20th April 2024
Dear Community,
We write to you today with heavy hearts but with utmost transparency and respect. It is with profound regret that we must announce the closure of the Dyspraxia Foundation.
After much consideration, and in light of enormous long-standing financial challenges, the Board of Trustees has made the difficult decision to cease operations. This decision was not made lightly, and it comes after exhaustive efforts to sustain our mission and serve those in need.
Despite appointing a new CEO in October, Lucy Owen, who has worked tirelessly and joined with big aspirations for the Dyspraxia Foundation and the dyspraxic community, the current financial climate within the third sector has sadly proven too great a barrier to overcome for the charity. We understand the impact our closure may have on the individuals and communities we have supported over the decades. We want to express our deepest gratitude to all of our supporters, donors, volunteers, and partners who have stood by us and shared in our mission to create a society in which dyspraxia is not a barrier to opportunity and fulfilment.
Over nearly four decades, our organisation has helped thousands of people with dyspraxia to reach their full potential at every stage in their lives. As time has progressed, demand for our services has increased, but sadly resources haven't followed at the same pace.
Grant-makers and trusts now have fewer funds to give out, and more organisations are asking for support, thus meaning that there’s less money to go around, and as one of the lesser-known types of neurodivergence, despite our hard work to rectify this, dyspraxia continues to often be near the bottom of the pile for support.
Personally speaking, I am devastated that we now have run out of road, but moving forward, I will do everything I can to ensure that fellow people with dyspraxia continue to have access to support. During this transition period, we are working closely with administrators to ensure that all legal and financial matters are handled with integrity and transparency. Our priority remains fulfilling our obligations to our staff, partners, and creditors.
We appreciate that our members have paid a subscription, and we are sorry that we are not able to continue to provide additional services for you or offer any refunds.
While this marks the end of a chapter for the Dyspraxia Foundation, we remain committed to the values and principles that have guided our work. We encourage our supporters to continue their compassionate efforts to make a positive impact in the dyspraxic community.
As we are sure you can understand, our website and our social media channels will be closing in the next 24 hours.
In our absence, if you are in need of support, here are some other organisations that might be able to help you:
The Board of Trustees, who are also the Company Directors of Dyspraxia Foundation, have begun the process of placing the Company into Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation (“CVL”) and to instruct an independent Insolvency Practitioner to assist the Board in winding up the affairs of Dyspraxia Foundation.
Antony Batty & Company LLP have been instructed by the Board of Trustees in this process and we will provide more information in due course.
Please direct all queries to closure@dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk
Once again, we extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for your unwavering support throughout the years.
With deep appreciation,
Jonathan Levy
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Dyspraxia Foundation