A brain injuries charity has launched an urgent appeal to stay open after Cornwall Council ended a contract with it prematurely, along with 13 others.

Cornwall Council ended 14 of 19 contracts with community organisations delivering community support and information services, 12 months into a 21-month contract, saying that they had not met performance targets.

One of those providers, Headway Cornwall, which provides support to people with brain injuries, has now launched an urgent appeal to raise £10,000 in 30 days so that it can remain open in the short term while it seeks alternative funding streams. So far £1,800 has been raised through a Virgin Money Giving page.

The council could not tell Civil Society News how many of the other organisations which had lost contracts were registered charities.

“All the successful providers were told that their performance would be subject to regular reviews to ensure that they were meeting their targets," the council said in a statement.

"Unfortunately in the case of 14 of these contracts the providers have not met the standard required and so the Council has terminated the contracts."

Matthew Cross, chair of Headway Cornwall, said: “We are truly devastated by this announcement, which came without warning… the reality is that it will be incredibly difficult for us to maintain our services if these savage cuts take place.”

The council said that it met with all the providers in April. “It was made clear at this meeting that termination was one of the options being considered,” the council said.

The council's cabinet member for health and adult care will meet organisations in the next two weeks to discuss the situation.