Comic Relief has published a strategy for the next five years and revealed that it has cut 40 roles as part of a restructure process.
Prior to the restructure, which was completed in October last year, the organisation had 181 employees but it now has 141 approved staff members.
During the restructure, 26 people were made redundant but the charity also created 57 roles to deliver its new strategy, details of which were published today.
Some of the new roles will be in Comic Relief’s funding team, leading on the charity’s three “impact areas” outlined in its strategy to 2027, which all centre on tackling poverty.
One of the impact areas is focused on working in places dealing with the effects of climate change.
Another aims to fund programmes that help to alleviate “poverty’s consequences and grip on people’s daily lives”.
Comic Relief also plans to tackle injustices that keep people in poverty by supporting “organisations and movements that strive for fairness and equity”.
The charity told Civil Society News it has also created new roles in its fundraising, partnerships and project management teams as it aims to drive new income streams and campaigns across the year.
CEO: ‘We must adapt’
The charity’s fundraising income has declined in recent years, with its flagship Red Nose Day telethon drawing £42.8m in donations on the night last year, compared to £52m the year before.
Its overall income was £50m in the year to July 2022, the charity said, down from £74m the year before.
Writing for Civil Society News, Comic Relief chief executive Samir Patel said: “Crises around the world, a volatile economic climate, and the continuing cost-of-living crisis have taken a toll on our fundraising efforts. For us and for the charity sector, it’s been a tough year and the challenges will continue.
“We must adapt. Because our work in funding community organisations who are on the frontline of tackling poverty is needed as much as ever. Wealth and advances in society are benefitting too few and are not providing a good life for all.
“The issues around us may be serious, but when we come together and help each other out, we’re at our best as a society. We have always believed that being charitable can be easy and even fun. So, alongside our work to raise money and fund real change and impact, we’ve been hard at work on charting a path ahead.”
Patel’s article for Civil Society News will be published tomorrow
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