Spread joy at the greatest race ever!
Le Tour De France is heading to South Wales next year, with the worlds top cyclists taking on a gruelling 223km cycle from Welshpool to Cardiff and YOU can be involved as a volunteer Joy Maker.
JOY Makers are the volunteers who will help bring the Tour de France to life! From welcoming and guiding spectators to supporting the safe running of the race, they’ll play a vital role in creating an unforgettable experience when the world’s biggest cycling race comes to Wales.
You don’t need any previous volunteering or cycling experience, full training is provided, and anyone aged 16+ can apply.
Benefits include:
Click the link below to sign up now! Applications close Tuesday, September 1st.
BAVO’s Meet the Funder event is back for 2026!
Looking for funding for your organisation or community project? This is your chance to meet the people who make funding decisions.
Join us for an afternoon of networking, inspiration and practical advice as you meet a wide range of regional and national funders face to face. Ask questions, build valuable connections, discover what funders are really looking for, and gain insights that could strengthen your next funding application.
📅 Wednesday 28 October 2026
📍 West Ward Community Centre, Bridgend
🕛 12:00pm – 4:30pm
✅ Community Facilities Programme
✅ South Wales Police Trust
✅ National Churches Trust
✅ National Lottery Heritage Fund
✅ National Grid
✅ Sport Wales
✅ WCVA
✅ Coalfields Regeneration Trust
More funders will be announced over the coming weeks!
Whether you’re an established charity, voluntary organisation, community group or social enterprise, this is a fantastic opportunity to expand your network, explore new funding opportunities and speak directly with organisations that could help bring your ideas to life.
To book your FREE place or find out more, contact Alison at AlisonMawby@bavo.org.uk.
Spaces are limited, so we recommend booking early to avoid missing out.
Free Volunteer Passport Training for Bridgend Volunteers
BAVO is delighted to offer a limited number of FREE places on our Volunteer Passport training programme for volunteers who are currently volunteering with a project or organisation in Bridgend County Borough.
The Volunteer Passport is a Level 1 NOCN Endorsed Programme, designed to give volunteers the essential knowledge and skills they need to volunteer safely, confidently and effectively.
📅 Tuesday 15 September and Tuesday 22 September
🕙 10.00am – 3.00pm
📍 Bridgend Town Centre
Please note that volunteers must attend both training days to complete the programme and receive their accreditation.
Although the course is free of charge, BAVO covers the cost of each participant’s NOCN accreditation licence, as well as staff time to deliver the training and assess the completed workbooks. As places are limited and incur a cost, we kindly ask that you only book if you are able to attend both sessions.
To reserve your place, please email sharonheadon@bavo.org.uk or call Sharon on 01656 810400 by 31 August.
Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Our latest Funding Bulletin is here, packed with a wide range of funding opportunities for voluntary and community organisations. With several application deadlines approaching soon, we encourage you to take a look as soon as possible to make sure you don’t miss out.
If you’d prefer to receive the Funding Bulletin directly as an email attachment in future, simply get in touch at development@bavo.org.uk and we’ll be happy to add you to the mailing list.
Looking for the Welsh version? You can read it here.
You can also explore all of the latest funding opportunities on our new Funding Bulletin Board on the BAVO website here, or browse them on Padlet here.
Community and voluntary organisations can now apply for grants of £500–£1,000 to deliver projects that support people living with dementia and their unpaid carers or family members across Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Delivered in partnership with Interlink RCT, BAVO and Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil (VAMT), the fund aims to support projects that:
To be eligible, organisations must:
Support and advice are available from your local County Voluntary Council (CVC).
Interlink RCT
Email: grants@interlinkrct.org.uk
Phone: 01443 846200
Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil (VAMT)
Email: info@vamt.net
Phone: 01685 353900
BAVO (Bridgend)
Email: development@bavo.org.uk
Phone: 01656 810400
Please complete the application form and submit it by email to grants@interlinkrct.org.uk.
For any questions about the grant, please contact grants@interlinkrct.org.uk.
