Voluntary bodies under threat as emergency fund flooded with bids

A £500,000 emergency fund set up by the government to save
voluntary organisations from closure following council funding
cuts, has been three times oversubscribed, leaving 39 organisations
facing a cash crisis.

Twenty six voluntary organisations have received money from the
fund, announced in March by home secretary David Blunkett.

But Chris Penberthy, director of the National Association of
Volunteer Bureaux, said: “The harsh reality is that for those who
were unsuccessful in their applications to the emergency fund will
now face a substantial cut in their ability to deliver their
services, and many face closure over the coming months.”