Rachel McGrath column: Charities deserve support now

The galvanised response by the local charitable sector to act and adapt quickly to the Covid-19 public health crisis is a testimony to the expertise and resourcefulness of civil society.
Many charities help the most vulnerable people in our communitiesMany charities help the most vulnerable people in our communities
Many charities help the most vulnerable people in our communities

In 100 days, Northamptonshire Community Foundation, for example, has already awarded more than £650,000 to hundreds of projects across the county through its Coronavirus Response and Recovery Fund.

We have also witnessed extraordinary generosity from local people via social support groups and donations.

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The £750 million rescue package for the charitable sector was a welcome announcement by the Government back in April. It was therefore disappointing to hear this week that out of the £200 million pledged to small charities, only a quarter of this has been awarded, having been hindered by delays in getting the cash out to groups helping the most vulnerable people and also supporting charities to stay afloat.

We are seeing on the ground many projects going that extra mile to ensure people are safe and well and adapt themselves to work in new ways to ensure the best help and support for local residents, and especially vulnerable families and individuals.

We have seen a surge in volunteering, a testimony to the general goodwill of people and a willingness to help fellow human beings during difficult times.

We have seen innovation in community solutions to provide the services that people need, in a way that is a real affirmation to the creativity, expertise, sheer professionalism and responsiveness of small place-based charities.

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They know their beneficiaries well, have provided the right kind of support and, in doing so, have alleviated the pressure on our health service infrastructure.

The response to this coronavirus pandemic from the charitable sector has been immediate, much speedier than Government and local public services.

However, this public health crisis is a marathon not a sprint. There is the real risk of a second wave of Covid-19 and our frontline response needs to be properly resourced and ready to help maintain that safety net for the general public alongside local emergency planning by local authorities.

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) has identified that nationally the charitable sector had lost at least £4.3 billion in income by the end of June.

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Charities have taken a real hit from the lockdown as events and activities, including those for the purpose of fundraising, are unable to take place.

There is a campaign #everydaycounts led by key voluntary sector organisations to lobby MPs for meaningful financial resourcing of civil society.

It is a misnomer to think that somehow community groups and charities run on an endless source of compassion and volunteers.

The charitable sector is a professional sector that demands and deserves to be properly resourced and funded.

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It’s why grant making exists. We know that it takes funding to keep place-based civil society thriving and supporting local communities to be safe and well places now and in the future.

This public health crisis has shone a spotlight on the true value of the charitable sector and how it harnesses the best in our shared humanity; now is the time to back praise with more substantial funds and ensure the sector’s survival for the sake of the most vulnerable within our communities.