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Long-standing environmental charity will close unless volunteers step in

Finance | Niki May Young | 29 Nov 2011

One of the UK’s oldest environmental charities has made a last desperate plea for volunteers to take over its services as it succumbs to the crippling financial climate and admits it can no longer pay staff.

Environmental Protection UK (EPUK), which can trace its roots back to 1898 when its first incarnation was as the Coal Smoke Abatement Society, yesterday announced that without voluntary support it will cease its services protecting air and land quality, and reducing waste and noise pollution, at the end of the financial year in March 2012.

EPUK, which relies predominantly on trading income and paid membership subscriptions, began consultation with its ten staff over redundancy on 18 November, calling for volunteers to step forward at the charity’s scheduled EGM in January.

Paul Cooney, chairman of the charity, said: “This was a historic and very difficult decision for EPUK’s board of trustees and not one we took lightly given EPUK’s history and its important work.

“We did not underestimate the impact on our excellent staff team. However, we were left with no other viable options and it was felt that this plan represents the best possible chance of the organisation surviving in the future.

“Clearly though, in order to avoid EPUK’s closure, members or volunteers will need to come forward to commit to taking the organisation forward on a voluntary basis,” he said.

Recognising its financial difficulties in 2010, the charity employed the services of a number of organisations working on a pro bono basis and individual volunteers to review its governance and provide policy, fundraising and operational strategy advice. It held a reserves policy to maintain a general fund equivalent to six months expenditure “to allow sufficient time to deal with a catastrophic change in circumstances”, the charity reported in its accounts. But this has proven insufficient.

Current chief executive James Grugeon, who announced his intention to stand down in September in order to take the helm at an energy services business in Australia, is to lead the charity through its transition until after Christmas when interim CEO Andy Wallace will take the reins until March 2012. 

Plans for the future

EPUK has its headquarters in Brighton, an office in Scotland and ten volunteer-led regional divisions across the UK. The Scotland office is now exploring the possibility of becoming a stand-alone organisation, and EPUK trustees are in discussions about providing voluntary support in order for it to do so.

The charity has had historic success in campaigning on environmental issues. It led the charge in combating the Great London Smog of 1952, having already pushed the 1926 Public Health (Smoke Abatement) Act through Parliament and following through with the 1956 Clean Air Act under the leadership of Sir William Blake Richmond.

Despite its desperate circumstances EPUK has managed to secure support for its core Healthy Air Campaign, which was launched last year. A coalition of non-governmental organisations including Asthma UK, the Campaign for Better Transport, Friends of the Earth and Living Streets will continue to support the campaign.

Grugeon gave thanks: “We are all grateful to members, supporters, and partners who continue to work with us to try to secure a future for the organisation. I hope they will agree to make a commitment to continuing EPUK’s vital work, albeit in a different way. And I am delighted that some of our projects – including our landmark campaigns on air pollution – have been given a lifeline too.

“As ever, it is a question of funding and support.”

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