A charity whose funds were drying up should have closed today (Friday).

But Home-Start Dover District has just received a lifeline of £337,192.

The money, for the next three years, came from the Reach Communities Grant from the Big Lottery Fund.

Suzanne Letchford, financial and operational co-ordinator, said: “That grant was our last chance.

“If we didn’t get funding we would have closed by the end of the month, meaning today.

“Now we’re all upbeat and ready to move forward where we were before expecting to leave here in tears.”

The group, which supports young families in their homes, had a previous Lottery grant of just under £300,000 for 2012 to 2015.

But other grant applications were unsuccessful and the group ended up living on its reserve funds over the last year.

In the end it was only able to provide basic services.

The lifeline meant that the group, based in Noahs Ark Road, Dover, was able to unveil its new project, last Monday, Embrace,

It offers supports to families and children with a physical or mental health disability.

This means it needs volunteers who can provide a couple of hours a week to offer emotional and practical support to families in their own homes.

Training for new volunteers starts on June 5.

The Big Lottery Fund is the largest public provider of of community activity in UK.
Since June 2004 it has awarded more than £8 billion to projects.

Just last year it awarded £583 million and supported around 12,000 project across the UK for health, education environment and charitable purposes.

For further information about Home-Start Dover District contact the office on 01304 242314 or visit the website home-startdoverdistrict.org.uk.