Adult education charity Aspire Sussex has stopped operations and is set to enter administration this week after its post-pandemic recovery was hit by the cost-of-living crisis.

The West Sussex based charity had been delivering adult education programmes in the area for a decade but stopped running its operations and classes earlier this month and is going into administration this week.

The move puts more than 200 jobs at risk at the charity.

According to the Charity Register, Aspire Sussex has 215 employees and its latest accounts, for the year ending 31 July 2021 show its income was £3.8m but its total expenditure was £4m.

In a statement the charity said it “has taught its final lesson as it becomes the latest charity to close its doors due to the crippling impact of the current economic climate”.

“After delivering adult education programmes across West Sussex for the last 10 years, the charity is unable to continue trading due to the devastating impact of the combination of Covid and the cost-of-living crisis on its operations,” added the statement.

“Restrictions imposed during Covid dramatically hit numbers of learners, with the charity depleting its financial reserves in maintaining services to its most vulnerable clients through the pandemic period.

“Its recovery has been curtailed by the subsequent cost-of-living crisis, directly impacting availability of additional financial income and those able to pay for the cost of their courses.”



The charity’s chair Norman Boyland added: “This is a deeply sad day for the provision of Adult Education to the residents of West Sussex, particularly those most vulnerable in our communities who we support.

“On behalf of the Trustees, I would simply just like to say thank you to all our learners who we have had the pleasure of teaching, to our partners, and to the many staff and tutors who have provided first class training on behalf of Aspire Sussex.”

Over the last decade the charity has supported more than 30,000 adult learners in courses including maths, English, digital skills, languages, arts and wellbeing. It also supported adults with learning disabilities and has been involved in teaching English to refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine.

“The staff and tutors of Aspire Sussex have been proud to serve West Sussex’s residents, improving the lives of so many, raising ability and aspiration, enabling social inclusion, and building brighter communities,” added the charity’s statement.

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