Stuart Anderson MP has thrown his support behind South Shropshire's 500 charities. It is part of Small Charity Week, which is this year running between 23rd and 30th June 2025. A national campaign, it celebrates the vital role that small charities play in their local communities.
As part of this year's campaign, Stuart has pledged to amplify and support small charities. He also wants to help connect them with the resources and networks that will enable them to grow in the years ahead.
More than 5,000 new charities were registered in England and Wales last year. Despite their huge impact, they are often under-funded and struggle for vital visibility in a crowded media landscape. Stuart has said that he wants to change this for the better.
It follows the latest VCSE Barometer Survey, conducted by the VCSE National Data and Insights Observatory at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). More than half of the 665 voluntary organisations that participated expressed concerns about hikes in statutory employment costs.
This includes concerns about the affordability of increases employer's National Insurance Contributions (NICs). which were introduced by the Government in April. Employment figures published by the Office for National Statistics in June show that it has resulted in more than a 100,000 job losses.
In a formal written question in Parliament, Stuart urged Ministers to promote the availability of funding for small charities. However, they signposted two schemes that the last government had run and are no longer accepting applications.
So, Stuart has now launched a Community Support Finder. This details the latest support available for local charitable organisations in South Shropshire and beyond. It lists a wide range of foundations, trusts and government schemes that can be applied to.
Stuart's campaign follows his recent request for a Rural Connections Fund to empower local groups to turbocharge outreach projects aimed at tackling loneliness. It is part of Stuart's long-term plan to support local communities in South Shropshire.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
"Despite their huge social, environmental and economic impact, small charities are often under-funded and struggle for vital visibility in a crowded media landscape. I am committed to supporting local communities in South Shropshire, and have been pleased to visit many community-based initiatives since my election in July 2024. To support these organisations, I have launched a Community Support Finder on my website. This details the latest support that is available for charitable organisations in both South Shropshire and beyond. I hope that this will be a useful resource for the many volunteers who give their time and energy to run these impactful organisations."
