July 2010

We are all in This Together

‘We are all in this together’ said Rebecca Weinberg, Chief Executive Leeds Jewish Welfare Board, in response to the Government’s spending cuts announced in June's budget

‘The budget has endorsed our expectations’ she said ‘ We have been expecting the cuts and have started to prepare for them. We know if we are to sustain our services with less income then we are going to have to fill the funding gap.’

‘We now have to engage in a two way conversation, both with the statutory funders on how they are going to implement the cuts and then with our service users about the value of our services and sharing the responsibility for paying for them. We have historically delivered many of our services free at the point of delivery. We will probably now have to look at a contribution to services from those who can afford it and redouble our fundraising efforts to pay for those who can’t afford to contribute. We currently provide preventative services which enable people to stay well. It is essential that we continue to fund these as any reduction to our preventative services would fast track people to an acute state where they require more substantial care.’

LJWB has already found the economic downturn has increased the number of people who use their services. ‘This will be exacerbated by the new 20% VAT ’ said Rebecca. ‘We need to be more vigorous with our fundraising which we are already doing with the launch of our legacy campaign. Legacies will become more important than ever in filling the funding gap and in times of economic uncertainty they are a way of giving even if the money isn’t readily available now. We have also been collaborating with other organisations to see where we can work together and make efficiency savings’

It isn’t all bad news though. The Government is also focussing on services being delivered locally by local providers. ‘This is very positive for us’ said Rebecca , ‘ when it comes to local provision and expertise, we are the best in town. When all is said and done we are determined that with the community’s help we will still be here, come what may’, said Rebecca.