Brain Tumour Charity announces further redundancies

The Brain Tumour Charity has announced plans for further redundancies as it tackles a £4.8 income loss this year due to Covid-19.

The health charity is looking to make 15 staff redundant. This comes on top of not replacing 15 vacant roles and four redundancies earlier this year.

The charity is also making use of the furlough scheme in the interim to “protect more roles”.

Today we must share some difficult news as COVID-19 continues to have a devastating impact on us & the whole charity sector. Please read the statement from @BrainTumourCEO here; https://t.co/iXsQ0MfWzV Thank you as always for all you do. #ACureCantWait
— The Brain Tumour Charity (@BrainTumourOrg) November 10, 2020

Brain Tumour Charity chief executive Sarah Lindsell said: “I cannot stress how sad we are to need to take these steps, and how much we wish there was an alternative. We are absolutely gutted that we are going to lose some really talented and valued members of the team, and that we are having to put many more through such a time of uncertainty.

“But, for everyone affected by a brain tumour, we need to ensure we can keep investing in cutting-edge research, in providing trusted information and support and in enabling the change our community so desperately needs to see.”

Health charities and sector body the Association of Medical Research Charities have already warned of the loss of vital funding for research unless medical charities are given extra support.

Lindsell anticipates the charity having to reduce its spend on resaerch by up to £5.5m over the next five years, adding “and that really hurts”.

She added: “We cannot spend time mourning the shape and size of the charity we thought we were going to be in 2021, because progress and hope are needed now more than ever.

“Instead we must act even more urgently. Call for change even more boldly. Support patients and families even more closely. Fundraise even more creatively. Collect and provide accurate and powerful data to patients, researchers and decision-makers even more readily. Because a cure cannot wait. And neither can our community.”