Yorkshire charities get ‘support’ funding to stay open

Two charities in South and West Yorkshire have been awarded a share of £3.6m government funding.

Doncaster Rape & Sexual Abuse Counselling Service (Drasacs) will benefit from £44,230 providing salaries for “essential posts”.

Calderdale Parent and Carer’s Council, which helps families with disabled children, has been awarded £21,469.

The Department of Health said the funding was to support charities which otherwise might have had to close.

Penny Flintoff, development officer for Drasacs, said: “We’ve lost funding for both our finance officer and our manager and with the best will in the world you can’t run a service without financial control and management.”

‘Vital security’

Drasacs provides counselling, group therapy and general information for those who have been sexually or physically abused.

Charities awarded money from the Financial Assistance Fund must submit plans on how they are going to spend the money by the end of March.

Chris Easton, from Calderdale Parent and Carer’s Council, said the charity planned to use the money to improve its business plan to meet consumers expectations.

“Receiving this funding has provided the organisation with vital security during this period of immense change in children’s health and social care.”

Health secretary Andrew Lansley said: “Charities play an important role in our vision for the Big Society and it is right that in these difficult economic circumstances we should give short-term support.”