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25
Oct
Community action celebrated but funding shrinks at Hadca
Harrogate and District Community Action continues to support the work of hundreds of local not-for-profit organisations — but its income fell sharply last year.
More than 200 voluntary and community sector organisations are members of Hadca, which was formed by the merger of Ripon CVS and Harrogate and Area CVS in 2013.
The organisation, which has six full-time equivalent staff and 170 volunteers, provides a wide range of services such as recruiting volunteers, networking and linking people with services.
It also runs initiatives such as Help Out Harrogate, which provides flexible volunteering opportunities, Community Fit, which combines exercise with community activities and Power of 10, which encourages young people in the Ripon area to volunteer.
Last week’s AGM celebrated Hadca’s work, but the accounts for the year ending March 31, 2025 revealed the organisation, like many in the voluntary sector, is struggling to absorb the loss of council grants.
Income declined from £463,186 to £303,750. Expenditure fell from £420,307 to £324,939, which meant the charity made a deficit of £21,189.
The accounts said the creation of a single unitary local authority for North Yorkshire in April 2023 “has had a significant impact on all our key funding streams and services during 2024/25”.
They added:
We will continue to review our strategy and update the aims and objectives of the organisation to ensure Hadca remains best placed to respond to changing needs of our area, whilst adapting to our own changing finances.
Victoria Oldham
Treasurer Victoria Oldham told the meeting: “It’s not just the smaller charities who are up against it. We are too. But we are taking steps and are always positive. There’s always a solution.”
Hadca, which owns and manages Community House on East Parade, had free reserves of £181,239 at the end of the financial year, which enabled it to absorb the loss. It also relinquished office space at Ripon Community House on Allhallowgate due to the financial challenges.
Speaking to the Stray Ferret, chief executive Elaine Stevenson, who succeeded Frances Elliot in April, said funding was a “massive challenge” but “what we have delivered has been amazing”.
She added:
We are in an environment where available resources are decreasing and demand is growing so we need to look at how the team can work together with that and what the opportunities are looking forward.
Members at the meeting
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