Dear Colleagues,
It is very concerning to see that PAPYRUS the Prevention of Young Suicide charity, has entered administration due to the struggle to secure funding.
Charities across the UK, including the whole VCSEF sector, are facing rising costs, collapsing funding streams, and unprecedented demand. This quiet crisis has seen well known charities go into administration and has also pushed many smaller frontline organisations into closing services.
Earlier this month Reach Volunteering Reach Volunteering announced their imminent planned 12-week closure noting that this was due to structural changes in the sector, rather than operational failure.
However, in a dramatic turnaround, within a couple of weeks, a coalition of nine major funders and private donors pulled together and pledged approximately £470,000 to rescue the charity.
This unprecedented move was made possible by the remarkable efforts of a small number of people who understood what Reach’s closure would mean for volunteering across the sector and were determined to find a way through.
They now remain open for matching volunteers and trustees. They plan to reshape their operational model, implement AI-enabled efficiencies, and strengthen their earned income streams to build long-term independence from cyclical grant funding.
Historically, we have seen how the VCSEF sector can adapt and shift, the most recent example being during Covid 19. We need to continue to work in a more agile and supportive way and this is a great example of collaboration.
Despite the heavy headlines, the story of the VCSEF sector right now is not just one of crisis but one of unparalleled resilience, relevance, and a capacity for reinvention.
In that regard, please remember that we have a milestone celebration coming up: our Service User Involvement Team (SUIT) drug and alcohol recovery project was established in 2006 and our Social Prescribing service was established in 2016.
Please hold the dates in your diaries:
WVCA Celebration: 20 Years of SUIT and 10 years of Social Prescribing
10.30-3 on Friday 20th November 2026 at the Arena Theatre
Before that, we are also really looking forward to seeing you at the following:
VCSEF Alliance Meeting at 10.30-12 on 13th October 2026 at The Workspace, ASAN
If there are any issues that you would like to raise or anything that you would like to hear more about, please contact me.
If you would like more information, please remember to check out our website and newsletter regularly – there is always new information, and opportunities are always presenting themselves.
Thank you
Sharon Nanan-Sen
Chief Executive Officer