Dear Colleagues, As you know, FILM, our imaging facility, has been operating under significant economic and technological pressures, reflecting the broader situation in the UK economy. The annual inflation rates over the last four years have been as follows: - 2021: 2.6% - 2022: 9.1% - 2023: 7.3% - 2024: 3.1% (up to July) The cumulative inflation over these four years is approximately 24.2% (23.08%)<https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation/inflation-calculator>: [cid:3bffd417-5ac5-42fc-9c45-0e25fd70814a] These inflationary pressures have led to increased costs in staff expenses, service contracts, consumables, and necessary investments in IT infrastructure within the SAF and ICTEM Buildings. Despite these challenges, our charging rates<https://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/facility-for-imaging-by-light-microscopy/charges/> have remained fixed over the last four years. We have tried to compensate by increasing our income through the acquisition of new equipment and intensifying our workload, which has resulted in income growth each year, including a 10.9% increase in 2023. However, due to limitations in staff numbers and other factors, it is no longer feasible to maintain the current charging rates. In the near future, we will be developing a new charging schema to address these challenges. Thank you for your understanding and continued support. Best regards, Volodymyr Dr. Volodymyr Nechyporuk-Zloy (FILM Facility Manager) Facility for Imaging by Light Microscopy Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine Sir Alexander Fleming Building South Kensington Campus London SW7 2AZ, UK Mobile: (+44) 7526275617 Twitter: @vnzloy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/volodymyr-nechyporuk-zloy/ Company Web: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/facility-for-imaging-by-light-microscopy...
