Support is flagging for the Volunteering Bill and the Big Society; the Charity Commission has revised its model charity trust deed; and we have all the news from the night of the Charity Awards which saw Sir Nicholas Young receive the Outstanding Leadership award.
The Volunteering Bill, which proposes the introduction of a 'fit and proper person' certificate for volunteers, received a lukewarm reception in its second reading in Parliament last week.
The Big Society is failing because Number 10 has not driven the agenda hard enough and it focuses too much on preferring charities to deliver public services, according to think-tanks.
The Charity Commission has revised its model charity trust deed, constitution and articles of association to give trustees more flexibility over decisions relating to financial benefits for themselves and others connected to them.
Voluntary Service Oversees volunteers will now obtain a foundation certificate for their training after Harper Adams University College agreed to accredit two VSO International training courses.
The NHS Future Forum's report on choice and competition has argued strongly in favour of allowing charities to deliver more NHS services, as well as giving them the 'Right to Challenge'.
Charities Aid Foundation chief executive John Low highlighted the growing profile of civil society organisations in his address to the Charity Awards audience last week.
The RNID has rebranded to Action on Hearing Loss to mark its centenary and launched a new campaign to encourage people to get their hearing checked.
In other news...
Groundwork UK chief awarded knighthood Tony Hawkhead, chief executive of Groundwork UK, has been awarded a knighthood for services to environmental regeneration.
Charities called to respond to the crisis facing women Charities were told to focus on issues affecting women in the UK, just as they have begun to concentrate on investing in women in the developing world, at a meeting of fundraisers, academics and trust representatives.
Sir Nicholas Young, chief executive of the British Red Cross, was unveiled as this year's winner of the Outstanding Leadership Award at the Charity Awards in London last week.
Mencap has been named the overall winner at this year's Charity Awards for a campaign which highlighted the NHS's poor treatment of patients with learning disabilities and helped to change working practices.
A homelessness charity that engages volunteers to help people successfully make the transition from homelessness to independent living, has won the Effectiveness Award at the 2011 Charity Awards.