The summer holidays are here! ☀️
We know keeping the kids entertained for six weeks is no easy task, so we’ve made it a little simpler for you. Check out our handy Padlet packed with family fun days, activities, and places where kids can eat free or for just £1! 🍽️🎉
Got an event or activity you’d like us to share? We’d love to hear from you – send it over to Benwilliams@bavo.org.uk 📩
Stay up to date with the latest funding opportunities – whenever it suits you!
Never miss a funding opportunity with BAVO’s new Funding Padlet. Designed to make finding funding quicker and easier, our online board is updated regularly with the latest grants and funding opportunities for organisations and community groups.
Why use the Funding Padlet?
✅ Regular updates – New funding opportunities are added frequently, helping you get a head start on applications.
🔔 Receive notifications – Follow the board to receive email alerts whenever a new funding opportunity is published.
🌐 Access anytime – Available 24/7 and embedded on our website, so you can browse funding opportunities whenever it’s convenient for you.
🗂️ Simple to navigate – We’ve organised the board into clear categories, making it quick and easy to find the funding that’s most relevant to you.
If you’d like to find out more, please contact benwilliams@bavo.org.uk.
Click here to visit the Padlet on our website.
Click here to go directly to the Padlet.
Are you looking for an opportunity to recruit volunteers, spread the word about your organisation and meet like-minded groups?
Make sure to join us for the Bridgend Volunteering Event, on Saturday, August 1st from 10:30am – 1pm!
We’ll be on Adare Street, Bridgend Town Centre with Green Top Markets, so you’ll be able to take advantage of the busy market-day atmosphere and meet people from all walks of life – you may even fill that volunteer role, or get a new trustee!
If you would like more information, give us a ring on 01656 810400 or email volunteering@bavo.org.uk
You can book your place by clicking the link below.
Are you caring for someone living with dementia and looking for a new way to help them enjoy the outdoors?
Join BAVO and Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club for a FREE dementia-friendly golf taster session in a relaxed, welcoming environment.
📅 Wednesday 12 August | 🕐 1.00pm – 2.00pm
During the session, you’ll have the opportunity to:
Please note: Carers must attend with the person they support.
Places are limited to just 12 participants, so book early to avoid disappointment. Click the button below to reserve your place.
Today BAVO welcomed the pathology service at Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) and Roche, who have been working together on a social value initiative aimed at supporting local communities through the donation of reconditioned laptops.
BARC Family Centre, based in Maesteg were thrilled at the donation – “It’ll help us expand the support we’re developing for the community”
The laptops, part of their ongoing commitment to sustainability and creating positive social impact, have been donated to groups throughout Bridgend County to help them carry out their important work.
Mark Williams from Mental Health Matters also welcomed the initiative, saying “This will help a lot of people coming into the service who aren’t very confident with technology”.
By working with local organisations to identify those most in need, the partnership hopes to improve digital inclusion, support education and employment opportunities, and ensure the laptops make a meaningful difference to people and community groups across the CTM area.
BAVO would like to say a huge thank you to the pathology service team at CTM and Roche for these donations which will go a long way to supporting groups and their invaluable work helping individuals across Bridgend County.
If you would like information on any future initiatives, please contact Development@bavo.org.uk.
To progress this change, we are asking Full Member organisations to join us for a short meeting to vote on the resolution. The meeting will last no longer than 15 minutes.
📅 Date: April 13th
⏰ Time: 11:00am – 11:30am
📍 Location: BAVO Office, Maesteg or 💻 Online
Members can attend either in person at the BAVO offices or online, and we kindly ask that you book via Eventbrite and indicate your preferred attendance method so we can ensure the meeting is quorate. You can find the Eventbrite page and book your place here.
We welcome any questions about the resolution, the conversion process, or the proposed governing document, which you can find here. Please send any questions in advance to BenWilliams@bavo.org.uk, and responses will be provided during the meeting.
* Full Members are third sector organisations, community groups, and voluntary organisations based in and operating in Bridgend County that have previously been admitted to BAVO membership. If you are unsure about your membership status, please contact us.
Please see the official notice of the EGM below:
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