Welcome to the
VCSE Alliance – the VCSE gateway
to Surrey’s health and care system
The VCSE sector’s
conduit for insight, connection, and influence
across Surrey
Connecting voices
Informing change
Welcome to the Surrey VCSE Alliance
The Surrey VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise) Alliance is a central point of contact connecting charities, social enterprises, community groups, and lived-experience organisations across Surrey be heard in helping to shape health, care, and community services.
What we do:
As a recognised governance structure, the Alliance provides a coordinated structure for engaging the VCSE sector with statutory health and care partners. Our role is to ensure VCSE organisations are central to discussions in supporting systems improvement for health and care in Surrey.
Our approach:
Our leadership board brings together representatives from across the VCSE and statutory sectors for a deeper understanding to influence decision-making. Through themed portfolios — such as mental health, dementia, and homelessness — we coordinate work that addresses local priorities committed to drive meaningful systemic change.
How we do this:
Connecting sectors: We bring together charities, social enterprises, community groups, and lived-experience organisations with health and care partners to build strong, effective collaboration.
Gathering and sharing insight: We act as a communications and intelligence hub, capturing the experiences and priorities of Surrey’s communities and translating them into actionable insight.
Influencing strategy: We use evidence from the VCSE sector to inform decision-making across the health and care system, ensuring community perspectives guide policy and service design.
Driving collective action: Through focused portfolios — such as mental health, dementia, and homelessness — we coordinate joint efforts to that inform change.
Strengthening voice and impact: We champion the role of the VCSE sector as an equal partner, advocating for community needs and supporting innovation that improves health, wellbeing, and equity across Surrey.
Our mission:
To improve health, wellbeing, and social outcomes for Surrey’s 1.3 million residents by ensuring that the voices and expertise of local communities shape policy, strategy, and public services.
Ben Collins, CEO of the Surrey VCSE Alliance, explains:
“As Surrey’s recognised single point of contact for the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, the Surrey VCSE Alliance functions as a conduit, connector and influential partner — strengthening collaboration and ensuring VCSE perspectives shape local strategies and services.”
Our Structure: Local, Connected and Strategic
Surrey is built on four place-based areas — East Surrey, Guildford & Waverley, North West Surrey and Surrey Downs.
Our VCSE place leads ensure local communities have a clear route to influence decisions within their area.
-
VCSE Lead - Michelle Blunsom (East Surrey Domestic Abuse Service)
-
VCSE Lead - Caroline Keith and Ian Ross (Voluntary Action South West Surrey)
-
VCSE Lead - Solette Sheppardson (Voluntary Support North Surrey)
-
VCSE Lead - Sally Dubery (Central Surrey Voluntary Action)
We're excited to grow
this list and you
could be part of it!
Why Our Work Matters
Communities understand their own needs — and must have a route to influence change.
VCSE organisations hold trusted relationships with people statutory services cannot always reach.
A single point of contact strengthens coordination and reduces duplication.
A connected VCSE sector amplifies influence and improves system outcomes.
Equity improves when all voices — especially the seldom heard — shape decisions.
Get Involved
Whether you are a charity, community group, social enterprise or statutory partner, there are many ways to work with us:
Join the Alliance — Be part of Surrey’s collaborative VCSE network.
Engage with a Priority Area — Contribute your insight to thematic leadership.
Partner with Us — Work together on system-wide challenges and programmes.
Share Community Insight — Ensure lived experience shapes decisions at every level.
