Age Concern Ceredigion hit by £100,000 shortfall

THE Age Concern Ceredigion offices are cutting services because of a £100,000 funding shortage. The charity, which has offices in Aberystwyth, Aberaeron and Cardigan, has not secured sufficient funding for the next financial year, so leaders have established a “recovery plan” to secure the organisation’s future.

Annmarie Pitt, director of Age Concern Ceredigion, said: “We are not a government organisation, nor part of Age Concern England, Age Concern Cymru or Help the Aged. Projected income for the year, to the end of March 2010, will be around £450,000, and this comes from social enterprise trading (home cleaning), social services, various foundations and trusts, fund-raising events and contributions from the public.

“The anticipated dip in income for the year to March 2011 amounts to about £100,000, and is largely due to foundations and trusts having less to distribute as a result of low interest rates, together with an increased demand for support.

“There will be a gap in provision for next year, which will have a huge impact on older people at a time when more help is needed, not less!

“Some funders have told me that they are receiving twice as many applications as last year. This is recession-based, but there is also less available from Big Lottery, which is are committed to the 2012 Olympic Games. And social services has capped its support for us for the last four years.”