We at HSCVF believe it is important that our work with funded projects and what the programme achieves overall is independently evaluated. We have contracted the Institute for Health & Wellbeing at Leeds Metropolitan University to do this. The evaluation, which will run until April 2013, will aim to provide a robust, independent assessment of the HSCVF programme and explore how the overall programme, together with national and local projects, has contributed to wider strategic objectives around volunteer support, community capacity, commissioning and partnerships.