A Southwark-based charity for asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants has launched an emergency fundraiser after increasing difficulties in attaining financial support have put the organisation at risk of closure.
The Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers (SDCAS) is hoping to raise £70,000 through a Crowdfunder campaign by 7 October, as the reduced availability of funding in the charity sector, alongside the natural termination of several multi-year funding streams, mean the centre risks exhausting its funds by the end of 2026.
SDCAS, which has been operating for nearly thirty years, provides a number of services to asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants in need, ranging from hot meals, English lessons, and practical advice, to discussion groups, art classes and gardening activities.
Alice Kidney, advice service manager at SDCAS, told the Londoners: “If we don’t have that really vital money coming in through the crowdfunder, as well as consistent support from people who donate small amounts every month to us as a charity, it’s looking like it will be a very difficult time for us at the beginning of next year.
“The Crowdfunder campaign is ultimately about saving us as an organisation.”
SDCAS alternates its operations across three centres, welcoming a little under 200 clients each week.
It is run by a number of permanent staff members, in addition to over 100 volunteers, although a recruitment freeze it has been forced to implement has left a third of positions vacant.
The group’s financial issues have also compelled it to make a number of small changes across its services, such as closing the second hall at its Wednesday centre, a move which means that that centre will no longer have the space to run clothing donations going forward.
Kidney said: “Our funding applications not being successful this year has just had a huge impact on us as a service, we can’t continue to operate in the same way if we don’t have that really essential funding”.
Kidney emphasised the impact that charities such as SDCAS closing would have on vulnerable people needing help to overcome barriers to accessing services related to immigration, healthcare, housing and education, and on the functioning of public services.
“Most of the clients that are accessing our service come from total destitution or fleeing persecution. They are really coming from the worst time in their life,” she said.
“It’s really essential that organisations like SDCAS are able to operate because not only would there be such a significant loss for our clients if we weren’t, but then the burden would be placed on institutional organisations, which are already so stretched.
“It would be very hard to imagine a borough like Southwark without SDCAS.”
Featured image credit: Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers
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