CANCER CARE CHARITY FORCED TO CUT JOBS
ALEADING Bristol cancer charity is facing a major restructure - after seeing its income plummet during the coronavirus outbreak.
Penny Brohn UK is facing a shortfall of more than £750,000 due to the majority of its fundraising activities being shelved due to the pandemic.
Now the charity, based at Pill, has announced it will be undertaking a major restructure to protect front line services.
The restructure will see the loss of around 30 jobs - a third of the charity’s core staff.
The centre in Pill was closed in March due to lockdown and all faceto-face services suspended.
Around 80 per cent of the organisation’s staff were also furloughed.
The centre remains closed with the organisation saying it does not anticipate being able to offer residential and day services to cancer patients for ‘some time’ due to the pandemic.
Penny Brohn UK commercial director Andrew Hufford said: “Penny Brohn UK is currently facing the biggest challenge in its history.
“The coronavirus outbreak has had a devastating impact across the charity sector, and will continue to have a long-term impact on so many charities’ ability to raise money and provide services.
“At Penny Brohn, we are facing an income shortfall of over £750,000 this year and will have to reduce our cost base accordingly.
“For a charity that needs to raise around £2.5 million each and every year, this is a devastating blow.
“It is clear that the impact of coronavirus on fundraising is set to continue. We cannot afford to think only in the short term.
“The charity has been severely hit by the loss of income from its primary funder plus cancellation of all its public fundraising events.”
The charity told staff in July a restructure was needed to ensure the charity was sustainable in the long term.
Mr Hufford added: “It is essential that we make significant changes to the way we operate in order to pro
tect our front-line services and ensure that we are still here for people living with cancer who need us now and in the future.
“It is because of this that we have begun this consultation with our staff teams, as we look to ensure that the organisation continues to maximise support to cancer patients on lower levels of income.”
Penny Brohn UK has been supporting the holistic needs of people with cancer for 40 years.
A programme of online sessions was launched during lockdown in a bid to provide support for patients.
Mr Hufford added: “It was a heartbreaking decision to start the change consultation with staff. We planned great things for our 40th year.
“However the reality is that we will have to operate with, potentially, much less staff to ensure we protect direct services for people with cancer. Every single member of staff at Penny Brohn UK is dedicated to making sure anyone with cancer and their families get the support they need.
“Which is why it is very difficult to lose people who have worked so hard and shown such team spirit - especially over the past few challenging months. But the sad reality is that this change cannot be avoided.”
The charity owns the former Ham Green Hospital and its grounds and will focus on raising funds through hospitality and conference bookings until such time it can be reopened safely for cancer patients.