Children’s hospice faces axing dozen jobs due to ‘Brexit fears’
THE Midlands’ Acorns Children’s Hospice is to shed jobs to save money – blaming a fall in income and the uncertainty of Brexit.
The children’s hospice has released a statement saying the jobs of 12 members of staff are set to be axed.
A source told the Birmingham Post that the job losses were to make up for a £300,000 funding shortfall, but the charity refused to confirm or deny that figure.
A spokesman for Acorns confirmed 12 jobs were set to go across its three sites at Selly Oak, Walsall and Worcester.
He said there had been a fall of income from its 57 charitable shops and its fundraising operations.
He added: “We believe that the difficult high street environment as well as some corporate uncertainty as the Brex- it date draws closer is contributing to these disappointing figures.
“We believe we can and will raise more funds in the future, but we do need to slightly reduce our expenditure in the meantime.
“None of these changes will impact on the end-of-life or residential children’s hospice stays that our three children’s hospices offer to children, nor on the pre- and post-bereavement counselling and support offered to parents, grandparents and siblings.
“None of our nurses nor health care assistants are affected in the posts placed at risk.
“The staff affected either deliver non-clinical care services and activities, including adolescent and transition services, or support the community work carried out by some of our volunteers.”
The charity was visited by Duke of Cambridge last year to mark its 30th anniversary. His mother Diana, Princess of Wales had officially opened it.
At the time it was only the third children’s hospice in the world.
Toby Porter, chief executive at Acorns, said: “It is with real sadness that we have made the difficult decision to make changes to some of Acorns services and put a small number of roles across our three hospices at risk.
“The end-of-life care and residential stays we offer to children are not affected.
“Even for a well-known and well-loved local charity such as Acorns, it is not always possible to completely insulate ourselves from a fall in business and consumer confidence, and an uncertain high street.
“We are obviously very sorry to have to take this step, but Acorns will continue to be a lifeline for the children and families that need us.”