CHARITIES must be strong and resilient if they are to survive the recession.

Voluntary organisations cannot rely solely on grants and donations in the current climate, according to Matthew Pearce, the chief executive of Voluntary Action Swindon.

His opinion has been echoed by the secretary of an autistic charity which is trying to ensure it has enough money to survive in the face of a potential funding cut.

Mr Pearce also called on unemployed people to use their skills for the benefit of voluntary groups while they search for a job.

“We should be seeking to volunteer ourselves out of the recession,” he said.

“The financial crisis has made it difficult for many charities because while the demand for the services they offer has increased, the opportunities for funding are becoming fewer.

“But charities have to make sure they don’t rest on their laurels. They have to be tough to survive the recession.”

VAS is willing to help local organisations and plans to offer training courses aimed at making charities more self-sufficient.

Mr Pearce said: “VAS can be an example. We were formed in the 1930s and have developed into a strong and resilient association.”

An example of a group that is bracing itself for financial hardship is DASH – Discovering Autism Spectrum Happiness – which generates funding by the sale of wildflowers at TWIGS community gardens in Cheney Manor every Wednesday and Friday afternoons.

The group also benefits from a £2,400 a year community grant from Swindon Council, but may lose out on the funding next year.

DASH secretary Anne Billingham said: “Charities everywhere are suffering at the moment. Lottery funding is much harder to get now and as people tighten their belts they have less to donate to charity.

“I think it is important for organisations such as ourselves to have other means of funding outside grants and donations.”

But the recession does not only mean bad news for charities, says Mr Pearce, who believes people hunting for a job can make a valuable contribution.

He said: “There are a lot of really useful skills that could be a great help to organisations around Swindon and will also look very good on CVs.”

To learn more about voluntary opportunities go to www.vas-swindon.org.