CHILDREN and young people with disabilities and long-term illnesses will benefit from more than £29,000 worth of funding to free them from isolation and loneliness.

BBC Children in Need has announced it will award a new grant of £29,292 to provide a youth club, cooking and arts and crafts classes, indoor climbing and music and dance activities.

The Five Lamps group will use the money delivered as part of the Children In Need Small Grants Programme and that latest sum means the charity has more than £233,000 invested in it.

This is the second funding allocation of the year via Children In Need and the Thornaby-based Five Lamps was selected to fund new projects giving young people confidence, self-esteem and independence.

Lisa Pickard, group chief executive of Five Lamps said: “We are thrilled to receive the new three-year grant from BBC Children in Need to continue our VIBE youth clubs.

"Having dedicated sessions for young people with disabilities and long term illness is at the heart of our work from our purpose built youth facility ‘The Youthy’.

"We recognise the importance of giving young people a safe and inclusive space to be themselves, try new activities and socialise with other young people and the impact this has on reducing their feelings of social isolation.

"It also provides a great opportunity for their parents and carers to get peer-support from each other."

The youth club allows the young people to socialise with friends, enjoy new activities, meet new people and learn new skills.

Speaking of the new grant, Elizabeth Myers, regional head of the north at BBC Children in Need said: “It’s always a real privilege to award new grants to projects like Five Lamps, which demonstrate how our small grants programme makes a positive difference to children and young people’s lives.”

BBC Children in Need’s chief executive, Simon Antrobus added: “Thanks to our generous supporters, our Small Grants programme can and does make a significant and lasting impact on young lives.

"Each project will go on to make a positive and lasting difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in the heart of local communities up and down the UK, so thank you for making these grants possible.”

BBC Children in Need currently awards grants at six points during the year and funds two types of grants, both of which are open to new or existing applicants. The main Grants Programme is for grants over £10,000 per year to support projects for up to three years.

The Small Grants Programme supports projects for up to three years, and includes grants up to and including £10,000 per year. Both are open to applications.