'Devastating blow': 150-year-old charity supporting deaf people in Northampton closes – calls for Reform-led council to step in
A charity which provides vital services for hundreds of deaf people in Northampton every week has closed down – urgent calls are being made to help fund the service… but it needs £300,000.
Deaf Connect, a specialist charity supporting deaf and hard of hearing people across Northamptonshire, was forced to shut its doors after a financial crisis. The closure leaves hundreds of service users without local support.
The charity provides a wide range of services, including sign language interpreters, training, advice, and social support, making it a key part of sensory impairment services in Northamptonshire.
It has provided services to the deaf community in Northamptonshire for over 150 years – first establishing in 1874. Its staff are specialists in their area, with many years of experience and lived knowledge of hearing impairment.
A supporter who has launched an online fundraiser said the organisation now needs a minimum of £300,000 to continue operating. The appeal has so far raised £1,075.
Labour councillors Sally Keeble and Rufia Ashraf recently visited the charity’s centre in their ward in Dallington Spencer, which serves about 350 people a week, and have called on the leaders of both Northamptonshire councils to intervene.
The closure was triggered when a major bid for national funding was turned down, leaving Deaf Connect unable to cover its running costs. Redundancies were issued to the charity’s eight staff (six full-time equivalents). The service receives only £20,000 a year from both North and West Northamptonshire councils, down from a previous high of £140,000, and pays a peppercorn rent of £240 annually, against staffing costs of around £240,000 and £200,000 in building expenses.
In a joint letter to council leaders, councillors Keeble and Ashraf said: “It would be a devastating blow to the county if this service closes. About 350 people use the centre seven days a week with a huge range of activities and support, including for healthcare needs, employment, benefits, and social care.
“What is needed is a temporary reprieve to find a way forward for the service. This might not be configured in the same way as the present service, but it would be a tragedy if the expertise, skills and credibility of the existing service are lost. The councils have an obligation to provide a sensory impairment service, of which Deaf Connect is a key part.
“We cannot describe the level of distress about the closure of Deaf Connect, both in the deaf community and beyond. Many people in the community have been in tears and are connecting with trustees. We are happy to meet with either or both of you to find a way forward as soon as possible.”
West Northamptonshire Council has been contacted for comment.
Northampton's Workbridge support centre for residents with complex mental needs also recently closed down after 40 years due to finances.