East Belfast Ulster Unionist MLA Andy Allen MBE has urged the Minister for Communities to reopen the COVID-19 Charities Fund to provide further vital support to charities across Northern Ireland and allocate the £6.7M that is so far unspent.
The East Belfast MLA said:
“I recently tabled a written question to the Minister for Communities regarding funding allocated by her Department to COVID-19 measures.
“In her response, dated 29 October 2020, I note that £8.8M of the £15.5M COVID-19 Charities Fund has been spent leaving a total of £6.7M unspent.
“Due to the continued impact of Coronavirus, many charities continue to face difficulty financially due to the reduction in fundraising and other income, whilst at the same time, many have seen an increase in the numbers presenting to their organisations for support during these challenging times.
“I would therefore encourage the Minister to urgently reopen the charities fund, with revised eligibility criteria reflective of the current landscape, for applications to provide vital support to charities through this challenging time. This funding will be vital in assisting their crucial and important work supporting communities, families and individuals across Northern Ireland.
“The Minister and her Department must continue to respond to the many challenges that COVID-19 has presented and should take immediate steps to reopen the charities fund, which is a support package that is very much needed by many organisations throughout Northern Ireland.”