Telethon cash is given to centre (From Barry And District News)

Telethon cash is given to centre

A VITAL Barry community facility has been given a massive cash boost by Children In Need in Wales.

Gibbonsdown Children's Centre has been awarded £26,726 by the BBC fundraisers, which will be used to keep the site running for another year.

Centre manager Gill Bloom, who took over a year ago, has welcomed the news, saying this is the just the crucial support they need.

She said: "We applied in November for a grant to pay for three years' costs. It was optimistic but any help would be gratefully received.

"Then last Thursday when we had the letter saying we were successful it was brilliant - I was like a bottle of pop."

Gill added: "This is brilliant news for the area.

What we rely on is a sense of continuity, and if you have staff constantly wondering if they have to look for another job, and finding other employment, you lose that.

Now we can concentrate all our energy in finding the funding for the year after, and keep the centre running for all the people who need it."

The national co-ordinator for BBC Children In Need in Wales, Marc Phillips, added: "The first allocation of grants for 2003 is testimony to the ingenuity and commitment of voluntary organisations the length and breadth of Wales who are combating disadvantage.

From projects helping children cope with the trauma of domestic violence, to creative musical projects for children with disabilities, BBC Children In Need remains one of Wales' principal grant-givers.

Such positive action by the charity is only possible because of the hugely generous way the people of Wales supported the appeal in November last year."

All the Gibbonsdown money will be quickly spent on the Centre's two play schemes which run daily, closing only at Christmas.

They have a facility for 18-month olds up to four-and-a-half during the day, and an after-school club taking four-and-a-half year olds up to age 11.