Positive Path Foundation criticises BCP Council over funding

Positive Path Foundation (PPF) has a letter of agreement with BCP Council who signpost local children and young adults with high-functioning special needs to the charity as an approved support provider.

The non-profit organisation runs solely on donations, grants and membership fees for its support, therapy, social skills and work opportunity offerings.

However, despite the bulk of PPF users being from the BCP area, majority of group outings taking place in the region, and the council referrals, the authority has allegedly said it would not offer any funding to the charity because it is not based in the BCP catchment area.

Based in Sway, New Forest, charity founder Jane Atkinson described the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole authority’s apparent reason for not providing any funding as “shambolic”.

Positive Path Foundation founder Jane Atkinson with her son George, who has autism (Image: Jane Atkinson)

She told the Echo: “My reaction is one of frustration and indignation, not just for PPF, but also for the community of high-functioning special needs children and adults who are consistently ignored and abandoned.

“So they won’t donate anything because I’m not based in their area, yet they’re happy to send their residents to us. I’m at the end of my tether with it. They’re so reluctant to support us even though we provide them a service.

“Since 80 per cent of our members reside in the BCP area, it seems only fair and reasonable they help fund the additional staff wages we need as a result of their referrals and demand coming from that area.

“The money wouldn’t go to me, I don’t take anything out of the charity. Without funding for additional staff wages, I will end up having to close next year and that would be catastrophic.”

The charity currently operates with two full-time staff, just one of whom takes a salary. Jane does not take any earnings and says she has poured her own money into the charity to keep it going.

Bournemouth Town Hall

A BCP Council spokesperson said: “We sympathise with the charity’s position and appreciate that it’s an incredibly difficult time for organisations across all sectors – private and not-for-profit.

“The charity is not located in the BCP area, however we have listed the Positive Path Foundation organisation in our Family Information Directory, signposting the support they provide to people with learning difficulties and physical challenges.

 “We do not currently have any rolling funded contacts. We do have a letter of agreement in place which means we can refer eligible children to them based on assessed need, however our records indicate that we have not done so at least in the last year.

“Given PPF has advised that 80 per cent of their members are from the BCP area, we will approach the charity to gain a better understanding of the level of support they provide to our residents. We will then be able to consider what advice we may be able to offer.”