Covid-19

Mar 19, 2020

Coronavirus – An update
We find ourselves in unprecedented times and a time of uncertainty. The last few weeks have seen so much of our daily lives hit and things are changing daily. Nations, communities and families are having to navigate this new space we find ourselves within, and the charity sector is no different.
Whilst we have limited external communication over the last couple of weeks, we have been working hard behind the scenes to adapt to the ever-changing situation. We are painfully aware that most of the women we work with would be within the vulnerable group that need additional care and attention. At the same time, we have a responsibility to our staff and volunteers to ensure their safety – especially where they also fall into higher risk groups. We’ve also had to consider the wider public with a number of training and fundraising events planned.
Having regularly reviewed developments, we have implemented home working for all our staff team. Through remote working we plan to keep in connection with as many of the women we support as possible. We will also continue our street outreach for the time being and through all channels support women in keeping safe. We will continue to monitor this as we seek to balance all the pressing needs.
We read in the news about many businesses struggling at this time, and the reality is that many charities will face the same struggles. There is an additional need for support at present at a time when offering this support is much more complex and costly. Key fundraising events such as the London Marathon, in which we had a keen runner, have been postponed and many charities will be looking at their sustainability.
We are thankful we have been able to build a reserve that will provide some cover but no-one knows how long this will continue. We are hugely thankful for all our current supporters though and encouraged by the early response from grant making trusts to be flexible. We are thankful too for all our regular donors who help create a broader platform of support and really do help us spread risk.
We’re aware that so many people are asking for general support at present and we don’t want to add a fresh appeal to everyone. We would ask though, if you have given some financial support to Beyond the Streets in the past or have considered it, whether you would consider setting up a standing order that is appropriate to you.
Knowing we have a community of supporters at this time is significant to us and really does help as we navigate these hard times.
The Beyond the Streets Team