CHILDREN’S CHARITY BARNARDOS has announced that it is to close its services for one week next year in order to save money.
It isn’t the first time Barnardos has closed as part of a range of measures to reduce costs and protect services – it also shut down for one week in August of this year.
In October, the charity said it recorded a €1.5 million shortfall in 2011 because of falling donations. Its income from donations that year fell to €6.8 million from €7.4 million the previous year.
All Barnardos staff took a week in August during the closure as a period of unpaid leave. The company said:
Overall these measures helped us to reduce our budget shortfall for 2012 but we are still forecasting a sizeable deficit. The purpose of the week’s closure was to cut costs.
Barnardos is in the process of looking at its budgets for 2013 and said it has already informed staff of the plan to close its services for one week again in August 2013.
This cost cutting measure is to ensure that we can continue to provide vital services to children and families and is in response to increased financial pressure due to repeated cuts to statutory income and a decline in voluntary income.
All families and children who attend Barnardos services will be informed of the planned closure in advance.
Regarding the timing of the closure, Barnardos says that it has been given “careful consideration”.
“August is the time of the year with the least impact as it is traditionally when Barnardos services to children and families are quietest,” it concluded.
Barnardos marked its 50th anniversary in October of this year.
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