Last updated at 09:13, Tuesday, 02 April 2013

THE first £1,000 grant from a new charity fund has been handed over to a group which provides a sanctuary for children coping with responsibilities beyond their years.

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Furness Young Carers received the cash as part of a £24k scheme set up by Lake District Farmers and local businessman Ray Armstrong.

Proceeds from last month’s One Week Only chef event held in Dalton, will be distributed to charities through the Lake District Farmers Armstrong Family Charitable Fund.

Each month for the next two years, local groups and organisations can apply through the Evening Mail for a share of the money.

The charity has 207 children aged between five and 18 on its books, who all perform some care duties at home.

These range from helping occasionally with a disabled sibling to being the primary carer for a parent with a severe disability. The group provides after-school activities, advocacy, holiday activities – including trips away to places like Chill Factor in Manchester – and one-to-one counselling.

Furness Young Carers project co-ordinator Laura McCormick said she was delighted when informed the group’s application had been successful.

She said it was imperative there was a place in the community where child carers could go and “just be kids” for a few hours after school or during the holidays.

“I’d like to thank Ray Armstrong and the Evening Mail on behalf of all the young carers and their families,” she said. “The money will make a huge difference as it will provide children with a real break in the holidays where they can have a little rest from caring and have some fun.”

Furness Young Carers requires £90,000 a year to fund its services and almost half of that must be sourced from private individuals and charity trusts.

Miss McCormick, who job shares with fellow project co-ordinator Susan Jones, said it was vital for child carers’ own health and well-being that their lives had some balance.

She said: “What we aim to do is keep them safe from any harm, see them meet their educational and social potential and, most importantly, we want them to have some fun.

“We want them to be children, not just carers.”

First published at 16:28, Monday, 04 March 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk

Your organisation could be the recipient of the next £1,000 from the Lake District Farmers Armstrong Family Charitable Fund.

Just fill in the form below and submit by Monday 20 May.

The next recipient will be announced in the Evening Mail Monday 3 June.

Those who have already submitted applications need not resubmit.

Their applications will be taken into consideration when the next £1,000 is allocated.