Wirral charities are hit in pocket by credit crunch

Aug 27 2008 by Matt Hurst, Wallasey News

WIRRAL charities are being hit in the pocket by the credit crunch, as a poll reveals donations across the region are set to fall by 15 per cent.

Birkenhead based Wirral Society for the Blind and Partially Sighted estimates its revenue has dropped by 35pc in 2008, while others have noticed shortfalls in areas where income had previously been assured.

The YouGov poll, commissioned by the Each One Counts campaign, this week published results from an online sample of 2,491 adults taken between July 22 and 24, and anticipates the North West suffering one of the biggest revenue drops in the UK.

Claire House is among the peninsula’s biggest charitable organisations and provides a service for children with life threatening or life limiting conditions.

Head of Appeals, Janet Ratcliffe told the News: “In keeping with most charities, we are finding it a difficult year to raise funds.

“We’re certainly falling short of our target in a few areas, in particular the corporate sector, and we’re also getting less from legacies and charitable trusts.”

But Janet said donations from the general public seem to be holding up, and are actually a little ahead of the same six month period last year.

New Ferry-based cerebral palsy charity, Stick’n’Step “expect things to get worse” but have come up with a novel option for philanthropists feeling the pinch.

Fundraiser, Claire Ashworth said: “What we’re trying to do for people who might feel they can’t help is asking them to come in and volunteer.

“It’s not actual cash, but it is a different way of giving something to us that is just as valuable.”