Manchester Community Central

05/06/2026

As part of , we're pleased to announce the winner of our Young Volunteer of the Year Award for ! 🙌

Congratulations to the fantastic Demi Murch for her incredible voluntary work in the city of Manchester! 🏆

At just 20 years old, Demi has been a weekly volunteer at St Aidan's Centre for 3 years and helps with the foodbank. She is also on the leadership team for the Building Bridges Project and a
voice for young people with disabilities. Demi has given a number of formal presentations, some at large gatherings, addressing the local MP as well as the Greater Manchester Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

'Demi is an inspirational leader and a shining example of how people can turn their own experiences of discrimination into a force for good.' - Gerry, Caritas Diocese of Shrewsbury.

For Volunteers' Week, our Volunteer Centre Manchester team have interviewed Demi about her amazing work. Keep an eye out; we plan to release this next week!

Thank you to our Spirit of Manchester 2026 judging panel for taking the time to read through the fantastic nominations this year - it wasn't an easy choice!

Stay tuned for our full shortlist release soon... 👀

04/06/2026

Manchester Sikh Foundation is deeply saddened by the horrific murder of Henry Nowak and our heartfelt condolences to Henry’s family. Please see below for the full statement.

04/06/2026

Fancy taking a peek at who is judging this year's Spirit of Manchester 2026 Awards? 👀

Each year, we arrange a panel of judges from across Manchester with a wide range of experience, expertise and knowledge to come together to choose the shortlist for 12 categories and the winners for the remaining 3 categories.

Find out more and have a read of our judges biographies by clicking here: https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/spirit-of-manchester/spirit-manchester-awards-judges

03/06/2026

Looking to volunteer in Manchester?
If so, join the Volunteer Centre Manchester on Saturday June 6th for our annual Volunteer Fair from 11am till 4pm 🙌

So far, over 30 volunteer involving organisations have signed up and are keen to meet you!

Organisations attending will be both local and national supporting children, older people, befriending roles, refugees, gardening/allotments, retail, disability, social care, driving, reading/literacy, roles in museums, advocacy roles and much more.

Volunteering is also a great way to meet new people, build confidence, discover what's happening in your local area, and is a great way to gain transferable skills if you're looking for work.

For more information, including about the groups attending, follow this link - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/manchester-volunteer-fair-2026-tickets-1986899951240

Look forward to seeing you there! 🌞

02/06/2026

Join our team!

We are currently hiring for 2 new roles at Manchester Community Central, HR Lead and Head of Finance and HR.

Interested in applying? Make sure to do so by midday on Monday 15 June.

Find out more about the roles below:
📌 Head of Finance and HR https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/news/were-recruiting-head-finance-and-hr
📌 HR Lead https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/news/were-recruiting-hr-lead

01/06/2026

Are you a voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE) organisation with an annual income between £50,000 and £250,000 and based and working within one of the ten localities of Greater Manchester?

Does your organisation support people most affected by social inequalities who are struggling to cope with the worst of the cost-of-living crisis?

If your answers to the above questions are YES, then you could be eligible for one of thirty-six £5000 grants available across the ten localities.

Read more: https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/support-groups/funding-opportunities/cost-living-crisis-greater-manchester-2026-funding-programme

29/05/2026

How NOT to Flee a War comes to Aviva Studios on Wednesday 17 June, from 7pm–9pm, as part of Greater Manchester’s Refugee Week programme!

This free event, held by Jez Myers and Maria Romanenko, discusses their personal experiences of their attempt to escape Kyiv as Russia launched its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022.

What begins as a surreal morning of explosions and disbelief quickly becomes a frantic and uncertain decision: whether to stay, where to go and how to leave a city rapidly emptying under threat. Built around their real journey out of Ukraine, the talk uses personal storytelling and images from the road to show what the first days of invasion felt like from the inside.

Sign up to attend here: https://factoryinternational.org/whats-on/how-not-to-flee-a-war/

28/05/2026

The Community Explorers forum, which sits with the Policy and Influence team at Manchester Community Central, is designed to connect and uplift the voices of the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector in Manchester.

Our online meetings take place every month and are an opportunity to chat with other VCSE groups & statutory colleagues in your area.

Promote what you’re up to, share learnings and feel connected to the wider sector!

Sign up here to attend our next sessions in June and July: https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/support-groups/training-and-events/community-explorers-june-july-2026

27/05/2026

Another beautiful day at our home, St Thomas Centre! 🌞

Did you know we offer office space and room hire at affordable rates with exceptional customer service?

St Thomas Centre is a renovated Grade 2 listed Georgian church – the third oldest church in Manchester. It is located on what is affectionately dubbed ‘voluntary sector row’ in the Ardwick area of Manchester, due to the number of voluntary sector organisations based on the same street.

Fancy using our space or want to find out more from our Facilities Team? Visit the St Thomas Centre website here: https://stthomascentre.org.uk/

Discounted offers at St Thomas Centre are available for Manchester Community Central members! Not signed up yet? Do so here: https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/who-we-are/membership

26/05/2026

Just 2 days to go until our Meet the Funder webinar!

Sign up to attend here: https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/civicrm/event/info?id=9062&reset=1

Are you aged 18–35, based in North Manchester, and passionate about making a difference in your community?

The Live Well Communities Fund is a community-led grants programme delivered by Manchester Community Central as part of Greater Manchester’s wider Live Well initiative. The fund is designed to address health and racial inequalities in North Manchester by supporting grassroots, resident‑led activity. Co‑designed with local residents and VCSE partners, the programme enables communities to shape the support they need.

Sign up to attend our Meet the Funder webinar here: https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/civicrm/event/info?id=9062&reset=1