A family support charity which feared it could have to close due to lack of funds has been saved after securing a £300,000 National Lottery grant.
The axe has been hanging over Home-Start Wokingham in Cutbush Lane, Shinfield, after its grant was slashed by Wokingham Borough Council in 2009.
The charity has been struggling to make ends meet and twice missed out on National Lottery grants.
But a third grant has finally been approved, meaning the charity will be able to expand to offer help to more families in Wokingham.
Angie Mycock, co-manager of Home-Start Wokingham, said: “We are all absolutely over the moon. I cannot put it into words, it’s been a really tough couple of years.
“It’s our third attempt to get it and we have been having to manage with fundraising anywhere and everywhere we can get money from in order to deliver our services.
“Our trustees have done a brilliant job and we have got some support from Wokingham Borough Council, but we were hoping for the grant to take the pressure off.”
Home-Start provides support for families who are struggling to cope or who are at crisis point.
The charity matches trained volunteers with families to help tackle post-natal depression, isolation, multiple births, physical or mental health problems and relationship breakdowns.
The grant, which is part of the Big Lottery Fund’s flagship Reaching Communities fund, will help the service to train more volunteers to support a larger number of families with young children across the borough.
Ms Mycock said: “As part of our expansion we are going to try to recruit more volunteers.
It’s just such a relief because my colleague and I are the two original staff and we really did feel that was it when the second grant was turned down.
“They have about £12 million being asked for with about £5 million in the pot and Wokingham never is the top of the pile because it’s perceived to be an affluent area.
“But we know there are a lot of disadvantaged families in the area and not just families who are disadvantaged financially, but it can be other things as well.”
Fiona Dempsie, Big Lottery Fund’s Head of the South East region, said: “These grants are welcome news for community groups across the region that are working to provide practical help to those who really need it the most.
With more than £1.6 million in total coming to the region, this funding will make a big difference to many lives, families and communities.”
Source http://www.getwokingham.co.uk
The axe has been hanging over Home-Start Wokingham in Cutbush Lane, Shinfield, after its grant was slashed by Wokingham Borough Council in 2009.
The charity has been struggling to make ends meet and twice missed out on National Lottery grants.
But a third grant has finally been approved, meaning the charity will be able to expand to offer help to more families in Wokingham.
Angie Mycock, co-manager of Home-Start Wokingham, said: “We are all absolutely over the moon. I cannot put it into words, it’s been a really tough couple of years.
“It’s our third attempt to get it and we have been having to manage with fundraising anywhere and everywhere we can get money from in order to deliver our services.
“Our trustees have done a brilliant job and we have got some support from Wokingham Borough Council, but we were hoping for the grant to take the pressure off.”
Home-Start provides support for families who are struggling to cope or who are at crisis point.
The charity matches trained volunteers with families to help tackle post-natal depression, isolation, multiple births, physical or mental health problems and relationship breakdowns.
The grant, which is part of the Big Lottery Fund’s flagship Reaching Communities fund, will help the service to train more volunteers to support a larger number of families with young children across the borough.
Ms Mycock said: “As part of our expansion we are going to try to recruit more volunteers.
It’s just such a relief because my colleague and I are the two original staff and we really did feel that was it when the second grant was turned down.
“They have about £12 million being asked for with about £5 million in the pot and Wokingham never is the top of the pile because it’s perceived to be an affluent area.
“But we know there are a lot of disadvantaged families in the area and not just families who are disadvantaged financially, but it can be other things as well.”
Fiona Dempsie, Big Lottery Fund’s Head of the South East region, said: “These grants are welcome news for community groups across the region that are working to provide practical help to those who really need it the most.
With more than £1.6 million in total coming to the region, this funding will make a big difference to many lives, families and communities.”
Source http://www.getwokingham.co.uk
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