By Ben Wilkinson, The Oxford TImes. Full article here
VITAL youth services offered by an Abingdon charity are at risk due to lack of funding.
The Abingdon Bridge project needs more funds to continue its housing and jobs projects for disadvantaged young people.
The Bridge Street drop-in centre, which employs seven part-time staff, provides support and advice for young people aged 13 to 25.
It also offers counselling, drugs and alcohol support, and sexual health advice.
But chairman Derek Pooley said its project to help homeless young people find housing would soon run out of money.
Money helping young adults find employment will also soon dry up.
The charity, which is run on grants, support from town churches and council cash, spends about £60,000 a year.
At its annual meeting on Monday, it was announced that the charity finished the year with a £3,245 deficit and had £28,000 in the bank for the current financial year.
Mr Pooley said the charity, which was founded in 1993, could lose at least one worker if funding did not improve.
To see how you could help visit the Abingdon Bridge Project website here.
Last year, about 180 young people were helped by the charity, which also offers workshops and drop-in sessions at schools in the town.
Secretary Neil Boston said: “It is not about to shut down, but we have been spending more money than we have been getting in, so we need to do something about it.
“In general terms, it is now harder for all charitable organisations to acquire the funding they need.”
