Women’s charity Eaves must raise £450,000 by the end of June in order to save the Poppy Project after losing out to the Salvation Army on government funding.
The Poppy Project, which has helped more than 700 victims of human trafficking since it was founded in 2003, has lost 90 per cent of the project’s funding and the charity is now appealing for donations to raise the £1.8m needed each year.
Eaves chief executive, Denise Marshall, has accused the government of making a decision based on the cost not quality of the bids. “Right from the start of the bidding process, when the ministry of justice first released the contract specification, it was clear that the contract would go to the most ‘economically advantageous’ – or cheapest – bidder," she said. “Quality of provision just wasn’t a priority.”
Marshall claimed that one of the key reasons Poppy lost out was its commitment to providing victims with a 90-day recovery period as opposed to the minimum 45-day suggested by the government.
Salvation Army to take over victim careThe Salvation Army will take over the responsibility for the care of adult victims of human trafficking this July and will receive £2m annually from the government for the next three years.
Major Anne Read, the Salvation Army's anti-human trafficking response co-ordinator for the UK and the Republic of Ireland, said: “For many years we have worked with and campaigned for these vulnerable victims; working with government, police and other agencies to help victims of human trafficking.”
The charity already runs safe housing for victims and will use the funding to increase its support provision by 25 per cent as well commission support from experts including human trafficking charity STOP UK.
Justice minister, Crispin Blunt, said: “This funding will allow the Salvation Army to work together with counter-trafficking agencies and specialist support organisations to provide an escape route for these men and women.”
Human trafficking project in danger after losing government funding - Civil Society - Finance - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profitsSource: civilsociety.co.uk
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