Wessex Cancer Trust: Funding crisis charity to stay open

The charity's Waterlooville shop closed in December

A cancer charity that said it would close unless it raised £600,000 by the end of January will remain open despite raising less than half of its target.

Wessex Cancer Trust, which helps cancer patients in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, said demand was growing but income had reduced dramatically.

A "last resort" crisis appeal launched in December has raised £290,000.

The charity said it remained in a "delicate situation" and was working to raise the additional £300,000.

Chairman Barry Rinaldi said: "I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed.

Reduction in bequests

"We acknowledge that this is some way from the amount we asked for, however we remain confident that Wessex Cancer Trust has a future.

"A number of savings have been made to streamline the charity as much as possible within its fixed cost constraints. This has included closing shops, selling assets and reducing overheads.

"Whilst we have raised a substantial amount of money and now feel we are in a position to shape the future of cancer care, we are still in a delicate situation."

So far, the charity's shops in Overton and Waterlooville have closed, with Cosham branch due to close in the summer.

Five shops remain in Portchester, Hythe, Chandler's Ford, Freshwater and Weeke.

The number of support centres has also been reduced from six to four.

The trust, which normally expects to help about 11,000 people a year, previously said a 30% increase in demand in 2019 along with a 65% reduction in bequests and a 15% drop in shop sales had tipped it into a crisis situation.

It said it planned to launch "a number of new fundraising and commercial initiatives" for the remainder of it fundraising target.