Our Frequently Asked Questions
Hampshire has a diverse and active Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector, comprising approximately 10,218 (inclusive of 2,045 in Portsmouth and Southampton) community groups, charities, social enterprises, community sports and arts societies, charitable trusts, voluntary groups and so on. These figures, updated in 2021, show a sector which has grown by 40% since 2009.
Hampshire’s VCSE sector employs nearly 55,000 staff – though 54% of organisations are completely volunteer-led. 92% of organisations are supported by volunteers. Collectively, 180,000 volunteers contribute a collective £226mn worth of volunteer time to Hampshire each year.
Action Hampshire is Hampshire’s Rural Community Council (RCC). Each county in England has an RCC, supporting community-led initiatives in rural areas and championing rural development issues in their area. Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) is the umbrella body for the 38 RRCs across England, together forming the ACRE Network (more info at this link)
