Over the past five months in my role as Interim Chief Executive Officer at BVSC, I have met with people across the sector to build productive and trusting relationships, given the fundamental importance of working together for the benefit of local people. What stood out to me most was:
- the determination of the sector to find innovative ways to meet the growing complexity of demands it is facing
- that BVSC must continue to listen and respond appropriately to support the sector with the crucial impact it has across Bexley
- that BVSC must also remain flexible and relevant in the way that it executes its role and, critically, role models what great partnership working looks like
These conversations have reinforced something that comes through clearly in our newly published State of the Sector Report 2025: Bexley's voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector continues to play a vital role in supporting residents, despite facing growing pressures around funding, recruitment and rising demand.
The report, independently analysed by Rocket Science and based on responses from 53 local organisations, is the first sector-wide survey undertaken by BVSC since 2019. On behalf of BVSC, I would like to sincerely thank every organisation that took part and generously shared their insight, experience, challenges and feedback. Your contributions have created an important picture of the sector and the communities we collectively serve.
The findings reveal a sector that is resilient, ambitious and deeply committed to Bexley's residents, but one that is also working in an increasingly challenging environment.
Perhaps the clearest message is that demand continues to rise. Almost 70% of organisations reported that demand for their services increased during the last 12 months, with a similar proportion expecting demand to grow further over the coming year. The sharpest increases are being seen in financial and debt advice, housing and homelessness support, equalities services, social care and disability support.
These trends reflect wider national findings, where charities across the country are experiencing the combined impact of higher costs, increased demand and economic uncertainty. Locally, organisations highlighted cost of living pressures, mental health needs, housing challenges and increasing referrals as key drivers behind this growing demand.
Alongside rising demand, funding remains the sector's greatest concern. Six in ten organisations identified funding development as one of their top support needs, while more than a third reported that funding over the last year had not fully covered the cost of running their organisation. Many organisations continue to face challenges securing long-term funding and planning confidently for the future.
The report also highlights a growing challenge around trustee recruitment and governance. Nearly one-third of organisations reported trustee vacancies, with many vacancies remaining unfilled for several months and affecting organisational performance. This mirrors national concerns about recruiting trustees and finding people with the time, skills and expertise needed to support charities effectively.
Encouragingly, the survey also showed that organisations value collaboration and want stronger connections across the sector and with key partners. Respondents called for more opportunities to network, share learning and better understand the outcomes of discussions taking place between BVSC, the Council and wider system partners.
This directly supports one of the key priorities in BVSC's strategy: providing leadership and advocacy that strengthens the voluntary sector's influence in local decision-making. The voluntary sector plays a vital role in prevention, inclusion and community resilience across Bexley. As local systems continue to evolve, particularly within health and social care, BVSC will continue to ensure that the insight, experience and contribution of local organisations are represented clearly and consistently in system planning and policy development.
We will be using the findings from this report extensively over the coming months. They will inform our discussions with partners, commissioners, funders, elected members and decision-makers, helping us advocate for the sector and champion the needs and experiences of Bexley's voluntary and community organisations.
The report also reinforces the importance of staying connected. We encourage all voluntary sector organisations to sign up to the BVSC newsletter, where you'll find the latest news, funding opportunities, consultations, training and events taking place across Bexley. This is also where we promote our networks and forums, including the CEO Network, Voluntary Sector Forum, Grassroots Network, Adult Social Care Network and Children and Young People's Network. Register for our upcoming networks and forums here.
We're pleased to launch a series or new training sessions this autumn, along with an exciting development programme for grassroot groups across Bexley:
- Grant Fundraising with Confidence: Finding the right funders, developing successful applications and building lasting funder relationships on Thursday 26 November 2026
- Governance Training: Developing knowledge, skills and confidence to govern effectively on Monday 7 December.
- Grassroots Development Grant Programme: a funding and development support programme for grassroot organisations and community groups with income of <£100,000 per year. Applications close Monday 19 October.
We know that trustee recruitment remains a challenge for many organisations, and we are excited to deliver another Trustee Speed Matching Event on Thursday 5 November. Organisations looking for new trustees can register here.
Finally, thank you once again to everyone who completed the survey and, more importantly, to all those leading charities, community groups and voluntary organisations across our borough. Your passion and the impact that you have is needed more than ever in today’s incredibly challenging environment.
I invite you to download and read the full State of the Sector 2025 report here.
The findings provide a valuable insight into both the challenges and opportunities facing our sector and will help us continue building a stronger, more connected and more influential voluntary and community sector for Bexley.
Annie Norton
Interim CEO