Staff ‘in shock’ as suicide prevention charity collapses into administration
Charity staff described their devastation after being made redundant with immediate effect as the youth suicide prevention charity Papyrus abruptly collapsed into administration.
Papyrus, which reported a total income of more than £5.3m in its latest accounts, operated a 24-hour helpline and was known for its relationship with the suicide awareness group Three Dads Walking.
James Parkes, an area manager at the charity, wrote on LinkedIn: “I can’t quite believe I’m writing this, but yesterday I was made redundant with immediate effect, along with all staff at Papyrus, as the charity enters insolvency.
“I’m still processing what has happened and, like every one of my colleagues, I’m in shock.”
A source who worked at the charity until yesterday told Third Sector the news of its insolvency had come “completely out of the blue”.
The former Papyrus employee told Third Sector they received a phone call from an administrator “to say my role was gone, and the charity had gone”.
The source said: “We haven’t heard from the chief executive, HR or anyone internal other than the colleagues reaching out to each other to express their devastation: which is ironic, because we are a charity that exists to express hope.”
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RNLI volunteers told to consider not wearing charity clothing due to safety concerns
Some RNLI staff and volunteers have faced abuse from anti-immigration protesters after the charity was involved in rescuing people who were trying to cross the Channel in small boats.
Peter Sparkes, chief executive of the life-saving charity, this week condemned threats against the RNLI’s volunteers and staff and said people were spreading “deliberate misinformation and a misunderstanding about the RNLI”.
A spokesperson for the charity said: “Given the unacceptable abuse our people have faced, and with protest activity taking place at RNLI locations, we have taken action to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of our volunteers and staff.
“As well as enhancing security at RNLI locations, we issued guidance to our people earlier this week on how to keep themselves safe.
“This guidance included how to manage potentially challenging interactions with members of the public and, where appropriate, choosing not to wear RNLI-branded clothing.”
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Record £22m legacy gift boosts Macmillan Cancer Support’s income to new high
The cancer charity’s income increased to a record high of £268.4m in the year to the end of December 2025, up from £245.5m in the previous 12 months, according to its latest accounts.
Macmillan received the £22.4m individual gift from George Gerald Kingsland Smith “to express his appreciation for the kindness and support he saw his mother receive from Macmillan nurses in the late 1990s”, the charity’s accounts say.
The charity’s legacy income rose to £129.3m in 2025, compared with the £106.1m it recorded in 2024.
Macmillan received 23 gifts worth more than £500,000 totalling £42.2m in 2025, compared with an average of £14.2m over the past five years, the accounts say.
Fundraising income at Macmillan was £265.4m in 2025, up from the £239.7m recorded in 2024.
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