Newcastle CVS

Today we launch the results of the latest Surviving or Thriving in Newcastle research, carried out in partnership with VONNE. The report does not make happy reading. It shows the charities and VCOs across Newcastle are facing closure and turning away desperate clients, despite an increase in demand for services.

In January 2012, 53 VCOs took part and told us:

• 59% have lost funding, totalling around £2.8milliion
• 37% have lost staff, making at least 75 staff redundant
• 57% have experienced an increase in demand for their service
• 57% are using reserves

And the VCOs told us that the future continues to look bleak:

• 18% may close in the next 12 months
• 44% expect to, or are thinking about, closing a service
• 47% will be, or are thinking about, reducing the number of beneficiaries they support

The report includes five case studies from Newcastle CAB, Tyneside Women's Health, Newcastle Law Centre, Skills for People and Streetwise.

The case studies illustrate the key issues facing these organisations. Most of the organisations are having to spend time reorganising over and over again to respond to changes in funding; shifting more towards providing services through contracts; seeing an increase in people needing their services; and, generally just trying to survive.

This is the sixth in a series of surveys by VONNE, which tracks the impact of spending cuts on Newcastle’s third sector. It was funded by the Millfield House Foundation.

• Cuts force Newcastle charities to close doors news release
• Surviving or Thriving in Newcastle report