Sheffield domestic abuse charity ‘devastated’ after missing out on crucial government funding

A Vida Sheffield group photo at the Everest Challenge fundraising climb to mark the 70th Anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tensing at Awesome Walls in Sheffield.

Vida Sheffield, a charity that is saving the NHS £50,000 a month, is in survival mode after in December its bosses urged Sheffield City Council to release funding or they would have to shut the business down by the end of January.

Karen Hague, the chief executive of Vida Sheffield, then told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that they were waiting on the announcement of their bids at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

She has now told the LDRS that they had not given the funding they required to survive.

She said: “It was a difficult news to digest hearing on the Friday before Christmas that we didn’t get the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funding – very hard to take that news at such a time of the year, as well. I was quite surprised that they wouldn’t think about the sensitivities involved.

“It was really really difficult to shut down after that. I shared the news with my trustees but not everyone as I was just worried about their reaction and how it would impact their Christmas.

“Since we last spoke, we’re still getting positive responses from those that work in the NHS, they value our service and they’re wondering how they’re going to continue if we have to wind up…

“A few of the health professionals are trying to lobby to ensure we’d get the funding we require.”

Ms Hague said Louise Haigh the Sheffield Heeley MP is supporting the cause and is trying to raise awareness of the situation.

She added others in the industry are saying “how squeezed” they are feeling from a funding point of view as there was more demand for less funding.

“It’s highly competitive”, she said.

She said Vida was one of 1,800 bidders for government funding.

Ms Hague said she had spoken to the Lottery about funding and buying time, basically, to gather momentum.

She said they would need some additional funding to survive on top of long-term core funding.

As mentioned before, Ms Hague called Sheffield City Council to release emergency funding.

Now, part of the plan is to talk to the leader of the council, Cllr Tom Hunt face-to-face, Ms Hague added.

Vida, a domestic abuse charity saving £50,000 a month for the NHS, is in need of £15,000 to £20,000 each month to continue to provide its much-needed services.

You can support the charity by donating to them here and/or signing their petition here.