Community organisations across Suffolk are invited to gather for an annual conference this summer to explore new ways of working amid ongoing financial challenges. Hosted by Community Action Suffolk, the event will take place on Thursday 16 July 2026 at the Kesgrave Community and Conference Centre near Ipswich.
The conference features a presentation by Alex Barker, who leads the Be More Pirate movement. Barker, a former communications manager at the Royal Society of Arts, will lead a session designed to help attendees challenge traditional methods and find creative approaches to modern sector problems. The goal is to provide local groups with practical ideas to adapt to the current environment.
The meeting comes as the local voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector faces significant strain. A recent survey conducted by Community Action Suffolk and the Suffolk Community Foundation found that registered charity income in the county has dropped by £33.4 million over the past year. Furthermore, the average grant size available to organisations has fallen by 64.7 percent in the last two years, while half of the groups surveyed reported a rise in demand for their services.
Despite these pressures, local organisations continue to demonstrate resilience. The same survey indicated that 68 percent of groups remain confident in their ability to maintain or improve their services in the coming year. Organisers hope the conference will serve as a platform for these groups to share experiences and connect with others facing similar pressures.
Tickets for the event are available through Community Action Suffolk. Earlybird tickets for voluntary and community organisations are priced at £50 until 31 May 2026, after which the price increases to £65. Tickets for other attendees are £80.
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