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Walsall Acorns children's hospice to close | Walsall Acorns children's hospice to close |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A children's hospice is set to close due to a lack of funds. | |
Acorns in Walsall, which looked after 200 children in the last year, could shut at the beginning of October. | |
Chief executive Toby Porter said he was not hiding the "devastating impact" the closure would have, adding it was "desperately sad" but "the right decision". | |
Staff and families have been told and care will be transferred to Acorns sites in Birmingham and Worcester. | |
The charity cared for about 800 children, plus their families, across the West Midlands last year. | |
A month-long consultation with staff in Walsall has started. About 70 people could lose their jobs. | |
Mr Porter told the BBC it had been "a bad year" for the charity and there was not sufficient cash reserves to support three hospices. | |
He said the cost of delivering care "was far higher than the total we've managed to raise". | He said the cost of delivering care "was far higher than the total we've managed to raise". |
"We're not hiding the devastating impact it will have," he said, particularly for the 20-30 families who regularly have day sessions at the Walsall centre. | "We're not hiding the devastating impact it will have," he said, particularly for the 20-30 families who regularly have day sessions at the Walsall centre. |
Acorns opened its Walsall hospice in 1996 and currently cares for 233 children. | Acorns opened its Walsall hospice in 1996 and currently cares for 233 children. |
The charity said it cost £10m a year to run the three sites. | The charity said it cost £10m a year to run the three sites. |
Current spending figures are still being audited, but a spokesman said it looked likely that the charity's 2018/19 spending would exceed income by £1.6m. | Current spending figures are still being audited, but a spokesman said it looked likely that the charity's 2018/19 spending would exceed income by £1.6m. |
He added the charity had seen a drop in funds raised by its shops and from wills. | He added the charity had seen a drop in funds raised by its shops and from wills. |
The shortfall would usually be met by charitable reserves but this figure reduced from £3.8m in 2018 to £2.2m at the end of March 2019, and the charity trustees concluded they could not risk reserves falling further. | The shortfall would usually be met by charitable reserves but this figure reduced from £3.8m in 2018 to £2.2m at the end of March 2019, and the charity trustees concluded they could not risk reserves falling further. |
"It's very sad we're leaving but I think we can be very proud at Acorns for what we've done in that area for over 20 years," Mr Porter said. | "It's very sad we're leaving but I think we can be very proud at Acorns for what we've done in that area for over 20 years," Mr Porter said. |
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone. | Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone. |