Two East Midlands-based autism charities are set to merge, saving one from closure.
Last week, Derbyshire Autism Services and Autism East Midlands announced that they would be joining together to provide services for people with autism and their families across the East Midlands region.
Derbyshire Autism Services previously facing ‘imminent closure’
Derbyshire Autism Services, which had an income of £465,445 in the year to 31 March 2023, announced on 12 August that it faced imminent closure due to “huge spending cuts” in the health and social care sector and would close its doors if it did not raise sufficient funding in time.
The closure would also have resulted in the loss of 33 jobs at the charity, which was founded in 1989.
Meanwhile, Autism East Midlands, which had an income of £14,368,368 in the year to 31 March 2023, has been supporting autistic people and their families since 1968, providing services such as residential housing and support hubs across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.
Both charities share an advocacy for person-centred support and emphasise on placing the choice and needs of service users at the heart of the service.
Steve Freeborn, chair of trustees of Derbyshire Autism Services, said: “Everyone involved in Derbyshire Autism Services is thrilled to be joining with Autism East Midlands; the ethos of the organisations couldn’t be better matched.”
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