Cash for youth organisations in Basingstoke

Holiday play schemes, a music project and a young carers group in Basingstoke are just some of the projects to get funding from Hampshire County Council.

A total of £41,100 has been awarded by the County Council’s Children’s Services department to projects in the town which provide services for children and young people. Recipients of the grants are:

•Soco Music, whose music leaders work with youth workers at Junction 6 a youth club in the town, has been awarded £8,600 to help pay the cost of two musicians to provide weekly sessions at the club

•Basingstoke Play Ltd, which provides holiday play schemes for disabled children and young people aged 5-15, has been awarded £20,000 to contribute towards the running costs of the scheme

•Basingstoke Voluntary Services, which has been awarded £12,500 to help towards the running costs of a project to support young carers

Countywide groups to benefit too

The grants are part of a total of £139,093 awarded to groups and organisations across Hampshire which work with, and for, children and young people including £15,800 which has been awarded to the following countywide organisations:

•British Red Cross, awarded £9,800 to help run Project Advantage ABC, a scheme which trains young people as peer educators to help deliver sexual health awareness in schools

•Step By Step Partnership, awarded £6,000 to help support its Life, Love and Happiness scheme which delivers sexual health and healthy lifestyle sessions to young people

Commenting on the grants John Coughlan, Hampshire County Council’s Director of Children’s Services, said:

“Hampshire County Council is committed to ensuring children and young people have access to a wide range of educational and recreational services and activities. These grants have gone to a broad range of applicants, many of whom have applied for the first time. Young people have had a say in this process through local groups and forums which recommend bids for consideration. All the organisations receiving funding are working with, and for, children and young people to provide positive activities enabling them to stay healthy and safe and enable them to make a positive contribution to the wider community.”