A Bala family has launched a petition calling on Welsh Government to save disability charity, Anheddau.

Laura and Mark Bugby fear for the future care of their disabled son, John, if Anheddau – which supports 140 from across Gwynedd, Conwy, Anglesey, Denbighshire and Wrexham – is forced to close.

The organisation, which has helped people with autism, learning disabilities, mental health conditions and complex needs for more than 35 years, is staring at a £400,000 shortfall due to rises in the Real Living Wage and National Employer Contributions – leaving 400 jobs hanging in the balance.

Laura said the survival of Anheddau is essential for her son’s health and happiness, and praised the staff.

She said: “John has lived in an Anheddau supported house for 11 years, Before that he lived at home with us until he was 19.

“John has a severe learning disability and his house is provided by a housing association and he lives there with another two residents.

“Anheddau provides the 24-hour support that he needs.

“The charity’s staff make sure that he is fed, that he’s washed, they do all the personal care.

“They provide him one-to-one care in the house and the two-to-one care that he has to have when he’s out in the community.

“He goes out every day and has a different activity.

“He does the weekly shop in Porthmadog with the support of carers, he goes swimming three times a week, and goes cycling once a week - he is very, very busy.

“Thanks to Anheddau he leads a completely meaningful life, we have an excellent relationship with them.”

John’s older sister Rebecca has launched a petition (https://petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/246703) urging Welsh Government to ensure funding it gives to councils for charities is passed through to organisations.

It also calls for Welsh Government to enforce fair commissioning standards, engage with providers on funding impacts and commit to long-term reform to protect essential care services.

If 10,000 people sign the petition, it will be considered for debate in the Senedd.

Anheddau’s Chief Executive Claire Higgins said: “We’ve made enormous efficiencies within the organisation but we’re still in need of that additional funding commitment from the local authorities.

“If we have to close, then October is when we have to start the redundancy consultation with staff.

“If we make redundancies we will be able to keep ticking over, but it’s hand-to-mouth for us now. And if we do get through to April, I hope there will be no more tax increases.”

Claire said the charity is facing an 11 per cent deficit in its costs and said an 8.8 per cent increase in funding from the local authorities is the minimum it needs to survive.

She added: “Necessarily, we’ve been advocating strongly with local authorities. I am hopeful. But by the end of September if the councils say ‘no’, the only way we can survive is by making redundancies. Then it will be incredibly tight next year and can we continue after April is going to be the big question.”