Charity visited by Catherine set to lose council funding
The charity came to national attention in October 2023 when Catherine visited the hub.
A charity visited by Catherine, Princess of Wales says it is fighting for its future after learning that council funding is coming to an end.
Vsi Razom Community Hub, based in Princess Square in Bracknell, was founded in response to the war in Ukraine and supports Ukrainian families and the wider community.
The charity came to national attention in October 2023 when Catherine visited the hub and met volunteers .
Bracknell Forest Council said it was "reviewing its budgets to determine what funding may be available in the future".
The organisation was launched by Natalia Vil and Ashleigh Toomey and its name means "All Together" in Ukrainian.
Vil said: "We have just received a letter from the council to say thank you for everything we have done but after three years they are withdrawing funding.
"We were a bit shocked and not sure what to do next. It has left us at risk.
She said the charity would "find a way of surviving" because there were "so many people out there who need our help and who are relying on us".
"We are expanding what we offer and are looking for more funding, but it has made things difficult," she added.
In a statement Abby Thomas, the council's assistant director of communities and policy, said it recognised the "valuable support" the hub offered to residents and understood "concerns about its future funding".
"Over the past three years, Bracknell Forest Council has provided the charity with three grants totalling £45,000, helping it to establish and develop its services to assist the wider community," she said.
"The council is currently reviewing its budgets to determine what funding may be available in the future.
"We remain committed to working with Vsi Razom as it works on sustaining its services."
