(Image: Supplied)
A Darlington charity that has helped thousands into work over three decades is losing money every month, as its new chief executive warns of growing financial pressure across the sector.
Mike Renton, who became Tandem’s permanent chief executive last month, said it urgently needs to "plug our income gap" and build a "modern, diversified income stream" to survive.
He said: "Every charity is finding it harder because unlike businesses, we don’t make our own money, so we are having to find new, creative ways to generate income.
"Ultimately, businesses help themselves, while charities help those who can’t and there are many amazing causes across Darlington, like Tandem, that do life-changing work.
"Yet so many shut because they simply can’t afford to continue."
Tandem, formerly known as The Morrison Trust, has helped people across Tees Valley into work for more than 30 years through mentoring, training and practical job support.
Tandem also runs Tandem Hub, a Darlington conference and meeting centre where bookings remain well below pre-pandemic levels.
Three of Tandem’s past five Charity Commission filings recorded significant income shortfalls.
Mr Renton said: "Since covid, venues like Tandem Hub simply aren’t as busy.
"Our bookings are at roughly half of what they were, and the reality is that on some days it is empty.
"We must plug our income gap, so we can’t rest on our laurels – we need a more modern, diversified income stream and that’s hopefully where I can make a big difference."
Mr Renton said Tandem had strong foundations and ambitious plans, but warned that financial pressures threaten its work.
He said: "But we are a charity, and like many in the third sector, we are fighting just to keep going, and without funding, our amazing work can’t happen, so I’m trying to change perceptions and the fortunes of Tandem at the same time.
"We have a real opportunity to help people move into better opportunities – but we must ensure the charity is here to do it and we need local businesses to step up and take corporate social responsibility seriously.
"The charity sector is in its hour of need, and if that support isn’t there, the brutal reality is that charities like Tandem will simply vanish."
Mr Renton, a former councillor and cabinet member, was Tandem’s interim chief executive before taking the permanent role.
He works four days a week as Tandem’s part-time chief executive because of the charity’s financial constraints.
He plans to use his journalism and public relations experience to raise awareness of Tandem’s "transformative" work.
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He said: "Too many people don’t see Tandem as a charity – for many it is the place you do a speed awareness course – but our team is tirelessly working to give people hope and opportunities.
"Locally, around one in six adults are economically inactive, and our charity is fighting to improve that by giving them the skills but also the confidence to get back into work."
Find out more about Tandem at www.tandem.org.uk.