The Mentoring and Befriending Foundation has announced it has completed the transfer of its services to NCVO.

The Foundation said in March that it would close later this year and that NCVO would take responsibility for its core services. The move follows several years of financial struggles for the charity after its £1m government funding was cut in 2011.

A statement from NCVO said the addition of a mentoring and befriending specialism would “enhance and strengthen the volunteering aspect of its work”.

Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO, said: “The transfer has ensured that support for mentoring and befriending organisations can continue into the future and that we can develop the valuable work that MBF has done for the voluntary sector. By taking on the delivery of these services, NCVO is able to provide more support to our members so they can make an even bigger difference.”

Three of MBF’s seven staff members have transferred to NCVO’s volunteering and development department and are now working from GMCVO’s offices in Manchester.

Four remaining MBF staff will continue to work for the Foundation to complete existing projects in the run up to its closure later this year. Any remaining reserves will be donated to NCVO.

Services transferred to NCVO include the MBF's Approved Provider Standard for mentoring and befriending projects and the National Training Programme of short courses designed to help organisations develop good practice in mentoring and befriending.

The Foundation’s accreditation scheme will sit alongside NCVO’s existing accreditation and quality standards services.

Steve Matthews, chief executive of MBF said: "This transfer ensures MBF’s core services will continue to be available to organisations in the sector and also creates the opportunity for further development and expansion of MBF’s previous work."