I’ve seen the future: It’s Bognor Regis

Last year, I went to Bognor Regis and saw the future. Our local Age UK in West Sussex was running a community gym for older people. Many of the customers were doing their post-operative rehab, many others keeping fit so they didn’t have to have an operation. There were dance classes and then a chance for a chat over coffee in the café. There was a lot more Lycra than lace.

There was a lovely lady at the gym aged 69 who joined to improve her fitness levels and balance, to lose weight, and to keep up with her grandchildren.

She said: “I broke down crying when first speaking to my personal trainer. I was experiencing problems with my balance and had fallen a few times — the last time fracturing my kneecap. I was also overweight, and didn’t have the strength to get myself out of the pool or negotiate the steps. The PT really listened to me, and I booked a session which led to courses of very worthwhile, tailored sessions specifically for my needs.

“I am so much more confident in myself now. I have lost 22 pounds in weight, my clothes fit better, and overall, I’m a lot stronger than before. I feel the need to share my story and hope that many people will pluck up the courage and join the gym to reap the benefits for themselves.”

And then to Lincoln, where our local Age UK runs the HART-Hospital Avoidance Response Team service, to assist with hospital discharges, reduce transfers of care, and prevent avoidable hospital admissions, whilst at the same time enabling people to regain their independence. A mixture of professional staff and volunteers help support people to get home safely, have the support they need in those crucial few days after an admission, and then give the wraparound care that is so often needed to prevent a repeat admission.

In both cases, the effectiveness data is off the charts. For example, in just eight months, HART has generated savings in excess of £3.5m.

Why invest in VCSE?

Across the country, the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector delivers huge amounts to improve the health and care of our citizens, whether it’s local Age UKs, local Minds, or many other national, local and community organisations supporting people in their areas or with specific conditions.

So, there’s a curious irony in the news of disinvestment by some integrated care boards in the voluntary sector.

At the heart of the intentions of the 10-year plan is the ambition to reach deeper into communities, engage with citizens (before they become patients) on looking after our health, and to support a more effective and efficient NHS both in and out of hospital. The current approach to social care also increases the reliance on voluntary organisations.

This is the core business of the voluntary and community sector. Charities have led significant change in health promotion, prevention, and education — just look at the BHF’s unceasing work on smoking and heart disease.

Or the mental health’s Time to Change campaign which changed the whole conversation about mental health leading to new legislation and increased investment as we started to understand the true scale of the need.

So, the opportunity for coproduction, collaborative working and more is right here, right now. For today’s challenges, voluntary sector partners are reducing waiting lists, picking people off the floor, acting as first responders, volunteering across the NHS and beyond, thanks to organisations like RVS and Helpforce.

Oh, and it’s really cost-effective, and people build great partnerships of equals, recognising professional skillsets which are complementary yet essential.

So, this is the time to invest in the VCSE, not disinvest. Yes, the sector can be a bit messy and hard to navigate but we can see that’s changing and the emergence of VCSE Alliances around the country is a good start.

This also comes at a time when charities, large and small, are facing high and rising demand for their services - a situation made worse by the decline in public services following years of austerity, plus the cost-of-living crisis and pandemic, all of which have badly affected many, and people on low incomes especially.

At Age UK we are deeply concerned about the impact of the government’s decision to increase Employer NICs (from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent in April 2025) and to lower the salary threshold at which they become due. This will place intolerable strain on our already-stretched local charities and the vital services they provide. The rise in employer NICs comes alongside a raft of other challenges facing the sector.

The case for support is really clear - invest in the sector, and you can go a long way to achieving the ambitions of a 10-year rebuild of our country’s health and meet the needs of millions of people today.