An update from our Chief Executive

Dear all,

During these incredibly challenging times we have made the difficult decision to furlough more than half of our staff under the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention scheme.

People affected by bowel cancer need us now more than ever and therefore we need to respond and react quickly. We are focusing on direct online services to get information, advice and peer support to people who are vulnerable to serious consequences of coronavirus infection, and for many who are having bowel cancer treatment or surgery postponed or cancelled. Our priority is to meet the changing needs of everyone affected by bowel cancer during these worrying times, and to play our part in supporting the NHS frontline too.

All of our major fundraising events have been cancelled, or postponed and still at risk. There are many uncertainties but across the sector, charities are predicting losses of between 25-48 per cent of their 2020 income, and Bowel Cancer UK’s loss of income is very likely to fall within this range too.

The only UK Government assistance available to us at this time of unprecedented need is the furlough scheme which effectively removes capacity when we need it most. But in order to safeguard our charity and give us the best possible chance to survive, recover and go from strength to strength once this is over, we simply have no choice. We remain absolutely determined to fulfil our mission to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer.

We will fully support staff who are affected. The furloughing decisions we are making now are likely to be in effect until at least the end of May 2020, however we will review the situation at the end of April.

Genevieve Edwards
Chief Executive, Bowel Cancer UK