Age UK Isle of Wight has confirmed it is making 5 members of staff redundant as its Digital Friendly Island service is closed. The team is being disbanded due to fixed-term funding coming to an end. Despite working tirelessly to secure alternative funding, efforts have not been successful. It’s said that a significant amount of the charity’s reserves have been used to keep the service operational for an additional 3-and-a-half months whilst awaiting news on the outcome of grant applications. However, due to the service’s high running costs, Age UK Isle of Wight is unable to continue sustaining it without further financial backing. The service, which included group workshops, 1:1 home visits and drop-ins, worked with some 850 Islanders a year. Maria Bunce, Chief Executive Officer at Age UK Isle of Wight, has said:
“Despite the closure of the Digital Friendly Island service, Age UK Isle of Wight remains advocates for the voices of older people who are offline and overlooked. The charity is committed to assisting them in whatever capacity we can, ensuring that their needs are heard and addressed. “We have been in discussions with our committed Digital Volunteers, who have agreed to continue running digital drop-in sessions, which are held at community venues across the Island. At present, I can confirm that our Newport and Ryde drop-ins will continue as advertised, allowing for a seamless transition for users of these services. “We understand the impact this news may have on our clients, supporters, and stakeholders, and we want to assure you that we are working diligently to navigate this transition period. Your ongoing support is invaluable to Age UK Isle of Wight to continue supporting older people in the Isle of Wight community. We are grateful for your understanding during this challenging time”.
Just the start now Labour are in. Lucky we haven’t imported enough new people into the country to fill Manchester in recent years……Doh
Should have voted Reform, too late now
No it’s not. It was a fixed term contract, and that contract has ran out. It’s not even newsworthy. Technically they’re not redundant either, they’re just at the end of a known fixed term contract, and would have known this from day one.
So as you seem to imply this was Labours fault, Deform were going to stop redundancies at Age UK as an election pledge were they? Did they plan to magic up some funding to save the jobs? What was their plan exactly?
You really aren’t very bright, are you?
Only a Numpty would vote Deform
Everyday on the island I am seeing more and more persons
of other cultures.
It is so refreshing to see, it’s taken many years, let’s hope
more and more move to the island.
Plenty of vacancies at St Mary’s and HMP Isle of Wight to be filled.
Labour can fill these vacant positions by moving more
people to the island from the mainland.
The island needs more diversity
I DO hope you’re being sarcastic.
“Due to the high running costs” what are the high running costs please? Anyone know?
Having a Chief Exec for a handful of staff is one of them. Age UK local branches are run as a franchise, and waste money on higher management that just isn’t needed.
Stakeholders? No wonder when those skimmers exist , its meant too be for vunerable elderly..not a big profit maker at there expense! Especially what members have too fork out for whats a poor service really.
A lot of these places are only cost of a phone line a bits of paper and odd wages but plead poverty
Pure Greed