An historic Durham charity that has supported veterans and people with complex needs for nearly 80 years requires new ownership if it is to survive.
Finchale Group, which was founded during WW2, has been put into administration by its trustees following several years in which it had struggled to meet funding requirements. It comes just three years since the charity moved into a purpose-built base at Durham's Belmont Industrial Estate having left its former Pity Me site which hosted a large residential premises.
Administrators from FRP are now marketing the organisation, which employs about 30 people and offers educational and vocational training, supports ex-military personnel and their families settle into communities after leaving the armed forces, and assists services users looking for employment. Last year the charity helped more than 500 people, including 200 former armed forces personnel.
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Accounts for the organisation, published in April this year, show it had income of £1.1m but expenditure of £1.9m. The documents say the charity's new executive team and its trustees had put in place a strategic plan to secure new sources of income from "key markets". It also said its legacy defined pension scheme was in deficit and a plan to mitigate this via lump sum payments followed by monthly contributions was due to stretch up to the end of April 2025.
Steven Ross, partner at FRP and joint administrator of the Finchale Group, said: "Finchale Group is a well-established charity in the North East and has done great work with veterans for almost 80 years. Its academy has also provided the resource to upskill hundreds of young people and adults looking to learn a trade.
"Unfortunately, the group was not able to meet its financial commitments and, in line with the charity’s regulatory obligations, the trustees have made the appointment. Current students will complete their courses next week and be unaffected by the administration while the remaining apprentices will be placed into alternative programmes. We are working hard to find a buyer and encourage any interested parties to come forward."
Opened in 2019, Finchale's Belmont base is called Richard Annand House and is named after the Victoria Cross winner who worked as a personnel officer at Finchale Training College after WW2. The charity originally started in 1943 as a rehabilitation and resettlement centre for returning servicemen.
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