Charities in Bournemouth to receive £40 million?

Charities based in Bournemouth are unclear as to whether they will benefit from the 40 million pounds in government aid announced yesterday.

Media manager of the charity Shelter, Emma Guise, feels that this announcement is “good news for charities and good that the government is recognising that some charities are struggling.

“We have had to make small redundancies within the offices but our services have not been affected.”

She said: “It is unclear who will benefit from the funding and the details of that are yet to be released.” However she said the money would be of benefit to their services in places like Bournemouth.

Gary Bentham, service community development officer from Bournemouth Borough Council, who works “hands on with charities in Bournemouth”, said: “Any funding injected into charities is welcome.”

He hopes that the funding will be able to help the “medium and small charities that Bournemouth has a lot of”, in particular, as he felt that they require more help with funding than the larger charities.

Stephen Bubb, Chief Executive of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, who bought to the government’s attention that charities would need financial support, says that “it is a welcomed start.”

He added this funding is only the start of the help needed by charities. Mr Bubb said: “More (money) will be needed as the recession unfolds and more strain is felt at the front line.”

Mr Bentham says that Bournemouth charities will have to wait to hear if they are eligible for this funding.