Leading UK charity collapses with £430K owed and jobs lost

Auditory Verbal which is currently based in Kirtlington Road, Chesterton, Bicester, went into liquidation on Friday, May 8, with a statement on its website saying no further operations are expected.

Founded in 2003, Auditory Verbal UK describes itself as the “leading provider of Auditory Verbal therapy in the UK” and has aimed to ensure all deaf children have the same opportunities in life as their hearing peers.

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Among the services it offered were supporting families through therapy, training professionals through an internationally accredited programme, conducting research and increasing awareness.

However, now the charity has closed.

Auditory Verbal stars in BBC One appeal with radio presenter Sara Cox in 2018 (Image: AVUK)

A statement on its website said: “Like many charities, AVUK has been operating in an increasingly challenging and turbulent environment for some time.

“Over recent months, despite strong progress pursing our strategy and continued delivery of high quality, life changing support, the financial pressures facing the charity have intensified to a point where it is no longer possible for us to operate sustainably. 

“We understand that the speed of this closure may come as a shock.

“This has been an incredibly difficult decision, taken with the greatest care for the families, professionals and supporters who have placed their trust in AVUK over the years.”

Victoria Prentis, former Banbury MP, visited the charity in 2022 (Image: GOV)

In its latest company accounts the organisation listed 30 employees, all of whom will have lost their jobs.

In addition it noted creditors falling within a year worth £433,557.

Over recent years it was part of an appeal headed by BBC radio presenter Sara Cox and was visited by former Banbury MP Victoria Prentis.

The organisation said it was working to ensure alternate provisions are made for those it is currently helping and said it had supported thousands of children through its therapy.

Auditory Verbal stars in BBC One appeal with radio presenter Sara Cox in 2018 (Image: AVUK)

The spokesperson added: “This work has been made possible by the extraordinary generosity of individuals, families, trusts, foundations and partners who believe deeply in our mission, and we are hugely grateful.”

The charity said that though it campaigned for sustained government support for children who are deaf their calls have “not been met”.

“Access via public services remains very limited,” they said.

They added: “Although AVUK is being wound-up, we are hugely proud to have been part of the collective determination to see a world where all deaf children have the same opportunities in life as their hearing peers.

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“We are proud to have helped challenge outdated perceptions and raise expectations of what deaf children can do and achieve.

“We hope the progress made will continue to shape a future where all deaf children have access to the early, effective support needed to thrive at school and beyond.”

The company acknowledge that they still owe funds and said that those they owe money to will receive formal notification from S&W Partners who are the proposed liquidators and currently engaged as professional advisors to the Board of AVUK.