April 7, 2020

Dear Friends and Colleagues

My message today has changed from the one I wrote yesterday, which was asking for your support to help bring about change – to join Cumbria CVS and other other local, regional and national organisations lobbying hard to get a national commitment to provide financial support to voluntary organisations throughout this crisis – however, it seems that our joint effort has resulted in a success for the sector, although whether this is far reaching enough remains to be seen.

We have always been clear that government support was essential to helping the sector respond to COVID-19 and also to helping rebuild our communities post COVID-19 and the deal they have provided is as follows:

• £750 million pot for frontline charities across the UK – including hospices and those supporting domestic abuse victims
• £360 million direct from Government departments and £370 million for smaller charities, including through a grant to the National Lottery Community Fund
• Government will match donations to the National Emergencies Trust as part of the BBC’s Big Night In fundraiser later this month – pledging a minimum of £20 million

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-sets-out-extra-750-million-coronavirus-funding-for-frontline-charities

The sector asked for £4.4 billion, we got £750 million.

The challenge now is to ensure that everyone gets a slice of the cake, but it is already apparent that some organisations working in this sector will never be seen as a priority by government and do not fit the criteria and so there is still work to be done. Let us continue our fight to ensure that this sector – that is responding directly to the crisis and providing much needed assistance and support to the NHS and others – is recognised for its essential contribution to the response and recovery effort, and is still around in the weeks, months, years following COVID19 to provide the essential services that we all need. The fight still goes on.

I would however like to take this opportunity to thank some of our Cumbrian MPs who stpeed up to the plate – signing letters of support to the Chancellor (John Stevenson MP) responsing to my correspondence on the need for financial support – and helping HMRC regarding the poorly framed job retention scheme (Mark Jenkinson MP).

Join us – remember now our membership is free – and have a voice.

Keep safe and well and keep going.

David

David Allen
Chief Executive Officer
Cumbria CVS