For almost 160 years The Fed has been the golden thread that has cared for the most vulnerable in our Greater Manchester Jewish community. In that time we have continuously sought to adapt and evolve to meet changing social care needs.
The Fed must raise £2.5 million annually to bridge its operating deficit and continue delivering life-changing – and often lifesaving – support to the Jewish community of Greater Manchester, the UK’s second largest Jewish community.
We are deeply grateful for the generosity of our community, which recognises the breadth, quality, and impact of our work. However, each year the challenge grows, as more causes compete for funding, younger donors relocate to London, and we increasingly rely on an ageing group of major benefactors.
On April 1st this year, The Fed was dealt two significant financial blows by the Government:
- An increase in Employers’ National Insurance contributions added £220,000 to our costs.
- A rise in the National Living Wage added a further £330,000.
Together, these changes increased our annual fundraising target by £550,000 overnight.
At the same time we are experiencing a substantial decline in demand for residential care as more people choose to remain at home for longer. This trend has been accelerated by the tragic losses during Covid of many people who would have required care over the coming years.
In 2024, we had 160 residential beds occupied; today, the average is 84. This reduction has led to a sharp drop in income, compounded by the underfunding of care by local authorities.
Turning Challenge into Opportunity
Faced with these combined pressures, we have made the decision to reshape The Fed for the future. Whilst this process sadly includes the redundancy of a number of valued colleagues and will be a deeply difficult step, service delivery to our clients will remain unaffected.
Demand for residential care may be declining, but the need for affordable, supported senior living is growing alongside a continued need for community services and this provides us with an exciting opportunity.
To meet this need we are launching a three-phase transformation of part of Heathlands:
- Phase One: Convert 35 rooms into 22 modern one- and two-bedroom flats, enabling older people to live independently while accessing on-site support and activities.
- Phases Two & Three: Refurbish existing supported living flats and create additional new units.
This project will require a dedicated capital fundraising campaign but will, once complete, generate sustainable revenue while meeting evolving community needs.
The end result will be the creation of a new, vibrant Heathlands Campus, integrating a streamlined residential care home, a modern supported senior living community, and a range of services and activities that meet the ever-changing needs of our community. This communal hub will future-proof Jewish social care, led by The Fed, in Greater Manchester.
For further information contact:
Raphi Bloom, Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications
07816857105