Revitalise Respite Holidays is to close due to “insurmountable” financial challenges.

The charity is to honour all guest bookings until 25 November and will then close its centres.

The charity is closing after operating for 60 years providing holiday support for people with disabilities and their families.

It had been the UK’s last remaining provider of holidays offering 24-hour care for people with complex disabilities.

It warns that “the breaks we provide will now be beyond the reach for the majority of our guests”.

Revitalise is sad to announce its plan to close at the end of November. Thank you to our guests, volunteers, donors and supporters for your loyal support.

For enquiries, of if you are affected by the closure, please email enquiries@revitalise.org.uk.

To read the full… pic.twitter.com/sBNV05xW9A

— Revitalise (@RevitaliseNow) October 7, 2024

“It is with great sadness that Revitalise Respite Holidays must announce that the difficult decision has been made to close the charity,” said the London based charity that runs holiday centres in Essex and Southport.

“Despite every effort to ensure the charity’s survival, the financial challenges we face have become insurmountable.”

It said that “it remains our lasting hope that policy makers take heed of the critical state of affairs in the social care sector and ensure that respite is properly funded”.

One parent of a disabled son Jane Raca said on social media: “20 years ago, lack of respite for my severely disabled son nearly killed me. The need for respite has been recognised much more fully since then, yet here we are, a long established and brilliant respite service is closing for lack of funds”.

One former worker at one of its centres, nurse Claire Sutton said the charity’s closure is “such sad news for guests, staff and volunteers” adding that she “adored” her shifts at one of its holiday centres.

Scottish respite care provider Leuchi House, which supports people with neurological conditions, said it is “shocked and saddened to hear of the imminent closure of Revitalise, a charity that has been our English counterpart, providing respite holidays with 24-hour care for people with complex disabilities”.

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