Charity which supports the homeless forced to cease operations

THE North West Simon Community is to cease operations and go into receivership in the coming weeks.

The charity was unable to secure increased funding to support the maintenance of the homeless prevention services they offer.

In 2022 the charity provided support services to households comprising 80 adults and 98 children in County Sligo.

With a staff of seven, it owns 19 one and two-bed apartments in Donegal and two four-bed semi-detached houses in Leitrim.

It provided support and/or accommodation to households comprising 122 adults and 50 children in County Donegal and to households comprising 116 adults and 113 children in County Leitrim.

The board of the charity said it made the difficult decision to wind up operations due to the inability to secure increased funding.

Board Chairperson Thomas Pringle, an Independent TD for Donegal, said: "The last three financial statements published on our website have reflected the ongoing financial insecurity North West Simon has experienced, and we have been trying to resolve this issue over these last years.

"In September of last year, we were told that the three local authorities – Donegal, West Simon clients and all Sligo and Leitrim – had service users has always been unsuccessful in been our priority and will their attempts to secure remain our priority.” Departmental approval to The volunteer board support the maintenance said its focus will be on of our homeless prevention ensuring the charity’s clients services. and service users are

He added: taken care of during the "Unfortunately, it has transition, as it works to come to this point that transfer its properties to we cannot prudently go another approved housing on any longer. We have a body or the relevant local responsibility to tenants, authority. all service users and staff, Deputy Pringle said and ultimately, following that the tenancies of current lengthy discussions and clients are secure as considerations, we had to another voluntary housing take the difficult decision agency will take over to wind up operations." the North West Simon

“The well-being of North properties.