A CHARITY has thanked its “amazing” staff after announcing a difficult decision to close one of its projects.

Community Voluntary Services Tendring announced to staff that there would be a round of redundancies due to financial pressures being faced by the organisation.

The main change will be to not continue to deliver the social prescribing service which has seen social prescribers work with GP surgeries across Tendring and the hospitals.

Sharon Alexander, chief officer at CVST, said: “It was heartbreaking to have to tell staff that their jobs were at risk as we are so grateful for the amazing work that they do and we hugely value every single one of them. Their dedication, passion and care for their clients has made an incredible difference. But due to spiralling costs including the significant increase of national insurance and minimum wage, we find ourselves in a very difficult situation and we were left with only one option. The economic environment is affecting the voluntary sector and businesses nationwide and CVST has not been able to secure long term funding to meet our costs. It’s such a sad time for all of us.

“We are supporting staff that are facing redundancy and CVST will continue to run vital services in Tendring including the lottery funded HILL and Infrastructure projects.” 

CVST also runs two thriving community hubs based in Clacton and Harwich.

Sharon added: “Social Prescribing has been a very successful project and helped thousands of residents in Tendring.

“Our social prescribing team is a highly skilled group of wonderful people, and we are devastated to see them leaving CVST, although support will still be available from GP surgeries and the many voluntary organisations running across the district.

“We, at CVST, will continue, as we always have, to look out for new funding and deliver services, projects and support to the residents and voluntary sector in Tendring.”

CVST runs weekly fitness and social groups across Clacton, Harwich, Manningtree, and Walton areas and provides support to everybody who walk through its doors and this will continue.

There are also special events throughout the year and a series of networking and support forums for community and voluntary groups.

For more information about groups and activities, visit www.cvstendring.org.uk