Charity Vita Nova still struggling after one of their best years ever

25-year-old Boscombe based charity Vita Nova is struggling to stay open after one of its most successful years to date.

The charity was set up in 1999, and uses performing arts as a form of rehabilitation for addicts and education for children about the perils of addiction.

Vita Nova are still living a “hand to mouth existence” financially as they struggle to secure funding according to creative producer Michael Armstrong.

He has been working for Vita Nova for 2 years now and has led them into one of their best years ever in 2024 .

“Me joining has massively increased capacity,” he said.

“We’re riding a bit of a wave.”

Last year, Vita Nova performed in the lighthouse in Poole, and the Pavilion in Bournemouth.

Despite the success, Vita Nova is still struggling to keep the lights on “What remains difficult is the funding environment.”

It has become harder for arts programs to achieve funding, and a lot of programmes are shutting down.

According to Equity Arts, funding in the UK has dropped by 16 percent since 2017.

Mr Armstrong says, “It’s really tough, you wait sometimes six months for a rejection letter.”

Some people who use Vita Nova as a form of rehabilitation and therapy have been going there for over ten years.

Vita Nova shutting down would effect all of the people who rely on it.

Libby Bellhouse is 73 and has been using Vita Nova since 2009 after being an addict for years.

She says, “It unlocked a creativity I didn’t even know I had.”

Vita nova closing would be “a tragedy, getting clean isn’t just about getting off the drink or the drugs, its about finding out who you are without them. Vita Nova helps with that.” says Libby.

Throughout all of the financial difficulty the staff will fight to keep it open.