Bristol project secures BBC grant

Six Bristol projects have received grants in this round of funding

The future of a project in Bristol has been secured thanks to a BBC Children in Need grant.

The Bristol Bridge Foundation, at Millpond Primary School, helps younger children with emotional problems and has been given just over £13,000.

Murray Stewart, Chair of Trustees, hopes it will be a three year project, worth around £80,000.

Six projects in Bristol have received Children in Need grants, totalling £71,000, in this round of funding.

Mr Stewart added: "Children aged 7 to 11 are facing all sorts of problems about the future transition to secondary education. Many of them lack confidence, lack self-esteem, and find it difficult to express themselves.

"Our work is helping them to deal with some of their emotional problems and to address these issues of having

better relationships in the school and at home."

Given the current financial climate, some charities are finding it harder than ever to secure funding from both individuals and organisations.

"It's a struggle, every day we are thinking about bids," said Mr Stewart.

"One looks at different sources to put something together, so having some children in need under-pinning for three years is going to be really useful."

Emma Beeston is the Regional Manager for Children in Need in the South West. She says that a number of projects are currently benefitting from their support.

"At the moment across the whole of Bristol, because remember we give out grants on an ongoing basis, we've got 30 grants.

"If you combine their total worth, it's over £1m worth of funding that's really making a difference to lives of children across Bristol."