Sheffield Crossroads charity bequeaths funds to four local charities

Four local charities are set to receive a welcome boost following the liquidation of Sheffield Crossroads Ltd whose remaining funds will be re-distributed to them. Over £60,000 from the not for profit organisation is expected to be split between Rotherham Crossroads - Caring for Carers; Alzheimer’s Society, Sheffield; Parkinson’s UK, Sheffield; and Sheffield Young Carers Project.

Set up in 1998, Sheffield Crossroads provided services to carers of adults and children with physical disabilities and sensory impairment. As well as providing carer support workers to give carers of adults a few hours’ break during the day, the charity also offered various children’s services including providing families with support by taking their children into the community for an activity or looking after children in the home. Its main service contracts were from Sheffield City Council and the local Primary Care Trust and also from the Sheffield Parkinson Society and a few private clients.

In March 2012, Sheffield City Council and NHS announced that Sheffield Crossroads had to submit a new tender for the contracts under which it provided adult carer services.

Unfortunately Sheffield Crossroads was not successful with their bid and its main source of funding for many years came to an end at the end of September 2012. The adult carer service work was transferred to another service provider. As a result the trustees took the decision to cease trading and worked with Begbies Traynor to close the business in an orderly way.

Following a TUPE exercise carried out with the new provider of adult carer services the majority of Sheffield Crossroads employees were eligible for transfer on 30 September 2012.

One of the main beneficiaries of the surplus funds from Sheffield Crossroads is Rotherham Crossroads which provides a range of support services for carers and worked closely with Sheffield Crossroads. The Sheffield branch of Alzheimer’s Society which provides support services to carers of those suffering from dementia/Alzheimer’s will also benefit, as will Parkinson’s UK in Sheffield which provides breaks for carers; and Sheffield Young Carers which gives support and breaks for carers under 21.

Adrian Graham at Begbies Traynor in Sheffield, commented: "While it is sad to see an organisation which has played such a key role in the local community over the last 22 years closing, it is good news that its funds will be used to help other local charities.

“Sheffield Crossroads had come to the end of its natural life and, recognising this, the trustees set about winding it down in the most orderly way to protect staff and preserve its funds.”

Peter Tisch, chair of trustees for Sheffield Crossroads, commented: “As trustees, we needed to ensure that the surplus funds from Sheffield Crossroads were distributed to charities with local branches and which were known to provide substantial practical community support to carers in Sheffield and surrounding areas.

“Donations to these organisations will be restricted for use in providing carers living in Sheffield with practical support in the community, so continuing the aims of Sheffield Crossroads. Begbies Traynor provided excellent support and good value-for-money throughout the process.”