Children with Cancer Fund-Polegate has been given the opportunity of a lifetime to purchase the building where our staff currently run the day-to-day business of the charity. To improve our resilience and secure the future of the charity in the long term, we would like to purchase the building at the reduced cost of £300,000. As we have currently secured a significant amount through three separate channels, we are aiming to fundraise the remaining total of £49,500 to get us to our goal!

What are the benefits of this investment, and why now?

Unfortunately, the pandemic had a harsh impact on our finances, with a loss of income and reduction in our services. In addition, last year our landlord unexpectedly gave us the news that he would be using our office for other purposes and we were required to vacate the premise within a matter of months. The relocation and moving costs proved to be very expensive, adding a significant amount to our expenditure that we could not have foreseen. We have become increasingly aware of the overhead costs associated with renting an office and the impact this has on our finances. Purchasing the current office would prevent these issues from arising in the future.

How will this support our families long term?

Our office is the focal point of our charity, it is where the day-to-day running of our charity occurs. Our wonderful staff each have their own desk, computer and phone within the office, allowing them to focus on their area of expertise. Whether it be supporting our beneficiaries, fundraising, or coordinating our family events, the office provides a space for them to work effectively towards our aims. It is a beacon of hope for the families we support, a bright and comforting place they know they can drop in to if they need support or someone to talk to who understands what they are going through. It is the home to all of our meetings, where our trustees and committees can meet privately and make decisions for the charity, knowing it remains confidential and within the walls of the building. We also recognise the many benefits of having a building in a prime location visible to traffic and many passers-by, increasing awareness and our presence within the community, which is something we very much lacked in our old location. We feel purchasing the office will have a long-lasting positive impact, significantly reducing our annual core costs and allowing us to allocate more of our future funding towards our beneficiaries as opposed to the operational costs of CWCF. Most importantly, it is our home and the heart of the charity.

Everything we do is in the best interest of our beneficiaries, we prioritise their needs and make decisions we feel will benefit them in the long-term, this is what is leading our decision to purchase the office.