As part of the launch of the new Code of Fundraising Practice, we’ve published three code support guides to help fundraising organisations apply the code in practice. These guides can be used alongside the code and they focus on areas that fundraisers have told us can be complex or high-risk: documenting decisions, due diligence, and monitoring fundraising partnerships.
Read our blog from our Head of Policy, Paul Winyard, for more details about what each code support guide offers.
We’ve recently published new advice for retailers, such as supermarkets, who carry out charitable cash collections on their premises. Retailers play an important role in supporting charitable causes through providing a space for charitable collections in their stores. However, it is important that everyone involved meets certain standards to make sure fundraising occurs in a safe and secure way, so that any money raised reaches its intended purpose. You can read our blog explaining more about why we’ve published this guidance and what it covers from our Head of Proactive Regulation, Jim Tebbett.
Project Title: Eid Al-Adha Celebration
Organizer: Eastern Sudan Community Association (ESCA), London Branch
Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025, Time: 16:45 – 21:45
Venue: White City Community Centre, Central London
Total Attendance: 202 individuals (47 women, 48 men, 34 youths, 73 children)
1. Objectives
The primary goals of the Eid Al-Adha celebration were to:
1. Celebrate Eid Al-Adha with the local Sudanese community.
2. Promote and preserve Eastern Sudanese cultural heritage.
3. Support local Sudanese-owned businesses through a community bazaar.
4. Foster unity, cultural pride, and engagement among community members.
5. Provide families and children with a joyful and educational cultural experience.
2. Activities Overview
• Cultural Performances: Traditional shows by 3 Sudanese artists and a Sudanese
music group delivered live performances.
• Children’s Entertainment: Art activities and two trampoline bounce areas
provided safe and engaging fun for children.
• Recognition Ceremony: 5 community volunteers and 2 distinguished women
were honoured for their service and contributions.
• Football Recruitment: Coach Ammar Al-Qadi gave a welcome address, inviting
families to enrol their children in the ESCA football team.
• Bazaar and Refreshments: Local Sudanese vendors participated in a small
bazaar offering food and cultural items.
3. Target Audience
• Sudanese families and individuals residing in the Hammersmith and Fulham area.
• Broader community members with an interest in cultural exchange and Sudanese
traditions.
4. Expected Benefits
• Fosters cultural pride and intergenerational knowledge exchange.
• Supports Sudanese entrepreneurs and artisans.
• Enhances ESCA’s visibility and credibility within the community.
• Builds stronger community bonds through shared celebration and participation.
5. Conclusion
The Eid Al-Adha Celebration organized by ESCA was a successful one-day cultural
event that brought together over 200 participants for a memorable and meaningful
experience. By blending entertainment, tradition, and community recognition, the event
effectively promoted Sudanese heritage, supported local businesses, and reinforced
community solidarity. Continued support and collaboration will enable ESCA to deliver
even greater impact in future community events
Nearly a year after their General Election victory, the Labour government has finalised its spending plans for the rest of the Parliament. The 2025 Spending Review, announced by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves yesterday, sets out government department budgets up to 2029/30.
This review provides the blueprint for how the government will operate in the years ahead, as well as what local governments and the devolved governments will have available. It will affect many statutory services that charity beneficiaries rely on or that charities have close interactions with. Read more from Jay Kennedy here.
In this article, Clare Martin explores how charities can effectively use AI to support their marketing efforts without losing their authentic voice, offering practical tips for small teams to integrate AI strategically, maintain consistency, and lighten their workload. Give it a read here.
We are a local choir rehearsing in the POSK in King Street Hammersmith and always looking for new members. We will be appearing in Hammersmith on 5th July. Find out more
My name is Jemima, and I am the new Coproduction Officer at Sobus. Since joining the team, I have been learning more about the Borough and the local VCS and am excited to get started!
My role is focused on health inequalities – we know that communities are not getting the support and access to health services that they need. A coproduction approach to health inequalities means putting residents and voluntary and community organisations at the heart of the design and delivery of health services. By listening to the voices of residents about their experiences of health services and the barriers they face, health providers can make their services more accessible and inclusive for different cultures and communities. I am working with both the voluntary and community sector and statutory services to support this collaboration and reduce the barriers to accessing health services.
Alongside this work with Sobus, I am also working part-time at Islington Refugee and Migrant Forum, supporting refugee and migrant organisations with fundraising, capacity building, and partnership working.
If you have any questions about my work or would like to get in touch, please email me at Jemima.hill@sobus.org.uk
Members of Parliament have expressed concerns in the House of Commons regarding the commission charged by online fundraising platforms on gift aid. Labour and Conservative MPs highlighted their worries following research by advisory firm Strand Partners, which revealed that charities lost over £7.5 million last year due to the commission these platforms charge for processing gift aid claims on behalf of charities. Read more here.
Until this year, there have been no additional leave provisions for working parents with babies in neonatal care meaning many parents had been forced to use maternity, paternity, or adoption leave, take holiday or unpaid leave, or even quit their jobs or return to work whilst their baby remained in neonatal care.
From 6 April 2025, this changed with the implementation of new statutory entitlements which are expected to benefit around 60,000 new parents. With the introduction of the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 and accompanying Regulations, the government has introduced a day-one statutory right to neonatal care leave and pay. In this article, associate Julia Nwaneke explains what this means for charities and advises them on next steps. Read on
Volunteers are the backbone of the charity sector, and this Volunteers’ Week (2–8 June) is the perfect time to show your appreciation and do something special to recognise the worthwhile contribution they make to your organisation. Find out how to celebrate your Volunteers next week in this new blog, take a look here.
sobus
20 Dawes Road, London, SW6 7EN
Telephone 020 7952 1230
Email info@sobus.org.uk
Registered Charity No.1071089
and Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England No.03471416
Sobus is a new Community Development Agency for Hammersmith & Fulham. It has been created through the merger of the Community and Voluntary Sector Association Hammersmith & Fulham (CaVSA) and the Fulham Community Partnership Trust (FCPT). Building on the strengths of both organisations, sobus aims to provide a wider range of support services for local charities, community groups, social enterprises and start up businesses.
