Palace for Life Foundation to furlough staff in response to Covid-19
A number of Foundation staff will be 'furloughed' under the Government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Palace for Life Foundation has announced that it will furlough a number of staff under the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, including coaches and central team workers, in response to the effects of Covid-19.
The official charity of Crystal Palace FC said the need to temporarily halt some activities – including Soccer Schools and football development centres – and the resulting reduction in income, required it to take measures to adapt to the new circumstances and to ensure that it is able to continue operating in the long run.
The majority of furloughed staff will be coaches and mentors who are normally delivering football and other activities in schools, colleges and the community. There are also a number of central staff who will be furloughed as their usual duties have been severely reduced.
The Foundation is working closely with the football club to continue supporting the south London community at this time. Many coaches are still working in schools with the children of key workers and others who remain in education. Mentors are checking on young people at risk of crime over phone and via video and a number of health and education courses are moving online in order to allow young people to complete their learning.
Crystal Palace and Foundation staff have been proactively contacting all the club’s season ticket holders aged 70 or over to offer practical help and check they are OK. In addition, the Palace for Life Super Draw will be running online, with proceeds from the next ‘game’ donated to a local foodbank.
Mike Summers, Palace for Life Chief Executive, said: “Faced with reduced income and the need to adapt how we are operating at this time, we have been left with no option but to take these measures.
“I would like to thank all of our staff who have so worked hard in the past few weeks to adapt in this unprecedented situation and ensure the people in our community who most need our support are still being helped.”
Staff furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will remain employed by Palace for Life Foundation but will not carry out work for the charity for the period of their furlough.