A charity in Leeds is urging local community groups to grab a share of £100,000 worth of funding from Comic Relief.
Alison Beckwith set up Streetwise three years ago and received around £1,000 from Comic Relief’s Community Cash grants, which are backed by the Yorkshire Evening Post.
The money helped pay for food and drink for the project during a nine-week period when the group was itself homeless and had to operate from a park.
She said: “These things are challenges but we will be carrying on supporting these people and, in time, we hope to have our own centre, offering support to help people move on in their lives.
“I would definitely encourage people to apply for the grants as it allowed us to do more and reach more people.
“The money is there so if there are groups that need extra finance, they should go for it.”
Alison set up Streetwise after seeing homeless people wandering around Leeds city centre.
The charity provides food, sleeping bags, hygiene parcels and support for the homeless, rough sleepers and lonely people in the city.
Every Thursday night, the charity, which now has a team of 20 volunteers, works with up to 60 people.
Alison, 34, added: “I’m very fortunate to have what I have in my life and it takes so little time to reach out and help someone who is less fortunate or someone who is having a horrible time.”
The charity was previously run from Life Church Leeds in the Merrion Centre before the church re-located last year due to re-development.
The charity is now renting premises at The Domaine on Bridge Street.
The Community Cash project gives grants of between £500 and £1,000 to small organisations in the region that are doing great work to help local people coping with tough lives.
Groups that are able to apply for the funding must be working in a disadvantaged or deprived area and be small, local groups with an income of under £100,000 in the past year.
To apply for a Red Nose Day Community Cash grant, visit: www.leedscf.org.uk/apply-for-grant/open-grants-programme/ before Friday March 8.
Leeds Community Foundation will help the money reach those who need it most.
For more about Red Nose Day, which will be held on Friday March 15, or for lots of fundraising ideas, visit: www.rednoseday.com
For details about the Streetwise charity, you can visit the website at: localgiving.com/streetwiseloveleeds
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