News / Charity desperate to secure new funding
The organisation held its latest AGM in Lerwick on Tuesday night where its “very difficult” financial situation was made clear.
The charity runs around 20 clubs for youths and adults across the isles with the aim of encouraging people to achieve their “full potential in all areas of life”.
Following the AGM, trustee Sandy Peterson said that Disability Shetland, which employs two members of staff, is “applying to every fund you can imagine” to secure its future.
“We need money within the next few months to be able to survive,” he said.
The charity is currently in new rounds of negotiations with backers Shetland Islands Council and Shetland Charitable Trust, with the latter’s funding at a “standstill” until 2020.
Peterson hopes that the bodies can “increase what they give us for the various services we are contracted for”.
“We get around £12,000 from the charitable trust every year for one of our adult clubs.
“We’re submitting a bid for core funding for the short term, to carry us over in the hope that all our applications will bear fruit.”
Peterson said the charity has around ten funding applications active at the moment.
“We’re also in negotiations with the lottery, but they move very slowly, so we’re talking about later next year.
“They’re probably our major funder outside of Shetland.”
The charity has taken it upon itself to fundraise too, with around £20,000 generated this summer through events such as a 10-mile row from Nesting to Lerwick and cycles through the isles.
Peterson feels, however, that the Disability Shetland isn’t alone in experiencing hard times.
“We’re sharing with every charity the same feeling – that the amount of money that we’re getting, certainly from mainland sources, is much less,” he said.
“Everything is at risk. There’s no question. At the moment we can pay the staff’s wages for the next little while, but beyond that will depend on us getting funding.”
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