Downturn blamed for charity cuts

The charity offers support to families

The economic downturn has been blamed for a Northern Ireland cancer charity planning to cut back its services.

CLIC Sargent, which offers allround care and support to families, is expected to cut jobs across the UK.

In a statement, the charity said they would not be shutting their Belfast office but the loss of some jobs and a streamline of services was inevitable.

Every week in Northern Ireland at least two families are told their child has cancer.

Alongside hospital care families are also offered the services of CLIC Sargent, which offers parents and children support while in hospital and at home.

Clare Kettyles, whose son was treated for cancer said the service was "invaluable".

"Cancer devastates family life and what CLIC Sargent help do is hold a family together during a very difficult period," she said.

"In particular their family support service is invaluable, for the trauma of going to the hospital to check how things were going was made a little bit easier."

In a statement the charity said that they were proposing a "small number" of redundancies across the UK and was consulting with staff.

"The global economic climate is affecting most charities now," it said.

"We need to ensure that we cut our expenditure now to respond to the likely fall in donations. We have to live within our means - it is the only responsible way to plan for the future."

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