'Lifeline' Shropshire charity which helps people with no-one else to turn to needs funding urgently
Bosses at one of Shropshire’s longest-standing support charities have warned it will be forced to close without "urgent" funding.
Shropshire PCAS (Person Centred Advocacy and Support), which has been a lifeline to more than 11,000 disabled and vulnerable adults across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin for more than 30 years, said rising demand and limited funding has pushed its frontline advocacy service to breaking point.
Advocates and volunteers at the Oswestry-based charity work with adults who often have no-one else to turn to, supporting them through complex issues including housing problems, safeguarding concerns, social care access, energy bills, and health challenges.
Most of their clients live alone and have no family or friends to help them.
“What we do is a lifeline. It’s plain and simple - people couldn’t function without it,” said Simon Arthur, founder and manager of Shropshire PCAS.
“But if we don’t raise enough money by December, we’ll have no choice but to shut down. That will leave many of the most vulnerable people in our community completely without support.”
Due to increasing need, Shropshire PCAS has already had to temporarily close its doors four times in the past two years.
They now operate with a strict cap of 30 waiting clients at a time, despite demand far exceeding capacity.
On average, each client is living with more than three different disabilities and on average facing more than 15 separate challenges.
Advocates work directly with them, in their homes, offering practical support with paperwork, appointments, correspondence, and navigating complex services. For many, the PCAS advocate is the only regular human contact they have.
“One of our advocates recently accompanied a client to hospital for major surgery following an amputation,” adds Simon. “There was no-one else. No visitors. No support. That’s the reality of the work we do.”
Despite the life-changing support Shropshire PCAS provides, it receives no statutory funding for its core advocacy service and relies entirely on grants, donations, and fundraising.
The charity, based on Willow Street, is now making a final appeal to local businesses, organisations, and the wider community for urgent financial support.
The charity needs to raise £240,000 by the end of the year to keep the service running.
Supporters can contribute via one-off donations, workplace fundraising efforts, Corporate Social Responsibility partnerships, or by selecting Shropshire PCAS as charity of the year in their business.
“We work with the people who fall through the cracks, the ones who don’t meet the criteria for other services. If we close, they will be left with no-one,” said Simon. “We’ve been part of this community for over three decades. We’re asking Shropshire to help us keep going.”
To support Shropshire PCAS as an individual or as a business visit https://shropshirepcas.co.uk/, call 01691 658008 or email Simon@shropshirepcas.co.uk
