Save The Ark: Homeless charity issues 'last, desperate plea' to stay open this winter
A Shropshire homeless charity has launched a "last, desperate" appeal to secure its future, warning it could be forced to close during the coldest part of the year.
The Shrewsbury Ark, that runs the county's only day centre for people experiencing homelessness, says rising costs and falling income have left it facing a "significant shortfall each month".
The charity says rising costs including energy bills, a decrease in income, coupled with fewer grant-making organisations funding operational expenses, have caused reserves to "rapidly dwindle". Bosses have warned that it does not currently have enough money to stay open through the coming winter.
In summer, the charity was forced to close its charity shop due to rising costs. The Ark's monthly operating costs are around £20,000, most of which covers wages for its small team of five staff members and utility bills to keep the centre running.
In an effort to stay afloat, the charity has launched an urgent appeal asking 1,000 people to commit to a regular monthly donation starting from £5 to help prevent closure.
"Every penny we receive goes directly to keeping the doors open, the lights on, and delivering essential support," said charity director Anton Goodwin.
"We’ve streamlined operations, stripped everything back to the essentials to reduce our outgoings, and our dedicated volunteers are simply amazing at going the extra mile to help, however, without additional financial help this winter, we may not make it through.
Donate or become a Friend of the Ark here
"The people we support come from all types of backgrounds, they often have suddenly found themselves homeless due to a series of life events, and/or have fallen through the gaps in statutory support services.
"Last year our team helped support 80 people into accommodation, and over 120 people were added to our client list. With cost-of-living pressures and the current economic uncertainty, we suspect more people will need our services in the coming months; if we’re not here, where will people go when they are in crisis and don’t understand the system?"
The Ark has provided warmth and safety for hundreds of people across Shropshire for more than 50 years.
In a post online, the charity described its campaign as its "last, desperate plea to save The Ark before it’s too late."
"The charity has been providing support and help to people experiencing homelessness since the early 1970s," added chair of trustees Emily Bell.
"But right now, it’s our turn to ask for help. If 1,000 people make a monthly, commitment we can survive this winter and plan for a sustainable future and continue to change lives for the better.
"We would like to expand our services, but right now, our goal is to create a dependable income stream that will keep the charity’s vital day centre running and ensure no one in Shrewsbury is left out in the cold this winter."
Mayor of Shrewsbury Councillor Alex Wagner has pledged his support, signing up as a Friend of the Ark to donate regularly.
The charity recently received £1,000 from Shrewsbury Town Council’s Community Grant Scheme to improve its website and marketing materials, helping strengthen its outreach and sustainability.
Councillor Wagner said: "It's entirely clear to me that the trustees and staff could not be doing more to make an impact and get people back on their feet. It is a much changed and much stronger organisation to what it was, a huge testament to hard work and tough decisions made.
"They run a really streamlined operation, stripped back to the essentials, doing a superb job in unenviable circumstances.
"However, rising costs and falling income, mean they are facing the real risk of closure, without enough reserves to remain open through this coming winter."
