£5,000 help offer presents a challenge
AN anonymous benefactor has offered £5,000 to a project for young carers in Huntingdonshire – but only if the charity can find a business to fund-match the gift. The offer has come following reports in The Hunts Post that the West Anglia Crossroads-run Y
AN anonymous benefactor has offered £5,000 to a project for young carers in Huntingdonshire - but only if the charity can find a business to fund-match the gift.
The offer has come following reports in The Hunts Post that the West Anglia Crossroads-run Young Carers Project could close because of a lack of cash.
Lucy Francklin, project manager, said: "This is great but somewhat of a challenge. It could enable us to keep going through until Christmas, which would be fantastic."
Unless it gets extra funding, the charity said it could close after August and has already laid off staff.
The project, which costs £80,000 a year to run, organises activity sessions for children whose lives are restricted by having to care for parents or their brothers and sisters, or both.
It also offers one-to-one support for youngsters, providing help for more than 220 young carers - there are an estimated 280 in Huntingdonshire.
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More and more young people are being referred to the scheme by Cambridgeshire County Council social workers while the council cannot give any more money to the scheme itself.
The county contributes an annual £21,000 and after The Hunts Post report in May, agreed to given an extra £10,000 to keep the project going over the summer.
The charity has made a bid to the Lottery which could provide £306,330 over three years, but the decision will not be made until August and the money will not be available until at least September.
INFORMATION: To find out how to donate, e-mail news@huntspost.co.uk
