Charity services secure £175,000 in lottery grants

From the archive, first published Saturday 8th Oct 2005.

VITAL charity services for people in west Wiltshire with have been safeguarded thanks to lottery grants of more than £175,000.

Carers Support West Wilts won a £105,280 grant to provide information to parents caring for children as well as offering them respite breaks.

Alison Crangle from Carers West Wilts said: "We are delighted to have been awarded this grant, which will improve the quality of our service to the carers of west Wiltshire, particularly the parent carers.

The Independent Living Centre (ILC) in St George's Road, Semington, was awarded a grant of £71,894.

Over the next three years, the grant will go towards the ILC's helpline, which offers benefit advice and information about disabled services and activities.

Two years ago the DIAL Wiltshire service, which offered similar help over the telephone folded.

The ILC were asked to take over and applied for a lottery grant to cover the costs.

They were successful but the grant was only for two years, and the latest funding allows the centre to carry on providing services for the next three years.

After that, bosses hope they can absorb running costs in their own budget and continue the helpline indefinitely.

Jeanette Greer, honorary chief executive at the ILC said: "We are absolutely delighted to get the grant.

"The two services it will allow us to continue providing are the benefits advisor and the information officer.

"The helpline has become an integral part of the work of the centre and the ILC is grateful the Big Lottery has recognised the value."

Costs are estimated at around £30,000 a year for the first two years and around £10,000 for the third year.

Mrs Greer said: "We help people live as independently as possible despite their disability.

"Thanks to this grant we can continue to do this."

Debbie Youngs provides advice to people with disabilities on filling in benefits forms and fighting benefits claims.

She also fights appeals tribunals, has won more than £200,000 for clients in two years and visits them in their own homes to discuss problems.

Ann Dunlop compiles information from all over the UK and abroad to help disabled people with leisure activities, holidays and days out.

Both were delighted they could continue with their work for the next three years and indefinitely after that.

Mrs Dunlop said: "It is a very satisfying job and we are delighted to be able to carry on.

"We provide a crucial service to help people with disabilities to retain their independence."

The ILC's main role is offering independent advice on products and equipment for disabled people.

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