A charity and activity centre for people with disabilities is facing an immediate and critical financial crisis. Calvert Exmoor, in North Devon, has entered a consultation period regarding staff redundancies and a possible closure, and a follow up Crowdfunder has launched to raise £500,000 in August to ensure the centre can remain open.
Calvert Exmoor and its attached Equestrian Centre provide accessible breaks and activities for people with disabilities. In 2023 the centre welcomed 2,400 residential guests and is currently scheduled to welcome a similar number of guests again this year. However, the centre reports that years of inflation have pushed costs up whilst a decrease in tourists to the South West has kept the number of guests lower than pre-Covid pandemic levels.
The Crowdfunder to reach £500,000 raised £15,000 in under 24 hours. The pledges will be returned to donors if the campaign is not successful, but Calvert Exmoor wishes to use the funds to stay operational into 2025, keep the horses safe on-site, and invest in new bunkhouse accommodation for a more sustainable future.
Centre Director, Jennifer Young, explains: “To put it bluntly, we’re running out of cash to see us through the coming quieter season. We’ve successfully raised restricted funds over the past 18 months which has enabled us to invest significantly in improving the centre and the quality of our offer. We’ve brought in new accessible bikes, new canoes, a new accessible horse carriage, refurbished the sensory room, introduced new rafts on Wistlandpound Reservoir, opened an outdoor create stack area, and have so many more wonderful plans for the future.
“Meanwhile, it’s been reported that the South West tourism sector has been hit especially hard this year, and we’re seeing the same trend. There’s been wet weather issues and increased competition from overseas travel. Plus the costs of running the centre have risen sharply due to inflation. Essentials like food, fuel, maintenance, and wages have all become more expensive, putting a strain on our finances.
“We want to spend to improve and if we can raise the cash and invest in new accommodation to diversify our target markets, we will survive long into the future. Yet, with rising costs, impacted bookings and the current cost of living crisis, we have hit the point where we must decide; close the centre or find a way to introduce an additional large amount of money to bridge the winter season and fund key goals. We exhausted all other grant and loan avenues, so have decided to go for crowd fundraising and I truly hope we achieve it, for the sake of our guests both current and well into the future.”
• Find details about Calvert Exmoor at calvertexmoor.org.uk
• To donate to the Crowdfunder campaign visit crowdfunder.co.uk/p/exmoor-calvert-trust/
