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The trustees of Voluntary Action Melton are winding down many of our activities due to financial difficulties.

The trustees of Voluntary Action Melton are winding down many of its activities due to financial difficulties.
They have been undertaking a review over the last six months and say there will now be a period of ‘rationalisation’ as a result of a loss of funding over the past two years.
The charity delivers a range of projects for the young, old, disabled and housebound across the borough but said it had to act now and change its ways of working.
As a result most projects, with the exception of the transport scheme, will be phased out at the end of March.
In a statement the board of trustees said: We recognise that this will have a huge impact on our valued staff and volunteers and we hope to relaunch Voluntary Action Melton as a social enterprise later in the year.
Janet Mendham, Chairman of the board of trustees, added: “This is not an easy time for everyone involved in Voluntary Action Melton, but it is something we cannot avoid.”
“Our Financial position has been increasingly difficult over the past couple of years and, despite our best efforts to raise money, we have not been able to make progress towards generating the amount of income we need to be a sustainable organisation.”
It is understood that while Voluntary Action Melton is still solvent if it continued in its current form it would of exhausted its reserves by September.
Three of the charity’s paid staff, including chief officer Kathy McKinley and Joanna Burrows, have been offered voluntary redundancy and the trustees are to give up the lease on the charity’s office in Asfordby Road.
Part-time finance officer Gill Hardiman is to be retained to oversee the financial management of the transport scheme whose funding is secure.
A new base for the service, which takes the elderly and infirm to hospital and doctors’ appointments and to do essential shopping in return for a small charge, is being sought but the service is unchanged and the phone number will remain the same.
However, among the projects which will cease by March 31 are:-
• The Pyramid Project which runs after-school clubs in primary schools to boost the confidence and self-esteem of children with special needs
• The Activity for Health initiative which helps those susceptible to falls in the home regain their confidence and balance so they can continue to live independently
• The Fun4Us activity scheme aimed at disadvantaged children

The Funds and Figures project which supports local voluntary groups and charities in their fundraising and finance management will still be in operation in the Melton district until April 2013.

This BIG Lottery funded project provides training, a funding bulletin and one to one outreach advice sessions to local groups on any topic of their choice around funding and finance issues.

The next session is aptly entitled ‘Finding and Managing Funding’ and takes place on 16th February 7-9 pm. Contact Christine Barrett on 01858 439264 or email cbarrett@vasl.org.uk

It is hoped that the gardening and handyman scheme in particular can be revived as a social enterprise. We will explore all opportunities to work with other voluntary groups.

About Us

Voluntary Action Melton is a community organization providing a wide range of services directly to the people and communities of Melton Borough from our base in Melton Mowbray.

These services are delivered through our small team of paid staff and our dedicated volunteers and deliver projects focused on 4 key themes:

• Action for older people
• Action for young people
• Action for families with complex needs
• Action to improve the local community

Our services contribute to making vulnerable people’s lives richer and more fulfilling and we offer local people the opportunity to engage in volunteering either in our own projects or through access to general volunteering opportunities offered by Voluntary Action LeicesterShire.

We support local voluntary, community and social enterprise groups by providing information about funding opportunities and support with applying for funding and improving financial management.

We deliver engagement and representation on behalf of our local voluntary sector by:

• Enabling a two way mechanism for communicating with local groups about public policy issues
• Facilitating the local Voluntary Sector Forum – Community LinX
• Supporting voluntary sector representation on various local forums and partnerships
• Providing a voice for the local voluntary sector

Voluntary Action Melton is open to the public from 9am to 1pm Monday to Friday. An appointment must be made after 1pm.

Registered Charity No 1102776
Company Ltd by Guarantee Registered in England No 5057169

Registered Office:
Voluntary Action Melton
34 Asfordby Road
Melton Mowbray
Leicestershire
LE13 0HR
01664 483043