional support they need to ensure sufficient provision for vulnerable households
  • Exchange best practice on how local authorities, housing associations and landlords can better support vulnerable households

To register for the briefing, please click here.

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Tackling Homelessness in the EU : How to Address an Escalating Crisis – Webinar 10.06.25

This symposium will provide an opportunity for EU-wide stakeholders, policymakers, and other professionals working in this sector to discuss the latest trends in and drivers of homelessness across Europe, examine the merits of current policies aimed at tackling Europe’s escalating homelessness crisis, and develop comprehensive strategies designed to end homelessness for good. #

Programme

  • Learn about and assess current trends and drivers of homelessness across Europe
  • Examine the successes and failures of EU policies, programs and initiatives designed to tackle homelessness
  • Exchange views on what the internationally agreed definition of homelessness and associated statistical definitions and data collection methods should be and how these should be established  
  • Develop strategies that go beyond managing homelessness, but on ending it
  • Examine the role that taking a housing-led, Housing First approach can play in tackling homelessness
  • Understand the impact of taking a punitive and criminalising response to homelessness   
  • Discuss how to ensure that the needs of homeless people are met in policymaking and service delivery, including with regard to access to health and other social services
  • Assess how EU policymakers, in concert with EU structural and investment funds, can help shape and support national and regional homelessness strategies in such a way as to embed the right to housing across the continent

To register for the briefing, please click here.

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Charities SORP: Exposure Draft SORP 2026 Consultation Launch

Charities SORP – Exposure draft SORP 2026 – Consultation launch 28 March 2025 – Deadline for consultation responses is midday, Friday 20 June 2025

Charity Finance will host a free webinar on the proposed draft of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) on 17th April at 2pm.  

Chaired by Tristan Blythe, editor of Charity Finance, the one-hour session will explore the key changes in the new SORP, the practical implications for charities, and what’s missing from the updated framework. The webinar will conclude with a live Q&A to address your pressing questions.

Please respond to the consultation at: https://www.charitysorp.org/

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Webinar 08.04.25: Tackling Childhood Obesity

NHS data published in November 2024 shows that 9.6% of reception-age children were obese in 2023-24, up from 9.2% in 2022-23, with children as young as two treated for obesity-related illness in England and experts warning of a public health crisis. Among children aged 10-11, the proportion who have obesity fell slightly from 22.7% to 22.1% but remained higher than the 2019-20 level of 21%. Recent research by the Food Foundation indicates that bad diet is causing a record amount of disability among people across the UK who are overweight or obese. NHS England has said that it was spending £6.5bn a year on treating obesity-related ill health across all age groups in England.

Labour, in its general election manifesto, committed to banning advertising junk food to children along with the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s. The government intends to ban junk food advertisements from television before the 9pm watershed. It also aims to give local authorities enhanced powers to block the development of fast food outlets near schools to tackle obesity. Further measures are being examined by the government, with officials canvassing the public health sector for policy ideas, including on how to combat obesity, and ministers keen for the want the NHS to take a more proactive role on prevention. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that he is prepared to take “much bolder” action on preventing illness. “There’s diet, there’s healthy lifestyle, we are going to have to get into that space.” Since 2021, meanwhile, NHS England has established 30 specialist Complications from Excess Weight clinics designed for children aged between two and 18 with health complications related to severe obesity, providing specialist treatment and developing tailored care packages with families, which can include diet plans, mental health treatment and coaching, the NHS said.

The government has come under pressure to be bold on public health from chef and food campaigner Jamie Oliver, Henry Dimbleby, a co-founder of the Leon restaurant chain, who drew up Boris Johnson’s food plan, and Anne Longfield, former Children’s Commissioner for England. Oliver urged Keir Starmer to learn lessons from the success of some of the tough anti-obesity measures that have been implemented internationally, such as Amsterdam’s education of primary schoolchildren about healthy eating, restrictions on junk food packaging in Mexico and Chile, and Colombia’s sugar and salt taxes. Dimbleby advised the Prime Minister to regulate the food industry to force it to make its products healthier. He said: “If we are to move from treating sickness to preventing it, it is essential that we change the way we eat. Now is the opportunity for the government to introduce policies to ensure that everyone can access the foods needed to keep them healthy, and that the food industry is regulated to stem the relentless flow of junk food that has become a lethal cultural norm.” Longfield has proposed extending the sugar tax to sugar-sweetened drinks such as milkshakes.

This symposium will provide an opportunity for stakeholders – including healthcare professionals, schools, charities, and local authorities – to learn about existing efforts to reduce childhood obesity, evaluate the new Labour government’s commitments in this area, and assess the policy changes needed to tackle this growing public health challenge and improve diets among children.

Programme

  • Understand the current state of childhood obesity in the UK, its trends, drivers, and impacts
  • Evaluate the new Labour government’s plans for tackling childhood obesity
  • Exchange best practice initiatives among local authorities, schools and the NHS for tackling childhood obesity  
  • Compare the different approaches taken to tackle obesity across the four nations of the UK
  • Assess how the NHS, regulators and other stakeholders can embed a more proactive, preventative approach to public health
  • Exchange views on the bold, innovative changes required to significantly reduce levels of childhood obesity
  • Examine the role played by NHS specialist clinics in treating and tackling childhood obesity
  • Learn about and evaluate anti-obesity measures taken internationally

To register for the briefing, please click here.


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