A charity which helps disabled children and young people across South Cheshire has been awarded a further five years of National Lottery funding.
The money for Friends for Leisure will help the charity support its growing volunteering programme.
Its mission is to provide disabled children and young people the chance to have fun, make friends and do everyday things that others may take for granted.
It supports people aged 5 to 21 across Nantwich and Crewe as well as other towns in Cheshire East including Sandbach, Congleton and Macclesfield.
The new funding comes from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by lottery players for good causes and is the largest community funder in the UK.
It will be used to recruit and retain volunteers a similar age to those the charity supports.
This is vital for building and maintaining positive one-to-one friendships for disabled children and young people.
Gillian Jones, Friends for Leisure charity manager, said: “We are delighted that the National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work and is continuing to support our volunteering programme.
“We believe Friends for Leisure is unique with 80% of our volunteers aged 18-25. In the past 12 months alone, we have had record numbers of people register to volunteer and this extra funding will help us continue that momentum.”
Friends for Leisure is also celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025.
It was originally founded by a group of parents who wanted to provide friendship and leisure opportunities for their disabled children.
The charity now has seven full-time and five part-time members of staff and is supported by a network of up to 100 volunteers.
Providing activities during term time and school holidays, the charity aims to reduce loneliness, improve confidence and independence and offer a place for children to make friends and have fun.
Gillian added: “Our volunteers are central to the work the charity does and without them we couldn’t cover the areas that we do.
“Now, thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to continue to grow our volunteer programme and support hundreds of disabled children and young people across Cheshire East, which is especially poignant in our 30th year.”
(Pic: From left to right, back row: Jessica Johnson; Archie Bloor; Alex Kucharyk; Harry Dewsbury; Mazie McConnell. Front row: Tiaa Saunders; Lesley Ingham (Activity Leader); Ella Brookshaw (young volunteer)
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