Torbay's Voluntary Network Celebrates Milestones at Annual Celebration

Founded by local non-profit organisation Engaging Communities South West, the Network unites voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations across Torbay in order to strengthen local community health and wellbeing through collaboration and integrated service delivery.

At a recent annual celebration evening held at South Devon College’s Horizons Restaurant, network members and invited guests came together to hear about the past year’s achievements on the day their latest annual report was launched. Key achievements over the past year include:

• Torbay Community Helpline, now five years old, handled nearly 100,000 calls to date and has supported thousands with food, housing, finance, and emotional wellbeing. As the ‘Front Door’ for Adult Social Care, 84% of referrals were successfully met through voluntary sector support, showcasing the power of community-led responses.
• Paignton Community Hub, located in the town's library, provided in-person support to over 5,500 residents and hosted a range of health services—from NHS screenings to mental health drop-ins and financial guidance clinics.
• Volunteer Torbay, a new initiative to rebrand and streamline local volunteering, launched a dedicated website to promote the VCSE sector as a fulfilling career path and source of community pride.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

According to the annual report, the network’s key priorities helped tackle some of Torbay’s most urgent needs over the past year, such as:

• Financial hardship and housing insecurity were addressed through projects like the FAIR2 partnership and Homelessness Prevention Strategy, linking residents to advice, debt relief, and energy efficiency support.
• Mental health and loneliness were mitigated via initiatives like peer support groups, partnerships with the Devon Mental Health Alliance, and accessible counselling services through organisations like Devon Clinic CIC.
• Digital inclusion, spearheaded by Digital Health Devon, ensured continued access to online NHS services, digital skills training, and device donation programs.
• Domestic abuse and sexual violence prevention, driven by the Standing Tall partnership, supported over 2,000 survivors and launched the Torbay Community Response Strategy with National Lottery funding.
• Employment and skills access expanded through collaborative efforts with Eat That Frog CIC and local partners to guide residents back into the workforce or further education.

At the annual celebration, attendees heard presentations from Anna Coles, newly appointed Director for Adult and Community Service Torbay, Joe Teape, newly started CEO of Torbay and Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Angie Manning, Chair for the Torbay Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Community Forum and Network Coordinator Claire Bithell. Claire commented:

“I’d like to thank Anna Coles, Joe Teape, and Angie Manning for their inspiring contributions to our 2025 Torbay Health and Wellbeing Annual Network Event, and the South Devon College catering team for their fantastic support.

It was powerful to hear firsthand the commitment to partnership across Torbay and the vital role our VCSE sector plays in addressing community needs. It really has been an extraordinary year of community collaboration, impact, and resilience in the face of ongoing economic and social challenges. The event also marked the launch of Torbay’s Community Response Strategy on domestic abuse—an important step forward.

As my first major event as Network Coordinator, it was encouraging to see so many members connecting, collaborating, and sharing ideas. With strengthened partnerships, particularly through the Torbay Community Helpline and Paignton Community Hub, we’re ready to adapt and support our community more effectively than ever.

The Network remains committed to helping Torbay navigate system-wide changes, including NHS restructuring and local authority reforms. With a new three-year Community Wellbeing Contract secured, the Network is positioned to scale its work even further.”

If you were unable to attend the event and would like a copy of the Annual report, please contact Claire.bithell@ecsw.org.uk  or call Paignton Community Hub on 07562 780102.