Column: Voluntary sector is the backbone of Derbyshire and must be protected

As CEO of Derbyshire Voluntary Action (DVA), I’ve seen first-hand the impact these cuts will have on the charities and community groups that serve some of the county’s most vulnerable people.

In July, DVA hosted the Save Our Sector event at Chesterfield Football Club, where over 100 charities, community leaders, and organisations gathered to unite against these cuts.

The event was not just a show of solidarity, but a call to action. Attendees shared their fears, frustrations, and determination to protect the services that make such a difference to thousands of lives in Derbyshire.

Our petition to challenge the cuts gathered hundreds of signatures, with similar challenges bringing to total to over a thousand.

This petition was presented to Coun Carol Hart, cabinet member for health and communities, and our report on the impact of these cuts Derbyshire County Council and was published publicly which you can read by going to https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:eu:3e3ea532-fb52-414f-a8fe-828111edeb14?viewer%21megaVerb=group-discover.

While we may not know the outcome yet, our message was clear: the voluntary sector is indispensable, and

these cuts must be reconsidered.

The fight doesn’t stop here. We must continue to speak up, spread the word, and engage with our local representatives.

Talk to your county councillor, contact your MP, and let them know how important these services are to our community’s wellbeing.

The voluntary sector is the backbone of Derbyshire, and together we can protect it. We’ve made our voices heard; now, we must ensure they listen.

Our communities deserve better.