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Leyland charity in closure threat
A Leyland charity has issued a rallying cry to the community over fears it could be forced to close within months.
The Leyland Project has been a presence on the Wade Hall estate for almost 20 years, but may have to shut its doors for the last time if it can't find an extra 1,000 a month to stay afloat.
The Project works with families in Wade Hall to provide support, child care and youth work.
Project youth worker Tom Belshaw said: "We're hand to mouth. As we are at the moment, we've not got enough money to keep the doors open after Christmas."
The Project consists of The Place community centre on Royal Avenue and the Springfields Family Support Centre.
Since it began, it has offered services such as adult education, holiday clubs, IT learning, and dance and soccer clubs.
Funding for a scheme, where children earn points based on acts of kindness such as gardening on litter picking in return to day trips, has already been pulled.
Tom said the work the charity carries out is vital in the community and he is urging local people to show their support.
"We tick over under the radar but in terms of being a presence, time and time again the Leyland Project has helped people out," he said. "We need everything from people volunteering their time to a benefactor for the charity.
"We're in the same position as a lot of other people at the moment but we're running everything out of the charity reserves. As it stands, we won't be here much longer."
The Project has just finished a week-long activity workshop for kids including karate, football and snooker, but were forced to scale back plans because of funding problems.
It is supported by a number of local partners including New Progress Housing and Lancashire Sure Start, but still faces a massive shortfall to be able to keep the centre running.
Tom said: "We can only do the work if we have the money for it. Wade Hall is a real community and we've had various funding like some from the Home Office but it's bits and pieces here and there.
"The Project is really good because people who came as kids are starting to bring their own kids to the centre. We're just trying to keep ourselves afloat and we really need support."
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Weather for Leyland
Monday 06 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -5 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
