A CHARITY which scooped nearly £50,000 of The People’s Millions funding is looking to take on extra volunteers to boost its work.

The County Durham Furniture Help Scheme (Cdfhs) celebrated ten-years of providing second-hand affordable furniture to people in need last year.

Based in units on the Chilton Industrial Estate, County Durham, it helps more than 2,000 people a month in an area stretching from South Tyneside to North Yorkshire.

Cdfhs received a £49,983 Big Lottery Fund grant after members of the public voted to support its Rural Refurb scheme via The People’s Millions.

Outside funding was also obtained to create a total £78,050 pot for the Rural Refurb project.

The scheme sees old furniture restored and re-painted to customers’ specifications by staff at the charity.

Part of the money has been used to create two posts at Cdfhs for the Rural Refurb project with a further 22 set to be created.

Another £28,650 of the funding has been spent on a van for the furniture charity to deliver items to Rural Refurb customers.

Steve Mitton, Cdfhs company secretary and business development manager, said: “We were gobsmacked to get the money.

“It means that we can go to the job centre and tell that we have vacancies to fill. We aim to have 24 workers on the Rural Refurb scheme by the end of the year.

“The Rural Refurb idea is quite popular and there is a big market for it. We have to create 300 pieces of furniture by the end of the year under the terms of the grant.”

A Big Lottery Fund spokesman said: “This local project is making a real difference by giving people the chance to gain new skills and experience through training in refurbishing waste furniture.

“We wish the group every success for the future.”