Two national mental health charities to merge

Two national mental health charities that together employ nearly 1,000 staff are to merge, it has been announced.

Trustees of Richmond Fellowship and 2Care said yesterday that they had agreed to join forces and that the move had been approved by the Charity Commission.

Under the terms of the deal, 2Care, which employs 100 staff and has an annual income of £5.5m, will become a subsidiary of Richmond Fellowship, which has 860 employees and an annual income of £32m.

Maggie Hysel, chief executive of Richmond Fellowship, said it was approached by 2Care’s trustees in August, who “recognised that challenges lay ahead”.

Hysel said it was too early to say whether the two London-based organisations would be based on one site or whether jobs would be lost. “It would be foolish of me to say there never will be,” she said.

It is hoped the merger will be completed by April.

Brian Glicksman, chair of 2Care, said: “2Care has always evolved in response to changing demands and our future as part of Richmond Fellowship will ensure our strong culture of quality continues to thrive.”